![]() This was quite a leap of faith as financial support had to be raised to sustain the family, but Helen was unwavering in her dedication to the ministry. In 1977, Johnnie and Helen returned to full-time ministry and made their last cross-country move with their five youngest children to Calvary Baptist Church in Bremerton, WA, a small, struggling congregation that was about to close its doors. She would say that the joy of the Lord was her strength. ![]() Through it all, Helen leaned on the Lord and selflessly served the needs of her family. This job required lots of travel and Helen was often left alone to parent seven children (the three oldest were married by this time) and manage the small farm they lived on between Des Moines and Ankeny. The next five years Helen described as the most difficult of her life as Johnnie took a break from the pastorate to work as a representative for his alma mater. Six weeks after the birth of this tenth child, they moved back to Iowa. The next eight years were very full as they poured themselves into ministry and completed their family with the addition of three more children, Daniel Paul in 1967, Beth Anita in 1969 and Sara Jean in 1972. It was in 1964 that God led them to accept a pastorate at First Baptist Church of Bellevue, WA, so they packed up their family of nine and moved across the country. They served there for over six years, and their family expanded with two more daughters, Rachel Faith in 1960 and Carolyn Sue in 1961. From there, God called them to First Baptist Church of Perry, IA in 1958. During the first five years of ministry in Algona, two more children were born, Joann Ruth in 1954 and John Andrew in 1957. Over the next 40+ years, God touched hundreds of lives through Helen as she supported her husband’s ministry wherever the Lord led them. Thus began Helen’s secondary “career” as a pastor’s wife, her first and dearest being a full-time homemaker and mother. He accepted a position at the Regular Baptist Church in Algona, IA shortly after their 3rd daughter, Lois Ann, was born in 1952. In his second year of study, God redirected Johnnie into the pastorate. Johnnie was ordained in September of that year, after which they moved to Iowa City to attend the University of Iowa in pre-med. After spending the summer in mission work with the American Sunday School Union, Johnnie and Helen felt called to foreign missions. Shortly before graduation in 1950, their family expanded with the birth of Mary Esther. Sometime that winter, Johnnie felt God calling him to train for the ministry, so they packed up and moved to Nebraska to attend Omaha Bible Institute. It was there that they welcomed their first child, Beverly Grace, in 1947. Since both of them came from farming families, it was no surprise that they rented a nearby farm and began their married life as farmers. They were wed on September 1st, 1945 at the same church where they both accepted Christ. It wasn’t long after that they decided to spend their lives together as Mr. As a result, Johnnie, too, accepted Christ and was baptized. Their first date and many others were spent attending church. After graduating as Valedictorian of the class of 1944, Helen began dating Johnnie. ![]() Helen met her future husband, Johnnie Monroe Kain, in the 9th grade at the Monroe High School. It was the most important decision of her life, and she was baptized a year later. It was here, on a Sunday evening in 1939, that Helen and her closest sibling, Doris, accepted Christ as their personal Savior. Her family eventually settled on a farm in Monroe, IA where they attended First Baptist Church. ![]() She was the fifth of six children, all of whom have preceded her in death. Helen was born on January 3, 1927, to Aylor and Anna Jones in Kellogg, IA. She died as she lived – with grace and joy and unshakeable faith in her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Helen Grace Kain, 94, graduated to glory on in Cheney, WA surrounded by her beloved family.
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