This page contains e·mail updates and
e·mail
versions of the
Robinsons' Herald for 2002
(You may click on the links below to
take you specific dates and events.)
Robinsons Herald and Update for December 2002
Update for October 15, 2002
Update for June 5, 2002
Update for May
11, 2002
Update for
March 6, 2002 and prayer being answered
Update for February 21, 2002
Update for February 16, 2002
Emergency notice concerning Walters health February 2, 2002
Robinsons’ Herald
Quarterly Update For October–December 2002
Season Greeting from the
Robinsons on Carriacou,
Hurricane season and the
rainy season are over, and the temperature is now very comfortable. During
the day it averages in the low 80s and the high 70s at night with a nice
stiff breeze. It is my favorite time of the year.
In our last prayer
letter I mentioned a young lady in Windward that had made a profession of
faith in Christ. Several weeks after we began having Bible studies with her,
she suddenly stopped being at home when we were scheduled to come. After
three weeks of her not being home when we came, she finally left a note on
her door informing us that she could no longer have Bible studies. We later
learned that this was her choice for reasons she would not explain. Her
boyfriend was surprised and saddened that she had stopped us from coming by,
even though he wanted her to continue. He would even join in the studies
when he was home. They have since then gone through some very difficult
times that continue to this day. Please remember to pray for this
couple that I will keep nameless.
On a more encouraging
note, there is another mature woman from Windward that had been attending
our services from time to time. She is married to a very nice man, and they
have several children that range from the mid teens to the early twenties in
age. During a time of visitation with her back in November, I had the
privilege to share the gospel with her. Even though I did not press her, she
voluntarily affirmed that her traditional church (Roman Catholic) did not
teach them what the Bible said, but now that she understood she wanted to be
saved from sin and become a child of God. We had the privilege to pray with
her and witness her adoption as a babe in Christ. She has much growth ahead
of her, but she wants to have Bible studies with us. However, and as it
seems with many people here, she has trouble reading for extended periods of
time. Yet she is willing to try. She also shared that she attended the
traditional church of her community recently. Pray for this lady’s
spiritual growth and love for the Lord. Pray for her eyesight as she
endeavors to read her Bible and participate in the Bible Studies. Lastly,
pray for the salvation of her husband and children.
Though we enjoy this
time of the year, it is typically very busy for us. We had several practices
with our young people in preparation for the Christmas program that was
presented on the Sunday morning, December 22, 2002. The children and teens
did a very good job and I believe everyone enjoyed it. Afterwards, we passed
out special gift packets of toys and sweet snacks for all our children and
teens. They also seemed to truly enjoy that.
As we have since
December 1992, we visited the two nursing homes and one hospital on
Carriacou—this time on Christmas Eve. We sang Christmas carols, our children
gave their recitations, and we preached the gospel at all three locations.
After we presented our program, we visited with the patrons and patients,
then presented them with baskets of goodies that included an apple (a rare
treat on Carriacou), a soft drink, a banana, various sweets, and two Bible
tracts. The people appreciated our coming and were encouraged by the fact
that someone thought of them at times when they are often forgotten. In
reality, I believe we were just as blessed by their response as they were by
our coming. I am thankful for the adults that worked faithfully and
tirelessly to make the program a success and supported the special Christmas
Eve visits to those shut in. I believed all glorified the Lord.
Our services at Windward
Bible Church have continued as usual. However, for some reason we have seen
our attendance drop off a bit as in years passed at this time of the year.
As in most churches, we do have our faithful core among both the children
and adults. Yet, when the holidays approach I can also predict who will
‘disappear’ for a while. I am not sure if their absence is due to their
getting busy with house cleaning and visiting with family coming from
abroad. Or if they avoid us because they go to the ungodly festivals that
include music and carousing that go on here during this season. Thankfully,
our attendance is increasing once again now that the holidays are behind us.
Please pray for the growth and faithfulness of all our folks, and pray
for me as I biblically challenge them accordingly.
On other fronts, we have
been engaged in other activities. Linda has continued to work hard with
home-schooling Jeshua and conducting ladies’ Bible studies on Fridays. She
also got the material together for the Christmas program that was presented
by our children and teens. She also put together the gift packets that were
given to our children after the Christmas program. In addition, she headed
up the group that assembled the gift baskets that we gave out on Christmas
Eve in our special services at the nursing homes and hospital. And like many
this time of the year, she has prepared many meals as we entertained many
guests (both expected and not expected) at dinner on several days.
Please pray for Linda as she serves the Lord by performing her many
responsibilities and often tedious tasks.
Jeshua has been working
hard in his studies, and also helping some of our older neighbors by cutting
some of their grass for them as a ministry. He also keeps our vehicles clean
and loves to play basketball. His seems to be working hard at growing as
well, and is now at least three inches taller than his mother! Please
pray for his continual growth (physical and spiritual) and for his learning
in school.
As you should recall
from my previous prayer letter, a young lady from our home church, Rose
Harrison, has been working with us since this past June. She has conducted
herself well, and proved to be very helpful and capable in whatever she was
asked to do. She has helped teach our younger children in Sunday School and
on Wednesday nights, and sometimes conduct and help with ladies Bible
studies on Fridays. She also helped with the Christmas program and helped
Linda prepare many meals (even prepared a few on her own). We are going to miss her when she returns to
the US the middle of this month. Please pray for
Rose Harrison’s safety as she travels back on
this coming January 13th and 14th.
I (Walter) always have a
full plate, but I am trying to pace myself and not over do it for obvious
reasons. Yet, I am continuing to teach adult Sunday School and bring
messages on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday nights. We
temporarily suspended some activities during the busy Christmas holidays,
but we are planning to start them back up now that the holidays are behind
us. This includes our men’s prayer and fellowship time on two Fridays of
each month and visitation in the community of Windward to share the gospel
with others on every other Saturday. We also have regular ongoing visits
with our folks. Please pray that we will be led to hearts that have
already been prepared by God’s Spirit when we endeavor to share the gospel.
Also remember to pray for me as I continue to look to the Lord for direction
and insight to care for the flock that He has placed in my care as the
pastor of Windward Bible
Church.
If you recall from our
last update, a tropical storm passed over Carriacou during the fall that
caused landslides that partially blocked some roads and did some minor
damage around the house. With the Lord’s help I was able to put the downed
guttering back into place and also put our utility shed back on its
foundation. However, I still need to repair a small leak on our roof right
over the kitchen. Please pray for my safety and wisdom to repair the
roof soon.
Thus far, I have also
built some nineteen window and ventilation screens and two screen-doors to
close in the main floor of our rented house to keep critters out. I could
find no one that sells them ready made here or on the mainland. We have
needed the screens for over ten years, but we either could not get the
materials or did not have the time or health to do it until now. I still
need to close in the basement. Please pray as I endeavor to make two
more screen-doors and seven more window screens for the basement floor in
the near future.
In addition to the
above, I have much needed work to do on our vehicles. Our 1987 Dodge Colt
Station wagon has a lot of rusted areas that needs to be cut out and
replaced. I have a new welding torch kit, but I now need the oxygen and
acetylene tanks before I can begin the work. After I replace all the rusted
panels I will need to have it painted—something I am not equipped to do.
Thus, I will have to prepare the body and have a local body shop do the
work. I also need to do some body and transmission work when I take it out
of service to do the other work.
Our church ‘bus’ has
also required some attention. I recently repaired our clutch slave cylinder,
turned a rotor, and replace some brake pads. I also had to replace the front
tires. It has much rust that needs to be repaired and the front suspension
is worn out. I am preparing to replace bushings, ball-joints, and tie-rod
ends. The good news is that roads on Carriacou are now in much better shape,
thus the repairs should last a long time once completed. I am also hoping
that our vehicle will require much less maintenance. Please pray for
the extra funds for material and parts, as well as my wisdom and strength to
make the repairs.
I still have much work
to do at our meeting place. The most pressing needs right now are to
complete the wiring and get our own power meter, and build a small septic
tank so that we can put in a much, much needed bathroom. Our landlord has
already given us the okay to do the work. All we need is the materials and
labor. I estimate the cost for the materials needed for the septic tank to
be around $1,500.00 (US$). I believe some of our men will supply much of the
labor to build it. Once the septic tank is in place, we will move on to the
next phase of adding the bathroom. Please pray that the materials and
labor will be supplied for the above improvements for our meeting place.
My website, Last Chance
Ministries.com (LCM), is still up and running strong. It seems to be a
viable ministry that is ministering to people all over the world in many
ways. You can read through the comments left in my Visitors' Journal by those that
have taken the time to make an entry by clicking
here. Regardless of how
visitors find my site, they have an opportunity to learn more about our work
on Carriacou, read the gospel, and learn more about the Lord and His word. A
gracious man and his brother that owned their own ISP company had been
providing me with 100 megs of free space on their server since 2000. I was
recently informed that they are getting out of the ISP service, and I need
to find another server by the end of January 2003. One of the owners is
contacting another company and asking them to take me on. I do not know what
will happen, but I desire your prayers as we wish to continue this service.
Please pray that the Lord will provide adequate space somewhere where
I can post my website and continue this ministry.
Lastly, we need
your help with the following.
Lord willing, Jeshua will be eighteen in November of 2004. Consequently, we
would like to schedule a furlough for about six months in length, beginning
around March in 2005. We took our last official furlough in 1996. However,
we took the opportunity to report to many of our supporters during our
emergency medical furlough late in 1999 and early in 2000. And as you may
recall, we took another emergency furlough early in 2001 when my leg was
broken in an accident. Later in the fall of that year we reported to most of
the rest of our supporters.
This time we would like
to schedule our furlough with plenty of advance time. We would also like to
share our ministry with many new churches with the goal of the Lord
increasing our support level. We have not said much because the Lord always
supplies our needs. Yet, we are currently about twenty percent
under-supported. As you may image, this hinders us and our work in many
ways. Thus, we would like to enlist your help in recommending good churches
that may be interested in our presenting our ministry. It would also be a
helpful if you could recommend us personally to pastors, mission boards, or
churches that you know. We are willing to go anywhere, even out west as far
as California. (We have been wanting to see the Midwest and West Coast any way.
J)
If you have recommendation, please forward the e·mail address or postal
address to us so that I may contact them personally.
Some may wonder if I am
doing this too far in advance. Yet, I personally know of some churches that
schedule missionaries to participate in missions conferences or otherwise
present their conferences one to two years in advance. Please pray as
we take steps to setup our furlough schedule for March through September of
2005.
Thanks to all for your
faithful support and prayers. As always, we know that we could not be here
doing what we do if our friends and supporters were not where they are and
doing what they do. May the Lord continue to bless each of you as you touch
our lives with yours.
Still looking up for Him,
Walter for all the Robinsons, and Rose, on Carriacou
Update from the Robinsons on Carriacou
October 15, 2002
(Prayer Request are in red)
Dears Friends and Supporters of the
Robinsons on Carriacou,
Greetings from lush and green Carriacou!
Our cistern runneth over! This is hurricane season, and we are located right
smack in the middle of “Hurricane Alley.” A month ago a tropical
depression passed over Carriacou and barely gave us a little rain and a
pleasant breeze that cooled things off. That depression later developed into
Hurricane Isador, and eventually reached the US and caused much flooding.
But one week later, on Monday, September 23rd, tropical storm
‘Lili’ barged onto Carriacou with her full strength at about 10:30 to 11:00
PM! The storm had sustained winds of 50 - 60 mph, but gusted higher at
times.
We had rain and wind like I had never
experienced before, and it lasted for about eight hours! The power went off
at around 2:30 AM, Tuesday morning, and did not come back on until about
4:00 PM later that day. As I understand it, we got somewhat over ten inches
of rain (for which we are very thankful). We had several mudslides, which
mostly made some roads difficult to pass, but four-wheel-drive vehicles and
trucks were able to slowly pick their way through. Most of the people here
tell me that the only time they saw worse was when hurricane Janet
hit Carriacou in 1955. We are thankful and praise the Lord that no one was
injured and no major structural damage occurred to businesses or residences
— as far as we know.
Our house and yard faired good, and we
suffered only relatively minor damage. Our papaya tree was bent over, and
several of our banana trees were knocked down. A small utility shed (8X10)
was also pulled loose from its foundation and moved back about six inches.
One eight foot section of rain guttering also came down from the house. I
did not get to sleep until about 4:00 AM, due to remaining on alert for
possible rain coming in, windows breaking, or the sections of roof coming
loose. Thankfully, none of that happened. Yet, we did get some rain seepage
through our roof and ceiling in the kitchen, but the total was one to two
gallons, 90% of which we caught in buckets and pans. We are indeed thankful.
I have already repaired the gutter, but the shed is going to take a lot more
work.
Our meeting place for Windward Bible
Church also faired okay. Before the storm hit, we discovered that Lili had
strengthened to 50 mph and seemed to be getting stronger each hour. Since it
was supposed to hit us later that day, we figured that we should move
EVERYTHING out of the sanctuary, which ends at the rear wall that is right
on the shore and about six feet above sea level. We moved all furniture,
pews and chairs, and other equipment to our office and Sunday School rooms
that are situated toward the road. Praise the Lord, all was fine on Tuesday,
but we did have a large water puddle (~ 7 in diameter, and 1” – 2” deep) in
the area from the front pews to the pulpit stage. It took about 45 minutes
to get it up and we got everything back into place, and we had service as
usual on Wednesday. Praise the Lord for His mercy and grace!
Please remember to pray for our protection
during hurricane season that lasts from June through the end of November.
As many of you know from our last update
back in June, we went to Puerto Rico at the direction of a doctor who had
previously and graciously gotten approval for me to undergo the CardioSeal
procedure there. At the same time a family matter arose back in Beckley, and
airline passage was provided by family that enabled us to make the trip
there. We were able to schedule our return trip back to Carriacou through
Puerto Rico so that I could undergo the procedure. However, after we arrive
on the Isle of Enchantment, a hospital administrator pulled the plug and
cancelled the procedure without explanation. We were surprised and
disappointed, as was the doctor, but we believe the Lord simply revealed
that He desires us to trust Him and wait for His perfect timing and
provision at another time and place.
I do very much still desire to have the CardioSeal
procedure done. Please pray with us as we look to and wait on the Lord in
this matter. Pray also for my health as I am looking to Him to keep me
stroke free. I have okay days and then more difficult ones.
We were stuck on Puerto Rico for a full
week, and we got to do some sightseeing. We even visited the largest radio
telescope in the world at Arecibo. I enjoyed that immensely, and I believe
Linda and Jeshua even found it interesting. On our last day there, we met up
with Rose Harrison, a young lady that came to Carriacou to work with us for
seven months. Our trip back to Carriacou was mostly uneventful, for which we
are thankful.
Linda and I have known Rose since she
was a small child. She graduated from Southland Bible Institute this past
May, and has been a blessing to us here in many ways. She seems to have
adjusted to living here remarkably well and very quickly! She is helping
with home-schooling, conducting a special class for young children on
Wednesday nights, as well as conducting the small children’s Sunday School
every third Sunday morning. On
top of all that, she also cooks occasionally and helps out around the house
in whatever way is needed. Please
remember to pray for Rose as she seeks the Lord’s will for her life in the
days ahead. She is scheduled to return back home the middle of January.
We were blessed to have a team of
sixteen from Cross Lanes Bible Church working with us on Carriacou the last
week of July. All stayed in out home and got along very well. They conducted
a vacation Bible school for five days, and also held special services from
that Wednesday through Sunday night. Over 140 children attended the VBS on
the last day, and several professions in Christ were made. They provided
beautiful special music, and challenging preaching, and uplifting
testimonies during each of the special services. Needless to say, we look
forward to there coming back as soon as possible. If you would like to see a
photo record of the visit by the group from Cross Lanes, click on the
following link:
Team
From Cross Lanes, West Virginia Comes to Carriacou
During one of our visitation times on
Saturday, I shared the gospel with a young lady in the Windward area. The
Lord touched her heart, and I had the privilege to lead her to the Lord.
Linda and I are holding Bible studies with her on each Thursday.
Please remember to pray for the spiritual growth of
this new believer. Pray also for her health as the doctor has put her on bed
rest until her baby is delivered sometime around November. Pray also for her
boyfriend who has been very gracious and receptive to us and our visits.
There is no need to mention their names at this point.
Over the last few months I have made
several vehicle repairs, and still have many to do. For instance, I need
welding tanks so that I can repaired many rusted areas on our 1987 Dodge
Colt Vista Station Wagon (145,000 miles) and our 18 passenger 1991 Toyota
HiAce ‘Bus’ (364,000 miles). The team from Cross Lanes brought the welding
kit to us this summer. I have also made several pieces of furniture that we
have needed for quite sometime. I still have a few more to make, and all
still needs to be stained and varnished. However, Linda and Jeshua have
assured me that they will handle the final touches.
We’ll see ...
J
Please pray for our health and safety as we
work to meet these needs.
Since we returned to Carriacou back in
September of last year, I have been bringing a series of messages to our
folks to challenge and instruct them in serving the Lord.
Sunday mornings I have been presenting
numerous messages on living in last days with an evangelical emphasis.
Recent technological advances and political developments have provided rich
fodder and inspiration. For instance, I am amazed at the VeriChip that has
been promoted on numerous respectable and well known news reporting
agencies, including CNN and the BBC. Just in case you have not
heard, the VeriChip is an implantable device microchip about the size of a
grain of rice. It is to be injected just under the skin and is passively
powered and activated so that a person can be tracked by using GPS (Global
Positioning Satellites). This minute device also contains a small data base
to supply information about the host. Some families have already had them
implanted, and consequently, this is not science fiction or technology that
is still on the drawing board. It is here, and it is currently being
implemented voluntarily
by those who desire to have its benefits. It is being touted as the answer
for keeping track of children and monitoring sickly adults or convicts. The
recent events of 9/11/2001, as well as the recently highly profiled cases of
child abductions makes such technologies more palatable by even the most
privacy loving individuals. This is a marvelous
time to preach what the Bible has predicted about the global money system in
which no one will be able to buy or sell unless they have the mark (cavragma
,i.e., something stamped or impressed into the skin), number,
or name! See Revelation 13:16 – 18.
I concluded an extensive series of
lessons that began with looking at the works of the flesh in Galatians 5 in
Sunday School about three months back. I then progressed on to contrasting
them with the fruits of the spirit. A few weeks back I have began to take a
close up look at the person of the Holy Spirit, His manner of operation in
the Old Testament as compared with His workings in the New Testament, His
coming to indwell believers, and His ministry in the life of believers.
For several months on Sunday nights we
had been going through Biblical creation in Genesis. We are continuing on by
laying a historical and Biblical foundation for God’s eternal plan of
providing the Savior for all mankind.
For several months, on Wednesday nights,
we had been laying a Biblical foundation for the proper understanding of
spiritual gifts. Chapters 12, 13, and 14 of 1 Corinthians have served as
most of our textual basis. About one month ago we have finally began to
consider each gift. Our goal is for each of our people to realize the
calling of God upon their lives and the gifts He has provided for all to
carry them out.
Please remember to
pray for me as I continue to look to the Lord for direction and insight to
care for the flock that He has placed in my care as the pastor of Windward
Bible Church.
Along with her other regular activities,
Linda has been busy with home-schooling, teaching children’s Sunday School
every third Sunday morning, and holding a weekly get-together and Bible
study for the ladies on Fridays. She works late to prepare several nights
each week. Please remember to pray
for her as Linda works tirelessly to serve the Lord her on Carriacou.
Jeshua has been working hard in school
and moving more into the realm of adulthood with each passing moment. He is
now about two or three inches taller than his mom, his voice is much deeper,
and he is beginning to think less like a child in many ways.
Please remember to pray for Jeshua as he seeks the
Lord’s help in his preparation to become an adult. Also pray as he seeks the
Lord’s direction and provision for what he will do in two or three years.
Lord willing, he will celebrate his 16th birthday this coming
November 13!
(Man, where did the time go?!)
All that has been done to further the
Kingdom of God here on Carriacou is a direct result of the Lord’s
faithfulness, and the faithfulness of His children that have been graciously
supporting us. Until we see you in heaven, thanks for making the sacrifice
on our behalf.
Still looking up for Him,
Walter for all the Robinsons, and Rose, on Carriacou
Update
June 5, 2002
Dear Friends of the Robinsons,
This is a note to all on our mailing
list who have expressed a desire to stay informed on what is happening with
us so that they may pray accordingly.
As you may recall from past e·mails,
after I had suffered stroke symptoms a few months back, a doctor and
hospital administrators in Puerto Rico graciously committed to make
arrangements so that I could undergo a CardioSeal procedure to close up the
defect in my heart (Patent Foramen Ovale, or PFO) without any cost to us.
This happened after another gracious doctor in Detroit, Michigan, who
emailed me and asked if I would like to get the defect corrected if he could
work it out. In any case, the doctor in Detroit contacted the one in Puerto
Rico, who is a former colleague with whom he had worked in Detroit. The
doctor in Puerto Rico began to inquire to see if the procedure could be done
there since it was much close to Grenada and would be a lot less expense for
us to travel. A week or so later, the doctor in Puerto Rico emailed me
inform me that administrators there seemed eager to help and contribute
their part!
After a few months of working out the
details, the first part of May we were told that we could plan on meeting
with the doctor on or about Monday, June 10, but should arrive a day or two
earlier. I was also told that the procedure would be likely carried out on
June 11 or 12, the following Tuesday or Wednesday, I would remain overnight
in the hospital, then be released to return to stay someplace wherever we
could make arrangements in Puerto Rico.
In the mean time, a family matter
arose back in Beckley, West Virginia that required our attention, and funds
to travel were graciously provided by family. (I will say more about our
need to travel to Beckley latter in another e·mail.) Our plans were to travel
to Beckley, spend a couple of weeks there and visit with our sending church,
Cross Lanes Bible Church, for services on a Wednesday a Sunday. We also
planned to met with Cross Lane's youth pastor, Brent Belford, and others
there to answer questions and firm up plans for their sending a team to work
with us on Carriacou the latter part of this coming July. We also met with
Rose Harrison, the young lady who is coming to Carriacou to work with us for
seven months beginning the middle of June.
As of tonight, and with all tasks in
West Virginia completed, we have been feverishly working to gather some
needed items for our car and home, and packing intensely for the last three
days. It is now after 11:00 PM, and we still have packing to do. However,
something arose that made it necessary for me to take the time to compose
this e·mail and get it out right away.
Earlier tonight, I spoke with the
gracious doctor in Puerto Rico as I promised I would this past Monday in an
earlier conversation. He told me that he got a note from the administrator
of the hospital earlier today asking him to contact them right away. That
note has the doctor concerned. Nothing in detail was said, but he told me
that the nature of the note has him concerned that something may be wrong
with the hospital's plan to contribution their help for me to have the
procedure done. Unfortunately, he will not know something more definite
until he meets with the administrator tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, June 5,
and we will not know more until we speak with him after we arrive in Puerto
Rico later in the evening.
Our airline tickets, which are not
changeable and nonrefundable, dictates that we fly out of Charleston
tomorrow (Thursday, June 5) morning at 6:55 AM. We have to be at the airport
at 5 AM. We are schedule to change planes a couple of times and arrive in
San Juan at 5:25 PM. We are then scheduled to be on Puerto Rico until
Friday, June 14, and then fly on back to Carriacou. Thus, we must go to
Puerto Rico, even though we do not know what lies ahead.
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
SPECIFICALLY.
I know many of you have been praying
much for us, and I do not wish to burden anyone excessively, but I am asking
that all pray for us as we travel tomorrow, Lord willing, and pray
especially for Dr. Rodriguez as he meets with the administrator sometime
tomorrow afternoon. Also pray that the CardioSeal device will also arrive on
Puerto Rico in time for the procedure to be done. As I understand it, a
representative from the company that makes the device was planning to bring
it in person, but he is currently in Paris and having trouble with making
flight arrangements to get him to Puerto Rico in time for the procedure to
be done.
We will need to rent a vehicle to get
around, as well as provide our food. Calvary Baptist Tabernacle, a good
independent fundamental church and Bible college in Caroline, Puerto Rico,
is making its prophet's chamber available for our family. The only contact I
have right now is at tel. # 787-769-0055, ext 21, Dr. Ray Borah. We are
deeply thankful for their help in providing us a place to stay. We are now
looking to the Lord for extra provision for the other expenses we will
likely incur while in Puerto Rico.
If anyone wishes to contact us by
phone (we will likely be up all night) before we leave tomorrow, you make
reach us at 304-776-4014. Any who may be led to help in some way may do so
through our Mission Board, Holy Mount Baptist Missions Helps, or Cross Lanes
Bible Church (both can make funds available to us very promptly). To learn
how to get help to us quickly, you may contact Holy Mount Baptist Missions
Helps at 423-247-1212, and Cross Lanes Bible Church may be reached at
304-776-1619. Please let them know that any special help is for us while we
are in Puerto Rico.
Thanks ahead of time for your prayers
and other help. I hope to send out an e·mail tomorrow night or Friday to
update everyone, if MSN has a local access number there.
Still looking up for Him,
Walter Robinson II
May 11, 2002
Update on the
Robinsons on Carriacou
Dears Friends and Supporters of the
Robinsons on Carriacou,
Greetings from the beautiful Caribbean!
This year the weather has been unusually nice throughout the dry season,
which runs from December to June. We have had cooler comfortable
temperatures, a good breeze on many days, and even numerous good showers
throughout this period that is normally very arid. It also seems the rainy
season has begun a bit early, and already our 14 square mile island is
beginning to turn a lush green. However, this also means that hurricane
season is upon us once more! Please check the weather channel periodically
and watch for any threatening weather patterns that may be developing and
coming across the Atlantic from Africa and pray accordingly. Thanks!
A couple of Sundays back, we had a very
nice and blessed baptism service for three of the folks at Windward Bible
Church. There was one young lady in her early twenties, and two teenage
boys, ages 15 and 17. They had all completed a preparatory class that
enabled them to do several things. They each gave a clear testimony of their
salvation, were instructed on the Biblical purpose for believer’s baptism,
and they got a chance to ask questions and enter into dialogue. They had
previously attended a special class on the biblical purpose of baptism. I
hope to have photos of the special occasion posted on our website sometime
this month, so stay tuned!
On a more personal note, we now have
more definite plans for me (Walter) to undergo the CardioSeal procedure to
close up the defect in my heart. The plan is for us to arrive in Puerto Rico
on Thursday, June 6, and see the doctor either on Friday or the following
Monday. I am then to undergo the procedure on Tuesday or Wednesday, and stay
overnight in the hospital. On Wednesday or Thursday I am to be released from
the hospital, and finally cleared to return to Carriacou the following
day—Lord willing on all, of course.
If we have a day free before or after
the procedure, we would also like to see some of Puerto Rico. I (Walter) am
especially interested in seeing the largest radio telescope in the world at
Arecibo!
We are trusting the Lord to provide for
us to stay someplace in Puerto Rico for those eight days, and would
appreciate your prays for this matter also.
We already have tickets that are
supposed to get us to San Juan on June 6 at 3:20 PM, then depart San Juan on
June 14 at 5:25 PM to arrive back in Grenada at 7:58 PM. Needless to say, we
would very much appreciate your prayers for us through all the travel—and
especially as I undergo the procedure.
Thanks ahead of time for your prayers,
Walter for all the Robinsons on Carriacou
Update for
March 6, 2002
and prayer
being answered
(Revised for posting on LCM)
Dear friends and supporter of the Robinsons on
Carriacou.
I have gotten a few notes from people who are committing to pray for us on
specific days, but we need more. I am actually logging them on a document so
that I can keep track. One particular family has graciously committed to
pray everyday, but there are still a few days to which only they have
committed. I realize that it is likely that there are people praying for us
each day, but getting commitments is one way of making sure that we are
covered every day. I believe that that new prayer effort is at least
partially responsible for the blessings we are able to report today.
This day has been one of encouragement and blessing for my family and me. I
wanted to pass this on to all right away so that you may be blessed also,
and that you may continue to pray effectively and effectually for us.
First, the Lord is wonderfully answering praying concerning my health. I
have been speaking in each service for the last week and a half. In
addition, I am no longer having the nervous spells that kept me somewhat
unsteady since the recent event. I still have some other lingering affects,
but they are not noticeable most of the time.
Next, and this is a real biggie, the Lord is wonderfully answering praying
about getting the hole closed up in my heart. As I explained in my last
e·mail, a gracious doctor in Detroit had been working to make arrangements to
see if he could have the CardioSeal procedure done for free. He also told me
that he had a former partner that was now working in Puerto Rico, who could
also look into having it done there so that we would not have to travel as
far.
Earlier today, I got a very encouraging note from the Dr. in Puerto Rico,
and I have pasted it below so that you can read it for your self.
(In that letter the
doctor excitedly informed me that hospital administrators in Puerto Rico had
graciously consented to contribute the use of their facilities to allow me
to undergo the procedure at no charge!)
Praise the Lord! Thanks to everyone for praying about this need, and please
continue to pray as the final details are worked out (including our
arranging to get to Puerto Rico). Also, please continue to pray that I will
remain stroke free from now until the procedure has been done and the device
has been covered with my own heart's tissue.
The above alone is reason enough to shout and jump with glee and
thanksgiving, but there is more!
Earlier today, I received a phone call in which I spoke with Pastor Brent
Belford of Cross Lanes Bible Church (our sending church). He and about six
other adults, and some thirteen teenagers are planning to come to Carriacou
during the last week of July! They are planning to hold a Vacation Bible
School, hold special services, and even help with some work that needs to be
done around here! Please pray for them as they make all the arrangements.
All of the adults are close friends of ours, and the teens will most likely
be many of Jeshua's friends. All this is encouraging beyond words. But, I
still have a couple more blessings to share.
A friend of ours, John Crabbe, from Village Bible Church, Fonda, New York,
is scheduled to be on Carriacou and minister in special services at Windward
Bible Church on the 17th through the 20th of March (Sunday through Tuesday).
He will then speak at Open Door Independent Baptist, with Pastor John
McPherson's flock on that Wednesday, the 21st. On Thursday, Brother Crabbe
is scheduled to travel to the Grenada mainland and minister to the folks of
Providence Bible Church through that Sunday, with Pastor Casimer Thomas.
Please be in prayer for the services. Pray especially for revival of our
people, and for many of the lost in Windward to come out, hear the gospel,
and be saved.
Lastly, a godly young lady is also planning to arrive here around the first
of June and work with us until December! We have known her ever since she
was a very small child growing up at Cross Lane Bible Church. Her name is
Rose Harrison, and Lord willing, she will be graduating from Southland Bible
Institute the end of May. She is currently a member of Temple Baptist
Church, in Flatwoods, Kentucky. The pastor there is James Pridemore. I
believe she will be a tremendous help and encouragement to us. She is
currently looking to the Lord to raise up funds for her expenses. If you
wish to help, you may contact her pastor at 606-836-7115 (home) or
606-836-6294 (church).
I trust that the things I shared in this e·mail will bless you as much as
they have us. Again, thanks for praying, and continue to do so.
Thanks again for your prayers and notes of encouragement.
Still looking up for Him,
Walter Robinson II
Update for
February 21, 2002
To friends and supporters of the Robinsons.
We are still waiting on the Lord for direction and provision as to what to
do at this point. I will let you know as soon as I hear either way
concerning the procedure I would like to undergo to fix the hole in my
heart.
With the Lord's help, I was able to preach Wednesday of last week, taught
adult Sunday School and preached this past Sunday morning, and preached this
past Wednesday night. I still have periods of nervousness, but they are less
intense and occur lest frequently as times goes on.
This past Tuesday and yesterday Linda, Jeshua, and I went out and walked
three miles on each day. I am hoping that this will improve my stamina and
my frame of mind. Except for my lower legs being very sore from the walking,
the exercise does seem to be helping.
The services at Windward Bible have been going on as usual. We did have to
curtail the youth meetings on Thursdays, and both the Ladies' and Men's
meeting on Fridays. However, a man in our congregation readily and
graciously filled the pulpit completely for the first week and a half after
my last illness.
Not intending to sound melodramatic, I believe that we are currently under
severe spiritual attack. Many good things are happening at Windward Bible
Church, and I am sure that Satan is trying to put a stop to it. For example,
we currently have five people going through a class in preparation to be
baptized. Two are adult women, two are male teenagers fifteen to seventeen
years of age, and the other is a teenage girl about thirteen.
It is my hope that many of you will write back and tell us that you are
committing to pray faithfully for us on at least one day a week, and what
day you plan to do so. My goal is to have every day of the week covered with
someone lifting us before the throne of God and waging war on our behalf in
the spiritual realm.
- For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)
- For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; (2 Corinthians
10:4)
As the commitments to pray come in, I will endeavor to
keep those on our mailing list informed as to how many are praying and on
what days. Thanks ahead of time.
Again, thanks for your prayers, and please do not let up. Instead, I plead
that you bear down in prayer as we continue to wait on the Lord and carry on
with the work as He enables us to do so.
Still looking up for Him,
Walter for all the Robinsons on Carriacou
Update for
February 16, 2002
Dear Friends and Supporters of the Robinsons
We are all doing okay, and I (Walter) am slowly getting more of my stamina
back each day. Praise the Lord, I was able to preach this past Wednesday
night.
I still have periods of nervousness where I get jittery, often when I am
eating a meal. The latter may be due to a virus or something I am fighting
off. Last night I had a pretty bad case of diarrhea that kept me awake until
after three this morning. It left me feeling wiped out and weak. It also
aggravated another problem that I have been struggling with for several
years, but had been mostly under control for the last two. I suspect that
the stress of the last two weeks have contributed to this problem. Please
pray for me as I also deal with a troublesome hemorrhoid.
Shortly after I sent out our previous update last week, I received replies
from two doctors that also receive my e·mail updates. One is a personal
friend in Charleston, WV, who wrote to tell me about a new device and
procedure that could help me. The other has a practice in Detroit and as of
right now is currently working on my behalf to procure the same device and
the services to install it. Dr. Tom Forbes is the Director of the
Catheterization Lab at the Children's Hospital of Michigan, in Detroit. I
first became acquainted with him the middle of 1998 after I suffered the
first stroke.
Dr. Forbes is hoping to use this relatively new catheterization procedure to
install the device, called a CardioSeal. It is a combination of a spring and
Dacron patch. Once installed, the heart grows new tissue over it,
effectively closing up the hole and eliminating any more risks of small
clots forming and breaking loose where they can cause strokes. If Dr. Forbes
is successful in his efforts, he would install the device on an outpatient
basis, and I would be in the hospital only for about four hours after the
procedure. He would not even have to put me to sleep to do it! Afterwards, I
would have to take aspirin for about six months to give the tissue time to
grow over the Dacron materiel. I would likely continue to take a low dose of
aspirin just for extra protection since I do have a replacement aortic valve
that was installed in 1990.
This procedure gained government approval the middle of 1998, and about four
thousand have been successfully carried out all over the world to date.
Those of you that have been getting our updates probably recall how we
wanted to have the procedure done the latter part of 1998, and took every
step possible to do so. However, we could not manage the costs for having it
done. This time Dr. Forbes is trying to get the company that makes the
device to donate one. He is also offering to personally install the device
for free. Lastly, he is trying to get the hospital to donate their services.
He tried to do this back in 1998, but the hospital balked because it was
concerned about possible large expenses it could incur in the unlikely event
that something went wrong and they had to open me up to perform emergency
open heart surgery. Thus, we could not have it done at that time.
I am asking all to pray reverently for Dr. Forbes and us. Pray that the Lord
will provide and bless Dr. Forbes' gracious desire to help us in these
matters. I have never met him personally, but he seems like a man that is
very compassionate toward people who are hurting. I hope to meet him in
person. Also, pray for the Lord to make His perfect direction and will known
to us in the days ahead.
Thanks ahead of time for your prayers on our behalf. Thanks also for many
e·mail notes and cards that we have been receiving.
Looking up for Him,
Walter Robinson II
PS: Many of you have sent personal notes. I hope to respond to all, but it
will likely take me some time to do so. Thanks for your understanding.
Update for February 7, 2002
NOTE: I apologize for the length of this
letter, but I believe it is necessary to inform our supporters and prayer
partners on all that has happened, what we are learning, and what we plan to
do. In doing so I hope that each will be better informed on how to pray for
us.
Dear Friends of the Robinsons,
Thanks for the prayers and notes of encouragement. I am doing much better,
and in fact, I seem to be back to my 'normal' state of health. Strangely, it
seems that this recent event left me with improved sensation in my right
upper torso, right arm and hand, right foot, and the right side of my face.
This had been somewhat diminished after my first cerebral accident back in
April of 1999.
I am taking things slow, and getting as much information as possible so I
can make wise and informed decisions in the days ahead. I have been in
contact with the neurologist that treated me in April of 1999 after my first
stroke. I have also had conversations with the doctor here on Carriacou that
has examined me. Lastly, I have also been in contact with Consolidated
Medical Management, LTD in Trinidad, to get an estimate for getting an MRI
and Echocardiogram/with Doppler diagnostics run. (Trinidad is located about
100 miles south of the mainland of Grenada.)
I had initially hoped to fly down and get the tests run the latter part of
this week. But a missionary friend, that now lives and works in Grenada,
told me that this would be a very bad time to go. Trinidad is gearing up for
its annual Carnival, which is much like Louisiana's Mardi gras. The island
is filled with much revelry, drunkenness, loud music, etc. Like the season
on Carriacou, the population increases and the island becomes quite
congested. Many businesses also shut down, and those that are open often are
not operating at full capacity.
Since the Carnival is scheduled to go full-tilt on this coming Monday and
Tuesday. I am likely to plan on going down the latter part of next week. We
also expect to incur from $1000.00 to $1,500.00 (US$) for the tests, which
will have to be paid for up front.
The neurologist in Charleston, West Virginia, the doctor here, and I all
agree on what probably caused this recent illness. It is likely that a very
small blood clot had formed in a small abnormal opening located in the upper
chamber of my heart. It then broke loose and got lodged somewhere in the
left side of my brain. This abnormal opening (Patent Foramen Ovale), a birth
defect, was discovered after the stroke in 1999.
As a think back, I can remember numerous times when I had likely experienced
small strokes from this abnormality, beginning in early adulthood. On one
occasion, when I was about 19, I nearly passed out after seeing double,
before everything finally faded to black for nearly a minute. At other
times, I recall numerous periods where I had brief problems with my vision.
These were mostly short periods of seeing light streaks or seeing the
visible world seemingly shake back and forth before me for 10 to 15 seconds.
In addition, and I believe significantly, all of these problems ceased
completely after I began the mild anticoagulation therapy after the first
stroke! That was when I began to take one to two regular strength aspirin
per day.
After much consultation, comparing this episode with the previous one, and
reviewing my lifestyle leading up to the scary event this past Saturday
night, I believe I have a good idea of what likely contributed to my
problem. Some three to four weeks back, I made some drastic changes in diet.
I had not really gained much since we returned to Carriacou, but I have been
wanting to get my weight back down to what I believe is good for me for
several months. In any case, my new eating habits had increased my intake of
vegetables and decreased most of everything else. Normally, this would be
good for any one, but in my case, I have to be careful on just what type of
vegetables I eat. To make a long story short, I had unwittingly been taking
in large doses of vitamin K.
Vitamin K increases the clotting factor of blood. I knew to stay away from
greens, asparagus, broccoli, etc, but I did not know that cabbage also
contained this vitamin. I had begun to consume one or two servings of slaw
that is made from raw cabbage, and two scrambled eggs each day. Since the
recent experience, I have discovered that egg yolks are also filled with
vitamin K. Unfortunately, I had not balanced my new dietary intake by
getting regular portions of garlic and onions, which act as natural blood
thinners. I believe I now understand better why I normally crave the latter
two.
To make matters worse, after I had surgery to repair my leg last year, I was
told that one adult low-dose aspirin should be enough to protect me from any
more clots. It appears that such was sufficient — until I changed my diet.
I was amazed after I realized how the events that preceded this recent
experience were almost exactly the same for the one back in 1999. Back then,
as was with this case, I had drastically changed my diet and unknowingly
increased my intake of vegetables that are rich in vitamin K. However, that
episode was much more severe and the effects were much longer lasting that
time. But unlike the first time, this time I was taking a daily regimen of
low dose aspirin. Though very scary, this one did not progress to the degree
that the first one did, and the recovery began after about one-half hour
from the onset and was mostly complete by the next morning. Praise the Lord!
I have been loosing weight, and have lost some 10 pounds. (I still have at
least 30 – 40 pounds to go.) I am still eating less, but more wisely now. I
am also taking vitamin E and getting more onions and garlic in my diet,
which are all natural blood thinners. I have faith that this will protect me
from any more strokes.
Obviously, the neurologist prefers that I immediately go on a prescribed
blood thinner such as coumadin, heparin, or warfarin. However, there is much
maintenance and danger associated with such therapy, especially because of
where we live. I knew a missionary, who about ten years ago, got into
serious trouble on the Grenada mainland because her bleeding time was not
managed properly. She had also had a heart valve replaced, but unlike mine,
hers was a mechanical type that required blood thinning. Consequently, I
prefer the natural way to thin my blood if possible. I am also now taking
one regular strength aspirin a day, as opposed to the low dose one that I
was taking before. Besides, even if I did begin a prescribed blood-thinning
therapy, it can also be affected by taking in too much or not enough vitamin
K.
I do intend to get the tests run in Trinidad. Both doctors have advised me
to do this to make sure that I do not have vegetation on my aortic valve due
to bacterial endocarditis, and also insure that I did indeed have a
temporary cerebral blockage instead of a hemorrhage.
I am encouraged and looking for much better days ahead. I am still leaning
on the Lord for wisdom, courage, and leading. I would appreciate your
prayers for our entire family and me as we continue to do so. I plan to keep
everyone posted as we learn more.
I continually strive to remain open to the Lord's leading, but He never
promised that the life of a missionary would be a picnic and without its
trials. My state of mind is expressed precisely in the inspired words as
penned by the Apostle Paul:
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our
tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble,
by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the
sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by
Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and
salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which
we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and
salvation. (2 Corinthians 1:3 – 6)
Still looking up for Him,
Walter Robinson II
Emergency notice concerning
Walter's health February 2, 2002
Dear Friends and Supporters,
About 8:00 PM, tonight, Saturday, February 02, 2002, I suffered another
cerebral event. It begin very much just as the one I suffered in April of
1999. I lost the use and feeling in my right arm and hand, could not
swallow, and lost the ability to communicate. I was conscious the entire
time, however somewhat confused. At one point, I was perspiring heavily and
I feared that I was going to blackout. By God grace, I lay down and pulled
my shirt off, and gradually began to feel better about fifteen minutes
later. I soon regained the ability to swallow and took some aspirin to thin
my blood more.
Linda and Jeshua were with me at the onset of the episode. The hospital here on Carriacou
was phoned, and the doctor graciously came to our home so that he could check me out.
As I suspected, and the doctor suspected, it was likely that another clot
had formed and broke loose from the opening in the upper chamber of my heart
(a PFO, i.e., Patent Foramen Ovale), and had caused a temporary blockage in
my brain in the same area where it occurred last time.
The Lord has been gracious and merciful. It is now 11:30 PM (Atlantic
Standard Time), and I am writing this letter. My speech is nearly perfect
and I am feeling almost back to my normal state. Praise the Lord!
A man in our congregation volunteered to take over the services for me tomorrow, and I will
likely rest to give my strength time to return. I am not weak in any area of
my body from this episode, but I am simply weary and worn out from the
ordeal.
I am writing this letter so that you all can be better informed on how to
pray on our behalf. Pray for victory and the Lord's will to be done. Please
pray for our peace of mind and for the Lord's direction to be made clear to
me in every way.
We will endeavor to keep you posted on any more developments. Thanks ahead
of time for your prayers.
Still looking up,
Walter for all the Robinsons on Carriacou
Copyright © 2000 Last Chance Ministries. All rights reserved.
Revised: June 13, 2006.
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