Prayer for family of Gene Lain
Continue to pray for the family of Gene Lain, former OMS missionary to Haiti, who went to be with the Lord on Sunday, August 1, 2010. Gene and Elaine Lain served with OMS for almost 24 years.
In addition to his wife Elaine, he is survived by three sons, Michael Lain of Springfield, Ohio, Donald Lain and his wife, Nancy of Coshocton, Ohio, and Larry Lain his wife, Verna, also of Coshocton. Also surviving are four grandsons, Jeromy, Matthew, Brian and Nathan; and seven granddaughters, Abigail, Karah, Hannah, Rachel, Christa, Lauren and Emma.
The following is a tribute to Gene Lain, by OMS President David Long:
A Tribute to Clinton Eugene Lain
May 4, 1933—August 1, 2010
Clinton Eugene Lain was born on May 4, 1933, in Cherryvale, Kansas. Until he was 12 years old, no one in his family attended church. But then over a six-month period, they were all converted and joined the church. The next year on Thanksgiving Day, Gene felt God’s call to missionary service, but it took several years before he dedicated his life to the Lord and allowed the Holy Spirit to take control. He graduated from Mount Carmel, a Christian high school, and then attended Kentucky Mountain Bible College, where he graduated in 1954 with a diploma in missions. He studied in the pre-med program at Asbury College and earned a B.A. degree in chemistry and biology. However, rather than going on to medical school, Gene went into the pastorate and over the course of 11 years served in three different churches. For five of those years, he also worked as a chemist for Great Lake Pipeline. Hard work was not new to Gene since he had worked his way through college as a carpenter and brick mason.
Gene and Gladys Elaine Milliron met at Asbury College and were married on August 22, 1956. Elaine worked on her A.B. in elementary education while Gene directed a rescue mission in Kansas City, Missouri.
When they moved to Maine to take over the pastorate of a church, Gene drew up the plans for a new church building, and together, Gene and Elaine constructed the rafters for it. After waiting for eight years, they received the disappointing news that they were not accepted by their church’s mission board for overseas service. Not to be totally distracted by the rejection, Gene decided to get further education and worked on a master’s degree in theology at Olivet Nazarene College, which he completed in 1969. While he was working on a doctorate at Temple University in Pennsylvania, Gene and Elaine applied for missionary service with One Mission Society after reading in the OMS Missionary Standard (now OMS Outreach) of their need for teachers in Haiti. Their call to missions was strong, and they were open to God’s leading as to where He would have them serve, whether in Haiti or somewhere else. Along with their three sons, Michael, Donald and Larry, Gene and Elaine joined the OMS family in Haiti in July 1975 after spending 10 months in language school in France. Gene taught in the vocational school and served as the principal for a number of years. Gene’s life and ministry impacted many young Haitians as he trained them and gave them a good foundation on which to build their lives and ministries.
From November 1986 to June 1990, Gene and Elaine were assigned to the Asbury Student Center in Wilmore, Kentucky, and did an excellent job relating to the students and impacting their lives for missions, recruiting many for short-term trips to mission fields. During that time, Gene also studied at Asbury Theological Seminary and began working on a doctor of missiology degree, which he received in May 1998.
In the meantime, they ministered again in Haiti from December 1990 to October 1993, when they were reassigned as associate regional directors in the Northeast. They officially retired from OMS in June 1998, but remained active in sharing missions with young and old alike and continued to visit Haiti for special assignments or to take teams there for ministry. Gene was honored to be one of the three men who broke ground for the new seminary campus in 2005.
Our love reaches out to you, Elaine, Mike, Don, Larry and families as you mourn the loss of your husband, father and grandfather. But we rejoice with you as we know that Gene is now in a much better place, having awakened in heaven, and has heard His Savior say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Be assured of the prayers of the OMS family around the world.
Because Christ lives,
David Long, President
One Mission Society
