Final Mission Report from Kris and LeeOra Minefee, Flagstaff, AZ

Dear Pastors, Churches and Friends

This will be the last report letter I write as a missionary to Flagstaff, Arizona. LeeOra and I wish to thank all of you for your continued support, prayers and help but we feel that December should be the last month we officially receive support as missionaries. As of yet, we have not found a church to pastor though we have been in touch we a couple of churches. So far the Lord has not moved us and we will patiently wait for His direction. In the meantime we will seek whatever open doors he might have for us here in Flagstaff.

I apologize for this letter being so far removed from the last report but in Pastor Larry Jone's resignation from Santa Fe Baptist, our home church, we lost access to the email database. Once we had that back we were able to mail this last update. Please prayer for Santa Fe Baptist at this time. We are still members there but will be looking to join a local Baptist church here in the very near future. It is difficult because there are no true unaffiliated independents in the area.

LeeOra and I continue to have opportunities to witness at our jobs and we would ask you to pray for those individuals that God has placed in our lives at this time. I also am writing extensively and using what avenues are open to me for outreach through the internet. It is not pastoring of course but it is challenging and hopefully some of the seeds planted will bear fruit in the Lord's time.

I am truly grateful to all of you for giving me the opportunity to represent both the Lord and you in Flagstaff. The outcome was not at all what we had hoped but God's Word does not return void and we leave the results in His hands. Your love for us both and your support during my heart valve surgery and recuperation have shown me how much God uses his people during times of crises and how much His love shows through them. I was not, nor ever will be worthy of the offerings or prayers that you gave and can only thank you for being used of God in such a wonderful way and at such a time.

My health now is good, though unfortunately the Doctors tell me the new valve will have to be replaced sooner than expected. It may be a year or 5 but not the 20 or 30 they originally forecast. The valve that was placed in my heart was too small due to the calcification around the valve and the enlargement of that side of my heart from the over-compensating work it did during my lifetime. Consequently the new valve will wear out quickly and I will once again be in open heart surgery, this time for a mechanical valve where size is not a factor. (Its best if you don't ask why they didn't do this the first time, since we've already asked and there were no good answers offered.)

Nevertheless, barring that future date, I am working part-time and feel good. I walk daily and my delivery job with Meals on Wheels for Coconino County is enjoyable and easily accomplished even with my present heart valve. The only time I notice the problem is when climbing more than one flight of stairs or walking uphill. The valve can't pass enough blood through and I become short of breath, much like being very out of shape. Other than that I could be 20 again, well maybe 40 or 45. I have no worries about pastoring for though that is a hard job, it usually hurts and rejoices the heart of a metaphysical kind more than the physical one.

Thank you again for all you have done and I regretfully but sincerely ask that you cease supporting us after December. It will be financally tight here of course but the Lord will provide as He always has and your support should be going to those more active on the front lines of missionary work.

In deep gratitude and love,

Kris and LeeOra Minefee