Brandon Lee Henderson left for Washington six months ago on a mission to
spread the word of God. The 25-year-old man did just that before he died Sept. 18 from fatal injuries he received when a truck struck the bicycle he was riding from his home to work that day.

Brandon was born in Renton, Wash., and spent much of his youth in Mattawa, Wash., before moving to Poplarville at age 15 to live with his father, step-mother Em, and sister Jane. He graduated from Poplarville High School in 1994 and spent the next two years serving in the U.S. Air Force. In the past two weeks, members of each community have shared stories about Brandon, the young man who touched their lives by sharing inspirational messages about his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

"He was on fire for The Lord," said his father, Ron Henderson. "His mission in life was to witness to others."

In the small town of Mattawa, population 1,500, where he, his wife Kerry and their two sons, Bryce and Ethan, had settled, more than 250 people gathered for the memorial service held at the Senior Citizens Center in Desert Aire. The Sept. 23 service brought churches of all denominations together with donations and fellowship.

The family then returned home, to Mississippi where Brandon fulfilled his final journey.

Again, stories were told, songs were sung and memories were shared as those who loved Brandon paid their respects before he was laid to rest on Sept. 29 in the cemetery behind Unity Baptist Church in Picayune. After the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard ceremony, the reverend read Psalms: 23, the same passage Ron had selected to read during the last service he attended with Brandon, Kerry, Bryce and Ethan at Saddle Mountain Bible Church in Mattawa.

The story begins with salvation
Although all happenings in life mold each person, this portion of Henderson's
story begins in 1996, the year he committed himself to serving the Lord and the year he met his wife Kerry. The two were working at Hudson's Salvage in Picayune when Brandon asked one of her friends to attend a church service at Plainview Baptist Church in Poplarville. Kerry decided to accompany her friend.
 
"He never asked me on a date," said Kerry. "We became friends, got engaged, got married, had children, and never went on a date."

A year after that meeting, the two were married at Unity Baptist Church in
Picayune where he later served as a Deacon.

"He hid my engagement ring in the center of my chocolate," Kerry remembered.

The following year, on December 7, 1998, their first son, Bryce, was born. "Brandon went into the delivery room and held Kerry's hand and would not eat a bite until she was able to eat," Ron remembered. "He said if my wife can't eat, I won't eat. He would not even drink water. If she couldn't drink, he was not going to."

On May 9,2000, their second son, Ethan, was born under the same umbrella of devotion.

"One thing that keeps me together, is that even though he is gone physically, we have our children," Kerry said. "Bryce is just like Brandon in looks, attitude and artistic talent. He only lived 25 years, but he didn't have any regrets. He loved every moment for what it was. If he had known what the results were going to be that day, he would have still gone because of the results.

"I'm actually envious of him. Things are so rough. He did not suffer. He was at
total peace. He probably didn't even know what had happened. He is going to be very, very missed."

Oct. 11 Brandon and Kerry had planned a trip to Leavenworth to celebrate their anniversary. "That will be a tough day," Kerry said.

Following a call
The story most often told surrounds Brandon's devotion to God and his love of people.

"I am very blessed to have known him," said his second mother, Em Henderson. "He had unconditional love for everyone, no matter what color, looks, who they were or what they wore."

Em and Brandon Henderson spent many hours discussing the Bible and
particulars they had learned within the verses.

"In Christ, he's a big man; a very spiritual man," Em said of her step-son. "I
thank God that I had the opportunity to know him."

Brandon looked to the Bible for confirmation of all things. The family's recent
move was no exception. He began to feel pulled to his mother, Dinah Wright, and the rest of his family in the northwest before his first child, Bryce, was born. He asked God to show him something, words that might confirm his desire to move to Washington.

"He came across it in a passage about Abraham being called out," Kerry
remembered. "And those words are still marked in his Bible."

The two planned to leave that year, but Kerry said she begged him not to take her away from home before she had their first child. They agreed to wait.

In the meantime, Brandon received his first invitation to preach at Oak Grove
Baptist Church in Poplarville. The family had attended the church the week before for a gospel sing, and members invited him back the following week.

His message: Salvation.

"I was astounded at his ability and his knowledge, his talent for speaking," said Ron, who at the time had tears in his eyes as he watched his youngest son deliver the Lord's message.

Brandon continued to feel drawn to Washington and his work as a minister for God. This year, a large tax return provided the funds for the move and living expenses for one month.

"He wanted to be a witness to everyone he came in contact with in Mattawa," Kerry said. "He must have had a bigger impact than what he thought."

Making a difference began when Brandon began his job as a teacher's aid
working with handicapped children, at Wahluke School District. An artist for much of his life, he drew pictures for the children, most of which had religious themes.

"He drew for everyone of the kids in one class and they have all written letters
and created new art for their teacher's family," said Ron. "Everything Brandon drew reflected The Lord. Everyone in the town of 1,500 is talking about Brandon."

A gift from God
About three months before Brandon's death, his father began to train for a cross-country bicycle trek, from Washington State back to Mississippi. He planned to fly out west, visit Brandon and his older brother Travis, their wives and their five children, and then peddle back home. Fulfilling this lifelong dream took careful planning, both financially and physically. About two weeks before leaving, Ron began to feel guilty about spending so little time with his family, so at the last minute changed his plans. He decided to bike the many trails around Washington and savor those moments with his loved ones.

This story begins with Ron Henderson and his desire to spend time with his
family. It ends with Brandon, and God's alteration of plans to afford Ron and his two sons' time together.

Shortly before Ron left for Washington on Aug. 15, Brandon called with news
that he and Kerry would be returning to Mississippi to spend time with her fatally ill grandmother.

"I was disappointed because of my plans to be there and now he would be here," said Ron, but he understood the need to be with Kerry's grandmother. "He went ahead and made the trip."

Brandon returned to Washington a few days later and Ron made plans for his first visit and 32-mile bicycle ride. This trek led Ron from Travis's house in Beverly to the Gorge campground and amphitheater where Brandon worked part-time as a manager.

"I rode into the wind and up the mountain and arrived at the campgrounds just before dark," Ron remembered. "I spent the night at the employee campground. I stayed up late, just watching Brandon work. He gave me a tour of the grounds and we talked about Kerry's grandmother.

"He told me he was a Mississippi boy and that his heart was in Mississippi. And that's when he told me he felt he was called here by God to witness to others.

"The next morning we put the bike in the trunk of his car, rode back and went to church."

Ron explored the mountains on his own, camping and riding, returning to Mattawa every few days.

"In the process I discovered a beautiful trail to ride," said Ron. "I asked Brandon and Travis if they would come out and join me on one of my bike runs, about 30 miles through the mountains."

They agreed, and the three spent varying times during Labor Day weekend, camping in the mountains and riding their bicycles on the Old Iron Horse trail, where at one time the old Milwaukee Railroad ran from the Washington Coast to Idaho.

"About half way down, I stopped and told Brandon, 'This is the best time I've ever had in my life,' " said Ron. "Brandon said, 'What? Out here riding your bicycle?'  and I said, 'No. Riding my bicycle with my two sons.' "

Ron spent another three days camping and riding with Brandon at the San Juan Islands, off the coast of northwest Washington.

"I have never been afforded the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with my boys," said Ron Henderson. "This was a beautiful part of the country. Just a father and son getaway. We discussed family, children and The Lord.

"At one point we had a race on the beach. We were just enjoying the wind in our face. . . You know?

"Brandon won. We had a good laugh over it because I ride all the time and he
doesn't. And even though he didn't ride, his legs were much more powerful than mine."

Throughout the month-long stay, Ron peddled 400 miles. But the time was
coming to a close.

Ron was prepared to leave on Sept. 12, the day after the terrorists' attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. His flight was delayed for three days.

This afforded the family the opportunity to spend another Friday night together, which they spent at Travis's home grilling hamburgers. This unplanned event brought a father, two sons, two daughter-in-laws and five grandchildren together for a moment that would not have otherwise happened.

The next morning, Brandon and Kerry brought Ron to the airport in Seattle.

"And that's the last time I saw him," said Ron. "He was upset because he had wanted to come into the airport." However, because of the added security, time constraints and a wrong turn, he was unable to.

Ron arrived at his home in Poplarville about 2 a.m. Sunday. He went to church later that morning and stayed home Monday. Both days he called Brandon. He received the call Tuesday morning at 9:50 delivering the news that Brandon had been struck by a truck while riding his bike three miles to work. His mother, Dinah Wright, had offered her car, but Brandon chose to ride his bicycle and take advantage of the opportunity to get some exercise. Ron and his wife Em Henderson quickly returned to the airport and flew to Washington. But it was too late. Brandon died before they could reach him.

Although the words were never spoken, Henderson believed that Brandon, Kerry, Bryce and Ethan would have returned home to Mississippi after the school year ended.

Brandon said The Lord had led him to Washington to witness, or perhaps to get a church. He said that The Lord had spoke to him.

"While he was there, he asked everyone that he came in contact with about their salvation," Ron said. "And he told them about The Lord."

Brandon was extremely involved with Bible school at Saddle Mountain Bible Church where he attended and was giving the devotion. He told the pastor he wanted things to do for The Lord.

Ron and Em Henderson agreed that Brandon's work on this Earth was done.

"He was here on a mission and he did all he could do to be faithful to that mission," Ron said. "He touched dozens, hundreds of lives.

"Brandon felt he was coming here to witness and God had a greater purpose for him. He ended up touching the community."

This story ends with Brandon and the ultimate purpose known only by God. Ron now realizes that his trip to Washington was not about his desires as a father. Nor were the last minute alterations of plans due to ironic circumstances.

"God himself tailored the last month of Brandon's life so that the three of us might be afforded this time together," Ron said. "Perhaps it was to encourage parents to spend more time with their children. God only knows the ultimate results of Brandon's death.

"I'll miss my son as I know that his mother, wife, sons, family, friends and all
who knew him will. But Brandon's death was not untimely. Brandon died on God's time for all may come to know our savior.

"That was Brandon's mission and that was his goal. I am just thankful that I was able to be part of it." Psalms 23:   Ron Henderson.