Laredo Mission Experience

Labor Day – 2010

Price Harris Ministries
September 1-4

For more than 20 years Price has led this trip to the border of Mexico and in co-operation with the Rio Grande Missionary Help Ministry. This has provided a place where people of all ages can have an intensive missionary experience for a minimal cost.

This year the trip was unique. Because of the violence within Mexico, Bro. Bro. Bill Waldrop (the founder of RGMH) called a month before the event and requested that we not plan to come because of the danger. We had already received deposits from nearly all of our travelers at that time. The busses and drivers were in place and people from all over the Ark-La-Tex were committed! I simply asked, “Bro. Waldrop why not pray about us coming and ministering in your community on this side of the border.” Bro. Bill in conference with Bro. Kelli Hein, his son-in-law and the pastor of the Friendly Baptist Church called, and very excitedly accepted the challenge.

In preparation for the mission I share very early in the planning that it is a very difficult weekend physically. We leave on Thursday afternoon at 4 p. m., drive over 600 miles with very few breaks, and arrive in Laredo long past bedtime. (this year we got in bed around 4:00 a. m.) In spite of this we were blessed to have 49 travelers from at least 10 churches.

After a few hours of sleep, we were blessed by a challenge by Pastor Richard Kaufman from Martin Baptist near Coushatta. We then boarded the busses and had dinner with the team and our hosts at a local restaurant. After dinner we stopped by Wal-Mart and each team member was asked to buy a gift for the mission. We suggested cleaning materials, toilet paper, other paper products for the mission to use throughout the year. I call it a “Little is Much” offering. We were amazed at the amount of materials our group bought for the mission.

After the stop at Wal-Mart we went back to RGMH for a time of orientation. Each team member was assigned to a team for visitation, and reminded of their responsibilities in puppets, face painting, Balloon art, etc. Late that afternoon we boarded the busses for a time of canvassing in the local community. Divided into 8 teams and following a light rain, the teams were dropped off to knock on every door and deliver an invitation to a party the next afternoon. One of the residents had given permission to use an empty lot. On muddy streets, with many dogs, and many empty homes, we were obedient to give the invites to passing vehicles, to those who were at home, and by faith leave the papers on doors and fences. My faith was small! After at time of fellowship and a meal we returned to RGMH for a great devotional on “Finding the Will of God” by Dr. Mike Anderson from Haynes Avenue Baptist Church. Lights Out came easy!

In preparation for our trip, God opened a great opportunity for us to go to the Sacred Heart Children’s Home in Laredo. Sister Maria Isidra Valdez gave us freedom to share with 55 beautiful children the story of Jesus and to share gifts with each child. They in turn served refreshments at the end of the program. We were blessed to have Luke and Tori Durst join us to share their ministry of Blankets and Bears. They live in Panhandle, TX and flew down for this brief meeting. Tori shared in tears how God had led her to collect Bears and Blankets and to distribute them just to say “God Loves You”. I was amazed how the children and the Sisters cherished these bears. We followed this with music by Beans and Rice (Pastor Armando Santos and Kalen, grandson of Bro. Waldrop), puppets, and a presentation by Evangelist Carl Carrigan and his friend Andrew, the gospel worm. We are so grateful for the seeds sown of the gospel at this beautiful facility right on the banks of the Rio Grande River. Evidence of the high level of danger was a border patrol car parked on the property and overlooking the river.

Immediately, we went to downtown Laredo for an hour of shopping and literature distribution. It is amazing how many contacts 50 people can make in an hour, and how much they can purchase. One of our pastors was late to the bus. Later we learned he had led a Chinese girl to Christ who sold him a gift for his wife. Evidence of the providence of God was the fact that this pastor had pastored a Chinese mission earlier in life. Can we ever doubt that God is in control. Also Jimmy and Kathy Johnston met a gentleman from Venezuela who was a believer – he was interested in attending the service on Sunday morning! After lunch, rest, and a brief orientation, we left RGMH and headed for that empty lot. I asked the team to pray that we would have 30 people out of the community to attend.

We parked our bus and Bro. Waldrop’s trailer. The trailer is unique, a screen, a platform, and chairs for seating. The puppets set up their elaborate equipment, the face painters, balloon experts, and gift givers made preparation for those who were coming to that very vacant lot.

We were ready for our scheduled start time at 6:30 and all of a sudden were overwhelmed with autos bringing children, and also children and parents walking toward us. In just a few minutes we counted more than 60 there for our party. What a blessing – everyone was wonderful in giving themselves so that the people felt a real part – that they received their gifts, and that they heard clearly presented the way of salvation. Pastor Amador Santos, a native of Puerto Rico and an old friend gave an invitation and more than 20 lifted their hands for salvation. Many stated for a gospel film afterward. We made our way rejoicing to have some fast food, a testimony time and a brief message by Zack Anderson from Martin Baptist in Coushatta, LA. Again lights out was easy.

Sunday morning we were up at 7 a.m. to clean our rooms, and the RGMH compound. We then packed the busses and joined together for the second wonderful breakfast prepared lovingly by several of our team members. My wonderful wife Ann headed the team of cooks.

At little before 10 a.m. the people began to fill up the small room where the Friendly Baptist Church meets. We were on shouting ground as several families we met at the party came to church, and the gentleman from Venezuela showed up. After messages by Bro. Armador and Bro. Carl Carrigan we were blessed to see 3 people come to the Lord. At the end of the service Bro. Carlos Meza, pastor of the Spanish church sponsored by Calvary Baptist in Shreveport, presented the visitors with packets of beans and rice for them to take home!

I just cannot thank our team enough! The Waldrops, the Heins, every team member – especially Bo Attaway and Wallace Scarlett (our bus drivers) were suberb! What a wonderful display of how God works when we are in unity and selflessly use our gifts for His glory!

After a looong trip home we arrived at about 3:00 a.m. Tired but a good tired. Again lights out came easy!

August - September Newsletter

Craig and Melodie (Easter-2010)

Price and Precious Gypsy Girl (Romania-2010)

August-September 2010

Dear Ones,

Craig was our beloved son-in-law! He was diagnosed with non-small-cell lung cancer December 14 of last year. He immediately started treatment for the cancer which had already progressed beyond the possibility of surgery. Over the weeks – there was some good news, but the cancer finally had its way. Craig went to be with the Lord on June 30. Seldom, if ever, have I experienced an outpouring of love like we did in the community of Hoke’s Bluff, AL. For weeks the people came with love, with tangible expressions of love, and then at the viewing on Friday night the First Baptist Church of Hokes Bluff was filled with friends. On Saturday, the church was filled again with people who loved Melodie and Craig and their boys. Several days before his death, Craig’s youth pastor, Allen Hudson, came by and it was a thrill to hear them recount when Craig was saved and baptized as a teenager. Pray for Melodie, Baylor, Blake, and Brandon. We will miss Craig –and look forward to that wonderful place called Heaven.

ROMANIA - 2010
“In June, a special event was Price’s visit. He and the team from America are very devoted to us and very close to the children born through the Estera foundation. We put together a festive meal and enjoyed a short program prepared by the States team. The mommies felt so well that they didn’t want to leave. It was indeed an unforgettable time. Several of the Mother’s indicated that they gave their lives to the Lord during this meeting.” (an excerpt from the Esther Foundation newsletter) Our trip to Romania was so fruitful. We had almost 300 people respond to the gospel – we had a wonderful time of encouragement with our Christian friends. The special projects with the Gypsy children and with the Esther foundation were so blessed. We also were able to help several families and students with gifts because of your generosity. Thank you for the opportunity to be used among a dear people of another culture and many miles from our home.

As we remember the tragic events of September 11, 2001, we want to send you a reminder of this event that has affected all of our lives. Thanks for helping us as we seek to lift up Jesus! Don’t forget January 7, 2011!! (the Night of Praise)

In HIS love,
Price Harris

Encouragement to Stay by the Stuff!

Dr. Mike Johnson is the head master of Cair Paravel Latin School in Topeka, KS. We became friends when he was on the staff of Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport where I also served with Dr. W. D. “Step” Martin. Bro. “Step” was an evangelistic pastor in the truest sense. Every week we were given assignments for evangelistic visits and were held accountable that these visits were made. Dr. Mike shared recently the result of one of these encounters. I share with you because of the encouragement it gave me to keep on telling the old, old, story. When we share Jesus – we may not know until we get to heaven the entire results. Let me encourage you to build a prayer list of people who need to know the Lord. It takes prayer, concern, asking God for boldness, and just generally persistence. By the way, Dr. Johnson is one more intellectual – pray for him as he plants a love for the gospel in his students.

Dr. Johnson,
You probably do not remember me. I graduated with the class of ’89 at Captain Shreve and was fortunate enough to have you as my teacher in basic Latin. I write now to thank you. Not for your teachings in Latin (which were terrific as I recall), but for your interest in my salvation. While a student in your class, you invited me to a church service wherein at the end of the service the pastor extended an invitation to those in the congregation to come forward and accept their savior – I remained in my seat. You also invited me to attend early-morning “bible study” sessions you were hosting before school once a week at Captain Shreve. Although I came on several occasions – I remained in my seat. Undeterred, you even took me to lunch at El Chico. I remember distinctly you pulling out your Bible, laying it on the table and speaking to me about Christ – I remained in my seat. . . Sir, I report to you now as a brother in Christ, having accepted the grace so freely given and waking each day in the newness of life as only Jesus can provide. Mike, I think of you often and the time and effort you spent with me. Your impact on my life has been profound. I accepted Christ and was Baptized ten years ago in a small Baptist Church in Pintlala, Alabama. However, my walk to salvation began with the first small steps taken with you. I was speaking to some people the other day about “my high school Latin teacher” and your attempts at opening my heart 20 years ago and it dawned on me that I never thanked you. So, here goes, thanks for planting a seed in my heart; thanks for not giving up when I repeatedly shut down the conversations about Christ; and thanks for being an example for me in proclaiming the good news. Last Sunday an inquisitive 19 year old student in my office asked if he could attend church with me and then go to my Sunday School class. He did and as I stood in the hallway after class speaking with him about the lesson (Romans 12), I had to laugh – who would have thought 20 years ago that anyone would be going to church with ME!!! In short, this thanks is long overdue – I hope this email finds you well – be encouraged in your efforts - you keep doing what you did 20 years ago with me – those first small steps cracked an otherwise hard heart – I would write something cool to say here in Latin but I forgot everything!!!!!!
In Love,
Mark

North Country - 2010

Good Morning from the North Country! We are as close as you can get to Canada without being there. I didn't bring my passport, so I might as well be 10,000 miles. There may be a spiritual lesson there. Without spiritual credentials we just aren't going to get into the heavenly city of heaven - regardless of how close we may be - living in a gospel saturated society, in church all of our lives! We have to have a passport (be truly saved, born again)!

This morning we had breakfast with Bro. Micah Carr. Micah is pastor of the Lawrenceville Baptist Church where we are ministering. What a Godly young man. He and his oriental wife, Lo, met at Liberty University. Micah came to New York on a mission trip and God called him to pastor here. In an intense snow storm in January almost 3 years a go they moved into the modest pastor's home and began to minister. The thing that blesses me most is to see them so content and sure that this is where God wants them to serve. When they moved, Lo was pregnant with their daughter, Lydia. Last week she gave birth to a son, Malachi! Pray for them as they seek to win the lost and provide growth opportunities for the saved. In an age where we are so concerned with personal comfort - I am impressed that God is on His throne and still calling young men to follow His leadership. You'll love the picture of Lydia! She reminds me of some Martin kids that I saw grow up to be missionaries!!

You have a great day - we love you and praise God for your prayers for us.

Romanian Revolution - 20 Years Later

A Candle in the Darkness
Twenty Years Later

December 24, 2009


As people across the world tonight light Christmas candles at Christmas Eve services, my mind goes back to another Christmas 20 years ago in Romania, when the country was still in the grip of communist tyranny.

The story begins with Laszlo Tokes, pastor of a fast-growing reformed church in the city of Timisoara. His powerful preaching had caught the attention of communist officials, and they began a strategy of suppression. They stationed police officers around his church, machine guns cradled in their arms. They hired thugs to attack him. Finally, just before Christmas, they decided to send him into exile.

But when the police arrived to hustle Pastor Tokes away, they were stopped cold. Around the church stood a wall of humanity. Christians from around the city—Baptist, Pentecostal, Orthodox, Catholic—had joined together to protest.

All through the day they held their post. As it grew dark, a young Baptist student named Daniel Gavra pulled out a packet of candles, lit one, and passed it to his neighbor.

Then he lit another. One by one the burning candles were passed out among the crowd. Soon the darkness of the December night was pierced by the light of hundreds of candles. When Pastor Tokes looked out his window, he saw a sea of faces lit up by a warm glow.

That night, he said later, was the “turning point in my life.” He would never erase from his mind the picture of believers from all denominations joining hands in his defense.

Two days later, police finally broke through the crowd and dragged Pastor Tokes away. But that was not the end. The people now streamed to the city square and began a full-scale demonstration against the communist government.

Once again Daniel Gavra passed out his candles. Once again the night was lit by their glow.

Finally, the communist officials began to panic. They brought in troops and ordered them to open fire on the crowd. Hundreds were shot. Young Daniel felt a searing pain as his leg was blown off.

Yet the brave example set in Timisoara inspired the rest of the nation. Within days the entire population of Romania had risen up and the bloody dictator Ceausescu was gone. The churches filled with worshippers offering praise to God.

For the first time in half a century, the people of Romania celebrated Christmas in freedom.

In the hospital, Daniel Gavra celebrated while learning to walk with crutches. His pastor came by, offering him sympathy, but Daniel wasn’t looking for sympathy.

“Oh, Pastor,” he said softly. “I don’t mind so much the loss of a leg. After all, it was I who lit the first candle.”

What a powerful image for us here in America as we celebrate this Christmas—the picture of a black December night lit up by a glowing testimony to the unity of God’s people.

What mighty things the church could do today when it is truly is the church: when we stand shoulder to shoulder with all our brothers and sisters, ready to fight evil, prepared to give our limbs—and yes, even our lives—to light a candle in the darkness.

A GREAT WAY TO BEGIN - 2010!!

Night of Praise - 2010

You will love the Night of Praise. 19 years ago, I invited about 100 guests to join me in the fellowship hall of Calvary Baptist in Shreveport. We had a wonderful time that evening and so we decided to do it again the next year. Our Pastor, Bro. "Step" Martin suggested that we use the worship center and so we planned a program and invited the community to join us. That evening there were over 400 in attendance. Since then we had made this a gift to our friends and have used it as a means of blessing and also communicating our ministry to our friends.

This year we have invited several people to bless you. Be sure to get there on time. I usually just start the program by 15 minutes so I get to sing a little bit. We'll start at 6:15 p.m. event though the time is advertised at 6:30 p. m. Our special guest this year is Aaron Wilburn - with the Allen Family, the Calvary Boys, Johnny Parrack, the Praise Choir from First Baptist Church , Haugton, LA singing for us.

We will receive a love offering for our mission work through the year - all of the guest will display their products - this is a great time of fellowship. I want you to be there!!

Price Harris

Regardless of Who You Pull For!!

Only Positives in Tebow’s Time in Swamp
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — If you can’t stand Tim Tebow, Saturday wasn’t a total loss. After putting on a command performance in his final home game, Tebow went for a victory lap to thank his millions of fans. Near the end, he stepped on an adoring cheerleader’s ankle. “She went down hard,” Tebow said. “I felt terrible.” That’s not much for Tebow haters to cling to, but at this point they’ll take any body part they can get. His last appearance at Florida Field showed why Tebow should go down as the greatest player in college football history. Nobody has impacted more people than Florida’s quarterback. After Saturday’s 37- 10 demolition of FSU, you can even add Bobby Bowden to the list. “I need to go home and do some soulsearching,” he said.
If Tebow has driven Bowden into retirement, a lot of FSU followers might join the Tebow Fan Club. Even when he does something negative, it has a positive impact. The thing is, Tebow has done nothing truly negative since arriving in Gainesville. That’s driven Tebow haters crazy. They would have been sickened by the sweetness at Senior Day. There weren’t really millions of fans in attendance. But the 90,907 who were waved palm branches as Tebow rode in on a donkey. In case you’re not up on your New Testament, that’s yet another Timmy of Nazareth comparison. I tried to come up with another reference point years ago, but Mother Teresa never scored more than 100 touchdowns. After passing for three and running for two against FSU, Tebow’s career tally is 140. But it’s not the records or the national championships or the Heismans that make him the greatest. Tebow’s not the best passer or runner
college football has ever seen. But great doesn’t mean the fastest or strongest. It’s a combination of talent and so much more. The man who hugged Tebow when he ran onto the field tried to sum it up. “I don’t know where you start,” Urban Meyer said. You could start with style. Tebow’s rambling, reckless approach redefined what a running quarterback can be. Some say he’s really just a fullback taking snaps. Show me a fullback who’s completed 66 percent of his passes in his career. His only disappointment Saturday was
that his final touchdown wasn’t a jump pass. It was one of his trademarks; a playground move that made it look like the guy was just having fun out there. Tebow did a jumping motion toward the bench on his final scoring drive, hoping the play would be called. It was, but the receiver was tripped at the line of scrimmage. It would have been a touchdown, Tebow said. He had style, he had stats. He also had those off-season performances in the Philippines and Croatia and various prisons around Florida. He preached to inmates, built missions and circumcised underprivileged
natives. He professed to being a virgin and wasn’t embarrassed to say so. It was all so corny, yet all so genuine. We live in a world that should be cynical of sports heroes, but TMZ
could have put a surveillance team on Tebow for four years and never found him doing anything Billy Graham wouldn’t have done. “He made unselfishness part of college
football,” Meyer said. Teammates loved the fact he’d show up at 6 a.m. to lift weights with the offensive linemen. Nobody cared more about winning. The proof is on the wall at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. There’s the plaque with his post-game speech after last year’s loss to Ole Miss. The one where he tearfully vowed nobody will work harder or push his team as hard as he would. That was 22 straight wins ago. Fans will pose in front of that plaque for generations. People will tell their grandchildren they saw Tebow play in person. He went from super recruit to Heisman winner to mythical figure, which is why the stadium was bursting with flashes in the fourth quarter. “Everybody wanted to get a picture of his last snap,” receiver David Nelson said. Everybody noticed it except Tebow, whowas too busy trying to put one more touchdown on a hated rival. Nobody was more competitive, and the way he waved his arms to fire up the crowd got on some people’s nerves.So did the way he wore his religiosity on his face, with the Bible-verse eye patches. So did all that publicity he’s gotten, as if he could have done much to stop it. Imagine how much more Tebow would have gotten if he’d failed a drug test or been in a bar fight or been chased out of his dorm by a girl swinging a golf club. All he did for the past four years is behave himself, get good grades, work harder, win more, care more and inspire more people
than any player we’ll ever see. If you don’t think that’s great, it says more about you than Tim Tebow.

The Gospel on Offense

The Gospel on Offense
The Faith of Tim Tebow
By Mark EarleyPublished Date: October 01, 2009


There’s a reason you’ll find cover stories about Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow. And it’s not just his football prowess.

America’s largest church has a capacity to hold 16,000. But while Tim Tebow may not be a preacher, when he runs into the University of Florida’s football Stadium—affectionately known as “The Swamp”—his congregation numbers just over 90,000. And you can bet they’re hearing Tim’s message.

It’s not just that this University of Florida quarterback wears Bible verses etched into his eye black on game days. Tim Tebow has been making headlines for more than simply his Heisman Trophy win as a sophomore and his two national championships. This summer the New York Times, GQ, and Sports Illustrated all covered the quarterback’s strong Christian faith.

Last year, when the Florida Gators won the national championship, the pre-game show followed Tim into a local Florida prison where he can regularly be found sharing his testimony and preaching the Gospel.

And this top-notch athlete, who spends his spring breaks and summers ministering to orphans in the Philippines has actually helped change the culture of the University of Florida. According to Sports Illustrated, “Since Tebow’s arrival on campus, and in large part because of him, the University has launched a series of community-service initiatives.” Even coach Urban Meyer has taken his family on a “Tebow-inspired mission trip to the Dominican Republic.”

The press seems to be fascinated with outspoken Christian quarterbacks like Tim Tebow; Sam Bradford, the 2008 Heisman winner; and now USC’s Matt Barkley. Only a few decades ago, it would have been taken for granted that these would be the kinds of fellows any father would want his daughter to marry. Now they are put under the microscope as some kind of curious anomaly—well-known athletes who actually exhibit character.

In our doped-up, mug-shot celebrity culture, sadly these young men do look a little out of step. And that’s to our culture’s shame.

Perhaps that why last year when the press asked Tim Tebow a rather impertinent question—they were more embarrassed by the response than he was. It was at a Southeastern Conference news media event where one reporter asked in front of the crowded room, “Are you a virgin?” Tim answered with an unequivocal yes and had yet another platform to explain how his faith impacts every area of his life.

That platform for sharing the Gospel is exactly what Tim’s parents prayed for before he was born. Tim’s father, Bob, a missionary in the Philippines, had been weeping over the millions of babies aborted in America. It was then that he prayed, “God, if you give me a son, if you give me Timmy, I’ll raise him to be a preacher.”

Soon after, when Pam Tebow learned she was expecting, the parents’ faith was put to the test. After a series of grave complications, doctors encouraged them to abort the child. They refused. Born small and weak, Timmy struggled from the beginning. But his dad continued to tell him, “God’s got a purpose for you, and at some point, He’s going to call you to preach.”

Dad was right. God’s message would come through the roar of the crowd, beamed to millions via satellite. But little did they know, Tim would don a jersey, not robes, and use a stadium for his pulpit.

Tim’s a great example of an opportunity every believer has—to put our faith to work on the field of play where God has gifted us and called us.

(A personal note: Recently, in our fellowship here in Shreveport, one of our men read the Sports Illustrated article on Tim. He confessed to his wife that for years he had dodged the preaching of the word by doing other things in the church because he knew that even thought he was a preacher's son - he didn't have a personal relationship with Jesus! Our friend, Ed Hearron - deacon, great father, moral giant - bowed His knee to trust Jesus as the way the truth and the life. Don't miss heaven for anybody or anything! - Price)