My mentor, my good friend, my pastor.
In 1986, the Lord called Eugene Bordean to establish the Liberty Baptist Church of the Deaf in Columbus, Ohio, with the purpose of reaching the Deaf. The first church service was held in the basement of a McDonald's Restaurant on September 7, 1986.
Eugene had a burden to share the gospel with the 175 million Deaf around the world. He had the great privilege of going on three missionary trips: two times he went to Romania for a couple of weeks, and one time he and his family and others from the church went to Jamaica for two weeks to work with the Deaf. One of his long term goals was to plant a Deaf Church in Chicago, Toledo, Flint, Detroit, and Pittsburgh.
As the founder and pastor of Liberty Baptist Church of the Deaf, Eugene established a Deaf Men's Advance and a Deaf Couple's Retreat which meet annually. The Lord blessed Eugene's prayerful determination in reaching the Deaf community with the gospel as evident in 1999 as the church averaged 110 people for the Sunday morning worship service each week. Liberty Baptist Church of the Deaf also has a great outreach ministry with the students at the Ohio School for the Deaf by bringing them to church every Wednesday night for bible study.
Eugene served on the Advisory Board for the Silent Word Ministries under the direction of Ted Camp in Trenton Georgia for a few years. He was also on the Board of Directors for Baptist International Missions, Inc. (BIMI) Deaf Bible College in Ringold, Georgia. Also, he was on the Dorothy E. Ann Fund (D.E.A.F.) Advisory Board in Columbus, Ohio.
Eugene loved serving the Lord with his wife and three children. It was Eugene's desire that people remember that he loved his God, loved his family, and loved his people (Deaf people). Eugene's life verse was Jude 1:22, "And of some, having compassion, making a difference." During Eugene's devotions in the spring of 1997, his devotional book asked if he wanted God to use him in a mighty way. Eugene thought a moment and decided God had used him in some ways by starting several organizations for the deaf and a Deaf church, but Eugene felt that God had not yet used him mightily. Eugene told God he would surrender to His will in order to be used and give Him the glory. Eugene and Sharon had no idea what was about to happen. Although Eugene had been sick off and on for five months, Eugene and his family were shocked when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on April 18, 1997.
After praying for God's will, he and his wife sought alternative treatments. Eugene often said he did not want to go back to the days before cancer because God taught him so much during his struggle with cancer. Often, he would remind his family to fear God and not to fear cancer. (Matthew 6:33-34) In fact, as a result of Eugene becoming closer and closer to God during his cancer, during his devotions one spring morning in 1998, Eugene told God that he was willing to take cancer back if there would be revival in his own life,in the lives of his family, and in the lives of the Deaf people at church and around the world.
That summer, the doctor informed him that cancer had come back in his liver. In September, the oncologist only gave Eugene four or five months to live. Eugene and his wife prayed and trusted God to do what He wanted and that they would keep their eyes on the Lord each step of the way. Soon after the doctor gave Eugene such a despairing report, his wife heard a preacher on the radio say, "A man of God, in the will of God, is immortal until his work on earth is done." This gave them much hope knowing that Eugene's life was completely in the hands of God and not in the hands of doctors. They again held onto the verse that God gave Eugene just before his surgery in May 1997. Psalm 20:7 says, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God."
The Bordeans realized some people may trust in doctors, some in medicine, but they trusted in God On Friday morning, September 10, 1999, the victory was won. Family and friends saw so many miracles happen in Eugene's life during the 28 months he battled cancer. God took Eugene home to be with Him. Finally, Eugene's pain was over, suffering was ended. Only eternity will tell how God has used Eugene's life and death to influence many Deaf and hearing people here and around the world.
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