You folks at headquarters are my lifeline, as I am too far away to attend services in Medford, Oregon, which is 106 miles or about three hours from Happy Camp on the Klamath River, where I live.

I came here last June at the invitation of my sister, expecting to live in a tent camper for the summers and instead find myself in a doublewide house year round and becoming a member of the community.

Because of the distance and the fact that I don’t own a vehicle, also, at 74 years, a six-hour drive is out of the question. I am attending a little Pentecostal church here. They are an enthusiastic and friendly group, and I’m thankful. However, after 27 years in the WCG, I find it difficult to let go. Impossible is closer, I think. Nevertheless, I feel that God has a purpose in bringing me here.

Verna A. Hibbard

Happy Camp, Oregon

The February WN arrived in today’s mail and I have gone through the various articles. I especially appreciated reading Michael Morrison’s "Basic Christian Beliefs" section on "The End."

The article was a good summary of the balanced Christian perspective on prophecy. A noteworthy quotation: "The misery index goes up and down throughout history, and this will probably continue." Amen.

The article stated, regarding Matthew 24: "Most of what [Jesus] predicted in Matthew 24 was fulfilled in the siege of Jerusalem, A.D. 70. Jesus was warning his disciples about events that they would live to see, and that people in Judea would need to flee to the mountains."

My local congregations, Columbia, South Carolina, and Augusta, Georgia, are trying to focus more on the Persecuted Church. Sam Elisha lives here in Columbia, and has conducted an annual Conference on the Persecuted Church, which has proved informative.

In addition, we have had him speak to our congregations several times and it has helped us get our minds off ourselves and onto our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ (though we may not know them).

I subscribe to the Intercessors for America weekly prayer bulletin as well as to Tim and Darcie Gill of the Voice of the Martyrs. It unsettles me to realize how oblivious I have been over the years to the ongoing persecution of many in the body of Christ (in truth, I did not even recognize those people as Christians—rather they were "Christians in name only"—may God forgive me).

John Moskel

Lexington, South Carolina

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