We arrived in Savannah in late August and stayed briefly with Mrs. Yates, a widow who had a daughter Carolyn who was a Senior in high school. Milton had visited Savannah and the church prior to our wedding and spent time with the former minister of music. He had done some study on the Moravians and the Wesley’s experience with them and that included a history of Savannah, so he was somewhat familiar with the city. Having spent several days there, he had sampled some of the cuisine from the more popular residents and had fallen in love with the city. I loved Savannah and Immanuel from the first day we were there. Dr. Gaddy, our pastor was so thoughtful of us and did so many things to help me adjust and get acquainted. He took time out of his busy schedule to drive us around as we looked for a place to live. We finally settled in a cozy garden apartment not far from the church. I read a history of our church at the Savannah Baptist Association Fall meeting, and at Dr. Gaddy’s request I set up a program of family fellowships which are continuing to be held once each month.
Although we were busy we still found time for being newlyweds. Many Saturdays were spent at Savannah Beach (or as the local residents referred to it “Tybee” Beach.) Although the weather was not conducive to swimming, we enjoyed walking along the beach, collecting shells and just enjoying the sand and the waves. We had the beach to ourselves as we were the only ones there. Despite the fact that we didn’t have much money (the salary was really low) we could not have been happier, or so we thought until we learned that we were to blessed with a child.
Phillip Allan Lites joined us in the early morning hours of November 22, 1963. Because I had several bouts with sinutis and missed church during the fall of 1962, many members assumed that I was already pregnant. They were surprised when nine months went by and no baby had been born. Some of the young people suggested that we name him Immanuel since it would correspond with the church newsletter “The Immanuelite.” I could hardly wait to hold him, but I soon learned that it would be a long wait. One of his lungs had not inflated, and he was not responding to the steamer where he had been placed. It just so happened that his birth occurred on the very day President Kennedy was assassinated. Our sadness was compounded as we watched the events of that tragic weekend. However, God has never been more real to me than he was during those dark hours.
Milton had always seemed a spiritual giant to me and I was even more convinced as we prayed together for God’s will to be done. This prayer was not an easy one for me to pray and in the first hours I could not bring myself to join Milton in it. The Bible reading for that day concerned Paul’s experience of praying for the thorn to be removed from his flesh. God’s word to Paul became his word to me as he said “My grace is sufficient for you.”
On Sunday night he pediatrician stopped y my room to tell me that Philip was not improved at all and that they were going to explore other possibilities such as his heart. I was alone at the time and in my distress I yielded my baby to God for his will to be done. About an hour later, Dr. Brennan returned to say that they had placed Phillip in an incubator and he w
as beginning to respond and that his dark color was becoming pink again.
On Monday morning Dr. Shepherd, our pediatrician, had returned to assume the case and had called in a cardiologist. During the weekend he developed a slight cold and the doctor thought he heard a heart murmur, something we would deal with over the next several years. On that day, as people across the nation met for memorial services for our slain leader, the members of our church also prayed for little Phillip. As he continued to improve Dr. Shepherd assured us that it was because we all prayed.
We took Phillip home when he was three weeks old, but we had to keep him in for the remainder of the winder and try to limit his visitors. During this time Dr. Gaddy suggested that Milton stay with the baby on Wednesday nights and let me come to prayer meeting. He even assigned the reading of the Bible each week to me to be sure that I did come.
We developed a close friendship with two families in the church that helped to sustain us during our ministry there. Gladys and Charlie Wilkins kept Phillip while I was having minor surgery. Big Charlie as he was called insisted that Phil’s progress in his development was because he had taught him. Ozzie and Sara Walker also helped us to cope by having us in their home from time to time.
In spite of difficulties we experienced during our two year tenure there we had good times in the church and were pleased with Phillip’s progress. But as time went on, it became apparent that it was time to seek other places of service. In God’s timing, the next step in the journey began on Sunday morning in late Spring. A search committee from Eastern Heights Baptist Church in Columbus, GA met Milton after the service and asked if they could talk with us for awhile. We took them to one of our favorite and historic restaurants The Pirates House for lunch. We learned that the pastor of the church was Rev. Henry Neal, who had been in college with Milton’s sister, and with whom Milton had worked in a revival in Brunswick, Ga the previous summer. It seems that the church’s youth ministry had deteriorated, and they were seeking a minister of music who could revive the program and provide music for the church’s worship services. It didn’t take long for us to see God’s hand in this development, and soon we bid goodbye to Immanuel and said hello to Eastern Heights. Leaving Savannah was more difficult than leaving home had been for me.