SO PH’EE AH … SOPHIA
She was eighteen the first time I saw her, beautiful wavy light brown hair, tan complexion, and playing the piano. We were introduced to each other by the preacher after the service, and I was more than interested in knowing her better. I changed schools and followed her to North Central in Minneapolis. We dated for a year then we did it.
We married two days after Valentines Day, February 16, 1949. The wedding date was selected to coincide with the Missionary Convention at Don’s church and two pastor’s schedules. The place was Magnolia Park Assembly of God Church in Houston, Texas. The time was 10:30pm, after the missionary service. Both Sophia and Don were twenty years old. We moved to Brenham, Texas where Don was pastor of a small church. We lived in a one room cottage that was ninety years old. The wall was cedar wood vertical planks and we could see through the cracks and tell the time of day. No water, no rest room or kitchen, just two people in love and wanting to serve the Lord. Our room was connected by a porch to a dairy farm house that did have a toilet and kitchen. But we had to go to the barn to bathe; at least the floor was clean concrete and hosed down. Sounds like Fun Huh? My bride was afraid of cows; she was tossed over a fence by one when she was a little girl. She only saw BIG EYES staring at her, but I tried to calm her fears.
Sophia was very mature when we married, her mother died when she was ten years old. She had three younger siblings to help take care of. She was already a homemaker and excellent cook. We shared our meals with the Bennett’s, Marcus, Emerald and their four sons, Nathan, David, Paul and Jessie. They were the reason we came to Brenham, to pastor their church.
They were former members of my home church in Houston.
Many years later I asked her what she prayed at our wedding, she said without hesitation, “I prayed God would remove me if I ever hindered you in ministry” Didn’t God give me a jewel? We both attended North Central Bible College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which is now North Central Universty.
