Robinsons' Herald for September 2006

This page supplies our most recent e·mail
version of our prayer letter, The Robinsons' Herald.

· And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. (Mark 6:31)

· For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such. (1 Corinthians 16:18)

At a church we recently visited, we heard an older evangelist reminiscing about noted West Virginian Evangelist, B. R. (Bascom Ray) Lakin (1901-1984). He stated that in the last years of his life, someone asked the aging Lakin, “Do you ever get tired of the ministry. Evangelist Lakin, then very feeble and not as sharp as he had been in younger days, was reported to have replied, “Though at times I have been weary in the work, I have never been weary of the work.”

There is obviously very little comparison between the notable ministry of Evangelist Lakin and that of our own, yet, I can say the same about us at times being weary in the work, but not of the work. Yet, we desperately needed a time of refreshing and leisure. This is especially true after the very difficult trip traveled from the mainland of Grenada to West Virginia.

In our July 23 e·mail update, we stated that we were to travel from Carriacou to the mainland by boat on Saturday, July 29, stay overnight, then the next day, Sunday, fly to Barbados, then to Charlotte, and finally arrive into Charleston, West Virginia around 11:00 PM that Sunday night. Well, we got to the mainland okay, but the next day the Caribbean Star flight that was to take us on to Barbados arrived some three hours late! When we did finally arrive in Barbados, the only US Airways Flight to the US for the entire week was taking off! Caribbean Star kept us standing around in the airport from around 2:50 PM to 7:30 PM, until they finally decided to send us to a hotel for the night. They sent us to the airport, then told us to be up and ready to leave the hotel at 4:45 AM. The next morning, Monday, the bus to the airport arrived at about 5:30 AM! We got the airport at around 6:00 AM and when right through security. We then discovered that our plane (on Caribbean Sun this time, a sister company to Caribbean Star) was not due to leave until around 10:00! Whew!

Thankfully, we did leave almost on time from Barbados, and took off for Antigua on a 40 passenger de Havilland Canada DHC-8, popularly known as the Dash 8, a Propjet. There we had to get off the plane – with our carryon luggage – go through immigrations and security once more, then get back on the same plane. We then took off and noticed that the plane was getting uncomfortably warm. However, a little while later, we landed on St Kitts, where we once more were required to leave the plane, with our carryon luggage, go through immigrations and security once more, and then board the exact same plane. We took off again only to land a few minutes later on St. Eustatius. Yes, we had to do the same song and dance with getting off, going through immigrations and security, and getting back on the same plane! The last leg of the island hopping trip to the US was on to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Other than being very warm to hot during the flight, things went rather smoothly from there. The attendant told us that it was hot inside the plane because it was very hot outside! Okay...

Finally, we flew on to Charlotte, and then arrived in Charleston, West Virginia exactly twenty-four hours late. Tabitha, and her husband Matt, picked us up and took us on to Beckley. We had been staying with my mother in Beckley. It has been nice being around her and we appreciate her allowing us to park there with all of our luggage.

We have enjoyed seeing family and friends and visiting our extended spiritual family in our home church Cross Lane Bible Church (CLBC), Hill Top Baptist, located just outside Beckley in Midway (we attend there when we are staying in Beckley), and Bible Baptist in McArthur where Tabitha and her family attends. The preaching, teaching, and fellowship have been great and truly refreshing to us.

One of Linda’s older sisters, Anita, had graciously let us use her new car to get around and visit friends, family, and the churches mentioned above. We truly appreciate her letting us use it. Linda and I have gone for long drives in the country and elsewhere simple to enjoy the scenery, and nice smooth roads.

We have gone on a site-seeing picnic with the Jarrett’s (Tabitha’s family) and had dinner with them several times. It is nice to see our two grandchildren, Christopher and Amanda (17 and 13 respectively). There were both baptized recently after receiving Christ as their savior! Praise the Lord! They have both grown much and are doing well in school.

It was also good to see Jeshua, who is still working. At this point, it is not clear what he wants to do. Please remember him in your prayers as we seek the Lord to reveal His perfect will to Jeshua, and for Jeshua to receive it.

Linda and I have being helping both of our mothers, as we have opportunity, and they have needed. They have both become widows after we moved to Carriacou fifteen years ago. As you may recall, my stepfather died in 2000, and Linda’s father died this past December. It is nice to be around our mothers to help for a change.

I have also been busy repairing a few things here and there at mom’s, including replacing a serpentine belt on her car. I then helped my son-in-law resolve a problem on Tabitha’s car by doing some locksmith work on their electronically secured ignition switch. (The latter was a true learning experience that was challenging and tedious.)

Linda’s mom, Francis Carson, recently had a significant part of her monthly support cut off after her husband died nine months ago. Linda’s sister Anita has remained with her mother to help since her father died, but she now needs to return to Orlando, Florida sometime this month. Linda has been taking her mom around to pay bills, and we took them to a meeting at a black lung clinic to speak to lawyers who are now working to get her mother’s check restored. Please pray that this will go quickly. We were told that many die of illness or old age before the cases are resolved and the checks are restored.

A couple of weeks ago we drove my mother (Lois Holmes) to Charlotte so that she could visit with my sister, Sarah Lynn Davis, her husband Jarrod, and her six children. We had a nice trip down, and Linda and I drove back the next day. Mom returned about a week later. I also helped mom do some research at the local county court house on some property she inherited after my stepfather died back in 2000. We have a good idea where it is, and know more about the particulars about it. Now, mom and another person that also has interest in the property must decide what they are going to do.

Please remember to pray for mom. As you may recall, back in January of this year she had surgery to correct hemorrhoids and a fissure. The Hemorrhoids have been corrected, but the fissure has not properly cured yet and still causes her much discomfort and pain from time to time. She also has ulcerated colitis that flares up often and leaves her feeling wrung out. Please pray for these remaining ailments to heal up.

On Sunday night, September 3, I gave a brief report and preached on “Building a Chaste Church in an Adulterous World,” at CLBC. I am thankful for the opportunity, and have been encouraged by the interest, words of encouragement, and gifts from those at our home church. It is truly refreshing for me.

Nearly three weeks ago, Cross Lanes Bible Church graciously made their guest apartment available to us. I am simply too busy in Beckley most of the time to get much of anything done. Thus, I stayed at the CLBC guest apartment and got some work done since Friday, September 8. This much needed prayer letter, among others, are some of those things I am getting done. Linda remained in Beckley for a week to help her mom and be around Tabitha and family and Jeshua.

Within the last week or so, I have attended the funerals of two good friends and older brothers in Christ at CLBC. Right before we arrived, they had the funerals for two dear sisters in Christ that had been battling illnesses for several years. It was sad to say goodbyes, but is a reassuring blessing that each of these saints is in a far better place and free of their suffering. It has been good to see many I have known for years, and meet many new people at CLBC and Hilltop Baptist Church.

I was asked to speak at the AWANA group on Wednesday night at CLBC, September 13, at Cross Lanes Christian School. The children’s attentiveness and response was a blessing and encouraging. The next morning I spoke at CLBC’s “Jolly Seniors” program at Cross Lanes Christian School. There were some 250 truly Jolly Seniors present, with the oldest being a precious lady that unashamedly announced that she was 104! At the conclusion of that message, two precious aged souls responded to say that they had received the Lord Jesus as their Savior! Praise the Lord for such a miracle!

Linda recently attended a circle meeting in the home of one of the ladies of CLBC. On Thursday night, September 14, she spoke at a ladies group at one of the homes of a family at Hilltop Baptist. Tabitha and our Granddaughter, Amanda, went with her. Though Linda was a bit nervous, she enjoyed herself, and the ladies responded well. This past Sunday, I had the delightful experience of operating the PowerPoint equipment at CLBC. They truly have a first rate setup and it was exciting to be used in this capacity.

The Stolls have told us that the attendance has remained good in the first six weeks of our absence. The faithful have remained so, and that is encouraging to us.

We are also thankful that, thus far, the hurricane season has remained calm and quite. We have seen several systems form in the Atlantic the last few weeks. Thankfully, none have went through the Caribbean or ventured on up into the United States so far. Please pray that the Caribbean islands, and especially the island nation of Grenada, will be spared this year. There are still homes and businesses that are rebuilding or doing repair work because of damages suffered in 2004 and 2005 from Hurricanes Ivan and Emily, respectively speaking.

When the Stolls got their tickets to come to Carriacou, the best deal was for round trip tickets, with the return set for September 11. They are happy to have had another grandchild added to their family a month or so ago, so they took a twelve day trip visit back in Hudson, Florida. They will have missed one Sunday and two Wednesdays. However, a retired pastor, Jerry Walker, currently serving the Lord on Carriacou, volunteered to provide a midweek service for our folks on Thursdays and one Sunday service at 3:00 PM. He is on Carriacou filling in for John and Karen McPherson, who are also on furlough until the end of this December. John serves as the pastor of the missionary planted church, Open Door Independence Baptist, which is located just outside the town of Hillsborough on Carriacou. Like the Stolls, Pastor Jerry and Dawn, his wife, have been faithful and used of the Lord to carry on in the absence of the Robinsons and McPhersons. Please keep the Stolls and Walkers in your prayers. Both have some current health issues that are making it difficult at times for them to minister to the folks of Carriacou. Also, remember to pray daily for our folks on Carriacou to remain faithful, to grow, and to reach out to the lost around them.

My health is better, even though I still have some discomfort from time to time. Thus far, I have not been able to determine just what it is that I do that aggravates the problem.

I have recently begun to walk briskly for three miles, then one more to cool down. It is helping very much. I am able to sleep better at night and I have a better sense of well being after doing so. I have a goal to lose at least thirty pounds before I return to Carriacou, next year, Lord willing. I also plan to get a checkup sometime in the months ahead. Please pray for my ongoing health improvement and Linda’s health.

Unless you count time recovering from a serious stroke (April 1999 to April 2000), a broken leg and collarbone (January 2001 to September 2001), and two surgeries for me (2 ½ months in 2004), and a hysterectomy for Linda (1999), the last time we took time off for rest and furlough was ten years ago back in 1996. That furlough was for only six months. After living through two destructive hurricanes that damaged our meeting place and home in eleven months in 2004 and 2005, we were indeed tired, and desperately needed some time off. Except for the activities mentioned above, we have often been doing nothing but resting since we arrived the first part of August.

I am now getting back into the swing of things and getting things done. I have recently gotten all of our email prayer letters and updates posted to my website and up to date after not do much of anything to it for nearly two years. You may read them by going to: http://www.lastchanceministries.com/prayer.htm.

I have gotten some new contacts and scheduling of more meetings is in the works. I am also starting on our presentations, which I hope to complete and get exported to DVD format so that we can show them at our supporting churches and any new churches we visit. I would like to be able to leave copies and even send copies to those that may request them. I would appreciate it if you would send us the contact information of good churches so that I can contact them about presenting our ministry. No place on earth is off limits at this time. In fact, we hope to travel and see much of the United States we have never seen before, especially out west and the west coast. Please keep in mind that I will not be visiting any denomination churches. I will only be visiting independent fundamental churches that are Baptist or Baptist in tradition such as Bible Churches, etc. Please pray that I will get all these things accomplished soon so that we can be on the road in the next few weeks.

A family that attends CLBC has graciously made their 2001 Honda Odyssey available to us until it begins to snow. They will need it back at that time. It is a very nice vehicle, which is very comfortable to drive and ride. It also eats hills like a kid taking to ice cream, yet it averages about twenty miles to the gallon! This is great, especially since gas was nearly $3.00 per gallon since we arrived. We have made several trips back and forth between Beckley and Charleston, West Virginia.

We are thankful to report that gas is now down to $2.27 in some places. We praise and thank the Lord for this trend, and pray that it will continue. One of the foremost expenses for furlough is fuel costs. Pray that the Lord will provide another dependable vehicle when the weather gets cold. It is projected to get down into the thirties later this week, however, no snow is predicted as far as I know.