| |||||||
|
By Adele Wickett “RACHEL and I are marking 100 years of marriage,” said ‘Uncle Roy’ Getman. “That’s 50 for her and 50 for me.” Almost 300 guests arrived at Duncan’s Silver Bridge Inn December 13, having travelled through the snow from points all over B.C.’s coast – and far beyond. They were celebrating the Getmans’ 50th wedding anniversary, as well as 25th anniversaries for Tom and Debbie Maxie, and Brian and Anne Burkholder. All three couples have served on the boats of Coastal Missions for decades, building friendships and gently spreading the good news of Jesus. The crowd at the party took the opportunity to give back some of the love they have received – in speeches, songs, notes, hugs, laughter and gifts. Roy Getman grew up living on a boat as his parents did medical work in southeast Alaska. In 1971 he felt the Lord was calling him to work with the Shantymen, who operated Camp Ross at Pachena Bay, as well as visiting isolated coast-dwellers on the Messenger III. Brian Burkholder went to Camp Ross as a child, and made a decision to follow Christ. Later, having lived the rough life of a fisherman, he started hanging out at the camp again. In 1978 he sold his fishboat and joined the mission team. Like Brian, the other members of Coastal Missions got their start with the Shantymen in their field training at Pachena Bay. Coastal Missions was formed to carry on the boat-based ministry the Shantymen had developed under Percy Wills, Earl Johnson and others. As that generation stepped out of harness, Roy Getman put together his team. The team was divided into two crews, who took turns traveling the coast in the mission’s boat. One crew paired the married members with two single girls, Anne and Debbie. The other crew had the bachelors, Tom Maxie and Brian Burkholder. The bachelors were a bit envious. “You have these advantages,” they said. “Men who contact the boat act more dignified, more polite, when there are women aboard. With us, it’s like a playground where we’re the new kids on the block.” “Well, boys . . .” said Uncle Roy. So the bachelors prayed, and separately each talked to Uncle Roy. Brian was interested in Anne; Tom liked Debbie. |
In 1982 each fellow made the bold step of asking his chosen to marry him. The boldness was necessary because each knew that he was asking a woman to join him in living by faith, having no ‘secure’ salary. Yet each knew that the girls had already given their lives and commitment to the Lord first. They were already called, living by faith with no false expectations. They understood what was required. “Tom and Debbie were married in December 1982, and Brian and Anne in February 1983. We put on seven showers, two weddings and two open house receptions,” says Joan McKee, another of the team members. Joan, known as ‘Petunia’ to most people, played the busy hostess for this year’s celebration, too, along with fellow missionary Gloria Troll. The two of them spent a year planning the party, creating a guest list from the mission’s supporters as well as many of the friends they have visited on the Coastal Messenger. They held a couple of garage sales and used unexpected special gifts to finance the event, prayerfully choosing the presenters of the program. “Uncle Percy used to say, ‘You need to have reasons to celebrate,’” says Petunia. “’Make sure it’s a good shindig.’” Indeed they made sure it was a good shindig. Comments in the guest book said the guests were in awe of an event like that. It was “positive” and “happy.” “There was no alcohol.” And they “left feeling Wow!” February 2009 | ||||||
