Dear Soldiers of the Cross,
Ms. Sheril and I flew out to Idaho to pick up the RV and while we were there, we enjoyed some precious time with missionary family Brother Joe and Sister Lela Copley. God has used this faithful couple greatly in the ministry of our Native people. Please keep them in your prayers. We were able to bring the RV home without any problems. Praise the Lord!
We had a trip planned to the Nez Perce Reservation in October, but we had to cancel the trip because Ms. Sheril had a bad fall here at the house. Most of you didn’t hear about that because Ms. Sheril didn’t want me to advertise it. While she was cleaning out her car, she stumbled and fell onto our concrete walkway. The fall was pretty much face first. The X-Rays at the hospital revealed that she loosened three of her front teeth and fractured one. She also fractured her left wrist. She had to receive stiches inside and outside of her upper lip. The episode has been very painful for her, but God has been faithful through it all. Her follow-up visits with her dentist revealed that the fractured tooth must be removed. Please keep her in your prayers for she is looking at receiving 3 implants. We, like you, have had our share of ups and downs, but we cannot take you to a place where God has ever failed us. He has always been a “Faithful High Priest”! Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
I want to share with you a wonderful opportunity and open door the Lord has given me. For quite a few years I’ve had a desire to visit the Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts. This is the tribe that Missionary John Eliot worked with during the mid-1600’s. John Eliot had a desire for these dear people to have a Bible in their language, so he learned their Algonquin language. He then created for them an alphabet and also wrote a grammar book to teach them how to read their language. He also translated the Geneva Bible into their Algonquin language. Then in 1663 John Eliot and the Wampanoag people printed the first Bible printed in America. What a great and wonderful history these dear folks have! Now comes the highlight. The week before Thanksgiving I will be traveling to Massachusetts to visit this tribe and preach for them. They have a Baptist church but no preacher. I will also be visiting Harvard University where they have one of John Eliot’s Bibles. What an opportunity! Our hopes are that we can get this tribe involved in Native missions on other reservations. I stand amazed at all God allows me to be a part of while we labor for Him. Please pray for us that we have God’s speed.
As We Labor for Christ,
Gerry & Sheril Locklear
Missionaries to the Native Americans