A Life of Loving Service
By Julia O'Carey
Wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother—Leona Gouge will be lovingly remembered as a kindred spirit who held a passion in her heart for service and mission.
On November 21, 2010, a tragic car accident took Leona’s life while she and her husband were returning to their home next to Asia Pacific International University (APIU). Leona is survived by her loving husband, David Gouge, and their children Ron Gouge, Rachel Abbot, Victor Gouge and Julie Peace, along with ten grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. She will certainly be dearly missed by her family and the many whom she and David took into their home and hearts as family of God.
Friends, family, students and parents, colleagues, neighbors and adopted grandchildren from all over Thailand and abroad came to pay their respects during a four-day memorial service organized by APIU, Thailand Adventist Mission, Ekamai International School and Bangkok Adventist International School.
Leona is most remembered for the loving hospitality that she and David gave to countless students as well as US soldiers during their years of mission service in Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Guam and Thailand. ASAP staff also experienced their warm hospitality and delicious meals, along with words of encouragement and prayers, whenever they happened to be traveling through.
ASAP will always be grateful for Leona’s passion and many volunteer hours spent in the Muak Lek Language Center, her favorite ASAP project. When David Gouge accepted a position to teach in the Education Department of APIU, Leona also wanted to use her gifts and experience as an educator for God’s glory. The Muak Lek Language Center needed a coordinator, and Leona was just the person to take on this ASAP/APIU project. She understood ASAP’s vision and purpose for the school – to build bridges of relationship by fulfilling a community need in order to also soon establish a church.
Since Leona became involved, the school has seen improvements, both physically and program-wise. After much prayer, Leona raised funds from the community and abroad to put a new face on the front of the building. Installing a glass wall and doors blocked out the distracting sound of the busy road and helped give a professional first impression to anyone walking by. Today, Leona’s loving touches are seen all around the school, from the clean, orderly classrooms to the pictures of Jesus on the walls. This school holds six free English classes each evening, with levels ranging from beginner to advanced. These classes are taught by APIU students and other volunteers. Ruangwit Wareewarach, one of the APIU students, teaches guitar and violin to children on Sunday afternoons, and they perform special music in the APIU SDA Church once a quarter. Branch Sabbath School is taking place on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons.
Most of the students who attend the Muak Lek Language Center are Buddhist, however, through the Bible stories and songs, as well as the love and care they receive, seeds of belief and an interest in Jesus are growing in their hearts. The Lord has brought students from all walks of life to the Center. For instance, a physician from the Muaklek Government Hospital comes to learn English so she can better communicate with her patients, especially the international students from APIU!
Please pray that the Holy Spirit will be poured out on the volunteer teachers and the students in this center. If you would like to give a gift in memory of Leona Gouge, you may give to the Muak Lek Language Center. ASAP is committed to providing $470 per month to assist with operations and is currently in need of supporters. In addition to this ongoing need, you may wish to consider supporting a one-time project. There is a current need for renovations of the first- and second-floor bathrooms in the school. This will cost $875. The teachers would like a ping pong table (costing about $150) so that before and after classes their students can have some healthy recreation and stay out of trouble. They also need a Yamaha keyboard for $240 and a water cooler for $40.