A Legacy of Praise: Valetta Crumley
When people who know her talk about praising God in the midst of—and in spite of—life’s storms, Valetta Steel Crumley’s name invariably comes into the conversation. She has allowed God to use her heartbreaking pain and losses in this life to minister to and encourage many hurting people. And those losses are greater than most people could ever imagine. As a young married woman, Valetta lost her 2-year-old son Danny to leukemia, and a few years later, her husband Henry Steel died after several years of treatment for Hodgkin’s disease. These losses were mind-numbing at times, but Valetta leaned on the Lord for strength; she also had two young children, Leon and Lorna, to continue caring for. During Henry’s illness, he and Valetta felt God’s call to missions and were accepted as missionaries with OMS. Even as Henry underwent treatments, the Steels were blessed with the opportunity to travel, ministering to people around the world who were touched by their testimony. After Henry’s death, Valetta knew that God’s call had been to both of them. Their travels had only deepened her burden for missions and for the millions around the world who did not know Christ. So, Valetta knew that she was to continue with OMS. The next several years were not easy as Valetta became both mother and father to her children, learned to cope with loneliness like she had never before experienced, and groped for her own self-identity, which was no longer just “Mrs. Steel.” But God, in his faithfulness, reminded Valetta, in the midst of her broken heart and unanswered questions, that he does not leave his children without resources. She recalled the comfort that God’s Word had provided during those dark nights when Danny was so ill, and she was delighted
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when the Scriptures began to bring healing to her heart once again. Fast forward a few years … Leon was home from college one cold February weekend. After dinner, he, Lorna, and a friend decided to visit Leon’s girlfriend. Just 30 minutes after they said their goodbyes and walked out the door, a policeman came to Valetta’s door. The weather had turned colder, the roads became icy, and all three young people were killed in a terrible accident. After the initial shock of hearing the policeman’s words, Valetta felt herself in the strong embrace of God’s Spirit, lifted upward into his warm presence. She was able to find her voice and tell the policeman, “Officer, I know where they are. They are with God.” As Valetta walked through yet another valley, she sensed God’s sustaining Spirit through the prayers and love of friends and family. She decided that rather than a funeral, they should have a celebration of Leon and Lorna’s lives, a time to celebrate their love for Jesus and their eternal home with him. It was exactly that … a joy-filled witness of their strong faith. From that time, more than 40 years ago, until today, Valetta has continued to praise the Lord and celebrate his great love as she ministers to countless people through her work with OMS and shares her testimony, both in person and through a book about her life and God’s sustaining grace. Valetta married Dr. Al Crumley in 1994. To purchase Valetta’s book, Another Valley, Another Victory, Another Love, which details her triumphant story in the midst of great loss, call OMS today at 317.888.3333, ext. 313.
photo page 18: Valetta on her scooter in Taiwan photo page 19: Al and Valetta Crumley
By Lori McFall, Missionary, One Mission Society
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