My Mom, Yvonne Messer Stockman, is the greatest teacher I've ever had and I'm proud that she is my mother. Yeah, I'm from the "South". Louisiana as a matter of fact. Right in the center of the state. What a great place to be. Mom has taught me so much I don't know where to begin.
Mom grew up in the depression the second child in a very poor family with 11 brothers and sisters. She married my dad at 16. He was 40. They had 5 children together. I am the oldest. They were married 41 years until the time of his death in 1993. They worked hard to teach us how to live solid Christian lives and how to take care of ourselves. They made sure we got our high school education and went to church every time the doors were open. For that I am thankful. It has made a difference in my life.
Mom went to nursing school the same time I did. She went to trade school to be a LPN and I went to college to be an RN. We both finished about the same time because she had to have major surgery in the middle of the training. She overcame great obstacles and finished. She has great determination to do what she sets out to do. I admire that about her. She retired from Pinecrest State School for the mentally handicapped. We both retired from nursing about the same time because of the same reason. We have inherited a desease from the Giles family called Charcot Marie Tooth Neuropathy. We began to discover this when my Grandma Viola became ill with cancer. We begin to notice that we all had the same type symptoms. The desease affects the nerve and muscles. They begin to deteriorate and as they do the sensation and coordination decreases. Moma has serious degeneration in her hands and feet with total loss of sensation in both. The amazing thing is that she doesn't let this stop her. She has to be dead tired just to stop and rest. I wish I had half the stamina and determination to make each day count that she has. You can learn more about this desease by linking to CMTA web site.
Lots has happened since I first published this page but nothing has changed except that we, Mom and I, are getting older. Older, but no less determined to evangelize children. Mom is always working on stuff for the children's ministry. Keeping resources and supplies for volunteer missionaries on hand all the time. She has helpers that do the work that she has trouble doing. She is always ready to train someone "How to Lead a Child to Christ".
Recently, she has been actively linking ministers to CEF chapters in other states so that training can be done more effectively. This is working well. CEF has trained leaders/directors all over the United States and around the world that are eager to work with people teaching them to be more effective in their outreach to children with training and resources.
