This page contains cumulative e·mail
updates and e·mail
versions of the Robinsons' Herald for 2004.
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NOTE: You may read our account of surviving through and recovering from
Hurricane Ivan in the updates for September.
The Robinsons’ Herald for
December 2004
Update for Hurricane Ivan
- September 22, 2004 - 4:48 PM
Update for Hurricane Ivan
- September 22, 2004 - 3:40 PM
Update for Hurricane Ivan -
September 17, 2004
Update for Hurricane
Ivan - September 10, 2004 - 10:37 PM
Update for Hurricane Ivan
- September 9, 2004 - 11:20 PM
Update for Hurricane Ivan
- September 9, 2004 - 2:12 AM
Update for Hurricane Ivan
- September 7, 2004 - 10:15 PM
Update for Hurricane Ivan
- September 6, 2004 - 11:40 PM
Update for Hurricane Ivan
- September 6, 2004 - 3:15 PM
The Robinsons’ Herald for August
2004
Update for Tropical Storm Earl -
August 13, 2004
Update for Walter's Plan to return to
Carriacou - June 24, 2004
The Robinsons’ Herald for June
2004
Update for Walter's Medical Treatment in
the US - May 26, 2004
Update for Walter's Medical Treatment in
the US - May 22, 2004
Update for Walter's Medical Treatment in
the US - May 12, 2004
Update for Walter's Medical Treatment in
the US - May 10, 2004
Update for Walter's Medical Treatment in
the US - May 8, 2004
Update for Walter's Medical Treatment in
the US - May 5, 2004
Update for Walter's Medical Treatment
in the US - April 27, 2004
Update for Walter's Medical Treatment
in the US - April 25, 2004
Update for Walter's Medical Treatment
in the US - April 24, 2004
The Robinsons’ Herald
E·mail version for December 2004
Click here to go to that page
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Update for September 22, 2004
- 4:48 PM
Update from the Robinsons on Carriacou - Addendum
Dear friends,
Please pardon this second e·mail. But, I forgot to ask you to pray for
people and organizations around the world to be moved to supply much needed
relief and aid to the folks of both the mainland and our island home of
Carriacou and PM. Earlier today I spoke to the Permanent Secretary of
Carriacou and Petit Martinique, The Honorable Bernadette Lendor Sylvester.
She related the pressing and immediate need for tents and tarpaulins along
with building materials and food stuffs. I have highlighted these needs on
my website and some are responding. Please pray specifically for this need.
Many people in this country of Grenada are truly hurting and need help. I am
scheduled to meet with Mrs Sylvester tomorrow at 11:30 AM.
The response to the pages I created on my website to help Carriacou and
the Grenada mainland recovery from the Hurricane Ivan has received and
overwhelming response. My server stats show that the number of hits for this
month has jumped to nearly 300,000 already. The page that presents the
photos of the hurricane damage has had nearly 2,000 visitors in one week!
Just think of the number of people from around the world that come to view
this page and have an opportunity to see the gospel and hear Bible teaching!
What a tremendous way of getting the gospel and the Word of God to such
large numbers. Please pray for this to be used effectively by the Spirit of
God during these difficult days. I hope to add more photos in the days ahead
as I get time and have opportunity to take them.
Thanks again for your prayers as I keep looking up,
Walter Robinson II
Update for September 22, 2004
- 3:40 PM
Update from the Robinsons on Carriacou
Dear Friends,
Things here are still continuing to improve in
ways. I got back on my roof yesterday to hopefully seal a stubborn leak that
has been difficult to pin down. I then spent the next few hours soldering
(trying) a leak closed in the radiator of our car. It took about eight
tries, with three installations and removing it each time before I it seems
I got it stopped. Whew and PTL! Now all we need is a new vehicle to put
behind the radiator. [I know, it is an old joke, but again, I can either
laugh or cry about it, and I prefer to laugh.
J]
NOTE! Minutes ago I spoke to a representative
for the Grenada Postal System at the Point Saline International Airport and
I got some good news and bad news. The good news is that they hope to resume
mail service to and from Carriacou and the rest of the world next week. The
bad news is that any mail or packages that were in the mail storage
facilities awaiting transport to or from Carriacou on the day of the storm
is lost. He told me that although all items were stored in a secure location
and building that survived the storm, the building was broken into and
looted and everything there was opened and either destroyed or taken during
looting! Anything that was due to be shipped (either by air or surface) to
Grenada after the storm until now should have been returned to the senders.
Thus, if anyone sent anything of value to us
during this period of time (checks or insured packages) you need to take the
appropriate steps. If you sent a check you should e·mail us to see if we got
it, though I have already sent out e·mail notes of thanks to all we have
received to this point already. If you sent an insured package you need to
take steps to recover the loss by redeeming the insurance.
In the mean time, do
NOT send anything to us via the
postal mail system until I notify you that it is okay to do so. Hopefully,
and according to what the gentlemen told me earlier, the okay to resume
using the postal system to send items to us will come next week.
Lastly we had a contractor came
by yesterday to look over the needed roofing job for our home. Just minutes
ago (while composing this e·mail) I received the estimate and need to go over
it and supply that information to the landlord. The landlord has already
expressed a desire to get this remedied ASAP and has indicated that they
will get the funds to us quickly.
We also learned that the
landlord of our meeting place in Windward is supposed to get roofing
material in from Trinidad this coming Saturday the 25th and have
it installed on the following Saturday, October 3rd. Thus, we are
hoping to be able to resume holding services in the village of Windward on
October 3 or 10! Please pray that it will work out for October 3.
Thanks again for your prayers and expressed
notes of concern and encouragement. I do plan to respond to each one
personally just as soon as I get my head above water. Thanks for your
understanding.
Looking up for Him,
Walter Robinson II
Update for September 17, 2004
Robinsons Update From Carriacou
Dear Friends,
Thanks for your continued prayers for us and
also for the people of Carriacou and the Grenada mainland.
I have not sent an update since last Friday,
September 10, 2004. I have been so nonstop busy and on the go that my days
have often ended late at night and with me being very tired. However, it is
the good type of tired experienced after much has been accomplished.
We did finish the roof on the family’s home in
Beausejour this Saturday past. They are now protected from the rain, and
very, very appreciative. And we were all kept safe from injury. Thanks for
praying.
Most of those on the mainland that we had not
heard from since Ivan blasted through here have been heard from and all are
okay. Some suffered lost roofs and extensive water damage, while at least
one had her and her husband’s home to crumble around them in the middle of
the hurricane. Yet they escaped injury by God's grace. (She is now on
Carriacou while her husband is cooking for the troops brought in the help
keep the peace on the mainland.) Please remember to pray for Pastor Milton
Williams and family on the mainland. I still have not heard from him. Also
pray for Keisha Clement, a young lady who came to know Christ here on
Carriacou a few years ago, but moved to the mainland about a year back. We
do not know of her state or status at times time.
This past Sunday morning and night our
congregation joined Open Door Independent Baptist Church in Beausejour. It
was a sweet time of worship, fellowship, and challenge and instruction from
the word of God by Pastor John McPherson. We also joined them on Wednesday
night with a really nice crowd. We and are folks are visiting Open Door
until the roof on our meeting place is recovered with galvanized roofing
sheets.
Our landlord does not have the material or the
money to purchase materials right now, and neither do we. She told me that
if she had the material there are some men in Windward that would install
it. In any case, I currently have little idea on when we will be able to use
our facility again. At this point, I would be willing to temporarily use
another building in another location if we found one available and
affordable.
This is a big need and prayer request for us.
As much as I have been able to determine, it will take between $1,000 and
$1,300 (US) to purchase the materials to cover just our side of the roof.
However, because of the way the building is made, it may not be possible to
keep water out of our side without the roof on the landlord’s side being
repaired also.
To cover the entire building would cost
between $2,000 and $2,500 (US) for the materials. Our building previously
had shingles on the roof, but they had begun leaking about two months back
after she had someone to work on her side. The roof has a pitch of about one
inch per foot, and consequently, shingles should not have been installed on
it any way. Thus, it is our hoping to get corrugated galvanized roofing
sheets to be installed this time.
Speaking of roofs, this past Monday I got back
up on the roof of our home to put “flash-band” (a sticky and gooey tar like
tape) over some nail holes to try to stop a leak over our living room. I
will not know if it is repaired until it rains heavily again. Please pray
that we will get no more water in the house.
Tuesday -- I believe it was Tuesday (my days
are blurred and are running together somewhat) -- I spoke to Bernadette
Lendore Sylvester, the Permanent Secretary (something like a state governor)
and Coordinator for Disaster Preparedness for Carriacou and Petit Martinique
(PM). She confirmed that there were NO
reported injuries for the people of Carriacou or PM! PTL! She also supplied
information that enabled me to set up a page on my website to provide
information on how people around the world can supply needed materials and
other help to the people both here on Carriacou and on the mainland.
I also set up a page where visitors to my
website can see some photos of the damage and destruction that took place
here -- including damage to our meeting place for Windward Bible Church. Use
the following link if you wish to see for yourself:
http://lastchanceministries.com/hurricane_ivan_damage_photos.htm (The
proceeding should all be one unbroken line. Look down the page just a bit to
see our building)
The world’s leading search engine,
“Google,” picked up links to
that page on my domain,
www.windwardbiblechurch.org,
the next day and traffic to my website has increased tremendously. Yesterday
the page with the photos was loaded by visitors over 1,200 times! Some have
sent e·mails and others have signed my
“Visitors’ Journal” to express their thanks for the photos and
the news that no one here died or was hurt. If you want to see the photos
for your self – including the damage to our meeting place’s roof – you can
visit my primary domain at
www.lastchanceministries.com and look for the links at the top that
mentions Hurricane Ivan Damaging
Carriacou.
As I understand it, most homes have their
power and phone service restored on Carriacou at this time. Unfortunately it
is a different story for those on the mainland. Many still do not have
water, shelter, or food. Looting is still taking place and some of the
escaped prisoners are reaping havoc on an already troubled population.
This morning I spoke the manager for the Cable
and Wireless Data and Tech Support department on the mainland. He told me
that many utility poles are down on the mainland and consequently, power and
phone service is not available for most there. No one has any idea when this
will be corrected. The damage is overwhelming. Carriacou was so blessed in
many ways, including with the crews working around the clock to get us
reenergized and reconnected as soon as possible. Please remember the folks
on the mainland and their needs in prayer.
Yesterday, Thursday, at around 7:30 AM, Jeshua
and I began helping John McPherson strip the remaining and damages shingles
off of one side of his roof, and then install new ones. Thank the Lord, we
were able to get the damaged side covered (300 square feet of shingle) by
about 7:00 PM last night. We hope to finish it up later today.
We also hope to do some welding on the frame
of our Vista Station Wagon. It has loud popping and grinding noises coming
out from under the bottom where anchor points to the suspension have broken!
Yikes! I discovered the damage yesterday when I attempted to tighten up
strut bushing nuts that I thought had came loose. The nuts were tight, but
the anchor points on the frame was broken completely loose on one side and
cracked on the other. I think we need to get new bumpers and drop a new car
between them. ;-)
Well, I gotta go. Have to work on the car and
help Brother John with his roof a bit more.
Thanks again for your prayers, and please keep
them going up for us. They do make a difference.
Still looking up for Him,
Walter Robinson II
Update for September 10, 2004
- 10:37 PM
Up date from the Robinsons in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan
Dear Praying Friends,
Thank you very much for your continued notes of concern and
acknowledgements of your ongoing prayers. They do indeed comfort and
encourage us very much. They also spur us to keep going when the going gets
difficult, which has happened a lot here lately. I do plan to respond to
each one personally, just as soon as I find the time and energy to do so. I
also plan to upload photos to my website so that people can actually see
what has happened here. But as you can image, recently it has been go, go,
go from morning until late each night this week. Yet, I believe it is a
necessity to get these updates out so that many can be adequately equipped
to regularly go freely before the throne of grace on our behalf. I assure
you, the Lord is hearing and answering, for which we praise and thank Him
and you for praying.
I am very weary tonight. My left knee is pretty stiff right now. That is
the one I damaged when I hit a cow on my motorcycle on Christmas of 2000.
(Go ahead and laugh. I still laugh to myself from time to time when I think
about how ridiculous the claim sounds, though I assure you it is true.) My
back is also tight and achy. I turned fifty this past June 16, and my body
seems determined to make me feel and act like it. But I am determined to
hang onto feeling forty and foxy for as long as I can.
At any rate, Jeshua and I spent most of the day continuing to help work
on a needy family's roof. It has been a pleasure to work with John
McPherson. He has such a wonderful down to earth spirit and sacrificial
servant's attitude that I am refreshed spiritually even though exhausted
physically by the end of each day.
The needy family is very appreciative and continually looks for ways to
show it by offering us soft drinks, sugar apples (yum, yum), etc. The father
and husband even offered me goat liver today (not so yum, yum), which I
graciously turned down. I am afraid the smell of it would remind me of
Jeshua's room right now!
Today was very HOT and HUMID! I do not think I drank enough water
throughout the day and have been trying to make up for it since I got home.
Now my belly looks and feels like a beach ball that someone put too much air
in. (You have to find reasons to laugh during times like these or you are
likely to find yourself crying.) Notwithstanding, we began working around
11:00 AM and continued until 5:30 PM. The job is taking more time and work
than we estimated, but we hope to finish it tomorrow -- Lord willing.
Our house is no longer bleeding the smelly goo from our ceiling. We hope
to clean Jeshua's bedroom either tomorrow afternoon or Monday -- depending
upon when we finish the roof job.
Today the Lord led and helped me to contact some people in St. Vincent
that can supply shingles and corrugated and galvanized sheeting. Ivan mostly
left them alone as he passed over the mainland of Grenada, Carriacou, and
Petit Martinique. So, we now have a source for the materials we need to get
our meeting place back in order.
However, today I also discovered that my landlord is apparently strapped
for cash right now, and is struggling with a way to pay for the materials
needed to repair the roof of our meeting place. John is also trying to make
arrangements to purchase three squares of shingles (300 square foot) to
repair the roof on his home, but is having difficult getting the funds
because all banks have been closed since the hurricane hit.
Unfortunately, and as I understand it, the banks here conduct funds
transfers through their headquarters on the mainland. Like the post office
and other public services here, they are all destroyed or damaged and will
not likely be open for business anytime soon. I am not sure how this is
going to affect us in the days ahead, but all in this paragraph are matters
that need vigilant prayer coverage.
I am not sure how this is going to work out with our meeting place's
landlord, but appropriate and affordable buildings on Carriacou are far and
few in between. This Sunday we are planning to join John and his
congregation at Open Door Independent Baptist. It will be interesting to see
who and how many show up to give thanks to God for sparing Carriacou of the
nearly total destruction and growing number of deaths (33 as of today)
experienced on the Grenada mainland.
Please pray for the tremendous need of getting the materials to repair
the roof on the meeting place of Windward Bible Church. Pray also for the
Robinson direct need of our rented home's landlord to move quickly to get
our roof properly repaired and upgraded to something durable. From what I am
reading on the Net, this hurricane season is not over and more bullies like
Ivan could show up in the Atlantic before it is over because of changes in
the Earth's weather system.
Again, please, PLEASE pray for the people on the mainland. Pray
especially and regularly for the folks that I mentioned by name in my
previous update. Please add the Butch Mathena and Milton Williams families
to that list. These are all people that we know and care for greatly. Some
have attended our church regularly in the past. Some are those of whom we
had the privilege to lead to the Lord, baptize, and disciple. Others are
good friends and acquaintances. Some have even helped us out during our
times of need while traveling or when we were visiting there for emergency
medical treatment. Many are national pastors or missionary pastors that are
spending their lives presenting the gospel to the people of Grenada. Please,
please, pray for them all by name.
Over the last few days some have written to specifically inquire as to
how they can help or what they can provide -- particularly concerning items
that were damaged or destroyed by the storm. We need hymnals I know.
Frankly, we needed them before the storm because ours were almost worn out.
But now I believe they will be trash after getting baptized by sprinkling by
the raging Caribbean this past Tuesday. (That is the only way baptism by
sprinkling will ever occur in our church!) Also, like most of the other
people here, we hastily purchased plywood, plastic, extra fuel, and many
other items needed to prepare for the storm. We did not have money for that,
and it has strained our already tight budget.
Lastly, keep praying for us and all needs mentioned in this update and
previous ones. Too often after hearing about people going through difficult
trails people remark, "All we can do is pray," as if such is merely some
halfhearted gesture that people offer just to sound spiritual and
compassionate. However, nothing could be farther from the truth for those
that truly pray after making that statement. In fact, the first thing truly
needed is prayer, because our God can move mountains, calm wind and sea, and
protect His children in the hottest of fires. As you can see. I am sold on
prayer, even though I am ashamed to admit, I do not do enough of it myself.
Thanks for putting up with my lengthy updates. But there are some people
who claim they truly enjoy and appreciate them very much. They really do!
As they often say here, "all the best" ...
I continue to look up for Him,
Walter for all the Robinsons and our friends here on Carriacou, Grenada.
Update for September 9, 2004
- 11:20 PM
2004-09-2004, Update from the Robinsons on Carriacou and prayer requests
Dear Praying friends,
The Lord gave us wonderful weather yesterday
evening to repair our roof, and today we awoke to a bright sun quietly
nestled into a rich blue sky that was dotted gracefully here and there with
few white fluffy clouds. It was hot and humid, but there was also a nice
gentle breeze that made it more comfortable for people that perspire easily
– like me.
We got the first uninterrupted night of sleep
since this past Sunday. After Linda cleaned our stove and the rest of the
kitchen, she was able to prepare our first cooked meal and we were able to
eat in our kitchen for the first time since Monday. The stinky drips from
the ceiling have almost stopped in Jeshua's room and the room below it. We
hope to begin cleaning those two rooms either tomorrow or Saturday, Lord
willing. Today I hosed off the veranda (our porch). Please pray that we get
the rest of our house and yard cleaned up and back in order soon. Also pray
that our landlord will have mercy and make arraignments to replace our roof
quickly with something sturdier. And, pray for our meeting place’s landlord
to also have mercy, the means, and the determination to install galvanized
roofing sheets so that we can begin holding services there again soon.
Around 2:00 PM, Jeshua and I joined fellow
missionary John McPherson in Beausejour to help him replace the corrugated
galvanized sheets on the roof of a house. The occupants attend John's
church, Open Door Independent Baptist located about a half a mile from the
house we wanted to repair.
We went with John to Carriacou’s only town of
Hillsborough as he was trying to locate the galvanize sheets we needed to
recover the roof as mentioned above. The two building supply business are
already out of shingles, and running out of galvanized roofing sheets. The
size assortment of the latter is already very limited. It is not likely that
new stock will be coming from the Grenada mainland for only God knows how
long. Even John desperately needs shingles to repair his roof before more
wind and rain comes along and blows the plastic off and soaks the inside of
his home again. Please pray for aid to come to the people of Carriacou. We
need building supplies, skilled carpenters, and many families need clothing,
bedding, furniture, etc.
By the way. I do not think it would be wise
right now to send anything to us through the mail. Our post office has not
been open since the storm passed through, and I currently have no idea when
it will reopen. The government building in town suffered only limited
damage, but I fear that the postal center located on the main land did not
fare so well.
While working on the roof we were up and down
ladders and sitting on 2 X 4s and 1 X 6s about ten feet above the floor.
This was nothing compared to getting on our roof yesterday, or boarding up
the windows on the second story of our home hurriedly on this past Monday
afternoon. The family whose home we are working on to repair has no one else
to help them and they truly are in need. Today I think we got about 60
percent of the job done. We hope to finish it tomorrow, Lord willing.
Please do not misunderstand. Our home in
Meldrum/Belvedere is no where near back to normal. But we do have a roof
over our heads, electricity, dry clothes, dry beds to sleep in, and food we
can now prepare and eat in our kitchen once more. However, the family we are
helping, like many more here, has a lot less and no means to improve their
condition without help. I was nice meeting this family and working with
them. Please pray for us as we endeavor to complete the job tomorrow, Lord
willing. Please pray for our continued safety and effectiveness to finish
the job.
We have been horrified with the reports coming
over the Internet about the Grenada mainland. I initially thought we had
gotten the worst of it, but it is now apparent that the mainland was hit the
worst. Recent reports indicate that at least twenty precious souls lost
their lives there. We have many friends there and have not been able to
contact any of them since about 5:00 PM Monday, when the eye of Ivan hit the
approximately 40 by 20 mile island nation with a population of 100,000.
MSNBC, Fox, CBS, CNN, are all reporting that nine out of ten homes were
damaged or destroyed there!
To make matters worse, the country's prison
was destroyed and the prisoners escaped – including the man the led a coups
d'état and killed the prime minister back in 1983. As of yesterday, the
Honorable Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada, is staying on a British
navel vessel that was sent here with all due speed after Ivan hit. His home
was completely demolished and every church and school in the nation’s
capitol of St. Georges was destroyed!
As I understand it, the United Nations, Great
Britain, and many other Caribbean countries are sending aid, skilled people,
and supplies to the mainland. I am afraid that the folks of Carriacou and
Petit Martinique are far down on the list of getting any of that help – not
because the Government does not care – but because the government is
overwhelmed by the national disaster that has affected literally every
constituent. Petit Martinique (or ‘PM’) is Carriacou’s sister island state
(one square mile in area) that is located three miles to our east with ~1000
inhabitants. I understand that it suffered much damage like Carriacou. Any
way, try to image what it would be like to have 90 percent of the homes and
businesses in your town, city, state, or nation to be damaged or destroyed
in a few hours.
Please pray for Mr. Mitchell and the rest of
those in government as they endeavor to deal with this tragedy. Please pray
also for the following people: Mavis and Augustine Mitchell; Casimer Thomas
and his family and congregation of Providence Bible Church; Richard and
Omega Little; two Cudjoe (Family name) young ladies; Raymond Burkholder
family and congregation. Pray that we will be able to get through to them
and find them safe and healthy soon. People here are very concerned.
The people of Carriacou are a resourceful and
determined lot. I have often found myself smiling and shaking my head in
amazement at the way they are able to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks
for the limited resources they often have on hand. The morning after the
storm, Tuesday, there were caravans of men riding in the back of pickups and
driving around with cutlasses (machetes) and very few chain saws to clear
large trees and telephone poles knocked down by the storm. They had most of
the roads passable in a few hours! Likewise, the crews working for the power
company and the telephone company have been nothing short of remarkable.
Please, please pray for their safety as they work feverishly to restore
these needed services to the people of Carriacou.
Like many more on the mainland, many folks on
Carriacou lost everything but their lives. Others had most of their
possessions damaged by water or blown completely away by the storm. Even
tonight there are families (with small children) and individuals living in
homes that have no roof and even some walls missing. No electricity, no
phone, but thankful to be alive. Even as I am writing this e·mail we got a
brief but heavy shower, and I wonder about those living in roofless houses
that may of had no place else to go. Please pray that some will see the
special need that the people of Carriacou and PM have.
By no stretch of the imagination are we even
close to suffering as the people on the main land are. But many here are
suffering in ways that most in other places will never understand, and they
need help. Please pray for clear skies and no rain while people are trying
to recoup. Pray also that the Atlantic will behave itself and not produce
any more ill behaved children like Charlie, Earl, Francis, and Ivan.
Hurricane Ivan is now heading for Jamaica,
Cuba, and likely Florida between now and the weekend. If you are in his
path, take some caring advice – get out of his way while you have time!
Also, please pray for the people in Jamaica and Cuba. After feeding off
Grenada, Ivan appears to be stronger and hungrier than ever. I assure you,
those people are going to need divine intervention to get through any visit
by Ivan.
Speaking of divine intervention. I am
convinced that it was divine intervention that enabled us and the rest of
the people of Carriacou to fare so well. I also believe that intervention
came from a gracious and loving God that heard the prayers of thousands
approaching His throne on behalf of the people and us here on Carriacou.
Please keep praying. We still have far to go, but each day the light at the
end of the tunnel is just a little brighter and bigger.
Thanks also for the notes of concern,
encouragement, and reports of prayer. It encourages us in many ways and
helps us to keep going. God is so good, and most of His kids ain’t bad
either ...
Still looking up for Him,,
Walter for Linda, Jeshua, the folks of
Windward Bible Church, and rest of people of Carriacou
Update for September 9, 2004
- 2:12 AM
Update from the Robinsons on Carriacou, Grenada -- Showers of blessings are
upon us!
Thanks for praying, and please keep it up!
This update is rather long because there is
much that happened here on Carriacou the day after Category 3 Hurricane Ivan
assaulted us. Moreover, apparently we are the only missionaries hear that
still have internet service. Thus I have shared more than normal for the
benefit of those what also want information about their loved ones and
friend here. Thanks for your understanding.
We got up this morning at 6:00 AM to check on
things around the house, and then our immediate neighborhood. It was
drizzling with only slight gusts of wind were felt. All people around us
were reported to be safe and sound! PTL.
We then ventured gingerly over to Windward. We
had to maneuver around many trees and downed power lines, TV cable, and
telephone lines. The entire island had been out of power since around 5:00
PM last night. (We lost our power at 11:00 AM that morning.) We are very
thankful to report that our building is still standing, and walls and roof
are intact, though most of the shingles had been skinned off when angry
waves riding the storm surge broke over the top of the our building many
times! Many of the hymnbooks we had there are soaked, but all furniture
looks okay and mostly dry.
By this time many folks had gathered in the
streets of Windward to check out the damage, exchange horror stories, and
check on loved ones and friends. I repeatedly heard people breathing, "Thank
God for life!" I can say amen to that.
We then set out for "Top Hill" to check on
some friends so that we could report back to concerned relatives back in the
States. Phone lines to their areas are down and cannot be reached even now
as I write this letter. On the way we saw many homes that were damaged with
missing roofs or worse. Yet, we found our friends safe and sound, though
frazzled as we all are.
From our friends’ high vantage point I got a
bird's-eye view of Carriacou's only town of Hillsborough. I frowned and
shook my head from side to side when I saw several sections with strewn
debris, many houses with roofs missing, and some houses and building that
had been severely damaged or completely destroyed! It was surrealistic. It
was sad. It was solemn.
We then tried to drive down to the back side
of Carriacou to check on other missionary families and friends in Tarleton
Point, Mount Pleasant, and Grand Bay. Phone lines to them are also out. But
the road was blocked by massive trees downed by the hurricane. Yet, the
Harbour Light Radio Station was still on the air and all sounded fine.
We decided to take a tour of the island and
take some photos and movies. We also checked on some who attend Windward
Bible Church. We are again happy to report that all that attend our assembly
are safe and sound. One older lady had lost the galvanized sheets off her
small roof, but her son was already sorting them out and preparing to put
them back on. Everyone else had no problem at all, or suffered only some
water damage as we did.
Notwithstanding, we saw many homes completely
destroyed. We saw two church buildings that were much stronger than ours and
in locations where I thought they would have been shield from the worst of
the wind. However, one lost its roof completely, and the other lost a
substantial part of it. But that is nothing compared to more of what we saw.
Many homes are now rubbish. Many more lost either portions of their roofs or
all of it. In every village I asked if any one was injured. Amazingly, not
one injury had been reported today! PTL!
We then made our way back towards home and
checked on some more of our folks. All were fine. However, as we begin to
come down off a hill overlooking our house, we got a distant bird's-eye of
our home. I pulled my ancient camcorder out, zoomed in, and suddenly
realized why we had gotten so much water in all rooms upstairs but one. We
lost two corrugated roofing panels directly over the kitchen. The panels are
made of a soft asphalt/tar like material that is ~3' X 6' and 1/8 inch
thick. Many more were missing on the other side over Jeshua's bedroom, but I
could not tell just how many were lost from our position on hill.
We went back to the house and tried to figure
out a way to repair our roof with a material that no one now sells or
stocks. Our house is some 20 plus years old and well built except for the
roof. These flimsy sheets did not have plywood beneath them, but had been
nailed to 1" X 6" runners that had been nailed across trusses made with 2 X
6s (or is it 2 X 4s). We finally decided to cover the holes with plastic
sheeting and staple and duct tape it down, not knowing what else to do. But
as we were getting the ladder and material in place, it began to rain again
as a rain-band from Ivan slapped us with a back hand on his way west.
The ¼” of water covering the concrete floor in
our kitchen, as well as everything else we covered with plastic, stank to
high heaven. The water had mixed with bat droppings and formed a brown
slurry that smell like ... well ... uh ... bat ... dung. But it would do no
good to push it out the door because more of disgusting stuff was coming
through the ceiling with each shower and rainy spell. We decided to get some
desperately need rest and sleep and hope that the rain would stop. I also
asked the Lord to have mercy and help us.
I started our fifty year old Onan 4.5 KW RV
generator to power the refrigerator for two to three hours to keep from
loosing its contents. I also needed to recharge the battery on my notebook
computer. Before I lay down, turned the computer on and checked on hurricane
Ivan's doings, my e·mail, and my website stats. I was blessed to find notes
that many had been praying and were continuing to do so. I was also amazed
to see the web-stats for my website (LastChanceMinistries.com and
WindwardBibleChurch.org) had doubled for the last day or two! Moreover, my
bandwidth had nearly quadrupled due to people either listening to our MP3
message or downloading them to listen to later. One eager fellow from Poland
wrote:
"Dear Walter
Last sermons are from March 2004 - so why?
Now we have September. Do you have next
sermons? I want hear them all!
Serdecznie pozdrawiam i zycze milego dnia!
Grzegorz Michalski"
As most of you know, I became ill during March
and was unable to do much of anything. I had two surgeries in May, and
returned to Carriacou on July 10. I was preparing more messages to upload
until Ivan decided to pay us a visit. Please pray that I can get more
messages ready and unloaded soon. I am amazed. He we are digging out from
under a category three hurricane, and the Lord has been allowing me to
preach to and teach this man and others around the world! Only the Lord
could work out such timing when I really needed it.
I was encouraged by Mr. Michalski's note, but
too exhausted to think, to write, to eat, to do anything more at that point.
I fell back into the bed and slept from around 11:30 AM until and little
before 2:00 PM. I woke up because I believe the Lord showed me how to fix
our roof! The solution would be to take the roofing panels I needed off the
veranda (i.e., the porch). I
did not really care if the porch gets wet if I could do something to stop
the water damage from occurring inside the house. With new vigor I got up
and got the family roused and told them what I was thinking. I also shut off
the generator to save gas. From the looks of what we saw earlier in the
morning, it could take several days to a week or more before the power was
restored here. That meant that the gas station would not be pumping gas for
anyone until then.
In either case, a few minutes later Jeshua
told me that he had been talking to a friend and telling him what we were
planning, and his friend volunteered to help us.
Now, if ‘my’ plan was to work, we needed a
large number of special roofing nails that have very large heads, but no
hardware stores were open today. Yet, a few minutes later we were told that
a place in Windward had what we needed. When we got there the store was
closed, but one man told me to go to the owner’s house. We did, and his wife
cheerfully came down and sold us three pounds of those nails. Jeshua and I
then took off the get Franklyn, his friend.
On our way back to the house with Franklyn I
passed a gentleman that is charge of maintaining the electrical power
service here. I told him that we were praying for their safety. We then
entered the village of Bogles and were horrified to see the damage. We did
not see it that morning because the roads going in and out of that section
was blocked. However, the damage there seemed more concentrated and severe
than anything else we had seen that morning! Even our previous meeting place
had lost its roof in its entirety and the landlord’s house that sat right
next to it had its top floor demolished! Please pray for all these folks,
and especially the Hedley and Helena Enoe Family of Bogles.
As I was passing through Bogles, I saw another
man, a friend that works for the power company under the previous man that I
mentioned above. My friend, Raphael ‘happened to see me’ as he was busily
walking up the road against the direction we were traveling. And with a look
of determination and urgency on his face that I cannot explain, and with a
tone of authority that was equally unusual, he told me that we were going to
be the first to get power back on Carriacou!
I had been praying for that, and had asked
many to pray for that as well by e·mail. But, with my littleness of faith I
thought he meant we would be the first to get our power back because we were
in an area that seemed to have not been as severely damaged as others. Yet,
both the 11.5 KV high tension and 230 volt service AC lines between us and
the power station, and also after us were down, crossed, or holding up
broken power poles in various places. Consequently, I really did not expect
the power to be restored until sometime Thursday or Friday at the earliest,
and perhaps after even many more days after seeing the damage done to the
system earlier in the day.
In any case, we got back to the house and
began working around four. Frankly has been Jeshua’s friend for nearly
fourteen years, and he professed faith in Christ at Windward Bible Church
several years back. He also took a step that most are reluctant or slow to
do here. He followed the Lord is believer’s baptism about two years back.
His has been as faithful as he can (sometimes his family has him to help do
work on and around their home on Sunday mornings, and he has also been
working a lot of overtime lately as well. His is a smiling, easygoing, 6’3”
gentle giant of 19 – 20 years of age. And he swings a mean hammer.
With Jeshua and Franklyn helping, and with
Linda supervising from across the road on a hill that enabled her to watch
what we were doing (and also praying that none of us fell off), we finished
just as it got dark around 6:15 PM! PTL. Pray for the repairs to hold,
please.
I was ready to take Franklyn back home to
Belair, but he told Jeshua he would stay and help if we wanted to do more.
So, I started the generator again, turned on our pump and pressurized our
water system, and began to hose down the kitchen as Jeshua and Franklyn
pushed the stinking mess out the door with brooms. In the meantime, Linda
began mopping the same gunk up in the bedroom below Jeshua’s room. If it is
not cleaned up periodically, it creeps into my office where we are currently
sleeping and spending what time we get to rest. We finished the kitchen a
little after 8:30 PM.
I let Franklyn get a shower, then Jeshua, and
then we all prepared to take Franklyn home. But before we left I needed to
turn off the generator by using my homemade power transfer panel. I was
“shocked.” Not because the floor was still wet when I touched the metal
panel and switch. I was shocked
because the local power was back on and up! I shut down the generator, and
my family, waiting beside the car, was pleasantly surprised to see that our
power was back on so soon. Please remember to pray for the safety of the
crews working feverishly to restore power and phone service to all of
Carriacou.
Like Linda and Jeshua, I was exhausted beyond
measure when I got back home. I smelled like bat ... stuff, and after Linda
got a shower I took a cold one as well. Linda has been asleep for quite
sometime. However, I simply had to thank all for your prayers and share the
blessings that I believe has resulted from them. It is my hope that you
would be blessed and encouraged, and keep praying as we still have much to
do.
I need to take the boards down from the
windows on the top floor, which can be perilous. We are also eagerly waiting
for the stinking water that has pooled above Jeshua’s ceiling to finished
draining down so that we can begin to clean up his room and the one below
it. Please pray for all of our health. That water is not only putrid. It is
very dangerous to handle and cleanup. I wish we had full hazmat gear to deal
with this stuff (Oops, that was my old firefighting training and experience
speaking.).
Lastly, remember to pray for John and Karen
McPherson. They are missionaries that work at the Harbour Light Radio
Station and John is the pastor of Open Door Independent Baptist Church here
in Hillsborough. They lost much of the shingles on their roof during the
storm and the items in their house got soaked as they were at the station
while Ivan pass through here. They spent a lot of time today covering their
roof with plastic and trying to dry things out – including their mattresses.
I spoke to John a little after 10:00 PM, and he sounded quiet and very
tired. I know the feeling. He has to locate shingle someplace tomorrow and
get it on his house to stop the damage from getting worse. They are dear
friends of ours.
Also, one family in John’s congregation had
their home destroyed during the storm. Please pray for the Polsens. They
miraculously escaped unharmed, but they are currently staying in the Open
Door Meeting place, which was located across the street from where they
lived. Thankfully, their meeting place survived the storm undamaged. As far
as we know the other missionaries did not suffer the kind of water damage
that the McPhersons and we did, for which we are thankful.
NOTE: Please forgive any error and typos. I do
not know how I am typing this. I fear I will be ashamed when I read this
after I have gotten some sleep and rest. However, I am convinced that your
prayers are making a difference in our live and the lives of the people of
Carriacou. Thanks again for your understanding and thanks again for praying.
Still Looking up for Him,
Walter for all the Robinsons on Carriacou.
Update for September 7, 2004
- 10:15 PM
Robinsons are weary, wet,
but okay. Need much prayer
Thanks for praying. There is much to report, but we are weary, frazzled,
and running on laptop battery power to compose and send this e·mail. Thus, I will
try to give you the most important points so that you can pray more
accurately.
The weather had been getting very rough since around 12:00 PM; however,
the worst part of the storm hit around 3:00 PM, and remained that way until
6:00 or 7:00. It is still rough, but I will take tropical force winds over
hurricane winds any day.
We are all okay and healthy. Our roof remained with us, but we lost at
least two 2 X 2 foot square sections. Every room on the top floor but one
has some water coming through the ceiling. We have moved and covered much.
We almost moved ourselves to my office in the basement where it is more
'secure' and a bit quieter.
At least one small house in our community was crushed by the storm. I do
not believe it was inhabited, but it has been too dangerous to venture out
of the house. Some sheets of galvanized have flown over us and other sheets
could go air-born at any time. Many trees, including large deep, rooted
coconut trees are down around us and in the street.
CNN and MSNBC are reporting massive damage for the mainland of Grenada
(some 20 miles south of our location here on Carriacou) from the 120 MPH
plus winds. Hurricane Ivan is now a Category 4 monster, and for us it seemed
as if he was flexing his muscle and growling at us on his way through. I
could be wrong, but I believe the northern part of the hurricane (the most
damaging part) passed right over Carriacou. I am very concerned about what
we may find on here tomorrow when the sun comes up.
Our power went out about 11:00 AM this morning, and we have no idea when
they will get it back on again. Our landlord (of our Windward Bible Church
meeting place) from Windward phoned to check on us around 6:00 PM. She told
us that she had been very frightened as she watched the sea break across the
top of our building, which is right across the street from her home! Thanks
right. The storm surge and sea broke across the top of the Windward Bible
Church meeting place. Thankfully, the building is still standing and intact,
but we lost all the shingles of the roof. I believe that the fact that our
building is still standing is a miracle by our gracious, merciful and
powerful God. However, many homes around it in Windward have lost their
roofs completely.
As of right now (10:00 PM), the wind is still howling and the rain is
coming down heavy at times. This will likely continue to decrease until the
middle to late morning.
Lastly, I believe we are the only missionary family here that currently
has a working phone. We believe the McPhersons and other missionary families
are all
okay because they were at the Radio Station before the storm
began, and the Lord blessed them to remain on the air through the entire
storm and until now. However, we cannot get phone calls through to them or
anyone else in that area of Carriacou at this time. We suspect that the
phone trunk lines are down in their area. If you wish you may phone us at
473-443-7764. However, it may be necessary for you to make several attempts
before you get through according to what Tabitha, our daughter, told us
earlier today.
Thanks for your prayers, and please keep them going up. I assure you, we
need it. This has been one for the book already. Yet, the Lord is, and
always remains greater than our trials.
Still looking up for Him,
Walter for all the Robinsons on Carriacou.
Update for September 6, 2004
- 11:40 PM
Robinsons are weary, wet,
but okay. Need much prayer
Jeshua and I (Walter) are very tired. We have boarded up nine windows
(what we believe to be the most vulnerable) and put our car in the garage. I
made several trips up and down the ladder (~15 feet up) to board up most of
the windows.
Thankfully, as of 11:00 PM "Ivan" had weakened to a "Category Two"
Hurricane, which is still considered dangerous. However, it is projected to
likely strengthen from this time on. It is also likely that the wind and
rain will begin around midnight and the eye. AND, the eye of Ivan is
predicted to pass right over us!
I was notified today that some prayer chains in churches, and many
families and individual are praying for us. It is my sincere hope that many
churches will be praying for us through the night and most of tomorrow, and
also on Wednesday according to the needs mentioned in my earlier prayer
letter. This prayer is especially desired if we are not able to contact
anyone from here by then. If you have not heard from us, please pray for the
power and phones to be restored to service as soon as possible, along with
all other mentioned requests.
Thanks to all that have already sent notes that they are praying. They
encourage and strengthen us as we look forward to the trail ahead.
May the Lord bless each of you in the days a head. Thanks again for your
prayers, and also for your notes and support.
Looking up for Him,
Walter for all the Robinsons on Carriacou.
Update for September 6,
2004 - 3:15 PM
Requesting Prayer for the Robinsons and the folks on Carriacou as Hurricane
Ivan Approaches
Dear praying friends,
I am taking a few moments to tap out this
e·mail to seek your prayers. Hurricane “Ivan” is currently heading pretty
much straight for us. It has been wavering back and forth from a Category 2
to 4 hurricane, and is expected to increase in strength over the next two
days. It has been described in terms of "dangerous" and historically
"unprecedented" for forming and being so intense and low in latitude by the
National Hurricane Center. This system seems to be following the same
pattern as one tropical depression, and tropical storms Charlie and Earl
that previous passed though here. All three were initially predicted to go
north of us, but one passed just below us and gave us some rain and wind,
while the other two passed right over us and gave us a lot of wind and rain.
The latter two went on to become hurricanes that hit Florida and left death
and destruction behind.
We first noticed Ivan as a tropical depression
on Thursday. Thinking of the recent patterns, I had Linda to purchase
groceries to last two to three weeks -- just in case. Ivan became a tropical
storm on Saturday, and quickly progressed to a category three hurricane
overnight. Earlier this morning it was "Category 4" but is has weakened a
bit recently with intensification still predicted. We expect our weather to
begin to deteriorate this evening. Full force of the system is expected
sometime Tuesday morning.
I have been in an open hurricane preparation
mode since last night after our evening service. Before we left I asked the
folks to help us move all equipment and furniture out of our sanctuary to
the front of the build which is located closer to the street and away from
our rear wall that is located literally on the edge of the Caribbean. (See
links below to see photos on our website.)
The floor of our building located right on
shore is about five to six feet above sea level. I currently have no idea
what kind of storm surge to expect at this time. But anything more than four
or five feet could be pretty bad for our meeting place, and many of the
folks that live in the village of Windward. Please pray for the folks that
live there and our building to be spared.
Yesterday, in our morning service, I
admonished our folks to remain faithful and to prepare for what could happen
if the Lord allows the storm to pass over us. I also spoke about how many of
the people here fail to see their daily needs and dependency for the Lord. I
also talked about believers need to be ready to serve Him in difficult
times. I stated that the Lord could very well allow something like a
hurricane to get (some) people's attention and hopefully draw some to Him.
We recently completed going through the last
few chapters of the book of Acts. We spent several weeks reliving Paul's
journey by sea from Israel to Rome aboard a ship that was caught in a
hurricane (Acts 28). We emphasized how the Lord graciously used Paul (and
Luke who was traveling with him) on that perilous trip. When the trip got so
bad that all had given up all hope of surviving, the Lord used Paul to
instill hope and courage and to tell many about the Lord and His grace and
power.
As I recently mentioned in our previous
request for prayer in facing storms, nothing would make me happier than for
me to be able to write in a few days to tell you that nothing much happened
here other than some heavy rain and wind for a few hours. But, that may not
be the Lord's will this time. Please pray that the Lord will be able to use
His children here to minister to those who need Him if the Lord chooses to
take us through this trial instead of delivering us from it.
This morning we purchased a couple of sheets
of plywood to add to those that we had on hand. We also purchased a roll of
plastic (10' X 100' or 3,000 square feet of 4 mil). Lord willing, I am
planning to board up some of the more exposed windows in our house. The
plastic is cover items inside if needed
(Big Prayer Request) The roof of our home is
weak in construction. In fact, the beams are a little larger than 2 X 2s,
and they are covered by corrugated roofing material (not galvanized but a
thick shingle type material this is not strong enough for a person to walk
on.) There is no ply substrate. If we experience anything more than tropical
force winds, it will take divine intervention to keep our roof in place. If
we loose any part of the roof, we will likely have gallons of water pouring
into that part of our home. Please pray specifically for the Lord to
graciously keep our roof intact and in place if the storm hits us as it
currently seems it will.
If you would like to see images of our meeting
place, our home, and satellite images that show the system coming our way,
click on each of the following links respectively:
Windward Bible Church on the Shore;
http://www.lastchanceministries.com/windwardbiblechurch.htm (The link to
the photos of our building are a little way down the page.)
Robinsons' home in Belvedere about one mile
from the shore on the windward side (eastern side) of Carriacou;
http://www.lastchanceministries.com/family.htm (Our home and
neighborhood is shown halfway down the page.)
Satellite images that features bisecting
arrows to show Carriacou location in relation to the storm;
http://www.lastchanceministries.com/about_Carriacou.htm (The link to the
satellite image is down near the middle of the page.)
To get direct information from the National
Hurricane Center about hurricane “Ivan,” use this link;
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/index.shtml
Lord willing, we will update you when we are
able after the system passed by or through here. If it does pass through
here we will likely loose power and telephone service (internet also) and
will not have them restored for days, and perhaps even a week or more. If we
do get hit, please pray that the Lord will help our power and telephone
service to be restored very soon.
Lastly, many homes here are small wood frame
construction that may not survive much more than tropical storm force winds.
There is also very little by way of emergency services here. The same goes
for medical facilities, equipment, and personnel to handle a large number of
injuries. There is no X-Ray machine on Carriacou, and no Cat-Scan or MRI
units in the entire country of Grenada. If Ivan hits us, we will likely be
on our own to deal with the aftermath for some time. Please pray accordingly
as and after the storm passes.
Thanks ahead of time for your prayers.
Looking up for Him,
Walter for all the Robinsons on Carriacou,
Grenada
The Robinsons’ Herald
E·mail version for August 2004
Click here to go to that page
This document is
about three pages in length, which includes one page of photos. I
have posted it on a page by itself. Click the link above to go to that page.
It is
also available in PDF format where you can see and print it out in my
preferred newsletter form.
Click
here to download or view it (Right Click to download, Left Click to view)
This is
about 100k and about 30 seconds to download with a 56k dialup
connection.
Update for August 13, 2004
Robinsons Requesting prayer for themselves and the others in our area of the
Caribbean
Dear Praying friends,
As many of you know I have been back on Carriacou since July 10. I have
literally on the go and very busy since my feet touched the ground that
Sunday morning on the Hillsborough Jetty. I have made several vehicle
repairs and been busy with getting caught up with matters that have demanded
my attention, visiting some in our congregation, and preaching and teaching
four times as week. Though I am a bit weary from all that has kept me busy,
I am feeling better that I have for many years. (PTL!) I hope to get an
e·mail update out within the next week.
However, since yesterday I have been watching a system develop to the
east of us. Just a little while ago the National Hurricane Prediction Center
has begun issuing alerts about this system that has turned into a tropical
depression - Tropical Depression 5 or TD 5. The predication models currently
show that its greatest likelihood is to come right through this area as a
tropical storm late on Sunday or early Monday. The current models predict it
to pass just north of us and through St. Vincent. However, that is what they
also predicted for a strong tropical wave that passed right through here
this past Monday.
We went through a tropical storm back in 2002 when tropical storm 'Lilly'
brushed just north of us. I have never lived through such wind and rain
(that lasted some twelve hours) in my life. We had some water that came into
our house and meeting place, some downed trees and guttering, and some
landslides -- but no injuries or deaths. However, the island of St. Vincent,
which lies directly north of us, had severe landslides that killed a number
of people. 'Lilly' passed right over that island. That event was scary
enough. But this one could pass directly through here just as a strong
tropical wave previously did this past Monday.
That tropical wave later developed into a tropical storm and then the
hurricane named 'Charlie' that is currently assailing Florida. 'Bonnie' also
passed through here as a tropical waves that soon developed into a tropical
storm and then a hurricane that also hit Florida right before Charlie. Both
also passed through on Mondays as it is likely to be the case with TD 5.
Please, please remember us in prayer and ask the Lord to make this system
not hit us! The last time Carriacou got pummeled by a hurricane was in 1955
when Janet hit. Several were killed and much damage was sustained.
Obviously, we believe the Lord is in control and will watch over and protect
us. But we also believe that prayer does change things. I would love nothing
more that to write more tomorrow or in day or two and tell you that this one
has dissipated or went around us.
If you wish to be kept better updated, you can visit the National
Hurricane Prediction Center website at this address:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/index.shtml
Thanks ahead of time for your prayers.
Looking up for Him,
Walter for all the Robinsons on Carriacou
Update for June 24, 2004
Short Update On Walter Robinson planning to return to Carriacou
Dear Praying Friends,
Thanks for your continued prayers. My cold worsened a bit and my voice
was very rough after I sent out my previous lengthy newsletter. However, the
Lord gave grace and strength for me to speak at one or our supporting
churches in Princeton this past Sunday morning. The pastor and folks there
were a tremendous blessing to me, and I am thankful for the privilege of
being with them. Afterwards the morning service, I drove back to Beckley and
spent the rest of the day in bed.
On Tuesday the cold moved from my throat into my sinuses and I coughed,
sneezed, and blew and wiped my nose much that day and the following
Wednesday. However, I was able to drive to Charleston to take care of some
things, attend service at Cross Lanes Bible Church, then drive back to
Beckley that night. Thankfully, this Thursday most of the drainage,
sneezing, and coughing has abated and I am looking forward to traveling to
Kingsport, Tennessee to visit with our mission board, preach on Sunday
morning, and give a report Sunday night. Please continue to pray for my
safety in traveling and the continued healing from my two surgeries and the
cold.
Also, the lower back pain I have been experiencing has also improved over
the last week, but it still nags me on some days, especially when it get
colder. It seems summer is trying to skip Beckley, West Virginia this year!
It has been very damp and the temps have recently dipped down into the high
40s at night and some days did not quite make it to 70! Please remember to
pray for my back to be strengthened and the pain to go completely away.
I am excited to report that yesterday (Wednesday) I made reservations to
travel back to Carriacou! I believe the Lord led me to phone US Airways just
when I did because I 'stumbled' upon a special promotion (unadvertised) that
gave me the most direct and shortest trip (in time) I have ever had in
traveling back to Carriacou! I am scheduled to depart Charleston, West
Virginia on Saturday morning at 6:15 AM, make connections in Pittsburg and
Philadelphia (less than one hour layover each), then land on the mainland of
Grenada at 2:37 PM!
Not only is this the most direct and shortest trip I have ever booked to
travel to Carriacou, it was also the least expensive (about half of what it
cost for me to travel to the US)! And it gets better. After the US Airways
agent told me about this itinerary, and I told that I definitely wanted to
book it, she then happily informed me that from Pittsburg on to Grenada I
would be traveling FIRST CLASS! PTL! Lord willing, this will be the first
time I have ever traveled 'first class,' and I am looking forward to it.
I am likely going to catch a plane from the Grenada mainland to fly on to
Carriacou at little after 4:00 PM that same Saturday. I could take the
Osprey Sea Ferry, but I will play this by ear and see how the Lord leads.
Lord willing, I should arrive on Carriacou about six hours after the team
from Danville Bible Baptist arrives on Carriacou (ten adults and six teens)
to conduct Vacation Bible School for Windward Bible Church the following
week. Thus, I will likely hit the ground running the moment I arrive back on
Carriacou.
We are still looking to the Lord to provide the funds for my travel
arraignments (about $1,500.00 both ways). The same goes for the automobile
parts we desperately need to get our 4 WD 1987 Dodge Colt Vista station
wagon back on the road (need about $500.00 US). We need a few other items,
but these mentioned here are the 'biggies.'
Thanks for your continued prayers and notes of encouragement.
Still looking up for Him,
Walter Robinson II
The Robinsons’ Herald
E·mail version for June 2004
Click here to go to that page
This document is
about three pages in length, which includes one page of photos. I
have posted it on a page by itself. Click the link above to go to that page.
It is
also available in PDF format where you can see and print it out in my
preferred newsletter form.
Click
here to download or view it (Right Click to download, Left Click to view)
This is
about 70k and about 30 seconds to download with a 56k dialup connection.
Update for May 26, 2004
Update on Walt
Dears Friends,
Your prayers and e-mails have been a tremendous blessing to our family.
Thank you for praying for Walt these past weeks, especially Monday for
hernia surgery. The surgery went well. It was done as out-patient, so he was
able to go home several hours later. He experienced a lot of pain Monday
night, but today is feeling better. Most of his pain is when the medication
is about to wear off or his ice pack, which he holds on the incision, has
melted. Please pray that his healing will take place quickly and completely
so that he can return to Carriacou.
Looking up,
Linda
Update for May 22, 2004
Walt's Surgery
Dear Friends,
Greetings from Carriacou.
We desire your continued prayer for Walt's previous surgery. He is
feeling a little better. The pain has decreased to the point where he has
been off of pain medication for two days. Pray that he will stay free from
infection and that he will heal quickly. Monday (24th), at 1:00 o'clock, he
is scheduled for hernia surgery at Charleston Memorial. This will be done as
out-patient surgery. Also, pray that the pain from the hernia surgery will
be minimal or non-existent.
Pray with us as we look to the Lord to provide for the financial need
that has been incurred for the medical treatment and to provide for his
return travel back to Carriacou around the middle or end of June.
Thanks for praying for our family and especially for Walt during this
time.
In His Service,
Linda
1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks...
Update for May 12, 2004
Update on Walt
Dear Friends,
Walt is feeling better today. He is still having some pain, but it is not
as bad as Monday. THANKS so much for praying! Continue to remember him in
prayer as he recovers from this surgery.
Still looking up,
Linda
1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks...
Update for May 10, 2004
Update on Walt
Dear Friends,
Thanks for lifting Walt up in prayer and for having others to pray for
him. His surgery went well. He is currently experiencing a lot of pain.
Hopefully, he will feel a lot better tomorrow. Pray that his pain will be
minimized or taken away and that he will be able to rest tonight.
Still looking up,
Linda
Update for May 8, 2004
Update on Walt
Greeting from rainy Carriacou,
The Lord is blessing our small island with plenty of rain. The ponds are
filling up and the plants and trees are turning green. Considering it is
still in the dry season, things are looking pretty green. Also, our tank is
over-flowing.
Walt's visit with the specialist this Thursday went well. The doctor told
him that most of the pain could have been caused by the hernia. He is
scheduled to have two surgeries. This way, he will not have the risk of
bacteria from one site infecting the other. The first surgery is for the
hemorrhoids. It will be at 1 o'clock Monday (10th) at Charleston Memorial,
surgical division, in Charleston, WV. The second surgery for the hernia will
be at 1 o'clock Monday (24th), also at Charleston Memorial. Both will be
done as out-patient surgery. Pray that these surgeries will take care of all
the pain that he has been experiencing.
Walt is scheduled to speak at Cross Lanes Bible Church Sunday night. Pray
that he will stay pain free from the pain in his side.
Rain and an activity called maroon kept a few people from service this
past week. Thankfully a few take seriously not neglecting the attending of
meetings. Messages on choosing who you will serve have been an encouragement
to do right. Pray that Windward Bible Church will be a bright light shining
for the Lord on Carriacou.
Thanks for praying for our family and especially for Walt during this
time.
In His Service,
Linda
1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks...
Update for May 5, 2004
Update On Walt
Greetings from Carriacou,
We continue to thank our heavenly Father for His watch-care over us.
Walt had a good follow-up visit Tuesday, May 4 with his doctor. All of
his lab work came back looking good. His PSA and cholesterol were in a good
range. He has an appointment for 1 o'clock Thursday to see a specialist
concerning the hernia and hemorrhoids. We are hoping for this problem to be
corrected soon so that healing can take place. We ask for your prayers
concerning this matter.
Thanks for praying for our family and especially for Walt during this
time.
In His Service,
Linda
1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks...
Update for April 27, 2004
Prayer Request for Walt
Greetings from Carriacou,
Thanks so much for praying on Walt's behalf. He was not able to keep the
appointment on Monday because he was not feeling well. He did see the doctor
today. It seems he may have had diverticulitis. The doctor had prescribed a
medicine for him to start on before leaving Carriacou. This particular pain
seems to be on the mend right now. He was also diagnosed as having a hernia
and hemorrhoids. The doctor says the hemorrhoids are also the cause of the
other pain and discomfort he had been experiencing. He is waiting for an
appointment to see a specialist who will fix these problems. Tomorrow he
will have some lab work done. The doctor also aligned his back (?). He
seemed to be feeling much better after this session.
We ask for your continued prayer on Walt's behalf concerning these health
issues.
In His service,
Linda
Update for April 25, 2004
Prayer Request for Walt
Greetings from our small sunny island of Carriacou,
Thank you for your recent prayer for Walt as he traveled to West
Virginia. He arrived safely on Sunday morning, 10:05 am. He experienced very
little pain during the trip, but started having some discomfort on the drive
to Beckley.
Monday, Walt has an appointed to see the doctor. He will be evaluated to
see what test or steps need to be taken to find the cause of his pain. We
request your prayer for this need.
Thank you for praying with us concerning this need.
In His Name,
Linda for the Robinsons
Update for April 24, 2004
Prayer Request for Walt
Greetings from our small sunny island of Carriacou,
We would appreciate your prayers for Walt. He has been experiencing
abdominal pain for the past two to three weeks. We do not believe that it is
related to the heart. He has been in considerable discomfort to the point
that it concerned him. He is concern is that it may be a hernia or kidney
stones. After communicating with his doctor, Walt decided to go to the
states to have it evaluated.
He also wanted to see his brother Curt who was seriously injured in a
fall recently and has other health problems.
Walt left Carriacou this morning on SVG Airlines for the mainland and is
scheduled to fly out of Grenada at 3:30 pm. He will overnight in
Philadelphia, fly out at 7:00 am Sunday and arrive in Charleston, WV at
10:05 am.
We request prayer for the following:
- That the doctors will be able to quickly diagnose the problem and
effectively and quickly treat it.
- The Lord will provide for all the unexpected expenses that he will
incur on this trip.
- For Walter's brother, Curt, for his physical and spiritual needs.
Thank you in advance for praying with us and for us.
In His Name,
Linda for the Robinsons
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