October 2012

Hello from North Pole Alaska,

Remember the old saying, “Time sure does fly when you are having fun”?  We must be having a blast!  We have found that time also seems to fly away when you have a lot to do.

Thank you for praying for the ministry in Manley Hot Springs.  Occasionally, Earl has the opportunity to have other missionaries, pastors, or preachers visit the church service in this “end-of-the-road” community.  Virtually every one of them comments on the

October 2012

Hello from North Pole Alaska,

Remember the old saying, “Time sure does fly when you are having fun”?  We must be having a blast!  We have found that time also seems to fly away when you have a lot to do.

Thank you for praying for the ministry in Manley Hot Springs.  Occasionally, Earl has the opportunity to have other missionaries, pastors, or preachers visit the church service in this “end-of-the-road” community.  Virtually every one of them comments on the uniqueness and sweet spirit of the small group of Believers who attend.  Services have been well attended, and Earl is working with a man who will continue to hold services while we are on furlough.

Our two summer co-laborers have left and are back into the swing of “normal” life and ministry back east.  Brother Dave Crispell was his usual blessing and help to our family, as well as the ministry of Mission Air Care.  Brother Ryan Gray is back in college finishing up his bachelors degree.  We trust this trip was a blessing and help to each of these men.


Jeremiah is on schedule to graduate high school in December.  Many of you have prayed for him and supported us since he was only four years old.  You have had a significant part in what our Lord has done in Jeremiah’s life.  He plans on visiting Bible colleges after the New Year.  We would ask you to whisper another short prayer, asking our Lord to continue to direct him clearly in this next stage of life.  He has a desire to work with youth, but feels he needs training and experience.  His hobbies are metal working, making knives, fishing, and hunting.  He stays in Fairbanks while Earl travels to Manley on the weekends and serves the Lord in the bus ministry and Master's Club at Bible Baptist.


Have you noticed? America is in an election year.  We were in the middle of our last furlough during the last presidential election.  Four years later and it is time for us to head south and share with you what our Lord has enabled us to do through your prayers and generous financial gifts.  After Jeremiah’s graduation, we will start our trip down to visit family in NC. After some R&R, medical checkups, and planning, we'll start visiting churches.


If you would like to pray about some specific needs for our furlough, please consider praying for the most immediate need of transportation.  We are planning on purchasing a vehicle as soon as we hit the lower 48.  The vehicle we currently own is on its last leg, and we can purchase a more suitable truck for Alaska down south for less money, then drive it back up here after furlough.  We will sell Earl’s truck before we leave, but will need to add some funds to that in order to get something strong enough and dependable enough to last through furlough and then be good enough to last here in Alaska.  Also, please pray that the house will sell. We now have it on the market, but we really want to do what is the Lord's will in this matter. We believe selling is what He is leading us to do.  We'd love to keep it, but the cost of keeping it heated is difficult.

As always, please continue to “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” Every missionary we serve in Alaska prays for a co-worker, and there are souls in villages praying for just one missionary pastor. “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” Rom 10:14

Your prayers for this ministry and our family are appreciated more than we can express. For those who give and pray, thank you. You are making a difference. God was good to our family when He gave you to us as friends. Please know that we are working hard to ensure much fruit will abound to your account.
In His Service,

Earl, Lynn & Jeremiah Malpass

July 2012

Hello from North Pole Alaska,

We are enjoying the wonderful, long Alaskan days, and the memories of the -60F are distant memories right now. As of June 21st, we start losing daylight, and the Fireweed flowers are in full bloom. With 24 hours of daylight, Alaskans don't seem to sleep much. Fishing, firewood, and fun times seem to be on most people’s minds.

We thank the Lord for granting safety, in over 44 hours of flying, since our last update. What does that equate to? That's over 7,400 nautical miles across rugged,

Warm wishes from North Pole, AK!

We've been waiting six months to be able to say that!  Those who record and track these facts tell us this has been the 4th coldest winter in Fairbanks since 1904.  When someone asked Earl how we stay warm at those temps, he told him we “sleep between the mattresses.”  Not quite, but it gets a chuckle.

Warm wishes from North Pole, AK!

We've been waiting six months to be able to say that!  Those who record and track these facts tell us this has been the 4th coldest winter in Fairbanks since 1904.  When someone asked Earl how we stay warm at those temps, he told him we “sleep between the mattresses.”  Not quite, but it gets a chuckle.

Well the tightening up screws on the bladder tank didn't work.  The outboard tank leaked on my last long flight.  I'll be pulling it soon and sending it out and praying for a repair rather then an overhaul.

The truck has good tires on it now, and two brighter lights.  The lights aren't perfect, but I can see farther down the road, and that's a good thing.  I finally was able to afford the injector kit.  The engine had begun to run so badly, I've had to park the truck.  After two days of work, I started the truck and was backing it out of the hangar.  Long (and embarrassing) story short, I wound up outside the truck and the truck door was folded back and ruined.  Oh well.  Now I still can't use the truck. 

Greetings from North Pole, Alaska! 

We trust you had a blessed Christmas time.  We always enjoy getting all the Christmas cards, notes, and family updates from so many of you!  This year, we received a few “updates” from churches who have a part in our ministry and were reminded that, “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” Prov. 25:25

Those who follow our family and Mission Air Care on Facebook already know that our Christmas program at Manley Hot Springs went very well.  The children did great with the skit, and God's Word was preached. 

 Everyone stayed around and enjoyed a wonderful meal afterwards.  Someone said we had 41 folks in attendance!  That's a record for us.  We're grateful for the warmer weather (-18F) so that Lynn and Jeremiah could make the trip this time too.  Thank you for praying for this group of believers.  Pray the Lord of the harvest will send a pastor to shepherd these dear folks.

There was some shuffling around of missionaries in December too.  On December 21st , the day with the least amount of daylight, Earl flew the McCoy family back to their village of Unalakleet.  They had been out for a couple months, and the Youngblood family had filled in for them.  So when the McCoy's got themselves, their supplies, and belongings OFF the plane, the Youngblood's got themselves and belongings ON.  It didn't stop there.  They were flown across the Bearing Sea to St. Lawrence Island.  After the Youngblood's and their belongings were OFF the plane, the Smith family (and their belongings) got ON, and back to Fairbanks they came... on their way to North Carolina for a much deserved break.  Earl was told that this trip alone saved about $4500 in missionary funds.  There is not space enough here to include all that goes on during days like that day, but rest assured, flexibility is key.  You  never know when a plow might hit the runway lights, blow a transformer, leave a windrow of snow in the middle of the runway, just as you are about to land ...hypothetically speaking of course!

The coming year promises to be filled with exciting opportunities and challenges.  Earl will continue assisting Bro. Ronnie Starr in distributing scripture in villages, as well as our regular activities in aircraft maintenance, inspections, Iditarod ministry, and of course services at Manly Hot Springs.  Adding to the challenges will be the sad time of selling the hangar we have been working out of for the last 4 ½ years.  It has become too much of a drain on Earl's time and finances.  This is a discouraging development, but we believe we are following the Lord's leading in this matter.  Since the hangar at our house is too small for the twin engine, we are planning on selling our house as well.  We are hoping we will be able to find a more suitable situation when we come back from our next furlough.  And speaking of furlough…
 
We have received a number of requests regarding our furlough.  It has been almost four years since our last one.  However, we believe it would be best for Jeremiah to graduate high school here in Alaska first, and he is on track to finish in December 2012.  We plan on spending most of 2013 reporting to churches and visiting new ones. 

We can make all our plans for the next year, but who knows?  Maybe the Lord will call us home soon!  “What a day that will be!”  There will be more souls praising Him because of your faithful prayers and gifts.  From the Malpass family and those whom we serve, thank you.

Lord bless!

Well, all of our summer help has headed south.  Much has been accomplished this summer, and our Lord kept us safe through it all.  Praise His Name!  We are grateful for each of the folks who gave of their time and finances to serve the Lord up here.

But... hear comes winter... ready or not!  A near moose, er, I mean a near miss with a moose brought home the need to put on "moose lights" or big spot lights onto the truck.  Finding used tires and installing them is important too.  Driving 360 miles, round trip, every Sunday, mostly in the dark, to hold services in the village of Manley gives ample opportunity to see some of Alaskan wildlife up close and personal.  Where were they during hunting season!

Winter-izing the hangar so the pipes don't freeze, getting the plow truck up and running, finishing the inspection on N316AK, stocking up on firewood, constant maintenance on the plane, and catching up on all the smaller details that seem to get put off during the summer will keep up busy until... everyone comes back up in the spring!

Thanks for checking in!

We have been experiencing some "transient" leaks on our left, outboard fuel tank.  Sometimes it leaks, sometimes it doesn't(?)  I opened all the panels, inspected for blue stains (indicating a fuel leak), and tightened all the screws and/or bolts that are on top.  Maybe it was one or more of the cork gaskets leaking when the cold gas was put in and started expanding as it warmed up?  We'll see on one of the next flights!

Thanks for checking in!

October 2011

Greetings from Alaska!  The leaves have changed colors and locations.  They are no longer on the trees, but on the ground.  The water is getting stiff, and the smell of wood smoke is in the air.  Every year, winter arrives right on schedule, and yet, we never seem ready for its arrival.  One day, the Lord Jesus is coming back.  We know He is returning, but just not exactly when.  Are we ready for that appointment?  (1 Thes 5:2; 2 Peter 3:8-12)

Back in 2008, we teamed up with Brother Ronnie Starr to help with a ministry he has called “Operation Saturation.”  Initially,