Michael Young

I moved to Florida in 1963 and graduated from St. Pete High. Completed two years of Junior College. Returned to W.Va in 1965 and entered marshall University. Met my wife, Ann there and married in 68. After graduation entered the Navy and was stationed in Japan flying in an intelligence squadron. I spent half my time in Vietnam and the other half in Japan.

I received a call into the ministry in 1975 and left the navy to go to Asbury seminary in Kentucky. After graduation, I pastored 12 years in Paris, Kentucky and in 1990 began pastoring a church in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

I left that church in 2006 and began mission work in Guatemala. I split time between Guatemala and Florida.

My wife, a pharmacist, retired in 2009 from Walgreens. She works with me in Guatemala in the mountains.

We will probably move to Guatemala full time in the next couple of years.

I can't relate how good and faithful the Lord has been to us in our lifetime. He has directed My path every step of the way.

Anyone wishing to visit me or take a mission trip to Guatemala with me is invited and welcome.

One of our gym teachers was a black man named Marvin Richerson.

I didn't realize it at the time but I was raised as a racist and that is a shameful thing to admit now that I know that color and body features are simply a reaction to the enviroment and we really are all from one set of parents.

During our school years, schools were integrated and we came into contact with a new group of people. There was a lot of racial tension in both the black and white communities. (Remember the problems with integrating rock lake swimming pool?) How foolish we were.

Then I had coach Richerson as my gym teacher. He injected discipline in me that no teacher had done before and slowly I began to respect him and who he was.

I realized that not only was he as good as any white person, he was better than most and certainly better than me.

He became a father figure to me and began the change in me that made me see all people differently.

I have preached many sermons all over the world in all kinds of churches to all kind of peoples and have spoken of the influence that Coach Marvin Richerson had on my life.

God used Coach Marvin in a powerful way.