Landing in Gambell on February 11, 2008, Evangelists Brian and Denise Bechthold and Pastor Rick Binford were greeted with the cold of a 30-knot wind, a temperature of -15°F, and the warm friendship of the Siberian Yupik people to conduct their third evangelistic meetings in the village.

Starting on the Friday night of a weekend of “Little Dribblers Basketball” from three neighboring villages would not be recommended, but with a short window of time to hold a series it was the best we could do. God still brought out 10 people of which two were non-members on opening night. The basketball games ended on Saturday night; Sunday night the attendance doubled and so did the number of non-members. Even the weather doubled! Winds grew to gusts of 50 mph and visibility went to zero and stayed this way for 4 days. A typical Gambell winter.  Despite the weather, attendance remained steady throughout the series.

On Sabbath morning March 1, the Gambell church welcomed into its fellowship three precious souls: Fabian Ungott and Reanna Soonagrook through baptism and Susan Campbell by Profession of Faith. Susan’s parents had been one of the first members of the church many years ago and she was baptized when young, but had not been an active member in the Seventh-day Adventist church for many years. However, she had been very active in the Presbyterian church. She remembers her father’s last words about the Sabbath being true and now at 74 yrs of age she has decided to take her stand once again for “the Bible truth.” Praise God for His blessings experienced in the village of Gambell!