Chaffee man drowns in El Salvador

Keith Ward and his wife, Karen, were three weeks into a three-year mission to help build a relationship between Missouri and El Salvador Baptist churches when he died Saturday while swimming in the Pacific Ocean.

Pastor Mike Parry of the Fruitland Community Church said the 48-year-old Chaffee, Mo., man took a break from his mission work, got too far out in the ocean, developed cramps and drowned.

Parry said people tried to rescue Ward, but it was too late.

"Keith had quite a big impact in the short three weeks that he was there," Parry said. "I'm told that there were 80 El Salvadorian pastors who came to the beach for prayers and support after the accident."

The next day many churches in El Salvador canceled their regular morning services to come together at one church for a funeral, Parry said.

Parry said he spoke with Jorge Llanes, an El Savadorian pastor, who said that when Karen Ward was on the beach grieving, she helped restore the faith of one of the men who carried her husband to shore. She told the man that death is uncertain and asked about his relationship with God. Parry said the El Salvadorian man expressed his newfound faith right there.

"Karen is an amazing woman," Parry said. "Her faith is so strong."

Karen Ward is making arrangements to return to Chaffee for a funeral and burial in Missouri. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made.

Family-focused

Ward is survived by three children: Jenny, 27, Matt, 22, and Christa, 18.

"Family was his focus, whether it was the church family or his immediate family," said Matt Ward, who is serving in the U.S. Navy and came home to be with his family. "My father was the single hardest working individual I have ever met."

Matt, who graduated from high school in Advance, Mo., said his father missed only one of his basketball games in all the years he played sports.

Keith Ward was a cabinet maker. Karen Ward was a teacher in the Advance School District. They left their jobs to go to El Salvador to help strengthen the Baptist churches and create new ones as part of the mission of the Missouri Baptist Convention.

The mission was funded by the Fruitland Community Church. Several friends made donations to support the Wards' work. Parry said he never got a chance to forward all the money to El Salvador, but he will give the money to Karen Ward upon her return to help pay for funeral expenses.

Youth minister

Keith Ward helped teach in the youth ministry at the Fruitland Community Church. Parry said the children of the church will be greatly affected by the loss.

Don Osborne of Jackson used to teach Sunday school at the Cape Chapel Church with Keith Ward. Osborne and his wife, Chereyl, became friends with Ward about 18 years ago.

"He had a love for children and teenagers and wanted them to know that they could find hope and joy by giving their life to Jesus," Don Osborn said. "That's what Keith's life was all about."

tkrakowiak@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137