Tom Calhoun part 2
A brief word on brevity. Tom’s story deserves more than a blog post to do justice to his nearly 100 years of life. He has witnessed God’s kindness in many ways. Here, we only hit highlights and let audio clips and photos do a lot of the storytelling. The pictures above are worth at least 3,000 words. The first one is with Ken Langone, a member of the Purple Crow board. From the photo, you can see their mutual admiration. From that same evening is a picture with Tom and his dear wife of 66 years. This photo is from 2024 they same year she went to be with the Lord. The final photo is of him with his 3 sons early in their entrepreneurship. The energy and love come off the page…
In the first blog post, you heard about Tom’s greatest joy, the joy of being found by God’s love. Now let’s listen as he talks about how God’s love called him into ministry and how God blessed him with a wife and family. Then we can understand how, even in his retirement from mission work in Mexico, he continued to do ministry. Listen for the gratitude in his voice for the good gifts God has given along the way. Listen for his understanding of how God moves.
Around 1955, while Tom was in his late-twenties and studying Theology at Pidemont, he could hardly believe that Muriel agreed to go out on a date. He was sure she was far too pretty to be interested in him…
Her beauty was more than skin deep. Tom knows scripture is true when it says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.” He said that Muriel's kindness is the reason their sons are men of such character. She had the fortitude for foreign missions and was considering working in Africa. Early on in their courtship, they felt God calling them to something greater. Hear how they agreed to try Mexico first, and then connect with Baptist Mid-Missions.
Thirty years in ministry is easier said then done! The first step was learning Spanish in language school. Tom can look back and see how much he loved Mexico but at the age of 40, starting out, he had doubts about his ability to communicate. Learning a new language is hard for anyone. He is convinced it was only possible for him to learn because others were praying for him. Tom is grateful that a young man by the name of David was part of the language school. God used David to encourage Tom during the struggle to learn.
What is also sweet about this story of struggle is that when Tom got to Mexico, he realized that the folks there were also eager to see him learn. Communication goes both ways, and the Holy Spirit can build channels of communication when we humbly learn. He said the Mexicans were helpful and encouraging, too, in the process of becoming fluent. Learning to speak Spanish proved to be a source of joy and aid in ministry for the next 50 years of his life.
Mexicans made Tom and his family feel welcome in their country, and when he retired, Tom had the chance to practice hospitality to newly arriving Hispanics in North Carolina. In the 2000s Muriel and Tom found themselves back in Winston-Salem, where the three sons were putting down roots. Their boys, having grown up in Mexico, were also busy working with and among the new and rapidly growing Hispanic community in North Carolina. Their language acquisition in Mexico and their love for the Lord made them hard-working and accidental entrepreneurs who were willing and able to do business in Spanish. First, by employing Hispanics at Grass Busters and from there realizing the opportunity to import and distribute brands from Latin America. Purple Crow grew out of the Calhoun’s love of the people, culture, and FOOD from Mexico.
God’s love is always looking for his lost sheep, and Tom, though retired, was still eager to witness that redemptive love at work. So in his seventies when most people are content to take it easy he volunteers to do bilingual jail ministry in Forsyth County. Tom tells a story of Maria who was a great student in his weekly prision Bible study. He vividly remembers how she was diligent in her studies and how in time she grew in grace. Listen to his narration of how when she is being parolled she looked for another person like him to help her continue to grow.
Tom can look back and see God’s hand moving him. His story helps us understand God’s redemptive love at work. It gives us hope that we can learn new things and love our neighbors. Through Tom’s story, we get a glimpse of “the extras God’s given along the way.” Did you hear his chuckle? Did you notice his joy at telling this story?