MURK FAMILY MINISTRIES, INC.
Ferndale Christian Retreat Center
PO Box 341 Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
(715) 967-4091, 4092, or 2037

Dear Friends and Loved Ones, Winter, 2003

Our Holiday letter is the latest it has ever been because of unprecedented events at the end of 2002. Please receive our very best wishes and God’s blessings for your New Year of 2003. God continues to show His faithfulness.

We left Ferndale much earlier this winter season because of big events happening in South Florida. Our second granddaughter Jewel got married right after Christmas on December 28. This was a couple of days after our own 50th wedding anniversary. We were married in Grand Forks, North Dakota on December 26, 1952. Jewel was joined in holy matrimony to 6’10” Jim Hanson, a young man from Knoxville whom she met at Bryan University. He is serving the Lord in church youth ministry, and Jewel is completing her student teaching assignment for her degree in Elementary Education. Their wedding day was very special because all sides of both families were represented. George and Joan Gardner, David’s parents and Jewel’s paternal grandparents, came all the way from Texas. They had just celebrated their own 50th wedding anniversary this past summer. The other great event was seeing Jessica (23), our oldest grandchild, off to the country of Cameroon in Africa where she has been commissioned by Wycliffe to serve as a Bible translator in the mountain jungles. We are keeping in contact through e-mail, but it is quite a step for all of us at home to have her half way around the world for 2 to 4 years, even knowing this is God’s call on her life.

Last winter we traveled 8,000 miles on tour to Arizona and California, pulling our handy little 5 X 10 trailer. It was great to see board members Jerry Reding and Dr. Stu Bundy and his wife Nancy on this tour. We also spent time with Jim’s sister Joanne and Roger Adams who were staying in Sun City / Phoenix. We also had great fellowship with cousin Bob and Jan Lovering, niece Julie and her husband Brent Miller and Helen and Keith Lauchner and many others in Arizona. While in Tucson Donna received a call from her cousin Coach Lute Olson of the Arizona Wildcats who have consistently been contenders for the NCAA basketball championship. His team is cruising at #1 in the nation again this season.

A number of Donna’s relatives have lived in SoCal for many years, and it was wonderful to see Uncle Palmer Svalstad and his family in San Diego and Beverly Razook, a dear cousin who lives in Anaheim Heights and took us out to eat at the best restaurants. Donna’s brother Arne had passed away with a heart attack the week after 9/11. Donna was unable to attend the funeral across country because of her health, but we had a precious time with Arne’s wife Donna and part of the family in Camarillo. There were so many others including Dr. Ken Beshore and his wife Lois whom Jim has known since they were college classmates. A major highlight of this trip was renewing our ministry in the Rumanian language in two Rumanian churches and renewing our acquaintance with Dr. Joseph Tson whom we had known in Oradea, Rumania where he led the Baptist work throughout years of persecution under the Communists in that country. We did so enjoy the trip back to Wisconsin through the mountains and valleys of the West. God has given us such a great and beautiful land!

We were greeted on our return to Wisconsin by 19 inches of snow in the month of April. Soon we were busily engaged in what we have nicknamed the “Murk summer work camp.” More building at Ferndale was accomplished this last summer, expanding the conference area. God’s people have prayed and encouraged us in this new ministry. Without their help Ferndale would not exist. We had hosted over 100 people this past summer including 24 people for two days in a teaching conference. Folks are able to stay the night and have their meals prepared right there. There are five separate kitchens with the condos and main lodge. It is ideal for pastors, missionaries and Christian workers to “come apart and rest a while” as the Word says. There is room for small meetings and regular Bible studies and there’s an extensive library. Everyone remarks on the atmosphere of peacefulness. There is also some great fishing. Both a 10 pound and 19 pound muskie were caught off the dock. Chain Lake is full of bass and all kinds of other fish, although they are not always easy to catch. You can see thousands of fish on the fish finder, but you must be there when they are willing to take the bait! It’s a great analogy to be ready and exercise patience in winning people to the Lord!

We were able to drive to the Chicago area and spend Thanksgiving time with Bill and Jeanine and Brienne and Heather. Bill and Heather are miraculously improved after their head-on collision with an 18-wheeler gravel truck three years ago. There will always be some lasting affect. Bill still has pain in his hip, and Heather initially sustained 400 stitches but has healed amazingly. They have just completed a hauntingly beautiful meditative album together--Heather singing with Bill playing his Testori violin. The whole family also just recorded a Christmas album which received much radio time throughout the country, and Bill finished his soft jazz album of hymn meditations. They renewed their missions outreach by going to Portugal and Italy last winter. In March 2003 they are ministering in Ghana, West Africa. Jeanine also is encouraging many with her speaking, and Brienne finished one semester of Moody Bible Institute, runs the office, and has become a computer whiz. We are so grateful for them all.

As we began our journey in December a deer ran out into the road in front of us. The damage was severe but did not impair our travel that evening. We had minor repairs in Eau Claire and traveled all night to Nashville because of Beverly’s recording schedule. It was wonderful to see friends we had known during our 12 years living in Mt. Juliet. Jim taught Wednesday night at our church on “Islam, Christianity and the Last Days,” a subject which he has studied since his grad school days in the 1950’s. This has been much on his heart since 9/11, and he has written extensively on the subject in order to instruct believers on the role of the Muslim religion in these end times. The message was digitally recorded and edited by Terry. CD’s and cassette tapes are being made for distribution along with his writings.

We had an early Christmas with Barbi, Terry and the boys. They have been to Russia in ministry 4X and to South America 3X learning to sing in both Russian and Spanish. They ministered in Nicaragua last year. Tyler and Travis’ voices have changed causing some major rearrangements of music. They do a lot of gorgeous close harmony and are doing great on piano and guitar. Like all of our grandchildren they have been home-schooled, enabling them to travel. The family has finished another beautiful album called “Legacy” and have almost completed their new “Heart for the World” offices and teaching center behind their home in Old Hickory, TN. We praise God for their ministry.

While in Nashville with Barbi and Terry, Beverly recorded most of her new album of violin meditations. It should be ready by the summer. This year she coached violin and art students. She took a lifeguard course and was certified in CPR, AED, and first aid. Her greatest love is still praying fervently for her brothers and sisters and 15 nieces and nephews, taking care of Ferndale, and traveling in ministry with mom and dad.

Bruce and Brenda, Brittany, Brent, Brook and Bryson visited us twice during the summer. They are planning a second long tour to the Far East including the Philippines where major venues in 10,000 seat stadiums have been planned. They will also minister in South China and perhaps again in Hong Kong. There is a chance for them to reach literally thousands with the Gospel. Their music celebrates the theme of a Christian family which is a beautiful basis for sharing about the family of God. They just completed contemporary recordings treating the major moral issues of our day including a wonderful duet by Brittany and Brent on abstinence which they have sent to 25 congressmen. They are praying about making it into a music video to take with them to the Far East. Brittany has continued her job as secretary for a local church, and Brent has joined her in taking basic college courses through his high school program. Of course they’re making Grandpa proud with straight A’s. Brent is also a life guard at his family’s health club. Brook is excelling in gymnastics. And Bryson keeps everyone happy with his cheerful and loving personality. Bruce and Brenda are also holding nutrition meetings in their home, informing others how to eat right for optimum health. This is because Brenda’s health was miraculously helped by this program. We are so proud of them all.

Becky’s husband David, flight captain with Miami Air, has been flying troops to Central Asia and Kuwait in preparation for the possible upcoming war. His safety is also in our prayers. Becky will be playing violin at their church, Calvary Chapel, Ft. Lauderdale. Joshua has been a waiter at a local restaurant while applying to Christian colleges praying for God’s guidance in the use of his baseball and piano talents. Jamie was on swim team and will be going to Africa with TEEN missions again this summer. She and Joanna and Jeremiah continue to improve amazingly in their piano playing. The latter two are terrific in local soccer teams and Joy is just as sweet as her name! The three older children all played piano prelude for Jewel’s wedding. The Franklins sang and Beverly, Becky, and Barbi played violin together for the first time in 20 years. We are so thankful for them all.

Donna has had a rough year, having fainted in the kitchen in July, hitting her head on the countertop, suffering a serious cranial hemotoma and compressing a vertebrae in her back. The doctor said it was a severe break. Having been on the blood-thinner coumadin, we could have lost her. But she’s recovering slowly and is a real trooper, refusing to stop traveling, singing for the Lord. In November, she started to have a third stroke, but the Lord had directed us to a new remedy called nattokinase. It is a plasminogen activator developed by the Japanese which dissolves blood clots. We gave her a dose of 350 mg, and miraculously she was back to normal in a few hours. It has continued to be a marvelous substitute for the more dangerous coumadin. These are precious days that we still have her! Pray!

Many of our family came to Ferndale in August for an early celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary. They gave us a gift of a digital camera which we hope will enable us to put pictures in our letters. Our kids and grandkids had each written a page of memories about us and read them to us. It was a precious, unforgettable, and blessed time together. The day after Christmas, our actual anniversary, we were totally surprised with a book full of notes, cards and congratulations from many of you! What a treasure!! Thank you for celebrating with us across the miles! God be with all of you this year.

Blessings from us all--Jim, Donna, and Beverly

Jessica Gardner - jessica_gardner@sil.org Mamfe, Cameroon (Africa)

Jim and Jewel (Gardner) Hanson - SlimJim228@aol.com Andersonvilleville, TN