Sunday, May 27, 2012
Dear Anna Mae and all the Swartz Family,
It is always difficult to say "See Ya Later" to a friend. Years ago when I first started with Forgotten Man Ministries as the chaplain of Genesee County Jail, I was asked to share with the congregation of Mt. Morris Mennonite Church about the jail ministry. It was then that I was introduced to Pastor Ray, a wonderful man of God and his wife, Anna Mae, and their family members and friends that attended that church. My first thought was that it was a pretty small group and there really would be little support from them just because of their size. How wrong I was. Proving me wrong contained years and years of effectual, fervent praying for us, attending all our FMM annual dinners, and continuing to support the jail work without fail. All of this made me realize that God works through small things showing to us that with God all things are possible. I can only think of our Lord Jesus Christ having a small band of men that changed the entire world. That small group in Mt. Morris, through the guidance of this man of God, did likewise. Thousands of lives have been connected with the gospel of Christ through the encouragement and love sent our way by Pastor Ray, Anna Mae and the Mt. Morris church.
Our friendship has grown over these past 27 years. I can only be grateful to God for allowing me to connect with Pastor Ray and Anna Mae in those early years of ministry.
Yes, it is hard to say, "See you later" but it is so much worse to say "Good Bye".
By God's grace we shall meet again in the "sweet by and by on that beautiful shore" and shall continue our friendship that began right here some 27 years ago on earth.
Please know that our prayers (My wife Terri, all the FMM Associate Chaplains, & mine) shall continue for the whole family and for all that will gather in these next few days to remember God's blessing to all of us in and through the life of our friend, Raymond Swartz.
With all our love and prayers,
Chaplain Al and Terri Novak
Forgotten Man Ministries
Genesee County Jail
