Their Footprints Always Left the Gospel (In memory of James and Ruth Moore)

Recently, Dori Huenefeld placed a memorial donation at GoodSeed for her parents, James and Ruth Moore. She shared with us how her parents were such faithful servants of the Lord. It is such an encouraging and moving testimony that we just had to share it too. We pray that James and Ruth’s story will be an encouragement for all believers.

Dad spent many years in administrative roles with Awana Youth Association, including charter member of the board, and chairman of the executive board for many years. He was a humble man and preferred to work behind the scenes, not in the limelight. He was business-savvy, contributing that gift to that ministry as well as the foundry (Wells Manufacturing Co.) for which he worked nearly 50 years. He was involved with ministering to street people at the Pacific Garden Mission of Chicago on a once-a-month basis for many years, local church (Des Plaines Bible Church) involvement, and The Gospel Couriers which was a group of life-long friends that met once a month to share prayer letters from missionaries, share in their financial needs, and engage in time of prayer for them. Dad also liked to travel, so in addition to seeing most of at least the lower 48, we made a few excursions to Mexico, visited missionaries there to see what their work involved, and distributed countless Spanish tracts and balloons that he’d had printed with “Cristo me amo”.

Mom was a homemaker-extraordinaire, with wonderful gifts of hospitality and helps. She mentored countless women from all walks of life, both by her example and her godly, wise counsel. She always had a listening ear, and was never afraid to ask the tough questions, as well as spend time praying with and for many folks in distress. I remember a time when she and Dad took in a young, unwed mother for the duration of her pregnancy, then helped her place the baby in a loving, adoptive home. We also had countless national professionals (mostly Filipino doctors and nurses) that frequented our home for many, many years, some of them are yet like “family” to us. Some weekends they would come and take over our kitchen, cooking up wonderful Filipino meals and other international (Indian) fare! Such a wonderful heritage my sisters and I have been blessed with!

Mom and Dad didn’t really have time in their later lives to use the (GoodSeed) books mentioned, but they knew and shared our heart for our kids (their grands) and grandkids to come early to faith in Christ. We had shown them through the years the tools that we found helpful in that, along with the good response from using The Lamb in our Awana Clubs and The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus” in teaching several adult classes, and they shared our excitement and enthusiasm.

My parents’ footprints always left the gospel. . . . It set a precedent for us as their kids to carry on that eternally-important legacy. I only pray that we will be as faithful to the task as they were!

Thanks for letting me share a little more of Mom and Dad. They truly are MISSED! But how thankful we are that they never wasted a day! God bless them. . . richly!

A fellow-pilgrim in Christ,
Dori Huenefeld