Page 27 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2017 - Online Magazine

armored vehicles and having to teach his children main job is to become redundant.” And although they
to duck to the floor if their parents yelled, “Get had to return home for health reasons, their journey
down”. Later, back in America, Judy sternly directed was surely not complete.
one of the boys to sit down, and both boys hit the
floorboard! Over the course of the next twelve years, the Langleys
would have a hand in establishing churches in
It then became Phil’s task to oversee his family’s Colorado, New Mexico, Hawaii and California.
safety. Their time in Rhodesia was cut short; after While in southern California, Phil partnered with
seven and a half years, they would have to make the Don Overstreet and helped initiate “Set Free”
trek back to the United States, especially following churches, which rescue and minister to alcoholics,
the murder of one of the missionaries. Before they bikers, and felons through a process called “intensive
left Zimbabwe, Phil met for a last Bible class with discipleship.” Through this process, former alcoholics
his future pastor group, and the chilling question often became pastors to their communities; those
was asked, “How can we prepare to be martyrs?” whose lives were wasted find hope and purpose
This was a very real possibility, if not probability, for the first time. This movement has now spread
for these young men. Phil said he had surely never nationwide. Phil quietly added, “Of all the work I
encountered that question before, but he prayerfully have tried to do for the Lord, this might be the most
answered, “The Lord will gift you for martyrdom if significant thing in my life.”
it comes. You can’t prepare for it, but the Lord will
give you the courage and strength if the time comes.” Phil and Judy retired, coming back home to Lubbock
They left with heavy hearts. in 2012, having left in 1966. Displayed prominently
on a wall in their home is a map with colored pins
After spending a few all over it – places they’ve lived, ministered, traveled
years in the U.S. and – and yes, places they still want to go. Within six
France, the Langleys months of coming back to Lubbock, Phil and Judy
took up a new mission joined another mission work in Lubbock, ministering
in the former French to international Texas Tech students in a church that
colony of Togo, West meets in the Baptist Student Center. They are right at
Africa. It was there home in a multi-cultural setting. The words of Phil’s
that a plot of land, mother, a former missionary to Taiwan, still echo in
used for a dumping his mind, “There is no retirement in the Kingdom.”
ground and sewer,
became the site of the Phil’s journey seems to be far from over, and his story
first Baptist church the Langleys planted there. Phil encourages those of us who have yet to begin our
said that cleaning that site brought him to the lowest own journeys. His story makes me see possibilities
point he had known on the mission field, but a church and infuses me with hope.
rose from that refuse, and a university student center
exists there today. They remained in Togo for four
years, teaching and preaching and overseeing church
development. Phil reiterated to me, “A missionary’s

TRINITY CHRISTIAN

Article Submitted by Burke Bunyard

Burke Bunyard is a Senior at Trinity Christian High School, where he has attended since
Kindergarten. He has hopes of attending the University of Texas or Texas Tech University after
graduation. His hobbies include skateboarding and studying Middle Eastern culture.

Lubbock Senior Link 27