Archive for the 'Stories from the Fields' Category

It’s been very busy here. We spent a lot of time at various camps that went well, even though there was a lot of traveling involved. We had a great time at Rodeo Bible Camp, and the following week I spoke at a Child Evangelism Fellowship leadership camp. After a week off, we all went to the local Bible Camp for one more week. In between camps, we’ve had tornados, birthday parties, ‘interesting’ EMT calls, and we’ve also tried to keep up on things around here. All in all, we’re tired and ready to relax, but that won’t happen for awhile! J We’re planning for upcoming travel to conference and to WA for a family wedding.  Ed & Sarah Vesser

Recently the Marine Corps Logistics Base called us to see if we wanted some of their surplus items. It seems that they were demolishing some old base housing and had refrigerators, freezers, and a bunch of home maintenance parts including plumbing, electrical, paints, etc. They heard that we liked to help the people in our community and wanted us to have first shot at this stuff. We got about eight pickup & trailer loads of stuff, and we’re now in the process of categorizing and distributing. We praise God that our church has a reputation in the community of helping people. Dick & Pam Bosworth

We held our annual Spring Tea in May, with Lorna Powell as our guest speaker. We had a great turnout of around 60 ladies, and the evening was well received.  One lady marked on her card that she prayed with Lorna in the prayer of salvation! Praise the Lord that He was working in the hearts of the ladies here. Alan & Bonnie Klein

About five years ago a young man started dating a girl that had grown up in our youth group and attended our church.  I can’t say I was thrilled about him dating one of “my girls.”  He didn’t know the Lord and had as secular a mindset as anyone I have ever known. But her consistent testimony, along with several Q&A times between him and me, but mostly God working on his heart, eventually led him to the throne of grace.  About a year later I officiated their wedding and they moved out of the area.  Just recently I got an email from him.  He was very excited because he is signed up to go on a short-term mission project to Peru.  Talk about encouraging a pastor – what a blessing!  Paul & Mary Lou Canady

At the end of one of our Sunday evening Bible studies, a man stood up to share his story. His mother, whom we’ve had on our prayer chain, had open heart surgery just two days after her husband died of heart problems. God has been working in this man, and he said he accepted the Lord that morning and knew it was what he needed to do. Praise God!! He expressed appreciation for the love & support the church body has given to his parents and what that has meant to them. They want to have a celebration for his father’s life here at the Nile Church after his mother has recovered. We were glad we had an evening service for him to come to and share all this with us.  Gary & Vicky Turner

I’ve been getting acquainted with the local farmers and reacquainted with old friends. I know the area well and many people know Julie’s family and friends from the 70s & 80s. Cindy, the school secretary and an old high school friend, got me into the school and Chamber of Commerce activities. Her husband introduced me to many local people, and gave me some history and other important info. I’m helping him as assistant baseball coach. The church is off to a good start and I anticipate great opportunities for ministry during wheat harvest, as so many people will need help then. Many young families in the area give this church great potential for growth. Mac & Julie McCallum

We received a wonderful surprise! Someone donated a total kitchen cabinet set, and someone else donated the money for a new stove in the parsonage. It not only caused us to feel grateful to the Lord, but it was also a great encouragement to the board as there was no money left to redo the kitchen, and they had only the Lord to trust. Wow, what a blessing for our board and their growth in faith in trusting God to provide.  Dale & Dorothy Wise

We are really excited. The area is having a crusade! I have been encouraging our people to go to the counselor training.  I thought only one was going at first.  Then another said she would go…and then another. Then when the training actually began, ⅓ of the church was there.  Praise the Lord for that! One dear elderly woman said she didn’t want to be a counselor, but she wanted to learn more.  I praise God that she wants to grow in Christ. Gary & Judi Ogle

With heavy rainfalls the last week of April, we praise God that the Volga River dike held. The church basement had a few inches of water that we pumped out to save the furnace. Sunday school was cancelled, and we had a water removal “party” for the evening service. We had 18 people show up for a cheerful time of clean-up. God protected us and even brought us closer together! We moved most of our things out of the parsonage basement, and moved much of the first floor up to the second floor. The water in the basement was nearly waist deep, and our freezer, furnace, and water heater were damaged – but thankfully could be repaired! We had help from many people; the Lord has really blessed us during this time and we feel thankful that the town was spared another flood.  Jeremy & Mindi Sarver

I was called to take a patient by ambulance to Seattle, and I asked a fellow believer to pray for me that I could share Christ with the medic I would be going with. I was paired up with a medic I’ve known since he was in high school – he’s now married with two kids. As far as I knew, he had no connection with the church and no interest in spiritual things, but I discovered his wife is a believer.  He said he was “jealous” of the faith she had, and he asked me to share the Gospel with him. He and his wife were in church the next week and he confessed, to his wife’s amazement, that he had received Christ after we had talked.  Cliff & Casey Horr