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FIRST NATION MINISTRIES, INC. P.O. Box 30055 Portland, OR 97294 Phone: 503-408-2391 Fax: 503-256-8560
Issue 16; Visits No. 55,56,57,58,59 February 2009
Dear Teammates, What a winter this has been! The snow, blizzards, and closed highways have made it most difficult to do the field work on the reservations. How comforting it is to know that our God is in control of everything! We praise Him and rejoice that we are now able to get the "wheels rolling", carrying the food, clothing, and other supplies to our Indian brothers and sisters as we tell them about Jesus. We have learned to always include the words "the Lord willing" as we pray and lay out the schedule of ministry. God’s timing is always right and we rest in Him as we do our best to faithfully fulfill the ministry He has given us. This newsletter takes us through the first forty-four trips that we have made since our beginning anew as First Nation Ministries. This is over and beyond our wildest and most far reaching expectations. Starting with nothing but a worn 1978 Ford pick-up and a rickety, homemade trailer, the Lord has provided us with a new four-wheel drive Dodge diesel pick-up and the big, new, fourteen-foot Wells Cargo trailer, with the crew and means to keep them busy. Our God has added to these, the wonderful "like new" 1999 Western Star "Big Rig" with its forty-eight foot Freuhauf dry van trailer which has been on ten of these trips. Our Indian friends are giving us a warm welcome with open hearts to our help and the glorious truth of "Jesus and His love". We praise God and thank you, Dear Teammates, for your help and prayers. May God bless you "real good!" Your old missionary brother,
Don Cline
STARKLE, STARKLE LITTLE TWINK By Don Cline
Starkle, starkle, little twink, Who the world you are you think? Winking, blinking in the sky, Think you’re brightest thing on high. Pride and ego fade so soon, When you’re outshined by the moon; Moon and you hide face and run, Blotted out by morning sun. Starkle, starkle, little twink, Nothing but a tid’ly-wink. Don’t you hang your head and cry, God had placed you in His sky; Do the job He gave to you, In the way He wants you to. Do your best if bright or dim, Power and glory come from Him. Starkle, starkle, little twink, Draw close to God, get "in sync". Greatness is from God alone, Reflect His shine, not your own. Not what you for God can do, But what God will do THROUGH you; Day by day if great or small, He is Lord, give Him your all. Starkle, starkle, little twink, You’re not God’s chain, just one link; As the stars above that glow, Let His children here below Seek God’s will in everything, Praise and serve Him, He’s our king! Starkle, starkle, little twink, Let God straighten out your kink.
MISSION VISIT #55 Jeff Deeter attended high school in Tok, Alaska and moved to the lower "forty eight" where he continued his education and lived on campus at Northwest Indian Bible School. He and Karen married and were raising a family as they worked on staff at the Christian boarding school. Now God has called Jeff to return to Alaska in the Tok area to minister to the friends from high school days. It was a definite, clear, and precise call and the Deeters made it known to us all that they were determined to obey God! They had very limited means and no sponsor, but God spoke to our hearts and we felt to help all we could. This is not our ministry but Jeff and Karen’s ministry and we are so happy and honored to have a little part in it.
The Lord enabled us to use the Big Rig and Dave Gowan, Marv Boettcher, and Mark Hufford volunteered to drive. Finding a break in the weather, they drove non-stop all the way to Alaska, unloaded and got two nights rest in beds, and then drove non-stop (2200 miles) home to Portland. Wonder of wonders, in this extra bad winter, they did not have to chain up going or coming! Truly, the "hand of God" was upon them. We praise our loving Heavenly Father. Join us with your prayers, praise and support as we continue to do all we can in assisting Jeff Deeters’ ministry as a First Nation Ministries’ associate.
MISSION VISIT #56 Bright and early Saturday morning, Nov. 22, 2008, Leon Hansen and Don Cline wheeled north in the loaded Dodge Diesel with the 14-foot wells cargo trailer. Four hours later they arrived at the Tulalip Indian Reservation north of Seattle. Leaving 1-5 at mile post 199, the Tulalip Church of God Mission and the food bank are less than a mile to the west. Sis. Frances Morden and her helpers are some of God’s choice servants and it is always a blessing to visit them and be a little help to their outreach. After a nice lunch, Leon and Don headed south to Portland arriving home in the evening without trouble of any kind. We praise our Heavenly Father!
MISSION VISIT #57
Misty Taggart, staff member at Northwest Indian Bible School, desperately needed a van. Her mother, Cindy Antelope, is one of three Indian women missionaries we assist with a check each month and an occasional load of supplies. Misty’s sister is ill with cancer and so Misty has taken her sister’s three children to care for as her own. Wanda Beck offered us her 1995 Ford Windstar van which was beautiful but had made noise and quit on her as she parked at her church at Astoria. The van sat several weeks at Logan Road Chapel, where they invited us to have a morning service on Sunday, November 20, 2008. We hooked the flatbed trailer to the Dodge Diesel and had a blessed time of fellowship, praise, and sharing the burden for the Indian people. We winched the van onto the trailer and took it home. A few days earlier, while on my way to have a vehicle repaired, I passed Cooper’s Auto Service on Halsey Street near our office. On my way to another shop I had used for years, I had a pull in my heart to go back to Cooper’s. I turned around and was greeted by their shop foreman, Len Carrasco, an Indian brother. I responded, "Hello there!" Len ran around the counter shouting, you’re Don Cline! I can tell your voice. I listen to you on the radio." Out of this providential meeting, Len and the fine people at Cooper’s are saving us many dollars on car repair for Indian vehicles. The engine and transmission were gone in Wanda’s van, but Cooper’s knew of a 1996 Aerostar van that they had cared for since it was new. Now, with low mileage and the care of Cooper’s it was very near like new. The owner was getting a new 2009 and he helped us buy it so it didn’t cost what the repairs on the other van would have cost. (See mission visit #60 for the rest of the story.)
MISSION VISIT #58 On Friday morning after a blessed time with our brothers at the weekly prayer breakfast, Leon Hansen, Jeff Phipps, Mark Hufford, and old Bro. Don piled in the well loaded Dodge and cargo trailer and enjoyed a wonderful day ministering at the Celilo Indian Village just east of The Dalles, Oregon. As always, our point people, Fred and Karen Whitford, warmly welcomed us and shared the report of spiritual progress among their little group with a regular prayer meeting being held. All traces of the old shack village are now gone as well as the nice temporary houses. The new homes are lovely indeed. We rejoice that God gave First Nation Ministries the privilege of supplying furniture and necessary household items along with a beautiful leather bound family Bible for each home.
MISSION VISIT #59 On Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008, Leon Hansen and Don Cline again visited the mission church and food bank on the Tulalip Reservation north of Seattle. Our journey was without any trouble although there were a few slick spots and the skies were threatening. We unloaded the supplies at the food bank and checked in at a local motel to get ready for the Sunday service. Then it began to snow and the roads rapidly became hazardous. Pastor Emmitt Thrower had a very close call almost ending in a wreck on Saturday evening and he immediately shared his concern, feeling it was not wise to put his people in a dangerous situation on Sunday morning. We agreed and made our way home in the snow on slippery roads. God helped us and we made it safely. Praise God!
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