Dear Pastor, Church & Friends, May 2019
We have had some interesting times since we last wrote. We had the Independent Fellowship Of Native Baptist Churches this past Easter Good Friday. This is the Native Baptist Churches within 100 miles of our Reservation. The attendance was around 100 natives from five Churches. Native Churches are not many in number. If you have 35 on a Sunday morning, that’s great. Sunday night & Wednesdays the crowd gets smaller. BUT GOD….has sure done wonders for us with our little remnant.
We love to see natives visit our Church. This month we had two male visitors. We were all so happy and welcoming them into the services. We hoped they would be back. They did come back the next Sunday. But in the mean time red flags were going up all over the Church. I checked with police on the Reserve and back issues of newspapers while a great big lump was rising up in my throat. One was a convicted pedophile charged with 3 counts of possessing, making and distributing child porn. And to think how much we made over these two men being there. All week I worried how to handle it. The last thing I would do being a white man is tell a native of this Reservation that he was not welcome in our Church. I HAD LEARNED MY LESSON about 10 years ago. So I involved our men. They could tell them and not bat an eye, and they did. He was very polite once he saw I had the goods on him. Oh how our mother’s with children were upset. The visitors left and we’re back to normal. Another lesson learned. Do your home work before you make over new visitor!
Another surprise was our daughter Mary, her husband Derek and our grandson Griffin came to visit us from Little Rock. Ten days of romper room excitement! I could write a book here. It was the best thing that has happened to us in a long, long time. Our whole family together! We had a blast!! Most likely it will be a very long time before we get them all together again.
The rest of us are about the same. The doctor gave me a good report apart from the Parkinson Disease. And also, the doctors can’t understand why my strength is half of what it used to be. I get so weak every day. The Neurologist said it’s due to the Parkinson and there’s nothing I can do about it except stay active. Elaine’s surgery for her hip is still upcoming. It’s not getting any better. Just waiting on the doctor to call. She uses a cane more often now and continues to be active as much as she can.
Let me say, our traveling in a car to come down south is just not possible for now. We live, bloom and mostly die where God plants us. The work load is as great as ever, but the physical strength is less than half. The Parkinson’s has become a ruler in my life. I have to consider it before I set out to do anything. I find myself weeping more these days due to my ability or disability to go as I use to. As in anything, we have our bad days and good days. But we keep moving forward. All else is good. To our dear supporters, we are indebted to you. Your faithfulness is so gracious and true. God love you. Your prayers and financial support is soooo much appreciated. Thank you. Anytime you’d like to call or text, please do. As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.Pr 25:25 Thank you for loving me and Elaine the way you dear folk do.