We announce the passing of:
Jacquelyn Williams

Youngest sister of 

Rev. Barbara Williams 

and Pastor Shirley Camp

July 4, 1951 - September 6, 2007

It seems she was always behind me... running, trying to catch up. My baby sister, Jackie. When you are four girls, you get assigned to care for one another. Jackie was assigned to all of us, being the baby. It seems I spent much of my young life looking over my shoulder to make sure she didn't get lost. Sometimes I would have to slow down and wait for her to catch up... all of us older girls did. Though there were only a bit less than four years separating us, birth order prevailed, and I and the rest of my sisters had the job of making sure we didn't lose little Jackie.

She followed all of us... to elementary school, jr. high, high school... and then she took off on her own. She married, had three kids. I visited her at the hospital and looked through the glass at each and every one of them... all seeming carbon copies of the last. That was my little joke with her... "all these babies look just alike, Jackie... I'd better keep the dates and names in order, I'll get them mixed up." So I was careful to keep them sorted, and see how they were from time to time, marveling at how fast they grew up.

As the years went by, I found the Lord... He found me... we found each other. As happens in families, life had taken Jackie one way and me another, but I always prayed for each family member to keep their Divine appointment to household salvation. Then one by one, they came. My sister Shirley began to help me start the ministry... She and big Tone were the first to answer the call that the family had to ministry. Then the rest of the family. I again looked for Jackie.

Jackie was not yet with us, even though we prayed for her salvation. But one day, through the encouragement of a friend who came to our meetings, she came. What a glorious day for all of us... our little sister finally caught up with us and joined us in the ministry. She was now saved and spirit filled and working for God! She helped with hospitality, baked our monthly birthday cakes, seldom missed a meeting... for nearly ten years she served the Lord here. She was the quiet one, the sweet one, but when she spoke, the words of the wisdom of God were always there.

I'm not sure when it began to happen, but somehow she got ahead of me... passed me right up, as a matter of fact, and was already in the presence of the Lord. I think the bible says it happens in the twinkling of an eye. She's not behind me anymore... I've got to keep running to catch up with her now!

This day I think of her with gladness, sadness, hope and joy. I rejoice in God's faithfulness to save an entire household. I know she's with Jesus... along with my mom and husband... they are a part of that great cloud of witnesses... cheering us on.

The phrase, "I'll see them again," is not just something to say... it has real meaning for me. It is my comfort and my hope.

Rev. Barbara Williams,
Founder and President,
Ministry of the Watchman, International, Church for all Nations