By David Ball
The News staff writer
NEDERLAND — Perry Snell said God interrupted his life in March 2002.
Ever since, he’s been reaching out to those less fortunate by traveling with a foreign mission team, being active in the Rotary Club and serving in the church. He also works as the business manager of Jim Snell Master Plumbers in Nederland. He’s also a finalist for The Port Arthur News Citizen of the Year 2008 award.
“I’ve made seven trips — to Kenya, Malawi, Botswana, South Africa, China and Ecuador. I’m part of a small team and work with a missionary in place. We go to these villages out in the middle of nowhere, and entire villages accept Christ. People are hungry. They want to know,” Snell said.
Snell said God provided him the call, the provision and the opportunity to go.
“I’m just a little guy from Port Arthur with no special talents except the empowering of Christ to do tremendous things. I’ve seen healings and demonic activity overtaken by the power of Christ. In South America, we baptized 25 orphans in freezing cold water,” he said.
Another part of mission work is raising funds for projects and outfitting a school in Kenya and a seminary in Ecuador.
Snell is director of the Port Arthur Rotary Club and he’s been a member of the organization for eight years. He said one of his favorite events that makes him feel good is presenting a dictionary to every third grader in the Port Arthur Independent School District.
He worships at Church on the Rock in Beaumont and plays guitar in the praise and worship band.
“It’s a privilege to play there. You have to commit to it because it takes up a lot of time. It’s all about being able to be there and be loyal (in attendance). Some have more talent than I do, but they don’t have the time or commitment for it.
Snell said he would formerly contemplate the poverty of the people he would visit in different nations, but he no longer does.
“We were in Malawi and the kids from the orphanage served as interpreters at a village in the mountains. We visited this house and it was smaller than this office. But I thought, he has a woman, kids, food growing outside, a stream to draw water — he has everything he needs. He’s happy and content. He has no mortgage or car payment to worry about. He was just glad to see us and gave us something clean to sit on and served us food,” he said.
Snell and his team next mission trip may be to Egypt or India. Places he described as hard places to present the gospel.
“I don’t worry about traveling to these countries. My Sponsor is bigger than anything else. If He sends me, He’ll take care of me,” Snell said.
Perry said one of his favorite stories on the mission field was when the Luo tribe at a church in Kenya gave him a new name — Perry Onyanga — which means the most respected man in the tribe.
Ike Akbari, a fellow Rotarian, nominated Snell because he likes to help people.
“He’s a wonderful guy and believes in helping others. He finds people who need help, and he volunteers to help out, here and abroad,” Akbari said. “He has the personality, kindness, and will to do good. I hope more people will look up to him and help others.”
Citizen of the Year
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Mike Tobias
Discussion
November 22, 2008
Snell helps folks far and wide
Port Arthur News 2008 Citizen of the Year finalist
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