Marilyn Ruth Brock

On January 16, 1942, I joined the family of Frank and Margery Houser. I entered this world with the greatest birth gift a newborn can receive - the gift of Christian parents. I was the third child and only girl of five children.I gave my life to Jesus at an early age; and as far back as I can remember I felt called of God to be a missionary. That dream was fulfilled on June 24, 1966 when I went to Sierra Leone, West Africa, as a missionary nurse.My preparation for this event included: nurses’ training and Bible college, midwifery training at Frontier Nursing Service in Hyden, KY and, later, one summer in linguistics. After 2 three-year terms in Sierra Leone, I returned to the U.S.A. with a two-year-old African toddler for whom I had cared from the time he was six weeks old. Multiple birth defects had caused his family to abandon him. Through many prayers, tears and times of shaky faith, God enabled me to legally adopt Johnny as my son. Johnny and I returned to Hyden, KY, where I worked until March of 1975. At that time God lead me to work at the Red Bird Hospital of the Red Bird Mission in Beverly, KY. as Public Health Nurse.  Baxter Brock and I married in 1980 and one year later we were blessed with a lovely daughter whom we named Ruby Leigh.  How time does fly! Johnny is now 33; he and his wife, Amanda, presented me with my first grandchild in April ‘01. Ruby is 23.  She and her husband, Daniel, gave us our 1^st granddaughter in February 2004.  After I had done Public Health and Home Health Nursing for twenty-four years, the Red Bird Home Health Agency closed. Since then my job description has changed. I continue to do Public Health Nursing; case management for our homemaking and meals-on-wheels clients; and two days a week I work at Red Bird Clinic. My parents, Frank (91) and Margery (86) still live in the old home place outside Aliquippa, PA and have walked with God for more then 66 years. I still play the piano and teach adult Sunday School in a small country church. And I continue to praise God for who He is and for His constant presence and wonderful love to us. My desire remains to walk close to God and to help lead my family and friends in that walk as well. Indeed, this is the ultimate purpose for Red Bird Mission and Clinic: for God’s kingdom to come and for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven! 

Red Bird Mission, guided by Jesus Christ, empowers individuals and advocates justice by providing spiritual, educational, health, and community outreach ministries.