The Warren Family

     This winter is the longest and coldest that we have experienced out of the 5 winters we have spent in Saint Mary’s, as well as the deepest snowfall. Everyone is ready for springtime! We will probably have the highest water since the early 1990’s when breakup arrives due to the thick ice and deep snow, according to the elders in the village. The church land did not flood then, so Lord willing it won’t this year either. 

     We have decided to cancel our furlough for September through December of this year, as the village is still only allowing residents of Saint Mary’s to fly to and from the village, so the family that was coming from Wyoming to fill the pulpit for us cannot come, and I do not want to preach by conference call over the phone to my congregation for four months. We will plan on coming down October of 2022-January of 2023 for our next furlough, Lord willing. 

     In the first part of March, my wife got a phone call from kinfolk, informing her that her father had gone in for a heart catheter, and it was found that he needed to get an open heart surgery as soon as possible, they were not letting him leave the hospital until he had the operation done. Scrambling like crazy, we were able to get her and the kids down to Florida to visit with her father the day before his surgery, which was a big blessing. They had to rebuild all of the chambers of his heart, and do a quadruple bypass, which was a lot more than they expected to do. Thankfully, he came through alright, and is recovering well. A big thanks to everyone who prayed, and to everyone who helped get my family down to Florida! After 24 hours of flying, traveling over 5,000 miles by plane, Rebecca and the kids landed safely in Florida.

     I did not leave immediately with the rest of the family, waiting until the end of March to leave to fly down and help out with some things for my father-in-law. I had hoped by the end of March the below zero weather would be over, but this was wishful thinking, as the cold weather has lasted longer than usual this year. It is not good to leave a building unoccupied during really cold weather, as the pipes can freeze easily, or the fuel oil stoves go off during a power outage and not reset when the power comes back on.

     Ministering and witnessing to the community continues unabated in the midst of the Corona Virus and uncertain political climate: while helping pick ax a grave for an elder who passed away in March, I thought about the Bible verses on a person who dies without believing on Christ as their Saviour: sobering thoughts indeed. Death waits for no man. Looking around at the 9 other men who were helping pick ax for nine hours through frozen tundra and layers of rock, I felt a great burden for their souls. If the Lord tarries, and this beat up old body of mine will last another 30 years or so, I pray they will all get saved, baptized, and discipled. I know the Lord will deal with their hearts, please pray they respond to my witnessing and preaching, and the wooing of the Holy Ghost.

In Christ, Israel J. Warren

Psalms 34:6

Contact Info:
The Warrens Cell: 907-438-6446 Email: north2sitka@gmail.com Mailing Address: PO Box 143 Saint Mary’s, AK 99658
Sending Church: Ind. Bap. Church of Anchorage, 1801 E. 68th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99507 Phone: 907-562-3004
Support Address: Faith Baptist Church c/o M.A.J.D. (include missionary’s name in note on check) PO Box 329 Cropwell, AL 35054 Phone: 205-365-3165
NOTE: Please send any personal correspondence, such as cards and letters, directly to our PO Box. Thank you!