Mackintyre Kindol McDill-Garton
August 21, 1999 - September 12, 2008
Lathrop, Missouri
August 21, 1999 - September 12, 2008
Lathrop, Missouri
God has given us an opportunity through Mackintyre for a very special blessing on our farm. For three years, Mackintyre asked for a church up on the hill behind our house on his grandpas farm. For 3 years, nearly every day, we said, "Ok, when you get a little bigger and can help build it, we will." My dad says every day now, "I should have built it for him then". We tell him that we did what every parent and grandparent would have. Most people just don't go out and begin construction on a church if their 6 year old asks for it. Mack remained determined through those 3 years to build his church. He converted his cabin in the back yard to a church. He planned services and activities at his church. At only 4x8, the cabin would not hold many people. He would stand on the porch and sing, he would build crosses, plant flowers and he made an office. Complete with phone, satallite TV and electricity, he would sit in his chair and plan. The sky was the limit for Mack. He had big plans, brilliant dreams and relentless motivation to attain his goals. His strong will and passion for everything he did kept us all very busy around here. As we sat at Liberty Hospital that morning trying to reason with what had just happened, it became clear that we needed to finish Mackintyres plans. God was speaking in a clearer, louder voice. There was an overwhelming presence of something unusual with us that morning. Something you can not put into words for anyone else unless you have experienced it. I think there were several more people who felt it that morning besides my husband and myself. There were complete strangers that said there was something unusual they felt. Our initial plan was a small gazebo structure, open, with a bench or two. Over the next few hours, Mackintyres Church grew. My dads words were "the boy wanted a church, a real church and he will have it." The day Mackie died it rained inches and inches. The creek crossing washed out below the site where the church was to be built. It seemed like the rain would never end. Once it did end, a rainbow appeared. I have to say it was the biggest, brightest rainbow I have ever seen. It streteched from one end of our farm to the other. It was exactly over the top of my parents house. We had several visitors at our house at that time. We all stood in the driveway in awe. Little did I know, my friend Barb and her family were in Wichita, KS at the same time taking pictures of the same rainbow. I never knew you could see a rainbow in another state. People in Lathrop were taking pictures of "Mackies Rainbow". It seemed like a bigger than life statement that said "Hey, I'm OK, see? Here I am." We found comfort in that rainbow. It came a the perfect time. You could see it forever and it was beautiful.
As soon as the mud started drying up, our friend Larry came with a bobcat to put the creek crossing back in so we could get started on the church. Mackintyre had saved $1036.00 in his savings account to build his church. If a child of 9 can save that kind of money to build a church, that is what it should be spent on. We got through the visitation and service, made the plans to bring him home for his final resting place and started working. With our friends and family by our side, the construction began immediately. Here we are today with a church nearly finished. The church is in the exact place Mackie wanted it up on the hill, it resembles the church he built and finished the Monday before he died. What was supposed to be a birdhouse turned out to be the model that fashioned the real thing. Like the birdhouse, it was designed by Mackintyre. It will hold about 40 people, have a bright red roof, be a place of peace, solice, joy and music. Most of all, it will be a place for people to be close to God; A place of inspiration. What else do you do with a church in your pasture??? We ask God every day to keep us strong in faith, give us direction and use this church for his intended purpose. We hope to have a special service once a month on a Saturday or Sunday evening. We will have seasonal holiday services and are planning activities for children. A this point, until the construction is finished, those are the intended plans. It will grow as needed and we will just follow the need as it arises. We hope to do more things each year to serve others. Our Christmas project went well this last year and I am currently working on raising money for kids to go to church camp. I would like to put together progams for other families like ours who have lost a child. The potential is unlimited and everything will fall into place one way or another. I won't deceive anyone by not admitting- I would give it all up to have my little Mackie back. He was our little shiny star. I know that's not possible and that he is in a better place with Jesus. We have two choices, take the high road or the low road. As easy as it would be to take the low road, that's not the right choice. Mackie wouldn't want that and most of all, that's obviously not what God wants. It is a struggle just to survive this every day, but as long as we are here on this earth, we shall keep making the best of it until this bad vacation is over and we go home. Home to our real home; our home with Jesus and Mackie.
As soon as the mud started drying up, our friend Larry came with a bobcat to put the creek crossing back in so we could get started on the church. Mackintyre had saved $1036.00 in his savings account to build his church. If a child of 9 can save that kind of money to build a church, that is what it should be spent on. We got through the visitation and service, made the plans to bring him home for his final resting place and started working. With our friends and family by our side, the construction began immediately. Here we are today with a church nearly finished. The church is in the exact place Mackie wanted it up on the hill, it resembles the church he built and finished the Monday before he died. What was supposed to be a birdhouse turned out to be the model that fashioned the real thing. Like the birdhouse, it was designed by Mackintyre. It will hold about 40 people, have a bright red roof, be a place of peace, solice, joy and music. Most of all, it will be a place for people to be close to God; A place of inspiration. What else do you do with a church in your pasture??? We ask God every day to keep us strong in faith, give us direction and use this church for his intended purpose. We hope to have a special service once a month on a Saturday or Sunday evening. We will have seasonal holiday services and are planning activities for children. A this point, until the construction is finished, those are the intended plans. It will grow as needed and we will just follow the need as it arises. We hope to do more things each year to serve others. Our Christmas project went well this last year and I am currently working on raising money for kids to go to church camp. I would like to put together progams for other families like ours who have lost a child. The potential is unlimited and everything will fall into place one way or another. I won't deceive anyone by not admitting- I would give it all up to have my little Mackie back. He was our little shiny star. I know that's not possible and that he is in a better place with Jesus. We have two choices, take the high road or the low road. As easy as it would be to take the low road, that's not the right choice. Mackie wouldn't want that and most of all, that's obviously not what God wants. It is a struggle just to survive this every day, but as long as we are here on this earth, we shall keep making the best of it until this bad vacation is over and we go home. Home to our real home; our home with Jesus and Mackie.
I have had several emails regarding the CBS story that aired this evening. I thought the story was beautiful and very nicely done. Our thanks to Cynthia and the camera crew for their compassion and professionalism. Because they took the time to tell Mackies story, hundreds more hearts will be touched.
There is one thing that keeps coming up in the emails and I wanted to clarify it a little bit. It was implied that we were not a church going family. We did not attend church on a regular basis for the first few years of Mackies life. For the past few years we have been regular attendees/members at the Holt United Methodist Church in Holt, Missouri. We have the most wonderful church family anyone could ask for. A small, close knit family of people who we love very much. Mackintyre loved his church. He would pass up almost anything to go with me to arrange flowers for the Sunday service or go with Grandpa to mow the grass. He loved to ring the bell on Sundays, sit with someone different each service and hug and kiss on everyone. He got a lot of hugs and kisses from everyone in return. He would on occasion stand before the congregation and sing. Microphone in hand, all by himself, he would sing Amazing Grace not leaving a dry eye in the church. One of his favorite songs was Amazing Grace. The audio on the CBS Evening news of the child singing was Mackintyre. I am so thankful I recorded him singing and have that to listen to. I will admit it has been hard to return to church. I sit there and cry each time I go. I feel like a distraction to others. I miss Mackie floating around spreading smiles and hugs and singing. The music he loved and sang all the time at home brings me to tears immediately. Time will help heal I guess or I will forever cry in church. One way or another, it will all work out. I don't usually nit pick thing and I'm not trying to now, but our church is very important to us and it was most important to Mackintyre, so I just wanted to clarify that little piece of mis-interpreted information.
There is one thing that keeps coming up in the emails and I wanted to clarify it a little bit. It was implied that we were not a church going family. We did not attend church on a regular basis for the first few years of Mackies life. For the past few years we have been regular attendees/members at the Holt United Methodist Church in Holt, Missouri. We have the most wonderful church family anyone could ask for. A small, close knit family of people who we love very much. Mackintyre loved his church. He would pass up almost anything to go with me to arrange flowers for the Sunday service or go with Grandpa to mow the grass. He loved to ring the bell on Sundays, sit with someone different each service and hug and kiss on everyone. He got a lot of hugs and kisses from everyone in return. He would on occasion stand before the congregation and sing. Microphone in hand, all by himself, he would sing Amazing Grace not leaving a dry eye in the church. One of his favorite songs was Amazing Grace. The audio on the CBS Evening news of the child singing was Mackintyre. I am so thankful I recorded him singing and have that to listen to. I will admit it has been hard to return to church. I sit there and cry each time I go. I feel like a distraction to others. I miss Mackie floating around spreading smiles and hugs and singing. The music he loved and sang all the time at home brings me to tears immediately. Time will help heal I guess or I will forever cry in church. One way or another, it will all work out. I don't usually nit pick thing and I'm not trying to now, but our church is very important to us and it was most important to Mackintyre, so I just wanted to clarify that little piece of mis-interpreted information.
