Ernie’s Blog

After two weeks of owning my first motorcycle in Guatemala, I travelled two and a half hours down a dusty road to the town of Uspantan. The Wycliffe missionaries Stan and Margot let me stay the night. Stan was under-whelmed that it had taken me SO LONG to make the motorcycle trek from San Cristobal to Uspantan - after all, he and his son had done it in one hour and five minutes. I later learned of the new standard for a Mad Max Motorcycle rider. Stan was unparalleled in many ways.

Today I learned from Margie, his wife, that Stan passed away on March 7.

It is the rare person indeed who would be willing to commit his life, career, and family to the translation of the Bible for 3,000 people who do not even have a culture of reading. Even rarer, the man who can organize (on the side) one of the largest french green bean cooperatives in Central America. Many farmers and families were able to put tortillas on the table due to his efforts. Yet even rarer, a missionary who could ride a motorcycle as whacky as he could!

This was a man who needs to be remembered.

Stan wrote the following last Fall to be sent out after he died:

“If you are reading this, I have started my new beginning.
Many, many times throughout my days here on earth I stated that
This new day is the first day of the rest of my life.
I say that because Scripture tells us to be thankful for God’s Forgiveness
which is new every morning, just as we are to be thankful in the evenings
for His Mercies which are new everyday.

On March 7th, our Loving Lord flipped the swtich for my new and eternal beginning.”

STANLEY GENE “TANO” MCMILLEN
August 10, 1941-March 7, 2008