Excerpts
“Pulling the baby's clothes from the dryer, Marilyn could see they (and Kathy’s) were meager and worn. Living in a tent in the rugged Marble Wilderness Area with a group prospecting for gold, many miles of rocky trails from any store, was tough on any account. With a small child it was stressful and exhausting. Money was scarce until the “strike" came and in Kathy's case this hadn't yet occurred…" “Kathy is now dean of the math department of a community college near Sacramento, California. The Sewards helped her find work, daycare for her daughter, and assisted in her entering college. Later, when she married Joe McClain, Wendell performed the ceremony… “While I was living with the Sewards it wasn’t the Sewards’ expectation that I had to do something or become something. They just accepted me for me… Wendell was so easy to be around, always loving and sympathetic…and if I had a tough question, he would tell me what he thought…then he would ask Marilyn what she thought. Her wisdom always surprised me. I'd ask myself, 'How does she know these things?' The two of them…they saved my life."
Colonel Bo Bottomly (pilot in five wars and one time Secretary to the Chief of Staff in the Pentagon, recently escaped from the snarls of alcoholism) shared with me, "I think Wendell’s biggest value was that he kept on the very edge of being almost unbelievable. You couldn’t really believe that he was seriously advocating something because it was something that only Jesus would say. And everybody tried to avoid it after that. I think a lot of his sermons were right on the edge of people waking up in their hearts and thinking, I wonder if you could really do that? I wonder if you could really practice that? Really love people unconditionally? But they could see it was possible because Wendell lived it himself...most of the time. That's what he is known for.
“Most of the major pharisaic high church people, including many church leaders today, don't really function like that. So much has changed from Jesus' time, but it shouldn't. Wasn't it Mahatma Ghandi of India who said, ‘I like your Jesus, but I don't like you Christians.’? We all know why, don’t we?
"Marilyn was a classic example of a mother. She was always giving counsel and helping and guiding and keeping people on the right track. She even mothered me through part of my recovery. She would give me advice as if I were a small child and I’d take it like that, usually. Sometimes I wouldn’t.
“Usually she was kind enough and right enough that I was willing. And she always had a bunch of people in the house…from different walks of life. Some were foreign exchange students. Sometimes they’d come over from the Forks of Salmon. And the Sewards didn't care if they were church people or not. They always had people staying there who they were helping get on their feet and get started again...."
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“The understanding I got of being a Christian was new to me, because I hadn’t realized it was mainly loving and accepting and caring…I was so surprised they always kept their doors unlocked so people could come in any time to talk to them anytime.”
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What specifically renders Wendell one of the most admired persons in the area? Why and how has he impacted the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of lives that he has? Why has he held over 800 weddings? Why is he called the Shepherd of the Valley? What is it about this kind, mild-mannered man that makes his life so remarkable—so powerful? When I read Marciano’s In the Footsteps of Jesus, the thought going through my mind was, “Vintage Wendell.” When I read about warm and caring, wise and spirit-filled Father Tim in Jan Karon’s Mitford Series, I see Wendell.
A mainline theme in Wendell’s Christology is the maxim, “Every person has intrinsic value.” He has an “acceptance” theology. And, like Jesus, when he encounters unclean spirits, alcoholics or druggies, sickness and/or disease, sinners of all stripes and other “enemies,” he is not afraid of being infected by their sin or sickness, but “infects” them with Jesus’ compassion, understanding, care, love, truth, power and grace.
Reflections
"Mellowing comes with age. There is not less determination, but more discernment in approach, more discretion in actions, more reflection in evaluation. God's grace, gentleness, and patience have not been wasted on the Sewards. They are still moldable clay; noble and plain vessels, available for the Master's use."
“Life is existential…and it isn't. Yes, the moment-by-moment, step-by-step decisions we make, coupled with our circumstances, determine the paths we tread. Yet…not totally! The foundation for these decisions is our value system, our vision, our dream, and our belief. These develop over time. What we do reflects our character. Our character reflects where our hope lies.”
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From the Foreword:
“There are some men and women who change the nature of history for the better just through the lives they live. Wendell and Marilyn Seward are such a couple. Respect and admiration for them are domiciled in thousands of hearts around the world. No strangers to deep adversity, they serve their fellow man with humility and grace. Individual lives and communities have been transformed by their unconditional love and acceptance. Many hundreds were directly touched by their hospitality and generosity. If the half were told, a shelf full of books could not contain the record....They enter the registry of the saints who have laid down their lives as living sacrifices; the extent known only to God.”
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“I was in the girls’ dorm at Grace when I heard someone running down the long hall calling my name. 'Marilyn, Marilyn, there’s a long distance call for you…it’s a man!' I rushed to the phone and was excited to recognize Wendell's voice on the other end. (It was 1946 and his ship had just arrived from Japan after the war.) Wendell asked if I would be willing to see him and go on a date. I didn't even really think, I just said, 'Yes.' …however, it would be three long months before we would actually see one another...
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“On our first encounter with the enemy we were way out-numbered. They were entrenched behind big mahogany and palm logs. One of our men was shot early in the fight. When it became obvious we were not going to win that day, we were ordered to retreat. I was last, guarding our rear. Alone, so to speak, I was trying to go down the hill while watching my back when some Japs jumped out to take advantage of our retreat. (They were called Japs when they were the enemy, otherwise they were Japanese.) Spotting them, I emptied a magazine of twenty rounds into that relatively small nest of men. Those who didn’t fall scrambled back..."
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Wendell enjoyed his classes at Multnomah. However because of his work schedule it wasn't uncommon for him to doze off in class. When someone would start to awaken him, Dr. Mitchell (the schools founder) would say, "Just let him sleep. He needs the rest." Wendell remembered something Dr. Mitchell shared with married couples in the Grad Class, "Sometimes in married life it's more important to bring home roses or flowers to your wife than to put an extra piece of bread on the table, because relationships are more important than your stomach." That rang a bell with Wendell.
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The Seward's love and home are a safe port for the weary travelers of this life. More than one hundred fifteen individuals have lived with them for six months or longer, including thirty-six foreign students. Their compassion and servanthood, maintained by their relationship with Jesus Christ, have formed a bridge of love for many to cross from the sifting sands of their own striving to the solid ground of God's infinite grace and love.
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Frontiers Mission International Conf-England 2000 (Marilyn headed up children's program)
One mother’s statement caught Marilyn’s attention. "Anthony has trouble in groups of people and he has trouble adjusting, so just kind of let him go. Don’t force him into anything because it will upset him." Hmmm... I told the kids later in the week there would be some books and videos they could choose from to take home. I had them out on a table and Anthony saw the video, 'Brother Bear.' He had seen this advertised and really wanted it. Videos are not available where his family is living. So he asked, 'Can I have that video?' I said, 'OK, I’ll make a deal with you. If you will do the bells and if you will do the puppets with the kids, I promise you can have that video. But there’s only one.' So he practiced with us... And Anthony was right out in front ringing his bells on cue, one in each hand, smiling. I looked back in the audience and you should have seen his parent’s faces and the tears. This was the first time he had ever participated. It was very special. He is one kid in Croatia that I will miss seeing.”
"Times like this with the Anthonys make it all worthwhile. Seeing some measure of positive transformation in a person is what ministry is all about. It adds a special reward in answer to the question, “Do you care enough to go?”
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"Wow! This is how he receives his bride Marilyn when she returns from her trips. Clean shaven and handsome at 80! Melissa, Amber and I after 30 hours of travel, loaded our bags into the Suburban and we headed home quite worn out. But not too worn out to discuss this phenomenal behavior - those young girls were really touched by what Wendell did. I am a single mom, and I worry at times for my daughter's lack of a father figure; how will she know what a truly Godly man will look like, and in that moment I was so thankful to Wendell for always showing up! He was showing those girls how Jesus would treat his bride and he didn't say a word. He was just…just Wendell. At fourteen these two girls witnessed the real deal.” (Karla from Etna)
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"Are you Mr. Seward?” “ Yes.” “Well, you talked to my mom when she was going to have an abortion, and I'm sure glad you did, because I really am glad to be living. I really enjoy life, and I just want to thank you." Young girl on the Jackson Street School playground in Yreka who heard the man standing near was Wendell Seward.
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Snippets....
“Respect and admiration for the Sewards are domiciled in a thousand hearts.” Col. Bo Bottomly
“Their service toward others so consumes their lives they don’t have time to worry about their own troubled experiences.” Author
“You know, after living with you for fifty-eight years, I think your top priority is meeting people’s needs. You have a soft heart, a mercy thing that seems more important to you than almost anything else. We’ve had a few arguments about that.” Marilyn Seward, 2004
"Wendell looks for and finds the good in every person." Ken Medema (blind pianist/speaker), 1998
"With Wendell it isn't difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff." Mike Yaconelli
"He speaks from the heart more than from the mind." Wanda, Etna
“Wendell has grace ‘til the cows come home.” Pete, KCOC
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Judy, another of the Can-Can Girls, many years later lost her own battle with cancer. Just before her exodus this oh-so-precious saint shared with Judi and me, "Wendell was just so wonderful. I mean I can’t even say… (choked up). When we first started going to church we saw other people we knew and we said to him, 'We feel like a lot of people here are like Sunday morning Christians.' And he said, 'You need to be looking up, not around.' I've tried to always remember that.
"They let us grow at our own speed and they made no judgments whatsoever. Our concept of Christianity was that we had to give up everything we were doing which we thought was fun at the time, and lead this straight and narrow life, and I’m sure a lot of people think that way. But Wendell wouldn’t condemn us no matter what. Pretty soon most of us got married, and our entertainment was going to Corrigan’s Bar on Saturday night. We girls wondered, 'What are we going to do? We can’t do that, now that we’re going to church.'
“And Wendell said, 'Hey, the worst thing you could do is stop because then your husbands are going to get upset with you. You can go—you don’t have to drink. When God convicts you that you need to stop doing those things, then it’s time to quit. Not when people around you are saying you should quit.'
“Well, that surprised us, so we continued for a while and then our husbands began accepting Christ too so pretty soon we all quit going there. These days I find it is the religious people who get upset with Wendell, not the others. It isn't church doctrines that define Wendell and Marilyn's lives, it's their love and acceptance.
"Through them we all became Christians. Wendell baptized me in the Scott River while Marilyn read a scripture. Once at rodeo time, Wendell wanted us girls to come to church dressed in our costumes. We did and that created a major stir. But Wendell thought it was great. You always felt loved and accepted by Wendell. He knows more about showing Jesus than anyone I've ever known."
Reflection
Think for a minute…why did the people seek out Jesus? Because He loved them, understood them, and ministered to them in several different ways to meet their felt and real needs. He didn't condemn or criticize them, but had compassion on them. We see this same phenomena with the Sewards. Giving up our rights to ourselves; living outside any protective shell; seeing value in every person and helping others find meaning in life is doing it right. Showing love, acceptance and forgiveness is always right no matter the context.
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Wendell remembered, "When we arrived in Etna we came up with the motto: 'People Not Programs, Relationships Not Religion, Involvement Not Pronouncements.' We had this printed on some pens to give away, and worked hard to keep it a reality, not just so many noble-sounding words. We wanted to reach all segments of the valley's cultures, but especially the loggers, ranchers, and Native Americans. It wasn’t that others would be neglected, but experience has shown us people who had to work when the work was available often didn’t find time to go to a church. However, their souls were just as precious to the Lord as those who were able to attend, and we wanted them to know some people realize that."
"We have found our teaching and Wendell's radio program to be wonderful contact points for the outlying areas. His warmth, lack of formalness, and sense of humor seem to set people at ease. He makes friends so readily. God graciously provides strength and health; neither one of us has missed a day of work."
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Macy Smith, who had taught with Wendell, shared, "Wendell is a very special person. He conducted my mother's funeral and the weddings for both my son and my daughter. I subbed for Wendell quite a bit during the Eighties. I subbed for him when he broke his foot on the playground playing with the kids. The week he was out I had a steady stream of students, current and former, coming into the room to ask me how he was doing. Remarkable…they were so fond of him.
“One girl came in and said, 'I’m not very pretty.' She was about thirteen. She said, ‘Mr. Seward told me every young girl has her time to be beautiful, whether it’s eleven or twelve or eighteen. I hope someday I might look pretty.’ She was rather plain looking. Four or five years later I saw her on a float in the Homecoming parade. She was strikingly beautiful! It was so thoughtful of Wendell to do that. It gave her such hope.
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