Spring came here later than it has some years. For Brian and the boys that allowed more opportunity to cross country ski. The skis were a blessing acquired in early February. We believe the ski excursions, as well as more time outside cutting firewood, helped Brian sleep better at night and less during the day and everyone benefited.

Gabrielle, however, wasn’t able to take advantage of the late April snows for skiing. During a late March mini vacation to the off road community of Minchumina she broke her leg while sledding. This happened on the second day of our four day visit. Gabrielle enjoyed the beautiful view of the mountains from a couch in the lodge. She had a cast for six weeks and had to get around on crutches. The cast was removed in mid May and she is slowly regaining better
use of her leg. Please pray that this will heal completely.

The first weekend in April Brian and Laurie were blessed to attend the
Family Life Weekend to Remember marriage conference in Fairbanks. KIAM was the area sponsor for the conference.

When we returned home from the conference we were saddened to learn from our children that the pastor of the church we attend resigned. Jerry Leach had
pastored the North Star Baptist church in Anderson for three years. Pray for God’s direction as the church begins the search for a new pastor.

Although Brian is station manager of KIAM AM in Nenana, we rarely listen to that station in our home anymore. On April 10 KIAM-FM began broadcasting in Nenana. It is currently broadcasting most all the same programming as KIAM AM, and of course the FM has better audio quality. We rejoice in God’s provision allowing the FM broadcast because we believe it will allow us to better serve the local Nenana area.

The FM translators in the villages now broadcast from the new FM Nenana station. That will allow us to eventually provide separate service to Nenana over KIAM AM, such as Nenana high school basketball games. The new FM also eliminates some legal hurdles we had with providing service to the villages across Alaska through our network of 15 FM translators.
Please pray with us that the two licenses which were denied for the villages of McGrath and Sand Point will now be granted because of this new arrangement.

We also believe that four new construction permits will be granted to us in the next few weeks and that additional ones will be approved later this year.

We rejoice to hear reports from the villages of how the Lord is using the broadcasts. One lady’s home has become a gathering place for village children
to eat breakfast and listen to the Saturday morning children’s programs. In another village we hear that some elders have begun to listen as they grieve the deaths of several residents this past winter.

Staffing for our Bethel, AK station KYKD continues to be a concern. We are grateful that John and Pat Fenton have committed to staff KYKD through the third week of June. The Fentons have previously served with us in Nenana. Pray that the Lord will bring us people to staff
KYKD when the Fentons leave.

June promises to be a busy month here. There are several groups coming to work on construction projects at the mission.

On June 13 and 14 we will be having our spring board of directors meeting. Please pray for wisdom for our board members who have some major issues to work
through. The meeting was originally scheduled for the last week of April but was postponed because our board president’s wife, Terry Heagy, died of lung
cancer. Please also remember Ron and the rest of the family in your prayers.

Thanks so much for your prayers for our family in these last months. Today we visited Elisha’s grave to water the flowers we planted last weekend. (There were moose tracks within two feet of Elisha’s grave marker.) The air was scented with the fragrance of flowering plants, birds sang and a gentle breeze rustled the trees. We were comforted by the assurance that while this is the resting place for Elisha’s body until the resurrection, Elisha’s soul is in the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). We know we are daily strengthened and comforted because of your prayers.

Brian, Laurie, Gabrielle, Elliot, Simeon, Michaela

PS

You can see more about Elisha as well as current family happenings and pictures at
Elisha’s Caring Bridge site http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/elishablair.

Your Polar Blairs

P.O. Box 636
Nenana, Alaska 99760

(907)-832-5552

brian@polarblairs.org

http://www.vfcm.org