July 2019
Dear Friends in Christ,
June was a month of travel for us. We were able to visit Sam Jr.’s family in Alaska for a week and get to better know those 3 grandsons (7, 4 & 2 years old). After 1 ½ weeks at home, Janet flew back east to spend a couple of weeks with some of the girls as they had a surprise birthday party for our oldest daughter, Faith.
While Janet was gone, Sam flew back to Alaska to Thorne Bay to work some more on the radio station project. This is normally a very wet part of our country, but this summer, they are experiencing a drought so rain did not hinder any building projects this year. The resulting heat was not comfortable but the planned projects of putting a skirting around the building and installing the wood stove were completed.
Another week at home to rest up and Sam was the English teacher for the Bible classes at the Western Navajo Bible Fellowship annual Family Conference here in Flagstaff. This conference began on a Sunday through the following Saturday; with Bible classes in the morning and again in the evening.
The director of the conference had some severe health issues a few days before the conference began so another Navajo man stepped in to do the leadership responsibilities for the week.
A Navajo pastor was to teach the evening classes taught in Navajo and his son, another Navajo pastor, was to teach the morning classes in Navajo. However, their wife & mother died the week before and her funeral was on Monday and they weren’t able to join us until Wednesday. Again, another Navajo teacher had to fill in for them both with little time to prepare.
Some of you may have seen on the news the wildfires that are a result of the dry weather. Our yearly monsoons were slow in starting this year and a campfire got out of control and caused some concern for the citizens of Flagstaff. This fire started on the first day, Sunday , but thankfully, they were able to continue their program, in spite of a warning to be prepared to evacuate. Some of the older folks were complaining about all the smoke causing difficult breathing. (The rains began on Tuesday, which was a great help in getting the fire under control.)
In spite of all the troubles, God was good and this year’s conference was a blessing. We are always encouraged to see folks that that are still being faithful and serving the Lord. We enjoy meeting folks we have ministered to over the years as former Bible school students, campers, VBS kids, people where we’ve pastored or worked with in Conferences and Camp meetings. It is good to see how God is still working in lives.
We have also filled in for a pastor for a Sunday when he had to be away and have some more scheduled for the next few months. Please pray as the Lord opens doors to give out His Word for wisdom as the messages are prepared.
You folks are truly a blessing to us. It is your prayers that help us continue to serve the Lord, as well as the financial support that you send so that we can pay bills. Thank you!
II Cor. 2:11 “Ye also helping together by prayer for us.”
In Christ,
Sam & Janet Grammer