I'm putting our newsletter here so that our friends would have access to the pictures and news. We do praise the Lord for our many friends and are humbled at the faithfulness of so many that are faithful in praying for us. How blessed we are! The letter follows:
Greetings from Ron & Marlene in Hoonah, Alaska! January 2010
Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. Ps. 127:1
Last May we moved from our rental to our “mansion on the hill.” We have a view of the harbor, the peaceful sea inlet, and beautiful snow-capped mountains. The sunrises and sunsets are too beautiful to be described. We have a fine view of an eagle’s nest below us and have watched the eaglets grow until time to fly away on their own.
We had looked at double-wide mobile homes and intended, along with our fisherman son and his wife, to each buy one and set them on sixty-foot pilings Cheyne had rescued from the harbor where they had been replaced by concrete. His lot is on the side of a mountain, so it was quite a task sinking the thirty-foot pilings (he cut them in half) down to bedrock. The double-wides were beautiful but so expensive to purchase and have barged up from the lower 48 that Cheyne decided to “stick” build a house himself. Before this he had never built anything bigger than a small storage shed. He is an excellent commercial fisherman, but I had serious doubts about this house-building venture on the side of a mountain.
He and Ronda, his perfect helpmate, made their own house plans. They did the bulk of the building, and Carey (our #2 son) who is living with us, did the dirt work and wiring, assisted them in hanging drywall, transported building supplies, and assisted in every aspect of the construction. Our grandchildren were a great help, also, especially 14-year-old Daulton. After about two years’ work in their off-season from fishing, we were able to move in.
We live on the top floor, which is level with the road. Cheyne’s family lives on the two floors beneath. We hold our church services in our large living room. I make sure the people have their backs to the four 4 ½ by 5-foot windows when I preach, or I wouldn’t be able to hold their attention. We are so thankful the Lord has given us this beautiful place to live in our old age.
We have fifteen to twenty who attend our services, but we have made very little progress in reaching the native population, which comprises about 75% of Hoonah. Spiritually it is a dark place. Many of their religious customs are similar to the Japanese. The suicide rate among the natives is staggering. Incest, drugs, and drunkenness are prevalent. I lean heavily on Romans 1:16: “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” We are not interested in “decisions” or seeing people “accept Christ,” but in seeing the power of God work in the hearts of the people in this dark place.
We both enjoy good health at ages 76 and 72. We have been invited to visit and minister to some churches in Japan in September. Should the Lord tarry and spare us, we anticipate meeting the pastors who were saved in our Hokkaido ministry and our dear Japanese friends from forty years ago.
“Our hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness, we dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Ron
Note from Marlene:
On our August caribou family hunting trip, we rejoiced to meet grandchild #28, 10 ½-month-old Aliya Grace, Judson and Maria’s baby girl. She and big brother Tucker make the sweetest pair! Between Bea and Steve's camp and our camp there were seventeen of our family plus two guests, Kyle Souza and Ryan Tyler. Bea got a bear and in our camp I was the only one who didn't bag a caribou.
Caleb and Abi were deckhands for Cheyne and Ronda last summer.
On a sad note, I miss my brother who died of cancer on September 22. I was so happy I got to spend a week-end with him and his wife at their home in Texas three weeks before.
Thank you for your prayer for the Roland family. Dr. Roland, father of Adam, Becky's husband, died July 30 less than seven months after having been diagnosed with cancer. We had been privileged to have had fellowship with this dear man of God when we were in Tucson in 2008. Adam’s September 2008 colon surgery had to be corrected at Mayo on January 5 this year. He is now recuperating. Adam and Becky welcomed #8 child, Evan James, on December 20. He is #29 grandchild for us.
