We’re CSPC members Spencer & May Boardman, and this is how we’re living deeply with gratitude toward God.
“We never set out to lead mission trips. It started with a bulletin announcement, back when CSPC had printed bulletins for each worship service, way back in 1991. A short-term mission trip to help the Caribbean Christian Center for the Deaf in Montego Bay, Jamaica. I looked at Spencer and said, ‘You can fix things. I love the beach. How could this possibly be wrong for us?’ We signed up without a second thought.”
Spencer: “We didn’t know what to expect, but once we got there, everything clicked. We were part of a team led by Linda Elder, and the work was tough -mixing concrete, laying block- but the rewards were immediate. The kids’ smiles, their excitement to learn, and their joy in knowing they were loved by us and by God.”
May: “After that first trip, we were hooked. So when Linda decided not to lead the next trip, we stepped up. We ended up leading teams almost every other year until 2013. Our teams built dorms, classrooms- and relationships. More than the construction work, our goal was to expose people to missions; to let them experience worship in a different culture and see the universal bond we all share in Christ.”
Spencer: “You’d think a week of hard labor in the Jamaican sun would deter people, but it didn’t. And our New Creations Sunday school class really rallied around us. Over the years, about 80% of the class joined us on these trips. It became a ministry within a ministry.”
May: “For me, each trip brought a personal reminder of God’s providence. He didn’t have to, but every time we went, He showed me why each member of the team was there. Even the ones we questioned- He had a purpose for each of them.”
May: “Let me tell you about one man who went on one of our trips. He almost backed out, but then, last minute, he decided to come. I wondered why. He wasn’t particularly skilled in construction, and I couldn’t see how he fit into the team. It wasn’t long before his purpose became clear, though. There was a little boy at the school, maybe six years old, who this man connected with. They played games together, and by the end of the week, he decided to sponsor that boy through the school’s program. This man went on to continue supporting him financially for years.”
Spencer: “That’s the beauty of this ministry. We went to build, but God was always building something deeper. The children at the school often came from families that couldn’t care for them. Some, because of their deafness, didn’t even know their own names when they got there. But the school gave them an education, a sense of identity, and introduced them to Jesus. And we got to be part of that.”
May: “One of those children was Clifton. He was about 10 when we met him, full of energy and hugs. We sponsored him, and he went on to do discipleship training with YWAM (Youth With A Mission), helping other deaf children in Jamaica. Seeing his journey unfold, from a little boy to a young man serving God- it’s humbling. That’s the success of the school and the faithfulness of God.”
Spencer: “Every trip, whether we were digging footers or putting up rebar, was about more than just the work. It was about investing in people and being a small part of what God was doing in their lives.”
Spencer: “The biggest lesson I’ve learned through it all is that when God knocks, you answer- no matter how ‘out of your comfort zone’ it feels. Missions taught us God doesn’t need perfect people, just willing hearts. On one trip, we had unskilled workers building concrete structures. But somehow, every task got done. God orchestrated every moment, from the major hurdles to the smallest details. Take the time Jamaica Customs tried to stop us from bringing crucial supplies. We had items that we doubted would pass security, but God caused a distraction just in time! Next thing you know, the agent waved us through. That really builds your faith- seeing God work in ways you couldn’t plan. And the blessings always flowed both ways. One year, we brought refurbished hearing aids. My father donated a pair, and they ended up being the exact match for a little girl in Jamaica with the exact same sort of hearing loss. Watching her hear for the first time- there’s no way to describe the joy. It wasn’t coincidence; it was God knitting hearts and resources together across the ocean.”
May: “Every trip reminded us that it wasn’t just us helping others; WE were the ones being changed. In one Jamaican church, our team signed ‘I Love You, Lord’ in ASL as the congregation sang it. We’d learned how to sign that phrase just for the trip. That very song was the only one the congregation sang that Sunday- and it turned out our home church, CSPC, sang it the same morning! I mean, who could do that but God? God reminded us that no matter where we are, His family is united.”
Spencer: “When you’ve seen God work in all these ways we wouldn’t have seen otherwise, how can you have any other response than overwhelming gratitude?”
May: “Faith is like a muscle- it grows when you watch God at work. And we’ve seen Him at work not just through the mission trips, but through our entire 37 years at CSPC. We joined as a newly married couple, and the church has meant everything. We’ve been in the same Sunday school class for 30 years- all our friends there have become family. It was totally God who sent us here: Spencer first, and then I joined him when we were dating.”
Spencer: “I had a friend at work, Charlie, who invited me to CSPC. I’m so glad he did- I came and found a church home. I was not being fed spiritually, and I knew that. And I just said, ‘I’ve got to find me a church.’ I was breaking tradition by leaving the denomination generations of my family had grown up with, but I didn’t care. God led me here through this buddy of mine, and the rest is history.”
May: “I was raised Presbyterian, so I was totally happy to be going back to a Presbyterian church! CSPC staff, then and now, has met all our needs. And our class has really walked us through some very hard seasons. Our son Ben deployed with the military several times, always covered in prayer. Hardest of all, we lost our adult daughter April suddenly and unexpectedly this year. Clay Harrington offered such comfort as he officiated her memorial service, and the support from all our CSPC friends during that time was meaningful beyond any words we could ever express.”
Spencer: “And I think that’s something we want to share also: CSPC provides everybody ample opportunities to be a servant. Whether it’s helping a classmate through grief, supporting mission work, working on a project or committee, or helping one of our local ministry partners, all you have to do to find an opportunity is look around or ask our mission team. God put us here to serve, and you’ll get to know Him better when you do.”
May: “The privilege of seeing God work so clearly is humbling. It builds a faith that says, ‘Okay, God, I trust You.’ We’ve seen enough to know He’s got a plan. That makes the journey exciting & joyful, and it produces thanksgiving in us to watch Him guide us in it. We know our story ends well.”
Spencer: “Exactly. It’s why we’re so grateful- grateful for the mountaintop experiences, the challenges, and even the embarrassing moments we somehow got through on our mission trips. And, of course, there’s the bigger picture of all He’s walked us through over the last 37 years at CSPC. Seeing God’s handiwork points us back to His faithfulness. Everything He’s done to lead us to where we are- and, even better, where we’re going- it’s amazing.”