Book of Memories for Donald Jordon

Condolence From Shannon (Kelly) Hall

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 03:31:50 EDT

My heartfelt condolences go out to Mr. Jordon's family and friends. I have several fond memories from my many years as a camper at Camp Nathaneal that include Don. It's difficult to explain how a few words, waves, and smiles plus a good work ethic can so fully demonstrate God's love to a young teenage girl but Don Jordon did. He will be missed by many but Heaven gains a wonderful soul.

Story shared: All In the Family

Tue, 29 Oct 2013 22:34:13 EDT

Uncle Don and Aunt Audrey and family were always a huge part of my childhood. There is nothing like growing up knowing who you are, because you are part of a wonderful, big, extended family <3 One of the things I always did with my cousins and aunts and uncles was sing :) It was just what we did. I am so happy to know that Uncle Don is finally at rest with the Lord, that all his suffering is over, and that he sings with the angels, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come" (Rev. 4:9).

Story shared: Never a doubt!

Tue, 29 Oct 2013 13:46:29 EDT

I joined the full time staff of Scripture Memory Mountain Mission in May 1990. As a "wet behind the ears" 23 year old rookie missionary Don Jordan came along side of me and imparted so much knowledge of what true ministry was all about. The stories he told of his time in Africa and what God did there as well as celebrating what God was doing at Camp Nathanael was so encouraging. I remember not long after our move to KY form MI, orders camp down from the leadership that they wanted an old chicken coop torn down. "This will be fun", I thought, as all the different and various ways flooded my mind on how we were going to destroy this old "chicken shack". Would we get to start it on fire and watch it burn? The heat was sure to make short work of that decrepit building. Maybe we would have to sweat a little while we took sledge hammers or tied chains to tractors and yanked it down demolishing it that way. "Oh no," Don said. "Get your hammer and a crow bar. There's way to much usable lumber that we can save and reuse. We're taking this apart one board at a time." He went on to encourage us to make sure we saved the straighter nails and place them in a coffee can. Little did I know how much influence working in Africa was going to have on so much of what we did as far as maintenance work was concerned. He taught me many valuable lessons about being a good steward of all that God had given us charge over. And although I admit I struggled with some of Mr. Jordan's methods I never once doubted his motives. He seemed to always do things "As unto the Lord". His legacy of hard dedicated work will always be able to be seen here at Camp Nathanael until Jesus returns.

Story shared: Three Short Years

Mon, 28 Oct 2013 23:24:23 EDT

I first met Don (and his wife, Audrey) in September 1998. I was an 18-year-old kid just out of high school, coming to Scripture Memory Mountain Mission (SMMM) for what I thought was going to be an 8 to 12 month stint of short term mission service. Camp was starting construction on their gymnasium and I was there to be a longer term version of the volunteer labor helping with the building process. Since Don was the maintenance supervisor at SMMM at the time, I would be working with him on almost everything for the duration of my time there. I arrived at camp Friday evening and Saturday afternoon a diminutive, older gentleman wearing those trademark bifocals came over to where my parents and I were staying and formally introduced himself. The only recollection I have of that visit was that he informed me that I was going to church with his family Sunday morning. But that was how he operated, and, quite frankly, I would come to learn over time that was what SMMM needed in its maintenance department during his tenure at camp. And I was completely fine with that. I was an ignorant post high school kid who was used to someone laying out what needed to be done and saying "I want that done like this." The Don Jordon I knew didn't ever seem to shy away from a challenge. Whether it was tearing apart and rebuilding the rear end on a Kubota B6200 tractor, fabricating a bracket for something out of an old piece of pipe and angle iron, or overseeing and facilitating the successful completion of the largest construction projects (swimming pool, gym, bridge) and building renovations (chapel roof, picnic pavilion) camp had undertaken. Sometimes his fervor to get something done would actually impede his haste to finish a task. I will never forget the time we were digging a trench for a new water line right above an existing one. Not five minutes after Don had finished repairing a small leak I had caused while digging, and extolling the merits of digging carefully around active lines, he hit the same pipe five feet from where I was working causing a hole (and subsequent leak) ten times bigger than the #2 pencil lead sized hole I had created. You can imagine hearing that timeless plumbing battle cry of "SHUT IT OFF!! SHUT IT OFF!!!" over the sound of water spraying everywhere. I wasn't surprised when I learned he had become involved with Forgotten Man Ministries after "retiring" back to Michigan. In the three short years I had the privilege of serving under/with him, the one overt theme in every aspect of Don's life was his faith in God and his desire to share the knowledge of salvation through Jesus Christ with those he crossed paths with as he went through life. His service in numerous capacities in Kenya, Kentucky, and finally in Michigan is the earthly fruit of Don's faithful service to the eternal, living God he proclaimed and loved.

Photo shared: Jordon0001.jpg

Sun, 27 Oct 2013 17:37:04 EDT