In the Yukon Territories

It’s Friday, June 21, the first day of summer. I’m in the Yukon Territories visiting with Julie and family. We are having a great time. What follows is a diary-like, play by play of my life since June 11. Enjoy.

To Janet as I travel home from Africa: I am in Frankfurt feeling like I've been run-over by a truck. I didn't sleep last night. You are probably driving as I write. I really enjoyed being with you in Zambia. Every minute was special. It occurred to me that I never even looked back after I left the truck in the airport parking lot. I was too preoccupied with Jason and his girls. Sorry. My brain doesn't always work. The Frankfurt airport is not as cold as the Jo'burn airport. PTL. I had to walk up and down stairs in Jo'burg to keep from being chilled. I also drank a hot chocolate. I asked for a hot chocolate with only half sugar. They did that for me and it was better than the syrup they usually serve. It also warmed me up.

I got your text saying you made it home. Glad to hear it. I made it home also. It was a long ride--45 hours without sleep. I slept from 6 pm to 3 am, last night. It's 4:30 pm now, and I am zonked. There is always so much to do.

As far as I know, we, the ASI Exec. Comm did everything we could do to get Randee Reynolds to replace Ramon Chow, but up till now, Randee hasn't rec'd a call. I wrote to my colleagues at the NAD asking what the hold up was. I think they dropped the ball. They finally had the required meeting but In the end, Randee refused the call. Bummer.

Mavis' birthday, today, 74. I did the devotion at the LSC this morning and I have two sermons to preach on Sabbath—one at the 11 o'clock service and a talk for the graduating students in the evening. I have nothing prepared, as yet.

Janet’s internet is working. That is such a blessing.

I slept another nine hours last night. I'm shaking internally like I was very nervous and I don't know how to account for it. (Lack of sleep, I think.) In any case, I don't have time to worry about it. I have two sermons to prepare and already I am bombarded with extra things to do.

Janet and I have new cupboards sitting in my exercise room. My new replacement teeth are waiting for me to come home. I need to find a dentist willing to put them into my mouth without charging an arm and a leg. I leave for Whitehorse early Sunday, so no time for anything but two sermons.

Heading for the Yukon adventure: I'm sitting in the Denver airport waiting to fly to Vancouver and then to Whitehorse. I only arrive in Whitehorse at 11:40 PM. No problem, it is still light then. Ugh! Big Sabbath yesterday. I baptized Danny Szerbak, graduated our eight students and preached twice. Two of the students, Chad and Sharon raised their hands to indicate they want to be baptized. I believe Judy Goldsberry will study with Sharon and I hope to start studying with Chad when I get home. Chad is staying at EVI to work with David.

Elsa Sabbath finally left EVI. (This is a Catholic lady with all kinds of environmental allergies. She lived as a recluse in one of our trailers for years.) Apparently, the Spanish couple, Gustavo and Angelica, with their three girls will move into her trailer. I didn't know that till this morning. David drove me to the airport. There is a fear that Elsa had Mersa and the trailer may be contaminated. I think we should be careful about sending people in there. We probably need to fumigate before doing the work.

Matthew and Jennifer want to get married in a couple of months, but I am trying to get them to wait longer. I talked to Jen about going home for a couple of months to keep temptation at bay. She is agreeable, at least outwardly.

Julie has me organized to speak four times in Whitehorse.

Marilene and Eldon Stevenson from Australia are thinking to replace my wife in Tanzania. That would be such a blessing. We need her at EVI, almost desperately. 

First day at Julie's house: We got in last night at 12:30 AM. I got up at 6 AM. Not much sleep. We had breakfast and I did the dishes and cleaned up around the kitchen while Julie and the boys managed to make $400 in about two hours of sewing badges on jacket sleeves. Easy money. After that we went and filled bags with manure to bring to an old lady in town. We went swimming at the recreational center. Well, the boys did. Julie and I spent the time in the Jacuzzi. We delivered the jackets and picked up another batch, which should bring in $900 more. Had a great supper and now I am ready to crash. I've got to stay up another couple of hours or I'll wake up too early. Besides spaghetti supper doesn't digest that easy.

I was in touch with Dr. John Clark this morning. I don't know if he is interested in working at EVI, but I'm giving it a spin. (Dr. Clark pointed me to Dr. John Kelley.) In the end, Dr. Kelley will help us with a weekend at the Blue Mountain TV in Walla Walla, but the idea of joining EVI doesn’t seem to be very strong yet. I wrote him again trying to encourage him to pray about it.

I can't wait to get back into a routine at home--travel, no exercise, eating supper, lack of sleep, all add up to the weakening of this old body.

It's another clear, sunny, cool day in the Yukon Territories. We are supposed to be canoeing today. Fun? Not sure. I hate being cold and it isn't always warm around here. But, we are having fun. Yesterday, we walked to the bluff, two kilometers away. Beautiful view. I had prayer meeting with Julie's gang last night. It went well. Nice people, though each one seems eccentric on one level or another. Caleb worked all day on the ranch next door at $4.00 per hour. He's doing well. Julie works at making money for her trip to Washington and to help Art to pay his American taxes. America decided to demand taxes for the past seven years from all Americans living in Canada. Art is determined to pay and then revoke his American citizenship.

I sat on a Conference call with the Norway board, yesterday. The Freidheim Lifestyle Center is still doing well. I also had a Conference call with my Program Committee for ASI. I believe we are finished with our convention programing.

I have so much work to do for ASI, EVI and OCI that I am spending at least till noon every day working. We worked on putting badges on the jackets Julie was working on yesterday. She makes $36 per jacket. Today she will turn in $900 worth of work. We were supposed to go canoeing yesterday, but I managed to change the activity to swimming. Not so potentially cold. Caleb, Jacob, Julie and I raced in the 25M pool. Caleb and I come in neck and neck. Julie is one second behind and Jacob two. Give it another year, and I am toast. 

Ziggy got hurt in the pool. Some kid smashed his head against the bottom of the pool. He got two stitches under his chin.

Bill Knott of the Review and Herald, asked for someone at ASI to write an article explaining what ASI is for the special magazine he produces about ASI every year. Donna wrote back, "Frank will." So there you are, I have an article to write. 

Caleb is working next door every day now. He comes back pretty filthy. He seems to have grown up quite a bit, but the boys are still boys. We thought we'd do Subway for lunch, but a subway sandwich is more than $10 each up here. Forget that. We bought the makings for pizza and made our own. Well, I didn't, Julie and Jacob did. It was better than I could have done or that Subway would do.

So there you are. You are in on most of the mundane of my life. Today is June 21. The sun is shining and all we plan to do is preach to the home church tonight for vespers. Blessings to all.

OCI Retreat

June 11, 2013

I’m sitting in the Lusaka airport. Less than an hour ago, Jason and family with my Lover, dropped me off. They are on their way to the train station in Kapiri Imposhi, Zambia. If all goes well, they will be in Kibidula in twenty-four hours. They may have a hitch or two. Apparently, the railway workers are staging a silent strike, which I gather it means they will sabotage the trip if they can. We’ll see.

The OCI Retreat was a blast. I believe the Lord was in it from beginning to the end. It is so good to belong to a family that extends world’round. Janet and I had a couple of extra days at Riverside and we took the time to visit, do e-mail and walk to Turnpike. (Actually, one of those days I devoted to Rusangu Uninversity. The officials there wanted to meet the ASI President and to show him around the historic school.

M.H. Anderson first set foot on that land in 1903. He set a marker near some springs as a claim to the land. The Catholics also made a claim to the land, but they had failed of marking their claim. Consequently, when Anderson returned in 1905 he was awarded the property. His wife died of malaria on that excursion.

Garwin McNeilus is building classrooms for 2,000 students at Rusangu, presently. The Chinese government built the school a large complex and now the administration are hoping that the ASI President will give them 3.1 Million to build a library and cafeteria. (They don’t want a One-day-Caf or Library.) I enjoyed my visit, but I feel bad that I don’t have the wherewithal to supply their wants.

I believe I heard some of the best teachings in a long time at the OCI Retreat. You may download the audio from OCI in a couple of weeks.

Great Time in Maine

I’m in the air between Maine and Denver on my way to Zambia. It’s a good time to spend time writing a blog. As you know, writing blogs is a time consuming task. It is easy to feel that it is a waste of time, and if it wasn’t for my family and friends, I wouldn’t waste a minute doing it. (But what would life be like without you? I can’t imagine. Therefore, the sacrifice is worth it, because you are my family and friends.) Like the last blog, this is in the form of a diary, just day-to-day boring stuff.

May 17, 2013

It's a fine, hot day in Colorado. David Katsma and I just came back from eating at Hu Hot. Good stuff. (I owed him one for rescuing me last week when I forgot my teeth on the way to California to the dentist. No, I don’t wear dentures. I lost my crown. You didn’t know that I wear a crown? It is mostly hidden. Presidents are not Monarchs, you know.)

I preach tomorrow at EVI, but I don't have a sermon yet. I’ll try to find something from the past. (Finally, I chose to preach on sight. “We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are. What we are colors all we see.” The main text is Titus 1:15 “Onto the pure is all things pure; onto the defiled is nothing pure.”

 I sent an applications out today for my Canada Old Age Pension. Yes, my time has come. I am officially a senior citizen. Ugh! The thought is enough to make me gag. (Don’t get me wrong. I respect seniors and love them dearly, but it ain’t for me, yet. Except that I can’t seem to be able to put a stop to it. More exercise, I guess . . . and greener than green drinks.) On the other hand, I hope getting my Old Age Pension works as well as getting the Social Insurance pension--$293 per month—hoo-hoo! It took me months to get everything together so that I could finally send the application.

Ignacio's dad died this morning (Ignacio is our farmer. Unexpected. He was 80.)  He doesn't know what to do. He doesn't like to go to family funerals because they are Catholic and they do much that is strange to him. So we gave him permission to go if he wants to go and to stay if he doesn't want to go. (He went.)

Diana Mitchell, a lady I led to the Lord, it must be 30 years ago, in Canada, is still writing to me and sending money to support Janet’s projects. Amazing dedication, especially if you consider that she is no longer an Adventist. (Evangelical.)

Felix Velez, who use to work at EVI, came over and spent some time with me at the office. He hasn’t come around since we asked him to move on. He seems to be doing fine, looking a little scruffy for the crazy beard he sports. Claims he is not looking for a wife. He says he isn't good at choosing them. He expects the Lord to choose for him next time. Good deal . . . I guess.

Last time I looked, our apple trees were blossoming. I think we'll have apples this year. That is news folks, apples are not easy to come by at EVI. It’s too cold at the wrong times.

May 18, 2013

It is Sabbath. I am managing some rest, though it is hard to rest from my thoughts. I must get a lot done in the next few days and I'm not sure I can cover it all.

I preached at EVI today. It went well. Not many people. Our students are gone to Wyoming to two Army Camps, and many of our staff are on vacation because there is a big space of time between Lifestyle sessions this month. Besides that, many choose to go elsewhere to church. I guess they heard I was preaching.

May 20, 2013

Yesterday, we, Leonard, Leasa, Bev and I drove to DayStar Academy. We left at 5 AM and got there for lunch. At one o'clock, we started our board meeting. It was pleasant, easy and finished on time for supper. Jerry gave every board member two pounds of asparagus and we picked more for EVI.

Jerry is still president of DayStar, and we elected Alexa Hernandez to be the principal. To help her we recommended that she appoint two vice-principals--Wendy Harris and Susan Duerhssen. (That didn’t work out. In talking to Alexa, I suggested that she use Linda Learned and ask Wendy to oversee her work. I haven’t heard since.) DayStar is doing very well, relative to yester-years. They finished the year in better shape than usual, financially, and they have 20 students applying already, which is ahead of the usual number for this time of the year. The staff say they've had the best year ever. That is good enough for me. They are entering upon a huge project in town. It may cost more millions than I care to write. The Lord will open the door or refuse to open the door. The next few years should prove interesting.

Felix introduced me to a retired dentist this evening. He was hoping we could use him as a dentist at EVI or as a doctor. I don't think so, but you never know what the contact will produce.

Today I had a prayer meeting with John (my bro.) and three others over the phone about the meetings in Maine.

I received $1,156.55 from the Canadian government today. Good thing because my visa statement was over $2,500. It is hard to keep track of all the charges on my card. My Lover uses it, and many of the charges belong to ASI. I’m suppose to remember all that is going on. I cannot imagine not losing money somewhere. My Canadian check didn't even last three minutes. Better than not having it, though.

May 21, 2013

Another day is over. I'm packed and ready to leave for Maine. What a hectic day. I sat on three Conference Calls. The Lord, and my friends are helping me to manage this ASI business.

I don't know if this is my last hurrah in life, or if the Lord is preparing me for something more, but He sure has me carrying and juggling more than I ever had to do in my life. Thankfully, all my balls are in the air . . . I think.

I hope there is Internet in Maine. I've got to participate with whatever is happening as much as I can. Donna McNeilus, my ASI Gen. VP, is going to try to make things happen in my absence. (She did a great Job. We are negotiating with the NAD for a specific replacement for our present Secretary Treasurer. I couldn’t do it without her help.)

I think I taught my last class to this intake of EVI students. I'll come back to speak at their graduation on June 15. That means I've got to prepare a sermon sometime in my travels.

May 23, 2013

I left EVI at 8:15 AM on Wednesday morning. I was supposed to arrive in Portland, Maine, at 9 PM, but my flight was delayed in Newark, NJ, until 9:30. I arrived after 11PM and we got to bed around 12:45 AM. (I made an appointment, in Maine, with our future Sec/Treasurer. I am well impressed and grateful that it is working out.)

Miss Elizabeth Boyd, 75, a girl called Lauren and I drove two hours to camp Lawroweld, an Adventist Youth Camp in Maine. John and Janice, my brother and his wife, got there ahead of me. We are living in the same multi-room cabin. It's a tremendous blessing to be able to visit together. John preached a home run sermon the first night. The Lord is blessing us tremendously. The people in Maine are like people in the Canadian Maritimes--rough, earthy, down to earth and very spiritual.

I've never been involved in a Retreat where people prayed more than we pray here.

May 26, 2013

I'm in the air between Chicago and Denver, coming home (tho' I will never reach home) from the North New England Conference Prayer Retreat. I stressed over that Retreat for a long time. The lady organizer had her ideas as to what we, John and I, should present and how we should do it also. Then, I managed to mess up her life by changing my ticket to Africa, which messed up her schedule. (John and I were meant to preach the last message together, but because I had to leave early that couldn’t happen. Then I was scheduled to preach four sermons and I didn’t know what I would do for the last one. Stress! 

Praise God. It turns out the Lord organized all of that to get what He wanted and not what Kelly or I wanted. 

I have never been to a more prayerful retreat in my life. Approximately 100 people from New England, mostly from Maine came to the retreat. The people were down to earth, practical, common stock people, very spiritual and friendly. There were some pastors there and conference people. I felt that the Spirit of God took hold of John and I and spoke powerfully to the people. The food was great. The weather was cold and raining--tolerable. In the end, I was forced to prepare a brand new sermon on the last day. (No sermon is brand new when you have been preaching for 40 years, but it was a brand new arrangement.) John told me it was the most powerful of my talks. When was John ever wrong? 

I met a couple that was Lifestyle Guests at EVI in 2010, Paul and Dana Shortall. She had cancer when she came to EVI. The cancer was reduced considerably by the time she left. They kept up with the program for some time, but it became too much work and they slacked off and her cancer began to return. She is still alive and looking good. He feels like they should have stayed at EVI for two sessions. 

There was a fellow there named Tommy who was sent by Larry Fleming to come and hear what John and I had to say. I had half expected Larry Fleming to show up, but he never did. 

On the home front, Leasa tells me Matthew and Jennifer broke up the courtship in favor of maturing. That is good news, I think, except that now we must get Jen out of the Lifestyle Kitchen. We will put her in the student kitchen and put Ashley in the Lifestyle.

I haven't managed to sleep much in Maine, and now I face a long trip from Maine to Denver to Africa. Fortunately, I have a hotel in Frankfurt. I would never do that on my own, but Leasa can't imagine waiting out a layover of 11 hours. Good for me. 

Dr. John Clark is expressing just the slightest hint of being interested in being our Dr. I will pursue it. 

Now I sit in the Denver airport wishing I could just go home instead of half way around the world. Never mind, life is fun.

So says the Preacher to his Tribe.

May Diary

 May in Colorado

 Oregon's SDA Men's Choir on the beach

 Canoeing to Folsom Prison on the American River with Rob. Didn't see Johnny Cash.

Siberia in Colorado in May 

New Idea: Since my wife left for Africa I’ve been writing her almost daily. Not long, but just informing her about my day. In my mind, my days are pretty boring, but everybody wants me to write so here is what I am condensing from my communiqués with my lover.

May 1, 2013

We've got eight inches of snow on the ground and it is still snowing. This is more snow than we’ve had in the other snow storms. I prayed all winter for more snow, too bad the answer to my prayers has to come in the summer. Well, almost summer.

Steven Grabiner is asking me to change my ticket to Riverside so I can be there on time for the board. OCI will pay up to $500 to change the ticket. I'm truly grateful. I really didn't want to miss this board meeting. There are issues that need to be address while I am there. (Sorry, can’t tell you what they are.)

May 2, 2013.

I'm sitting at the airport on my way to Portland for the North Pacific ASI Convention. I get to preach on Friday. I aim to use the sermon I preached at the Southern ASI Convention. Today it is sunny. It snowed nearly a foot yesterday, but I assume it will be gone before tomorrow, except for the mud, of course.

Yesterday, Albert, our big lifestyle guest ended up in the hospital, today it is Harold’s turn. They both have heart conditions and I guess it is pretty serious with the two of them. (By the end of the 18-day session, they were both feeling great. Albert, who says he never cries, caught himself crying twice because, in his word, we saved his life.

Some of you know Laura McNeilus. She spent two years with us at Riverside. Now she needs our prayers. Unless the Lord works a miracle, her cancer will claim her life.

The Past Presidents of ASI and I had a meeting yesterday. The meeting went well, but I am somewhat frustrated because we didn't come to a conclusive plan of action. We will meet every second week until we have something concrete to present to the board. (We met again yesterday, and I am totally encouraged. It looks like we'll have a concrete, practical, workable plan to re-energize ASI by Tuesday, May 21.)

Deniece Van Order's new husband, Barry, called me yesterday. He wrote a book on the Godhead and wants me to critique it. He talked to me for 20 minutes about the book. I am very impressed with his intelligence. Whether he is balanced or not, I do not know, but he definitely is smart. (I now have the manuscript and reading it. Well written, intelligent, I am learning some things, but I will have some things to suggest when I’m done.

May 3, 2013

Slow start to the ASI North Pacific Convention. Lots of people to talk to. I heard a really good presentation on leadership by a man named Will Roche. He didn’t do as well with a sermon he preached. The one weakness with this convention is that the crowds attend the meals very well, but not the meetings. I guess sunshine in Oregon is kind of a novelty.

I hear Tim Riesenberger has attracted a good crowd (about 100) Friday night at EVI. He will be back to EVI in November.

May 5, 2013

The North Pacific ASI Convention finished this morning. I had a good time. It was nice to spend time with Harold Lance and Henry Martin and many others. Everyone is so surprised at the weather. Apparently, this never happens on the Oregon coast. It has been sunny for three days in a row, and there is no sign that it will rain before I go home tomorrow. Praise the Lord.

Seaside is a tourist trap like Estes Park in Colorado. Only, it is a big beach and everyone in Oregon is on the beach. (Slight exaggeration.) It is still in the 80's Fahrenheit.

I was given 30 minutes to speak about ASI National. I took fifteen minutes, gave Harold and Ramon five minutes each and called it a day. The Lord blessed.

I was suppose to go visit Norm McDougal today, but Leasa couldn't get those guys to respond. She did speak with Mel, but no appointment was organized. So, I am here for a day of vacation. Except that instead of vacationing, I have already prepared three sermons for Maine. I only need four. It is only twenty to twelve-- noon. So, I believe I have time to get the last sermon done.

May 7,2013

I believe I missed a day or writing. I had little time, yesterday, I had to get traveling immediately. The travel was inconsequential. All went well. It took me three hours to get from hotel to airport. My time in Oregon was beautiful from beginning to end, but kind of boring, however, being alone. I prepared four sermons. Actually, I re-worked three sermons for Maine, but prepared a new one for EVi. Still it took me all day.

Today, I was up at 3:40am. Less than six hours sleep. I had to preach three sermons today and I didn't feel like I did a good job of it. Oh well. I'll be preaching a Copper Mountain this weekend. I suppose David Katsma will come with me since both our wives are missing.

I chaired a Search Committee today to find someone to take Ramon Chow's place at ASI. We settled on three names. Tomorrow, I will call the three to see if they are interested, If they can travel, if they are accountants, if they know who ASI is, and if they would send me their resumes—CV’s. (I contacted them, they are all interested.)

Julie found a special price on a flight from Kelowna to Whitehorse for $260 return and wants me to come. Well, I'm going to try for one week in June. I hope this works. (It worked. PTL.)

May 8, 2013

I had to change my ticket from Maine to Denver because I leave for Zambia on the day I leave Maine. I am creating a huge mess for them over there because I was suppose to preach on the day I left also, and now I leave too early. Oh, I wish I didn't do that to them, but no choice.

We have two little girls from Southern University for one month. One of them is Jeremy Grabiner's girl friend--very pretty and very smart.

May 9, 2013

It's been raining a lot this week. I thank God for it. Bring it on, the land needs it. (Mud everywhere.)

Not much happening. We gave a couple an 18-day session today. They could only afford 10 days and they were leaving. We had talked about giving them an 18-day session a couple of days ago, but no one communicated it to them. So they were leaving. I intercepted them and told them what we had decided. He cried.

Dan, Karen and Jamie Houghton were here today. They brought me some avocados and oranges off their California trees. We had a great visit.

I've got a ticket to Whitehorse for June 16-23. Julie is pretty excited. She says we'll have a spiritual feast. I'd better gear up to that expectation.

Angie has the little boys for at least another 60 days.

May 10, 2013

I was three quarters of the way to the airport , headed for Sacramento, when I remembered that I had put my teeth in another bag.(On my way to the dentist) I had to call David to have him deliver the teeth to me. Now I owe him one--Hu Hot here we come.

May 14, 2013

In Sacramento, I ended up at Rob’s place. He lives only six miles from the dentist’s office. We had a great time together. We went canoeing, took long walks, worked in Helen’s gardens, and met my dentist appointments. 

Blessings to all