John Stump

Our Testimony - John & Jan

In January, 2010 I "went to the light", as some have described the near-death experience. I was employed as Chief Financial Officer for Fabcorp, Inc. a very successful manufacturing company in Houston, Texas. Shortly after I returned to work I found I could not stand my job anymore. I came home one evening and told Jan "I just don't want to do this anymore. I want to do something to help people." We decided to sell Jan's dream house in the Heights, with all her gardens and antiques, to become live-in Managers of retirement communities operated by Holiday Retirement. We especially enjoyed the opportunity to share our love of singing to brighten the experience of our residents and their families. We were successful in providing entertainment for municipal health fairs to market properties in the area. We love being outdoors under trees, and breathing clean air. Jan and I really loved hiking the Sandia Mountain. The Columbia River Gorge with all it's waterfalls and access to several mountains provided priceless memories in the Northwest. Jan and I took a memorable vacation to Panama before the things changed in the world. What an adventure flying to Panama City from Houston, then next day riding a bus across the entire country of Panama to David City. We rented a car and drove to Boquete, a community of about 20,000, mostly US expat's who retired there, on the side of an extinct volcano called Volcan Baru. Mists that form from the Pacific side roll down the mountainside, predictably every morning, triggering the most amazing display of God's power in the rainbows that form. That mist is charged with energy that makes the hair on your neck rise and is wonderfully exhilarating. Frequently multiple rainbows form in the same area. We stayed in a casita near the coffee plantations, hiked a rainforest tour in search of Quetzels, a beautiful bird near extinction. Once abundant, but now almost completely eliminated; we were blessed to see 8 of them on our trip. Coffee plantations dominate the area. Families of workers tending those crops live in blue-tarp shanties tied up to the barbed wire fences around the perimeter of the field. Washing clothes in the plentiful streams, they sent their children to school in uniforms the Nuns would be proud of. We saw the kids walking along the road, slowed and rolled down the window to give them some candy and they wanted to touch Jan's red hair. They had never seen red hair before. The innocence of those people and their kids living with conditions we would find horrible, makes one pause to appreciate just how good God has been to us. We have been profoundly blessed by God and work every day to Share our Love of Jesus in all we do. Let our acts be our testimony.

Jan Stump

Jan enjoyed a successful career helping people, especially senior citizens. She served as Director of Senior Services for a city, as well as Sales, Marketing and Programming Director for a large 55+ Community.

Jan's passion for brightening the lives of others she expresses by sharing her gift of singing. Her Tribute Show celebrating the life and music of Patsy Cline was presented to "sold-out" crowds.

Her slogan: "Yesterdays Music – Todays Fun"