June 2008

What would you do at age 69 if all of a sudden you are not feeling too good? You go to the doctor to find out that you need open heart surgery. Immediately you are admitted to the hospital for a triple by-pass! The surgery goes well and you are lying there thanking the Lord. You go home and you are restricted from many activities. For you there is no shoveling snow, no hoeing the garden, can’t run a chain saw, you can't lift over five pounds, and the list goes on. Months go by and you are feeling a little better but your energy is down. You can’t even change a tire because of the turning of the wrench! So what do you do?

Here is what one faithful worker did. He and his wife gave up their spring and summer to fly to Alaska from Buffalo, New York. Traveling all the way to Bethel, they are now running the radio station there until the end of June!! We had absolutely no one else until John and Pat stepped forward. As you may be approaching 70 years of age or be dealing with health problems, there are many things you may not be able to do. However, John and Pat Fenton dedicated their lives to the Lord many years ago and are still serving Him even at their age and with their health. They are not only having a great impact on the radio, but are enjoying living among the Yupik Eskimo people. They are doing visitation at the large Delta Hospital including friendly conversation and praying with folks.

My question is, how is your heart? How is my heart? Are we willing to serve even though we have limitations? John and Pat can sit behind a microphone and jump in a car and run out to the hospital. What an opportunity they are taking to talk and pray with people who are dying without Christ.

We will be in a predicament when John and Pat leave and go back to New York! What are we going to do with Bethel? Is it a viable ministry or not? It takes God’s people to fill these spots. Would you pray that God would touch someone’s heart and they would be willing to go to Bethel for a few months or a year? The fields are white unto harvest but the laborers are few.

We thank all those who support us and pray for us. Those who have come and helped in the past. The "war" is not over, the fight rages on. What is your status, could you go? Or should I say would you be willing to go?

Luke 10:2 (KJV), ". . . The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest."

God’s blessings to you,
Robert C. Eldridge
General Director