Background picture of our home in Wichita, KS taken by Fran Meservy in 2000.  Warrior from e-mail Arthur unknown. Illusion created by Fran Meservy using Adobe Photo Deluxe Business 2007.

Gangs and Angels by Frances M. McCrory-Meservy

I managed two manufactured home communities that are located side by side until April 1999. I rarely have a problem with fear; but when I was dealing with gangs (face to face) in July 1998 fear moved into my life.

The following events are what helped me get rid of my fear.

I had been praying about the gang problem when our neighbor from 6 years previous knocked on my door. He said God told him to come and tell me about something that happened 8 years ago. He had not told me because he thought it would keep me from being the joyful, bold person I am. He knew fear could stop a person cold.

In April of 1990 Al & I moved from Houston, TX to Wichita, KS. We had just moved in a duplex on East Blake when we saw our neighbors come home from church (they were carrying Bibles).

Al asked me to go find out where they went to church and/or find out where a good church was located. By the time I bounced out the door and into the driveway, Tammy had gone inside.

I excitedly asked Doug about a church and starting praising Jesus for what a wonderful person he is and how good he was to me.

Doug did not say a word; he just stood there and listened. He finally told me he had no idea where a good church was but his wife did. He asked us to come over for coffee later and ask Tammy.

We went over for coffee a few hours later and during our visit Al led Doug to Jesus. We became good friends with our neighbors and spent a lot of hours in Bible study with them.

In May of 1992 we moved to Cottonwood Grove and shortly after that Doug & Tammy moved to Hillsboro, KS. I had not seen Doug in about a year when he showed up at my door in 1998.

Doug related that the day I met him, he was demon possessed. When I was going on and on about Jesus, he wanted to kill me. He reached into the back of his truck to get a large rock. He intended to hit me in the head with it and shut me up. His hand froze and he could not move. He then decided to curse me out. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth and he could not talk. When he decided to invite us to coffee, he could move and speak. He finished, "God wants you to know that you have very powerful angles protecting you."

When he told me that, most of the fear left me and I joyfully thanked Doug and God.

The next day, what Doug told me really hit home when a stranger passed our house, slammed on her brakes and backed up. Eyes wide and extremely excited, she knocked on my door. When I opened the door, she proclaimed, "did you know you have angels surrounding your house? They are huge - I can see them."

I started praying for the kids and asked God to go before me and prepare the way so I could reach these kids. All fear left me. I talked to the gang members and convinced several to clean their graffiti off Cottonwood Grove's playground.

I knew the neighbors were afraid of the gang members but really hated to give up on them. I prayed and asked God what I should do. He showed me I should evict the two families. "Love always protects." I evicted the families who were gang related. Even though I care about the kids caught up in gangs, I also loved the other tenants and had a responsibility to them to keep them as safe as possible.

People do not understand Love. They think leniency and forgiveness is the sum total of love. They forget that love also protects. We have laws and jails - not to punish people but to protect good citizens. I evicted the gang members not because I hated them but because I loved all my tenants and wanted to protect the other 191 families.

I put what happened (the whole story) in our community newsletter. The day after it came out I saw several children age 2 to 4 sitting on the office steps watching our house. I walked over, sat down beside them and asked what they were doing. They said "we are trying to see the angels. I told them that I wished I could see them also. I explained that God just gives certain people the ability to see them and I was not one of them; but I knew they were there. They said they did too and wanted to just sit there and maybe God would let them see the angels. They sat there for over an hour.

Psa 137:6 If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth; If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy.

Isa 41:10 -13 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. "All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Psa 91:11 - 12 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Mat 10:26 "Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

2 Tim 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

1 Cor 13:4-13 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. … And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Mission Field

I've Seen & Heard of Jesus

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