Dear Prayer Partner,

Greetings in Christ from Soldotna, Alaska, on the famous Kenai Peninsula!  I am here—rather unexpectedly, with my brother Ed.  He was asked by Franklin Graham to come here as the “Chaplain & Hospitality Director” for the Samaritan’s Purse (SP) summer work teams.  Since I had some unexpected flex time due to the death and funeral of my friend, Jimmy Byrd (see previous web article), Ed asked me to come up with him and help out.  I was eager to do so since I have traveled and ministered all over the world—but never been to Alaska.

As many of you know, Ed and I began ministry together.  In fact, NDI would have never been born if it would not have been for him.  Four decades ago he invited me to come to Burlington to help him develop a Day Camp program through the YMCA where he was the Youth Director.  I did so on what was to be a short-term assignment.  God had a different plan and time table for Ed and me to work together that has lasted over 40 years.

After Ed left the YMCA, he went with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), where he worked for over 20 years.  Then he was asked by Franklin to help out in the early days of Samaritan’s Purse, which he did.  At the same time, his wife Becky, started helping the fledgling sister ministry known as World Medical Mission (WMM).  To this day, she has the longest tenure with SP/WMM than any other person.

Today SP/WMM has become one of the largest mission and relief organizations in the world.  Where ever there is a natural or man made disaster, SP is one of the first ones on the scene giving practical relief in the name of Christ.  And WMM has sent over 5,000 doctors all over the world to do medical work in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Great Physician.

Even though Ed officially retired from employment with SP over a decade ago, he has continued to do special projects for Franklin and SP from time to time.  He has also continued to be an active ambassador for NDI.  So when Franklin asked Ed to come to Alaska for much of the summer, I came along to help out for a couple of weeks between my own international mission trips.

In December, I turned 67 and in March Ed turned 70.  While we both hope the Lord is going to give us more years of fruitful service, we are not even guaranteed tomorrow.  So we decided to seize this opportunity to work together for a couple of weeks before I leave for Africa the first of July.

In my next email in a couple of days, I will share a few more pictures of the work of SP here and what we are doing to help out.  Until then, both Ed and I appreciate your prayers for spiritual wisdom and physical strength as we minister to the staff and work teams—as well as do some physical labor.  Normally I call the later part “sweating for Jesus”—but it is still a bit too cold for that up here!

More from Alaska in a couple of days…