A man who moved his family from Grand Bay to Guatemala to do missionary work six years ago was fatally wounded in the Central American country during a robbery attempt Sept. 30, according to information from the family’s Grand Bay church.

Michael “Soy” Taylor, his wife, Deidra, and their three children were at their home in Guatemala when three armed men approached and demanded money. Deidra Taylor went inside with the children, while Michael Taylor confronted the would-be thieves.

The three men fled the scene, but not before one shot Michael Taylor once in the stomach. He underwent 3 1/2 hours of surgery at a local medical facility and appeared to be recovering, but an infection developed and he died Oct. 2.

Since Michael Taylor’s death, tributes have poured in from those both in Grand Bay and elsewhere, remembering the man nicknamed “Soy” because of a lifelong love of soy sauce.

He and his wife had built a school for the children of Chimaltinago in Guatemala and helped build thousands of homes for impoverished people in the area.

“Absolutely heartbroken losing Soy,” wrote Maridith Lane. “He was an amazing man & had a deep impact on my husband since their teenage years. Feeling so angry about the senseless act that took his life & leaves his family with a gaping hole.”

“Today we mourn the loss of a dear brother in Christ, Soy Taylor.],” wrote Ricky Watt of Semmes and pastor at Havens Woods Baptist Church.

“But we also choose to celebrate a life that was well lived with purpose and intention for the sake of the Gospel and sharing the love of Jesus with others. Soy, along with his family answered the call to serve Jesus by loving and caring for the people of Guatemala.”

“Trying to work this morning, but can’t seem to focus after hearing of the tragic news, the death of a sweet friend. Soy Taylor was one of a kind,” wrote Michaell Bradley Rolls-Thomas of Daphne.

“He played hard, worked hard and loved big. He and Deidra are the heart of Grace Ministries and Shining Light Abroad Ministries in Guatemala. There is no way to list all the things they have done together to share God’s love to people and help build a better life for the people of Guatemala. They along with their three girls have dedicated their lives as full-time missionaries.

“To hear of the loss this morning cut deep. While I do not see them every day, I follow their blog, visit often as I can, watched them grow up, get married, work tirelessly in ministry and raise their beautiful girls giving all they have. To say he will be missed is a dire understatement. His smile and love for others was unmistakable.”

Teddy Turrentine is pastor at Friendship Baptist Church in Grand Bay. He is Deidra Taylor’s father, Soy Taylor’s father-in-law. He traveled to Guatemala to be with his daughter and her family after the shooting.

“Very unexpectedly to us, our son-in-law, Michael “Soy” Taylor passed from this life and entered Heaven late last night,” Turrentine wrote in his pastor’s blog.

“I am absolutely heartbroken, crushed, devastated, you name it! Our daughter and her three daughters are hurting more than me as they have lost their husband, father and friend. Will you please just pray for us?”

A memorial fund has been established to help the Taylor family with extensive medical costs, along with the cost of returning Michael Taylor’s body to Alabama, plus funeral and other costs. As of last Wednesday, over $30,000 had already been donated.

A celebration of life was held for Michael Taylor in Guatemala last Wednesday, with another scheduled for Oct. 12 at Friendship Baptist Church in Grand Bay. Burial will be in Richton, Miss.

The celebration in Guatemala had over 400 in attendance, with another 4,000 views of the livestream online.