Page 4 - June 2026 - Truth & Tidings

idney John (Jack) Saword was born at the Ford dealership in Everett and in
November 22, 1936. His parents, Seattle. He was there for seven years. He
SSidney and Eleanor, were in Van- always thought the Lord would eventu-
couver, BC, on furlough from Venezuela ally lead him back to Venezuela to help his
where they had been missionaries since parents in the gospel, but God had other
1925. Jack was the youngest of five chil- plans. In January 1969, Jack accompanied
dren and was known for his rambunctious Doug Reid, who was seeking the Lord’s
and independent spirit. He became inter- will in starting a work, to El Salvador for
ested in mechanics at a very young age. three months. Within six months of return-
His mother told a story from when he was ing, the Arlington Gospel Hall commend-
about four or so. The family was going to ed Jack and his family to the work in El
another town and the bus they were on Salvador. They arrived on Thanksgiving
was stopped for a while. Jack had gone Day 1969, staying in a rented garage for
missing for over an hour. She was frantic the first few weeks until they were able to
but then found him inspecting the under- find more permanent housing. (The Lord
side of the bus they had been traveling on. called Doug and his family to Costa Rica.)
Venezuela was home until the age of 14, God’s timing was perfect. War had just
when Jack moved to Vancouver to finish broken out between El Salvador and Hon-
school and get his mechanic training. He duras, leading to the immediate deporta-
accepted the Lord Jesus as his Savior in a tion of Salvadorians living in Honduras.
series of meetings with Herb Harris the They were forced to leave with only what
night before his 15th birthday, determin- they could carry. There were Christians
walking into El Salvador with nowhere
ing that he did not want to spend one to go, who were sleeping on the streets,
more year unsaved. Soon after, he moved in the jungle and in caves. Jack went right
to Marysville, WA, and lived on the Steen to work finding these destitute Christians
farm, where he met his future wife, Ellen and tirelessly helping them find housing
Steen. They were married on Christmas and essentials as they got back on their
Eve 1958. Jack and Ellen had three chil- feet. This was not an easy job, with his
dren: Dawn, Craig, and a baby boy who being new to the area, as well as the roads
passed away soon after birth. Later, they being terrible and having no cell phones or
lovingly added two girls, Jackie and Re- communication. He spent months search-
beca, to their family, both adopted from ing, bringing many of them into his own
families in El Salvador. home and helping them get established.
Jack was an excellent mechanic and The work of planting assemblies for these
worked at several shops until he settled Christians was needed immediately, and

164 TRUTH kTidings June 2026