By Corey Booher
Paul Lester Booher Jr. (78) of Indian Trail, NC, passed away June 29, 2020. He was born in Toledo, Ohio on February 6, 1942. Paul graduated from North Miami Senior High and received an associate degree in Computer Programming from Davis Business College. Paul served in the US Army from 1961-1964, obtaining the rank of Sargent E5. During his enlistment, he began as a tank driver stationed at Fort Knox and transitioned to playing trumpet in multiple military bands and honor guards, receiving several accolades for his performance. On April 7, 1972, he married Gloria Lynn Adams, and they had two sons, David and Corey, and he also had a daughter, Dawn, from a previous marriage.
Paul Booher as a Young Man
Paul worked as computer programmer for most of his professional career for a number of companies, finally retired from Wells Fargo Bank an Assistant Vice President in the IT Dept..
Throughout his life, Paul and Gloria were always active church members. He served as youth pastor, Bible study leader in multiple venues, worship leader in still others, and prayer leader/organizer for multiple organizations, meetings and fellowships
Paul’s greatest legacy, as attested to by the many letters, emails and phone calls we have received since his passing, was his tenacious belief and passionate pursuit of God’s love for all people. Paul never met a stranger. He found new friends in every restaurant, post office or workplace he visited. Paul believed deeply in the unfailing mercy of God, which covers all sin. It did not matter to him who you were or what you had done; his message was one and the same for all: God’s love is greater than our sin, and the death of Jesus on the cross forgives all!
Paul could not be convinced that anyone was a ‘lost cause’. He maintained relationship with anyone willing to do so and would work hard to convince all that they were not beyond God’s grasp. Through many forty-day fasts, trips to visit others and generous self-sacrificial giving, he yearned to communicate God’s father heart and love to any he felt God had placed across his path. Anywhere he went, he would be ready to listen to the cashier, the toll attendant, or whomever needed to hear of God’s love or a prayer right there where they were standing.
Paul was a man of fervent, intercessory prayer, passion and always up for a good laugh. He loved his family, especially his wife Gloria, whom he often mentioned and longed to meet again. He will be sorely missed. Though we mourn, we do not mourn like those without hope. We look forward to the day when we will experience God’s love with Paul, in the presence of the One in Whom he so deeply believed. HE WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED!
PAUL BOOHER— CHANGING NATIONS THROUGH INTERCESSORY PRAYER
by R.K. Ulrich
“Lord, You know the secrets and the depths of the wicked ruler, Enver Hoxha’s heart. If You see in him no room for repentance and turning to You, Lord… please remove him,” Paul cried out with his right arm stretched toward heaven. The room filled with a holy hush, then we all lifted our hands, binding the evil forces of Marxist tyranny over the Albanian people, and cried out for their liberation and open doors and hearts for the Gospel.
Since The Bridge’s inception in 1983, we had been graced with an extraordinary Bridge International Prayer Group, consisting of eight committed men who twice a month came together to intercede for the persecuted church behind the Iron Curtain in Russia and the communist nations of Eastern Europe. Paul Booher and Bert Cole were the most passionate in this endeavor.
In early 1985, I had returned from a visit close to the border of Albania, and had first hand learned about the horrific persecution of Christians and dissidents in this fully closed nation which prided itself of being the only fully purely atheist Marxist country in the world.
At the next prayer meeting, several hours of intense prayer focused on Albania, culminated in Paul’s anointed proclamation. Three days later, I was informed that Albania’s dictator Enver Hoxha, had died of a heart attack. This was the beginning of Albania’s liberation from tyranny. In the Fall, 1985 I published this issue, the front image depicting their Marxist message: “Religion makes you blind, deaf, and dumb.”
It is in the field of prayer that life’s critical battles are lost or won…
In prayer we bring our spiritual enemies into the Presence of God and we fight them there. John Henry Jowett
This initial Bridge prayer group was given a collective gift of intercession which effectuated nations with the kind of miraculous results which later would be reported through the international media—it was a very special time with a very special group of people, with Paul and Bert at the helm.
We were all members of the same church. As years passed, changes took place and, for different reasons, all those men moved with their families out of the State of Florida to primarily Tennessee and North Carolina. Steve and I lost touch with them, except with Bert Cole. He continued to do the heavy lifting of prayer long distance for The Bridge.
Fast forward 28 years to 2013. Bert Cole had decided to travel to South Sudan on a short term mission trip to help train a rural tribe establish micro businesses. While there, he laid his life down for an obscure tribe in the South Sudanese bush. I flew up to Tennessee to participate in his funeral. My early morning flight back to Florida had a stopover in Charlotte, NC where I had to wait for several hours for the connecting flight.
Suddenly, I had a whisper in my spirit—I was compelled to call Paul Booher. I called, “Do you want to have breakfast with me at the airport?” A resounding “Yes”, so, at 6:00 am we were reconnecting after almost 30 years, and were reminiscing those early years of partnering in prayer. His beloved Gloria, had died the year before; he was desperately lonely and felt ready to go and be with the Lord and her. “I am finished here in earth,” he said. The Bridge had during this time expanded to serving Christians in Central Asia, the Far East, Africa, and Caribbean. The need for intercession was greater than ever. As we were marveling at the many powerful moments in our past group, and I was sharing about the present, I found myself saying, “Paul, the world needs your gift of intercession. Would you again head up our group, this time virtual on Skype which has been vacated by Bert, and befriend and pray for all our Bridge partners in the nation?”
A recent picture of Paul, with his “love of my life”, adorable great granddaughter in his arms. He had apprehended and always freely transmitted THE FATHER’S MERCY & LOVE!
He accepted the challenge, and through that divine appointment, his life got a restart and a new purpose as he again rejoined our prayer group, and became a cornerstone of prayer and a friend to the many missionaries he served in the field. Paul also passionately prayed for Steve and me! He expressed often how much he loved it! Steve and I and our associates and foreign missionaries were graced with seven years of his gifts of love, compassion, encouragement, and enduring prayer which flowed from Paul’s heart. He became a close friend, the kind you treasure! Psalm 91 was one of his favorite scriptures as he reminded us all of the Lord’s love and protection!
Now, Paul is where he longed to be: in the presence of the Lord! I could say much more about him, but I concur with his son Corey’s description of his father, and also concur with the words from some of our overseas Harvesters who were recipients of his intercession and love, as they express who Paul was to them:
YERMEK BALYKBEKOV – KAZAKHSTAN
My good friend and brother in Christ, Paul Booher was a great prayer warrior, filled with love towards people. I have never ever met such a faithful intercessor like him. He interceded for me, my family and ministry since we met on the Bridge Prayer Skype group.
I could feel his prayer over my life and almost all my prayer needs were met because of Paul’s prayers and dedication. He helped me going through a very difficult time in my ministry, always encouraging me to press through by the Grace of God. Surely, we will miss him a lot, however, I believe God is raising up a young generation of Christ’s warriors like Paul was.
ROBERT AND SANDRINA YURJEVIC – SARAJEVO, BOSNIA
Shortly after arriving in 2013 back to Bosnia as missionaries, we were invited to meet with The Bridge International Prayer Team via Skype every two weeks. This team of prayer warriors, led by Paul Booher, has been an invaluable spiritual source of strength and encouragement to Sandrina and me. We had the honor of getting to personally know Paul, having met up with him for breakfast at Cracker Barrel several times through the years whenever we passed through Charlotte.
We came to love Paul as a friend and brother in Christ. Paul was passionate for the heart and Kingdom of God. He loved his family. He made us feel special – his zeal was focused and contagious. On my last trip to Charlotte back in the autumn, I contacted Paul to see if he was available to pick me up at the airport and to have dinner together. My flight was late, but he waited for me. We skipped the Cracker Barrel and made a quick stop at a Chick-fil-a. For about an hour Paul shared with me, besides his intercessory burden for the nations, his desire to see the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He wanted everyone in his life to be ready to meet Jesus, also. We will remember Paul as a man of faith, hope and love – he ended his race as a spiritual giant.
SARGON DANIALI CHAMAKI – TURKEY/IRAN
A group of our believers in Iran were arrested at the beginning of this year. Brother Paul passionately prayed for their strength, protection and release. They were released and encouraged!
These are some points which summarize Paul’s engagement in praying for and counseling me!
What can I say more about him, than that he motivated me! I had a lot of love and respect for Paul. He —
1. Was always there, only a message away.
2. Responded quickly to our notes
3. Encouraged us to share our prayer needs as soon as they arose.
4. Prayed diligently for our needs.
5. Was always ready to encourage and exhort as well as tell the truth, even when it hurt!
6. Was always Heaven and Kingdom oriented.
7. Was always present in the prayer meetings, patiently took notes of all the needs and with great discipline wrote a report or minutes of the meeting shortly after. Was always encouraging and uplifting.
STEPHEN AND SOPHIA SCHMALZ – REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA, EURASIA
Paul was our prayer anchor. He had a well spring of hope and great faith for anything. He would always encourage us and remind us that nothing is impossible with the LORD! He missed his wife every day of his life since she went to be with the Lord and he longed to see her again. That was not easy for him. Praise the LORD, Paul always had a listening ear and heart to us and we shared all of our lives with him for about five years. Thank you RK. You connected us. We feel a little lost now… But God’s grace is sufficient for us!
KEN AND FAITH NEGVESKY – RACINE, WI
Co-Leaders of the Bridge Prayer Group
A tribute to Paul Booher: For the past six years we have had the privilege of developing a friendship with Paul through praying for the “Harvesters” connected with R.K. and the Bridge International. Paul inspired and encouraged those men and women in the nations they represented. He had such a sweet but powerful way of exhorting his fellow intercessors! Paul was a dedicated intercessor and prayer warrior who impacted lives and nations for eternity. Faith and I will miss him deeply! He is with His Papa (as He referred to the Father!) Our love and prayers are with his family!
JOE O’NEAL – LORENZO, TX
Co-Leader of the Bridge Prayer Group
I loved that man. I remember him decades ago, playing trumpet with me in the worship team at church. I didn’t really know him in a personal way until these last four years.
Paul was always a person In could go to as a sounding board to discuss the world, life and the current events throughout the world. What I loved most about him, was that he was a true prayer warrior, and I am honored to have known him.
