Dear praying
friends, October 31, 2006
A few days
ago, I fell out of the Cessna T-206 that I fly up
here. I was actually loading a 600 – pound load and
my foot slipped off the step. I put a dent in my
shinbone and a scrape so bad that my leg swelled up
twice its size. I could barely climb in the plane
and operate the rudder pedals and brakes, but I’ll
recover with enough time and pampering.
I have to
thank again the church and the people that purchased
the GPS and satellite phone for the plane recently.
This GPS has a terrain feature that lets me know
where all the mountains, valleys and rivers are,
including every tower that sticks up in the air. It
will warn me of any terrain I may fly into. This is
so helpful when flying in ice, fog, or rain because
80 percent of Alaska is mountainous!
I’ve
suddenly turned into an automatic transmission
specialist! Both the transmissions in Jane’s old ‘91
car and my ‘94 Suburban went out. It is a huge
blessing to be able to work on these problems in a
protected area such as the hangar. No more
“grease-monkeying” in the cold and snow!! Please
pray for ability, sanity, and a happy face.
On the
mechanical side, we are lacking some funds toward
the overhaul of the plane engine. The engine is
running fine, but it is past due for its recommended
overhaul. This doesn’t mean it is dangerous at all,
but the maintenance clock is ticking. I won’t know
what needs to be replaced until I tear it down, but
based on previous data, I should need an additional
$5000 to cover overhaul costs. I think this engine
will last until next winter, a year from now. Thanks
for your prayers about this need.
Jane is in
jail once a week, serving her time as a counselor
and personal worker. She also teaches a sign
language class for our supporting church in
Fairbanks, Bible Baptist.
We participated in a
missionary conference in Fairbanks last week that
included a deaf choir from Sword Deaf Baptist
Ministries. Their presentation was fantastic! Your
church may want to schedule a meeting
www.sworddeafbc.com.
We shared hospitality with all eight members of the
choir, who stayed at our missionary guesthouse.
They gave us
a vision of how the church could start a deaf
ministry. When deaf Pastor Fred Adams demonstrated
teaching visually, two deaf ladies were saved! One
was Flora, an elderly Native Alaskan lady, a
Catholic. The other was Betty Ann, a 35-yr. old
Native Alaskan from a village with a history of hard
alcohol use. She had been abused early on and had
her first child at age 15. She was an easy target.
Who was there to protect her and teach the cute
little deaf girl God’s ways? She has lived a hard
life of drugs, drinking, and sin, taken advantage of
by many. Her liver is seriously diseased now, and
she wants to stop living that way. If she does
change, Betty is key to reaching the deaf people
that live
downtown in
Fairbanks, as she knows them all.
Please pray for Flora
and Betty Ann.
Jane is
teaching a beginning American Sign Language Class at
the church, and her goal is to help the class
members prepare to do
the work of ministry with deaf people. (Notice that
deaf people do not call themselves “hearing
impaired,” which is “politically correct” term. They
call themselves “deaf.” Their feelings are not hurt
to be called so.) One young couple in the class
believes the Lord is leading them to work with the
deaf. We will follow up with the deaf people who
came last week. Several of us are preparing
visualized lessons for a new class for the deaf.
Please pray for our
class members and our team that is developing
lessons, because the team has much experience with
teaching, but not with the deaf.
We are full
up for work teams this summer, so no more need to
apply for this year. A moose walked right out in
front of a cabin at our camp when I was in the
cabin. So I took dominion and put that moose in the
freezer. With all the mouths around here to feed, I
think I’ll start a McMoose Hamburger franchise.
Several of
our church family is trickling back to Manley after
spending much of the summer in the bush. We have
some interesting folks, including a former school
principal; a big game guide/lodge owner/world
explorer, who works on Antarctica each year; a
retired railroad engineer turned gold miner;
trappers; several moms and dads. Several are pilots
and have planes on wheels, skis and floats; and all
are hunters, house builders, and mechanics. And they
all feel sorry for the folks who have to live on the
East Coast, and they wish California would just
slide off into the ocean one day. We now have some
people in the Manley church who really sing well
together and others who play violins, guitars, and
harmonicas. Think I’ll call them the “Bushmasters.”
So all is
well on the frontier, except for two young teens I’m
working with. Neither has a father–figure in his
life. One just wrecked his custom truck and is in a
body cast. The other takes care of his disabled mom.
Do pray for these.
Thanks so
much for your faithful giving over the years.
Your Far
North Flying Chaplain,
