Dear Soldiers of the Cross,
In my last letter I encouraged you to not let the devil “shut you up, shut you down, sour you, stagger you or stagnate you.” I trust you have not allowed this to happen, but you have been busy about the Father’s business.
The Lord gave us a wonderful opportunity to share our ministry and preach at Providence Baptist Church in Linton, Indiana, and also present our ministry at Seedline International Missions Conference in Brazil, Indiana, where several souls were saved. After these two meetings we headed out west to visit the Kalispell Reservation in Washington State. There are no Gospel works on this reservation, but praise the Lord He gave us a wonderful contact person. The Lord led us to meet the Kalispell Fire Chief, and she is also a tribal member. She said she was saved and would love to help us organize a VBS on the reservation. Praise the LORD! After that successful visit we traveled over to the Kootenia Reservation in Idaho. There are no Gospel works on this reservation as well. Unlike our last reservation, we were confronted with great hostility. The person we talked with at the tribal headquarters gave us a very direct and forceful statement: “We are not looking for God.” As I began to reason with her and share how God had made a wonderful difference in the lives of my tribal members, again she replied, “We are not looking for God.” I then told her I would be back after the coronavirus was over because she does not speak for all the people. Praise the Lord there is a Baptist church just off the reservation, and the pastor has a desire to work with this reservation, so we will be back. Please help us pray for these two reservations that God will give us an open door to share the Gospel. Faith Baptist Church in Spokane, Washington, has already agreed to help with a VBS on the Kalispell.
We then visited a summer camp, The Passage, in Heron, Montana, that is owned by Temple Baptist Church in Knoxville, TN, Pastor Clarence Sexton. Pastor Sexton is giving a week to Native kids to hear the blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ preached. Praise the Lord! Please keep this camp in your prayers.
Well, the trip was not without troubles. I got sick while out west and had a very miserable 4-day drive home. I arrived home November 2nd, had a doctor’s app on the 3rd and was diagnosed with pneumonia, and the next day I was diagnosed with Covid-19. Laboring for the Lord does not exempt us from this world’s troubles, and I am not discouraged but encouraged. I’m doing much better. Please keep me in your prayers; the devil is always trying to stop us.
Update on the Navajo Reservation: At present they have 13,880 cases of Covid-19 on the reservation with 613 deaths. Please keep them in your prayers.
We pray that you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving holiday season with your families.
As We Labor for Christ,
Gerry & Sheril Locklear
Missionaries to the Native Americans