Rick McPherson

January Newsletter, 2010

 

The first time I was on the Long Beach Peninsula, I was told, “It’s not the end of the world, but you can see it from there!” The peninsula juts out into the Pacific Ocean in Washington state, just north of Astoria, Oregon and Fort Clatsop, where Lewis & Clark and their army corps spent a very wet winter, many years ago. At the time, I didn’t realize there was more to the story. 

 

Years later I would arrive at a sign that said, “End of the road. Unimproved road from this point. Turn left.” I was sitting behind the wheel of the Western Star and the Cummins diesel was idling. Ahead was indeed, an unimproved gravel and dirt road. I was at the end of the road. My left turn would take me into the Taholah fishing village on the Quinault Indian Reservation. I was at the farthest point north on Hwy 109, north of Hoquiam, north of Aberdeen, north of the Long Beach peninsula and slightly south of Vancouver Island and Canada.  I had driven the last thirty-one miles in an hour over twisting, winding roads. Behind me was a 53’ trailer full of groceries, paper products and soap, health and beauty aids and bottled water . Ahead of me were Native Americans, waiting anxiously for the delivery. 

 

Taholah, Washington has a population of 842 people. The primary job source is the fish cannery. Life here is hard. Unemployment is common.   Drug addiction is common. Hopelessness is common. Abuse is common. Abandonment is common. Alcoholism is common. It’s the end of the road. Really.

 

But at the end of the road, in this tiny village, is a church called, Lighthouse Fellowship Church and a pastor and his wife, Stan and Michelle Lien. They not only serve the reservation population but the entire community and tell of God’s love, acceptance and forgiveness. And, they have been given access to the vacant medical clinic in the middle of town to use as a food pantry and service center. Homeless people, abused women, unmarried pregnant teen-agers, destitute men and parents with children can come to the center and get help, physically and spiritually. It’s not really the end of the road, at all. In fact, for many, it’s the beginning. As Willie Nelson would say, “… on the road again. “

 

Perhaps that’s what Jesus had in mind when he said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” St. John 14:6 TNIV

 

Powerful words when you think about people like Matthew, Mark, Luke and John;   Nicodemus, Zaccheus and Lazarus;   John, Peter and Paul. How about the nameless Samaritan woman at the water well in Sychar? Do you think any of these had come to the “end of the road?” When they arrived, with their engines idling and their minds numb with hopelessness and indecision, was Jesus. There all the time, he simply said, “follow me…I not only know the way, I am the way!” 

 

With that in mind, we’ll keep doing the work of Frontier Missions. We’ll keep taking the Good News; keep loving, keep giving and keep trucking. After all, somebody may be at the end of the road and they need to the know the way, too.

Rick McPherson

December Newsletter, 2009

 

It’s that time of year again, isn’t it? You know, the shortest day, holiday hassles, parties and dinners, Christmas cards, mall traffic, wrapping paper, and  those two page typed letters that your cousin sends. You know, the boring ones?   It’s the season when tempers are twisted and nerves are frayed and everyone wants to know if you’ve resolved anything for the New Year. As if it’s any of their business, after all. Some folks want to just pull the covers over their heads and cry, “Uncle!” Enough, already. Wake me up when the cherry blossoms bloom! 

 

For others, it’s the fireplace and kids on sleds and snowmen with carrot noses and hot chocolate and searching for more double “A” batteries.  It’s the dinner table and home cookin’. It’s slippers and coffee mugs and lights on the tree.  It’s knowing that something bigger and better is happening than what appears. It’s closing your eyes at the end of the day and smiling.   It’s laughter and love.   It’s that time. 

 

It’s that time when we say thanks. It’s that time when we remember. It’s that time when we start to write all the important stuff in one column and the other stuff in another column and realize the first column is way longer. Way, longer. It’s that time when we pick up the phone or write an email to a friend and say, “Been thinking about you. What’s up?” It’s that time to hug a child or read a book or turn off the TV. It’s that time. 

 

It’s that time to remember another year of ministry. Another year of service. Another year of working hand-in-hand with Native Americans.   And if you’re tempted to think that you’ve been forgotten and your work has been lost, let me assure you, that it just isn’t so.   One ancient writer said it this way:

 

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you helped his people and continue to help them.” Hebrews 10:6 TNIV

 

So, even in the middle of the stress that happens at the end of one year and the beginning of another, God assures us that He has everything under control, His control.   And, He reminds us that not only will He remember what we have done, but He equates our service with love toward Him. And, He will continue to do so, as we continue to help others. 

 

With that in mind, let’s get started on another New Year. Let’s anticipate God’s guidance and blessing.  Let’s anticipate loving Him as we love people and help them.  Let’s anticipate the greatest days of our lives.  After all, it’s that time. 

Rick McPherson

November Newsletter, 2009

 

Pulling a six thousand pound fork-lift on a heavy-duty trailer behind a diesel powered utility pickup truck on the Interstate is not for the faint-of-heart. Even when the conditions are just right, you still have to be on your best game when you’re driving.   But, when I got the phone call, early Saturday morning, the conditions were anything but right. In fact, a dangerous situation could have been deadly had our driver not been able to get a disabled trailer safely to the shoulder of the highway. 

We had a team of workers,   scheduled to rendezvous at the offices in downtown Portland, of a large advertising and public relations company that was going out of business. They had called and asked us if we could help them and use the donated furniture and equipment for our work here at Frontier Missions. We said, “yes!”    They said, “Plan to be here on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.”

Logistically this kind of project requires a lot of planning and coordination, not the least of which is renting specialized equipment .   In this case, we needed a trailer to move a fork-lift from here to there and back.   When we loaded the fork-lift we were assured that the weight rating of the trailer far exceeded the weight of the load. So far, so good!

But who knew that just miles from our warehouse the rear tire on the back axle of the trailer would explode at highway speed? The sound of the blowout was so loud that a passing truck driver pulling a boat almost lost control of his vehicle as he pulled alongside of our driver. After successfully and safely stopping, Ken Rueck examined the damages.   One softball sized hole in the sidewall of the tire and a defective wheel were discovered. The bill to purchase a new tire and wheel and pay for the roadside service call was nearly $300.00. Ouch!   But, no one was hurt! That’s the good news.   Stuff can always be fixed or replaced, people can’t. 

Later in the day, after the furniture load was safely on the trailer of one of our big rigs, we talked about some of the challenges that happen regularly here at Frontier Missions as we do our work. It takes effort to fulfill our mission and help Native Americans, both physically and spiritually. Results don’t happen because we sit around and have committee meetings.   The challenges that we face have to be addressed and solved. Prayer, and lots of it, helps us with wisdom and courage to persevere.   And, good old hard work makes the difference between just talking about it and actually getting the job done!

We don’t have an Interstate blowout every day. But, on that day we did and God helped us. He kept us safe. He kept us secure. He kept us by dispatching a guardian angel.  That angel, knew all about trucks and trailers and wheels and tires and the Interstate and I’m glad he did.