Window (10) HE'S ABLE

In the summer of 1968, Howard received a call to two churches in North Dakota, Tuttle and Denhoff. After much prayer we made our move and began a very busy life. He would leave our home at 8:30 A. M. on Sunday mornings and drive to Denhoff where they had church first and then Sunday school. Then he would drive back to Tuttle and usually get there just in time to go to the platform and preach. On Wednesday nights we had prayer meeting in Denhoff, and Thursday nights in Tuttle. Then we had Sunday evening service in Denhoff one week and in Tuttle the next.

That fall he went to the High School with one of our church boys, and came back with a chemistry teaching job. So you see we were very busy, but so happy in the work of the Lord. The people were so wonderful and so generous with their farm products. How much we appreciated them. They kept us in eggs, cream, meat and various other things.

In the spring of 1969, I was in the hospital in Bismarck and about the time my doctor was going to dismiss me, I asked him about my sight which I was still loosing. He ordered an angiograph. In this test they shoot dye into the head through the veins in the neck. Even though they gave me some anesthetic I was still in a lot of pain and discomfort. They found a tumor on my pituitary gland and suggested immediate surgery. God begin to warn me not to have it done at that time. There was no mistaking God's word in anyway. Howard also felt the same way. It was my feeling that since God didn't want me to have the surgery, He would heal me. He had healed me a number of times so I just turned it over to Him.

In 1971, we were pastoring in Olivia, Minnesota and my doctor got very serious and told me I had to do something about the tumor. He told me I could go to Mayo Clinic or to the University of Minnesota Hospital. He would contact them and get an appointment for me. We decided that we might have to have state help and chose the University of Minnesota. We left the office and returned in a couple of hours and found he had gotten an appointment for me the following Monday. This was a real surprise to me for I thought it might be a month or two before I could get an appointment On the 28th of June we met Dr. Long, my neurosurgeon, who was very kind. When I met him I explained to him I had a bleeding problem. When I had my tonsils out, they had to put clamps down my throat to stop the bleeding and also I could bleed for a day or two after I had a tooth pulled. He would have liked to put me in the hospital then, but I asked if I couldn't have that night to spend with my husband and go into the hospital the next day. He granted my wish. Dr. Norman Bloom was our District Superintendent at that time and he and his wife were so kind to us. We spent that night in their home. The following day I entered the hospital full of fear and doubt. That kind of surgery would be hard for anyone to think about!

That weekend I was released from the hospital and we went to see Mom and Dad. Mom went home with us for our Sunday services and then to the hospital with me the following week. She was so sweet to come, but it was hard for Dad. He had surgery that spring and wasn't feeling that well either. It was during this week that God gave me a real rest in Him. He told me I would go through the surgery and live. He calmed the fears and storms that raged in my heart at that time. On Thursday of that week, I had a New-mon-encelifligraft. They put me to sleep for this and took fluid from my spinal column and let air come into my head, and then they got some good pictures of the tumor. They had hoped to go up through my nose to take out the tumor, but found the tumor was too big to do this. They would have to open my head up almost ear to ear. Through it all my God was by my side and I felt His divine presence. Because I didn't have a headache on Friday morning they said I could go home for the week end. Mom went home by bus, and I appreciated so much having her with me through that hard week.

On Saturday, my back begin to hurt where they had put the needle in. I was on strong doses of cortisone and not realizing this would double the strength of any other medication, I called my local doctor to see if he could order me some pain medication. After explaining my situation to him, I asked him about taking some strong aspirins. He said that would be just fine. A few hours after taking them, I went on a drug trip. Oh, it was terrible! Everything was so weird. It wasn't until after surgery I got over this. Sunday evening I went back into the hospital. Our church people were so loving and understanding. It wasn't an easy time for them either.

My surgery was scheduled for 11:00 A. M. on July the 14. My sister, Bernie, brought Mom and Dad up for the surgery. Since my glands weren't working, I was deficient in factor 8 that makes the blood clot. They used 51 pints of blood to get the plasma I needed for that surgery. They started to work on me quite early that morning and when Howard stepped into the room, he had a worried look on his face, for he didn't think they would be working on me yet. Even though I didn't plan on shedding tears, when I saw the troubled look on his face I shed a few tears for him. They had canceled a surgery and wanted to take me in earlier than they had planned. My desire was to see my parents and sister before I went to surgery. When I thought they would take me before they got there I begin to cry, and about that time they stepped through the door. It wasn't because I didn't think I'd see them again, but I just wanted to see them before going into surgery. The first thing they had to do was to shave my head. Not all of it, but back a way so they could make an incision. How old that razor was I don't know, but it felt like they were going to take my scalp off too. Finally, I asked the doctor doing it, how much he was going to take off. He asked me how much they had promised to leave. They hadn't said anything about it and I heard Dr. Long say that was enough.

That is about all I remember until coming out of it in the recovery room, Dr. Long used a microscope after making the incision and found one of my main arteries wasn't covered by bone tissue. You see, if I had surgery done in North Dakota, I would have been dead on two accounts, the blood condition and the uncovered artery. You never make a mistake by minding God. It took them four hours to do the surgery. It was also in the brain area and my right optic nerve was smashed like a noodle, leaving me legally blind in the right eye.

When I woke up, my main problem was the sensation of spinning in space. My eyes were swollen shut and I couldn't see that I wasn't spinning. Howard held my hand, but that didn't stop my spinning. When I got my eyes open I could see I wasn't spinning, even though I felt like I was. Mom stayed a few days with me that was a great help. A fellow pastor and his wife were so kind to us by opening their home for Howard and my Mother to stay with them. So many people helped me at that time I could never name all the things they did.

One Sunday, while still in the hospital, I had a wonderful experience. Howard was home in Olivia taking care of the church services, and I was in the hospital without a roommate, While listening to a Christian radio station playing Doug Oldam's rendition of "The King is Coming", the King Jesus came that afternoon in the Brightness of His Glory, and comforted my heart. He was so real, I think anyone coming into the room could have felt His presence. How can I ever thank Him enough! This will always be a wonderful memory to me.

He is able to help us meet every situation we face in this life, regardless of what it is. He promised He would never leave us or forsake us. Isn't it wonderful to know that He is always there hearing and answering our prayers? Whatever your need is today, He alone is able to see you through. He is able.

People all around us need to hear about God's ability to help us and keep us. That is one reason I have written this book. Our God can do what He did for the three Hebrew children by taking us through our fiery furnace. They came out of the furnace without the smell of smoke, and so may we. My friend, whatever your need, our God whom we serve is able. We may see the enemy's forces all around but God can help us see God's great army arrayed against the devil's forces.

HE'S ABLE

Are you tempted to be discouraged?

Don't think it's something new.

It's Satan's plot of long ago,

Now He's trying it on you.

He doesn't care just how he strikes,

He has just one thought in mind.

To get you to look downward,

Not up, to God divine.

He points out just how bad things are;

Forgets about the rest.

All the blessings God has given you,

And grace to pass each test.

Elisha's servant woke one morn,

To find, they were compassed about

With Syrian chariots and horses!

His heart was filled with doubt.

He told his fear to Elisha,

Who started then to pray.

He asked God to open his eyes,

To see His forces that day.

The servant took another look,

And, oh, what a sight to see!

There were chariots and horses of fire.

Yes, that meant victory.

We too serve the God of Elisha;

He still is just the same.

Just lean on His almighty power,

We must remember that God above.

Has forces out there fighting,

Don't forget about His love.

So when Satan would like to bring us

Discouragement along the way,

Let's look up and trust in God.

He has strength for every day.

by Arlene R. Wright

Window (11) THE GREATEST THRILL

It was necessary for me to have cobalt treatments although I didn't have cancer. If they missed a cell of the tumor in surgery, it could grow and that would mean another surgery. As an out patient, I would have this done five days a week. The big problem was, where was I going to stay. They had a hall, Powell Hall, where you could rent a room, but our budget wasn't big enough to allow for that. It became a matter of prayer. One day a young nurse was in my room and I was explaining my problem to her when she told me she had a room in Powell Hall, and she didn't sleep there and I was more than welcome to use it while I had my cobalt treatments. God heard and answered prayer again. Four out of the five weeks of treatments 1 used her room and paid her a small fee. She didn't even want to take that. God does have a way of working things out if we will but trust Him.

On July 30th, I was dismissed from the University of Minnesota Hospital. The day before I was to leave the hospital Mrs. Margaret Bloom, our district superintendent's wife, gave me a wig. It made me so happy to know I wouldn't have to go around with a skull cap. We could never thank the wonderful people who were so kind to us at this needy time in our lives. When I was dismissed from the hospital I remember how strong I felt and had plans of going home and doing some housework. When I got home I found I wasn't as strong as I thought I was. One of our teen aged girls had cleaned our parsonage. How I appreciated that.

The following Monday we were back in Minneapolis and it took them three hours to put the red markings on the sides of my face, to correspond with the area of the tumor. Since I didn't have cancer the treatments didn't make me sick, but I felt quite weak.

One of the greatest thrills of my life came during assembly. Howard and I were both up for ordination. We met the board and I praise God that our church is so careful about the ministers they ordain. They had asked my husband what he would do if they didn't ordain him. He told them that God had ordained him years ago, and it would not change his ministry. As we went to our room after that meeting, which was after the evening service, I wasn't sure whether they would ordain me or not, but I committed it to the Lord, knowing He was fully in charge of my affairs. The next day we were informed that we were both going to be ordained. I called my parents and told them about our ordination and they were able to come and be with us for that important event.

The week before coming to camp, Howard and I had looked in Minneapolis for a suitable dress for me for ordination. Anything we could afford wasn't suitable, and what was suitable, we couldn't afford. After resuming home we went to Willmar, Minnesota and there I found a beautiful three piece suit on sale at half price. It was just what God wanted me to have, and I am still wearing it from time to time. God does care about anything that is a problem to us, no matter how small it may be. Oh, how much we owe to our great and wonderful God.

If you would have seen me at the time of ordination, you may have not known me. For one thing my wig wasn't the same color as my hair. Then I had gained some weight, and I had red X's on the side of my face for the cobalt treatments. If I had lost those markings it would have taken them another 3 hours to remark them.

Talk about thrills, that night was full of them. As our group marched to the front of the tabernacle to the tune of "Called unto Holiness" I remember how thrilled I was. Earlier the choir sang "There's Something About That Name." The greatest thrill of all came as an answer to my prayer. Dr. George Coulter was our General Superintendent and I appreciated the fact he would be laying his hands on me, but I asked God for His touch at this time, and God did touch me in a special way. What an honor it is to be an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene. There is quite a debt I owe to my church. For it was there I heard the message of entire sanctification, had the privilege of going to a Nazarene college and met my wonderful husband. It is my hope that in some way I can give back to the church my life of service and love to my wonderful Lord.

The following Monday I went back to Minneapolis for two more weeks of cobalt I treatments. Of course, I was home each week end. My bill was over $7,000.00 and our insurance paid $5,000.00 of it. How we appreciated having that coverage. Dr. Norman Bloom presented our case to the Board of Ministerial Benevolence and they sent us a check for close to $1,000,00. He told us when we got the check and were going to go to the hospital to pay the bill, or what we could pay on it, he wanted to go with us. So on a set day he met us there. He explained that my husband was the pastor of the Church of the Nazarene at Olivia, Minnesota and that our salary was $50.00 a week. He told him how much the insurance had paid and that we had a check of almost a $1,000.00 that day from our General Church through Ministerial Benevolence, and asked him what he would suggest After placing the entire matter in God's hands, I put my complete trust in Him. If the hospital decided not to cancel any of the bill, then I knew that He would help us get the money to pay it. The man did some figuring on his adding machine and told us if we would give him a check for $810.05 that would take care of our bill. They forgave us $600.00. OH, GLORY BE TO JESUS. God took care of it all. We did our best to express our appreciation to him. My husband went to different departments at the hospital where we owed money, and they told him they were accepting the insurance payment as final payment. We had enough left to pay off a loan we had to make. Oh, what a thrill to serve a God that never fails us or forsakes us.

The greatest thrill of all is yet to come when I meet my Lord face to face. I am looking forward to that day, but each day it is a wonderful thrill to walk with Him. He fills me with the Brightness of His Glory. Each day there are new thrills and new insights into His glory. Oh, that I might be able to illuminate Him. As the moon has no light of its own, but just reflects the sun's light, I want to show forth the Brightness of His Glory to those all around me.

THE GREATEST THRILL

There could never be a greater thrill,

While on this earth below,

Than the thrill of walking with our God,

Oh, what a thrill to know.

I can feel His very presence,

As we walk along the way.

We have such sweet communion,

Especially when we pray.

We can walk with the very One,

Who put the stars in space.

He is so willing to be our Guide,

And keep us by His grace.

He'll give us such assurance,

When we take to Him our care,

He'll take that burden from our heart,

If we'll leave it with Him there.

Sometimes, down in the valley,

He doesn't seem so near.

But, if we don't keep trusting Him,

We must not live by feelings,

But in faith in God alone.

He's still right there beside us,

And He claims us for His own.

As we climb the VICTOR'S mountain,

We'll find He's sweeter still,

Than all we've ever dreamed of,

Oh, what a blessed thrill.

Take the thrills the world can give,

They never could compare,

To the joy of walking with our God,

And living in His care.

The best is still ahead of us,

We'll see Him face to face,

Who died to set us free from sin,

And save us by His grace.

The only way you'll know this thrill,

Is to do the Master's will.

To live each day alone for Him.

Oh, what a heavenly thrill.

by Arlene R. Wright

Window (12) ME A MISSIONARY, LORD?

In the spring of 1972, we had gone to a neighboring church to hear Evangelist Bob Hickey. That night he gave his life story and told us how he came to Christ. We were very blessed by the service. He announced that the following evening, Saturday night, he was going to show slides of their work with the Indians in Arizona which they did in the summer time when they didn't have revivals slated. It sounded very interesting, so we went. We were greatly impressed with the work he, his wife and daughter were doing. On the way home I said to my husband, "Honey, wouldn't it be wonderful if God would ever call us to do something like that?" He said that it sure would be. We just couldn't forget about it and as summer came on so did the awareness that God was through with us at Olivia We met Dr. Bloom and told him about our desire to work with the American Indians. He gave us Rev. G. H. Pearson's address, who at that time was the District Superintendent. We were praying that if it wasn't God's will, not to let us go. We only wanted to be where He wanted us to be doing what He wanted us to do. This was about the time of the General Assembly and of course Rev. Pearson was very busy. We did hear from him though, and he sent us some application blanks to be filled out. We kept on praying that God's will would be done. Then we received a letter from him saying that he was still waiting for some of our references and that he would call us the next week and let us know. He had a place in mind for us.

The following week we were to help in the Boys and Girls camp at Camp Jim, near Brainerd, Minnesota. So Howard wrote right back and told him where we were going to be and the phone number there. It was just at the dinner hour with over 150 children fined up in front of the dining hall when the call came. Howard couldn't even hear where we were supposed to go, but that we were being appointed. When he came by me on the way to be with his boys, he told me we had been appointed. As I was jumping up and down with excitement, the girls from my cabin wondered what was wrong with me. I told them if they could keep a secret, I would tell them after dinner. That evening Dr. Bloom was able to talk to Rev. G. H. Pearson and found out we was going to Sells, Arizona to work with the Thono Odahm Indians (Papago Indians when we were there). We were so happy and the following Sunday we announced our resignation. When I had called my parents to let them know about our next move their response was that they had given me to the Lord before I was born and they were glad for me to serve Him, wherever He might lead. How much I appreciated my Godly parents and their commitment to Him.

We were quite busy the next few weeks getting things packed and selling a few items that we couldn't take with us. We would be leaving Friday during the week of district assembly. At the assembly they called me to give my yearly report as an ordained elder. When I finished I went to sit down, but they called me back. Then Howard gave his report and we both went to sit down and they called us back again. Each church on the Minnesota District had taken an offering for us, and presented it to us at that time. It was very deeply appreciated. We thought we would put it into a bank when we got to our new home, but God knew we would need it before we were settled there and provided for us in this wonderful way.

On Friday, the son of one of our neighboring pastors came and helped us pack a tandem trailer. We had supper with some friends and about 6:00 P. M. we headed out for my parent's home. It was only about 130 some miles and we should have made it in a few hours. After some car trouble we arrived at my parent's home about 6:00 A. M.

We spent that day, Saturday, resting and getting the car fixed. We didn't like to travel on Sunday, but we had to in order to make it on time in Arizona. We left Mason City on Sunday morning stopping in Ames, Iowa for church. We were traveling one day down a mountain pass on a two lane road and coming up this road was a big truck, when a car pulled out to pass. With all the weight of that trailer behind us, if we would have hit, there would have been no way for us to have lived. My husband decided to go to the edge of the road, but the driver of the car cut across and missed us only by inches. We knew God had His hand on us. When we were traveling between Flagstaff and Phoenix, Arizona our radiator boiled over. We didn't have any water with us, but it started to rain. Howard found a place close by where they had made an opening in the pavement to let the water run off. He soon found a tin can and begin to fill the radiator. As soon as he had it full, it stopped raining. God sent that rain just for us when we needed it.

When we arrived at Phoenix, we went to Rev. and Mrs. Pearson's home for the night. Rev. Pearson was already at Sells and the next day we took Mrs. Pearson with us. They were having camp meeting when we arrived. They have it from Wednesday through Sunday before Labor Day. The camp meeting evangelist was staying in the parsonage, so we moved our things into two of the bedrooms, and resumed the trailer to a place in Tucson.

Seeing it would take a few days after the camp meeting to get our things unpacked and arranged, Rev. Pearson left his small trailer for us to stay in until we could get settled. Our mission station consisted of an alabaster church, the parsonage and the cook house. During camp meeting they furnish all the meals for the people. After supper the first night a little girl was bitten by a scorpion, and we took her and her mother to the local hospital. The Doctor told us they had killed a rattle snake in the hospital yard the day before and gave us a long list of all the poisonous creatures that live around there. This little girl had no complications from the bite.

That night after we were in bed we heard something howling. We had never heard coyotes before, and thought sure it was some dog that had been bitten by a rattle snake, or something similar. We soon learned our mistake and got used to hearing them howl. We were always very cautious to make sure there were no snakes or the like on the ground as we went to church.

We enjoyed the Camp Meeting very much and were glad to meet the former pastor there, Rev. Clarence Liston. He was going to our Indian Bible School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He took Howard calling with him and that was a great help. We also meet Rev. and Mrs. Alfred Wickland, missionaries in Tucson. They were such good friends and came out on Labor Day to help us with some painting in the house.

For the first 14 months we lived there we had to carry all of the water we used in a large plastic container. Between where we lived and where we got the water was a wash, which would turn into a little creek when it rained. We could only fill the container about half full, for if it was filled up you lost quite a bit of it going through the wash. We did have a septic tank, so we were thankful for that convenience. A blue granite canner was used to heat water for dishes. We had another container in a closet near the bathroom, which we used so we could flush the bathroom stool. The government came into our area and built one hundred new homes for our Indian people, and brought the water line through. We were able to connect to this. What a blessing. The day we got the water turned on, I did quite a bit of mopping. The parsonage was quite new and had all the pipes in it. How were they to know if they were tight or not without any water to go through them? It wouldn't have bothered me if the water was up to my knees for I was so glad to have running wafer in our home.

So many times we take things for granted until we no longer have them. Since I am legally blind in my right eye and have lost some of the sight in my left eye, I appreciate the gift of sight more than ever. Why must we lose things in order to appreciate them? Let's stop and thank God for all the blessings He gives us and count them day by day.

To a certain extent, I think we went through a cultural shock. When we saw homes with dirt walls and floors, cooking being done in a cactus arbor, water and wood being carried for miles, it was quite a shock. I didn't realize that people in the United States lived in such a style. When the ladies wanted their floors to look neat, they would rake it. Not all homes were like this. Some had cement floors and things somewhat better. The food prices at the trading post were unreasonable. One day, in 1973, I went to buy a quart of skim milk, and it was 90 some cents.

It was necessary for us to go to Tucson once a week to buy our groceries, do our laundry, and banking for us and the church. Most of the time we would stop and see our friends, the Wicklands, and spend some relaxing time with them.

On Monday nights we went south 20 miles to a little village to hold Sunday school and church. We were allowed the use of the tribal building, unless they were using it that night. This was a real outreach for the church. One of our ladies went with us and taught the adult class. My husband and I taught the children. Howard would take us to the building where we had our services, and then go and pick up the people. One little girl was a challenge and needed to learn discipline. In the last service there I gave each child a sheet of typing paper and asked them to draw a picture on it. When we got hers, she had printed on the bottom of the page, I LOVE YOU. We had tried to convey to all of the children our great love for them, and most of all God's love. She felt our love for her through our gentle discipline.

It took a while for the people to get adjusted to us. The church was only about seven years old and they had always had Rev. Clarence Liston as their pastor. Most or nearly all of their services had been in the Papago language. Then come two greenhorn missionaries who didn't know a word in Papago and the services had to be done in English. There were only a few of the people who didn't understand English. These were the older people. The young people and children weren't learning the Papago language and they will soon lose it if they don't start learning it.

Since the adult class was in Papago, I felt the need for an English class, and I started one. We had some white people living in that area who could take advantage of this class. It was also necessary to have a children's church. It started after Sunday School through to the end of the church service. I found that I just had a hard time getting enough material to last that long. So we went to church and left when my husband got up to preach. This worked out well, and we praise God for the way He helped us in so many wonderful ways.

One day when I had an appointment at the University of Arizona Clinic, I met Dr. Dorthea Hellman. She told me there was one test she wanted to take, to see if I had Turner's syndrome. This was very upsetting to me and I told her all I had been through in connection with it. Neither Howard nor I could make ourselves accept the idea that I had Turner's syndrome. He had worked with patients in a mental hospital in Nampa, Idaho, when he was a student there, and knew some of the things that go along with Tumer's syndrome. She was a very sweet lady and said if they found that I had it, she didn't want to hear me mention it in her office. This time, for the first time, they took a blood test to test the chromosomes. When the test came back the chromosomes were perfect and it had been the tumor on my pituitary gland that had kept the other glands from working. No one, but God, and my husband knows the release I found that day. No longer could the devil call me a freak and get away with it So many times when I had preached and someone found victory at the altar of prayer, the devil would come around and point his long finger at me and remind me that I was not normal. Now God had set me free, and I will be praising Him throughout the endless ages of eternity.

As you know, one of the biggest problems with our dear Indians is the liquor bottle. It was against the law to sell it on the reservation, but some got away with it. It was so sad to see them lying along the road. One night we nearly ran over a man laying in a driveway. One day, while doing dishes, I heard a light knock on our back door. There stood a woman, whose common law husband had knocked her down, and kicked her in the head with his cowboy boots. We took her to the doctor and thought for sure she would never drink. But not many weeks later, she was drunk and had given her house key to her little four year old daughter, and she didn't know where it was. Another lady, whom we also took to the hospital came to our front door with a similar problem. One young man came to the house on a Sunday morning desiring to go to our Bible School, so Howard made the arrangements. He didn't come back and a few months later he had died of cirrhosis of the liver.

But thank God, we could tell them of One who could take that appetite away from them and set them free. Many times the men would come and testify about knowing someone in the church when they used to drink. We have such good news for all mankind.

While we were there I did have some physical problems. It was necessary for us to go for close to a 2 1/2 mile walk in the desert one day. On Sunday we had had a blow out. The spare tire wasn't much good, and someone loaned us an old fashioned tire pump. On Monday, Howard got it fixed and that night when we let the children out at the tribal building, where we had our outpost, they were laughing, for they could hear the air coming out of one of the tires. One of our ladies had come in her car and she drove us back to town to see if we could find a tire to fit it We tried, but they didn't fit, so we took that tire off and went home for the night The next day Howard got it fixed and another lady took us out Howard put the tire back on. When we got back to Sells, we decided to go and see a lady who lived 10 miles out in the desert. We lacked one tenth of a mile from being 2 1/2 miles from her home, as we were going home when another tire blew. It was too hot to just sit there. So we decided to walk back to our lady's home to see what she could do to help us.

On Wednesday I had promised Mrs. Wickland that I would put a permanent in her hair. While we were there Howard got very sick and had to go to the doctor. Since Howard was too sick to go home we spent the night with them. In the night I got sick and ended up in the hospital.

There were blood clots coming up through my legs going through my heart and lungs causing problems. After being in the hospital twenty one days, they sent me home on a blood thinner called Cubadin. After breaking out with a rash, the Lord told me I was going back to the hospital. This worried me, for I was concerned about the bill. He soon reminded me of what He had done for us at the University of Minnesota Hospital. The following; Monday I went back to the doctor and the blood thinner wasn't doing its job. I was the 5th person in the United States to ever be allergic to it. Again they admitted me to the hospital for several days. Finally, I got over this problem.

In the summer of 1973 I got a pain in my right hip, and I finally went to the doctor to have it checked. After x-rays they told me my hip socket was dying and there was nothing they could do for me. They suggested that I get some crutches and use them. After writing my parents about it, they began to pray. That year we had our Vacation Bible School the same time as our camp meeting. During this week I didn't have any pain at all. The next week I went to see the doctor and he asked me if it was hurting, and I told him that it wasn't. He said I was lucky, and I told him it wasn't luck but faith in God that had made the difference. God completely healed me of that.

The bill? One of my doctors had told me if I had trouble with it to let him know. The day we were packing the van and trailer to leave, the hospital called to tell me they were canceling the rest of my bill. God does not fail, for He does what He says He will do.

In April of 1974, we had Rev. and Mrs. Ed Timer, who had been missionaries to the Indians for a number of years, hold a revival for us. On Easter Sunday afternoon we went out to their little trailer which they had parked behind our parsonage, to have a visit with them. They told us they thought we ought to leave our work there. This was a real shock to us, but we begin to pray about it. We were there under God's orders and we wanted to be sure we were still in His will. As we prayed we became aware that our work was done there. We contacted Dr. Norman Bloom about getting another pastorate. We were still members of the Minnesota District. You can't belong to the North American Indian District unless you are Indian.

We resigned our church not knowing where God was going to lead us. One Monday, not too long before we left, Howard was very upset and discouraged. We were going to be leaving and as yet had no direction as to where we were to go and what we were to do. He spent quite a bit of time out on the desert praying about it As we woke the following morning God had revealed to him what He wanted us to do. Howard was to go back to college and get his degree so he could get a job to support us while we started new churches on the Minnesota District. He had a number of college hours of work, but not enough in any major to graduate. He had finished the course of studies through correspondence in order to be ordained.

We were content and knew our God would not fail us, but see us through. Some of the scriptures I read that morning were promises for the future. It was so very hard to leave those wonderful people, but it always pays for everyone's benefit to mind God. Hearing those beautiful Christian people as their choir sang for us on our last Sunday there, will forever be in our memories. The day will come when we will meet them in heaven. There together we will see the brightness of His Glory.

ME A MISSIONARY, LORD?

Me a missionary, Lord?

How could that be?

Me a missionary, Lord?

You don't mean me.

I've no real talents,

I've nothing to give,

All I have, Lord,

Is my life to live.

That's all You want,

Is my life and my heart?

If that's all You want,

Then I'll do my part.

But I thought to qualify,

I would have to be,

A very talented person,

But You really want me?

I've heard Your voice,

And You're saying to all,

Keep your heart tuned,

To hear My call.

You don't call all

To cross the seas,

Indians in this country,

Need some missionaries.

Oh Lord, I'm not worthy

For such a call.

But I love You Lord,

And I give You my all.

Please use me,

This is my prayer.

Use me, Lord,

The gospel to share.

I know there are souls

In deepest despair,

Without You Lord,

They're dying out there.

Me, a missionary, Lord?

I've heard Your call;

I've seen the vision,

I give You my all.

by Arlene R. Wright

Contents
Window 9
Window 11
The Winds of the Spirit
The Voice of the Nazarene