A Tribute to Dit Fenton
David M. Howard
Former president, Latin America Mission (1995 ? 1999)
When Phyllis and I arrived in San José in February, 1953, for our first term, the first person I saw as we stepped off the plane was Dit. He was waiting for us there at the old airport–La Sabana–with a good group of LAMers. His hearty and enthusiastic wave and shout made us feel welcome even before we stepped off the stairs from the old DC3. He was Field Director of LAM at that time, and he did so much to make us feel at home.
One of his great gifts was leading the weekly prayer meeting of LAMers. Almost always he would give a Bible study or devotional talk, which was excellent. His superb gifts as a Bible teacher became evident. I remember my sister Elisabeth and her husband Jim Elliot visiting us on their honeymoon in 1953. They attended that weekly LAM prayer meeting with us. Jim Elliot was not easily impressed by other people, but when Dit finished his Bible study, Jim turned to me and whispered, "That was REAL Bible teaching!!"
Dit also gave a weekly series at the Language School while we were studying there. I still recall that he taught the book of Philippians and later the book of Jonah. I remember some of what he said, and it was always helpful.
While we were still in Language School we moved into their home in Santo Domingo, a town in Costa Rica as Dit wanted to move closer to the administrative offices of the Mission. He gave us an old 1936 Ford to drive back and forth to San José, the capitol, as we tried to take over the little ministry that he and his wife Helen had in Santo Domingo. That town was fanatical at the time with signs in many windows saying "Somos Católicos; no admitimos propaganda Protestante!" There was no evangelical church there, but he had started a small Sunday morning meeting in their home, which we took over for several years.
I was later privileged to be named one of four general directors with Dit, Ken Strachan, and Dayton Roberts. I was the "new boy on the block" in this group, but they treated me as an equal, and we had a great time together. This group was known as the GD-X, meaning "General Directors in Executive Session." I learned so much from those great men, and I look back on those years (1958 to 1967) with deep gratitude.
Horace (Dit) L. Fenton, Jr. was LAM's third General Director from 1965-1976:died April 30, 2007.
Another great gift of Dit's was his spontaneous sense of humor. He was one of the most humorous men I have known. His ability to burst out with an unplanned funny remark, just at the right time, would lighten up our heavy administrative sessions. I regret that I did not keep a little notebook in those days in which I could have jotted down his remarks. He often left us hopelessly convulsed in laughter. He was a great story teller, and his humor and ability to weave a great story made for a marvelous combination.
He was also a genuinely humble man. I shall never forget what happened when Ken Strachan died. It was obvious that Dit was the heir successor. But he was not convinced that this should happen. He seemed honestly overwhelmed with the idea of replacing a visionary leader like Ken. So he and Dayton and I, along with Jacob Stam, chairman of the LAM Board, got together after Ken's funeral to discuss our future responsibilities. Dit spoke up with great seriousness saying that he felt the Lord had given him the answer to our future structure. He felt we need a "troika", with the three general directors sharing an equal basis of authority. Obviously Dayton and I, as well as Jacob Stam, turned this down flat. We insisted that he had to be the sole leader of the Mission, and we would support him in every way. But his suggestion had come from his genuine humility and apprehension about replacing Ken.
I like to think of his wife Helen and my wife, Phyllis, greeting Dit at the gates of heaven. Phyllis loved him dearly, and he used to kid her mercilessly. He would always say, "Phyllis, we only kid those we truly love." She knew this, and she loved his humor. I shall be eternally grateful for the privilege of serving under his direction and being a truly close colleague and brother in Christ. When we had meetings in San José, or sometimes elsewhere, I often roomed with him. Those were special times as well. I saw him as a true man of God who treated me always as a peer.
Dave Howard
The LAM will send a free copy of this to anyone who requests one.