| My name is Kathi Babcock. I've been attending Osborne church since I was 9 years old. My dad, William Gordon (Uncle Willie) was saved through Billy Graham's ministry at the coliseum in L.A. in 1963. He went searching for a church and found Osborne. I remember him talking about how wonderful Patties Stiles sounded on the organ.
We joined the church and my mother, Elza, joined Patties choir. I joined Junior choir and proceded to sing in every choir Pattie invented; Ambassador Choir, His Company, New Life Minstrels, and Sanctuary Choir (Joy Song). I love to sing alto and second soprano but am too scared to sing solos.
My youth pastors were Eddie Stewart and Larry Basnett. We spent out summers going to the beach with Larry driving the church bus. Camp was spent at Kings Canyon, dodging the guys who wanted to throw us into Kings river. The main event at the church every year was the TWIRP (The Woman Is Requested to Pay). Gary Olson & I were chosen King & queen one year. (We hardly knew each other!)
I met my husband, Jesse, at a Jesus rock concert in 1971 and he started coming to ONC. We were married on January 14, 1978. We have a daughter, Jenna (24), who just graduated from Cal Poly SLO with a BS in Math. She continues to get her teaching credential while living in San Luis.
We have a son, Evan (19), who is attending an Autistic class at Kennedy HS. He will be participating in senior activities this year, but will continue high school until he's 22. In July 2003, he was struck by an arthritis disease, Ankylosing Spondylitis, which caused his hips to seize. He just had both hips replaced last May and is doing quite well now and has much less pain. He loves school and is an expert in dinosaurs.
I currently am involved with Osborne Indian outreach, which is a ministry to the Native American people in Arizona. The first trip Jesse & I took out to the reservation was in 1995 to San Carlos. It was there that Hans Benning found out that this chick knows how to get dirty. I went into demolition mode and I was also pretty good with a screw gun. I've been going out there ever since, taking the kids and working various projects with Hans and others such as Ann Conzelman, Jerry Zigler, the Gearharts and many others. We eventually had the Osborne youth join us and I have become close to many of them. (They take care of me even though I'm suppose to take care of them). My specialty is being a hot carrier (I lay the mortar, Hans lays the block) I've done a few roofs, blocking out trusses, laying sheet metal, laying plywood sheeting. As my daddy would say 'Jack of all trades, master of none.'
I have made many friends out in the Navajo Nation. Pastor Robert Dayzie, Billy Black, sister Etta Smallcanyon, and of course our dear sister Elloise who married our electrician, Gideon. These are friendships I never would have been able to have without the help and encouragement of Hans Benning and his love for these wonderful people. Thank you Hans! What a blessing you have been!
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