Legacy By Chuck Sligh Al and Norma Sligh, missionaries to the US military for many years, were my parents and they had a profound influence on many people through their labors in Okinawa, Puerto Rico, and Panama. They also had a profound impact on my own life, leaving me a legacy to build upon. Growing up in the home of Al and Norma Sligh was an experience I treasure. I saw in my parents models of how to live the Christian life with integrity. They were zealous and sincere enough to inspire a love for God in my heart; transparent enough to teach me humility; and imperfect enough to let me know that if God could use them for his glory, He could certainly use me too. Chuck and Susan Sligh After raising our support, we went to our first ministry to the US military, an existing but struggling church in Wiesbaden, Germany. God blessed us richly at the church in Wiesbaden. During our 10- year ministry, there were over 1,500 salvation decisions that resulted in over 500 baptisms and family units that surrendered to some area of full-time ministry. In 1996 we felt God leading us to England. There we took another existing work that had previously ministered to a large Air Force base that had closed down. With only a tiny American presence still in the community, but thousands of English-speaking Brits, we realized God could do so much more if we “anglicized” the church to structure it so that it would be more acceptable to British cul- ture. Thus, it became a church for the British to which Americans were invited rather than vice versa. In time, when the British outnumbered American military people in our church, we felt we needed to return to working with military, our original calling. In 2003 our BIMI Military Ministry direc- tors asked us to make a survey trip to Grafenwoehr, Germany, where it had been announced there would be a dramatic build-up. Upon arrival I was immediately struck not only by the great need for a church but also by the unprecedented opportunity to buy and own our own building. Very few military works are able to afford to buy their own building. But in both Puerto Rico and Panama, Dad had led the churches he pastored to purchase their buildings. He was convinced that, difficult as it was, it was good stewardship and in the long term best for churches. As I surveyed Grafenwoehr, I noticed several empty buildings and realized that with the lowest interest rates in post-World War II history and if we could get a church established before the build-up in the community with its attendant rise in real estate prices, we might be able to purchase. Feeling God’s call in mid-2003, we moved to Grafenwoehr and started Grace Baptist Church (GBC) as a Bible study, which organized as a church in June 2004. We began to see God bless immediately with people coming to faith in Christ, being baptized in a local lake, and others committing to serve the Lord more faithfully. Gradually new ministries arose to meet the need of a growing congregation. In 2003 Mom went to be with the Lord. Soon after, Dad briefly started another church. He turned the work over to another couple and went into semi-retirement due to the effects of advancing Alzheimer’s. In 2004 he came to Grafenwoehr for three months to be with us. What a blessing to minister side by side with him and to learn from him and to have his blessing! He was so excited about the work at Grace Baptist Church in Grafenwoehr. From the beginning, I cast a vision of saving up for a down payment for our own building. In time, with great sacrifice from our people and the help of BIMI Military Ministry, who graciously made us