Greg and Pam Kirk

Greg Kirk was a married student when he came to Fairhaven in 1985. With the help of his wife Pam, he provided for his family, reared his three children, and took classes toward a degree in Pastoral Theology.

Before coming to college, Greg always had a desire to live out west-in the wide open spaces. All during his college years, he prayed that God would send him to begin or take over a work in Montana. After graduation in 1989, however, the Lord led the Kirks to work in a church in Pennsylvania. Greg's first thoughts were, "This isn't Montana, Lord."

Several years later he accepted the call to work with his father at the Union Gospel Mission in Sacramento, California. It was the west, but it sure wasn't the wide open spaces he longed for. Working with the homeless and downtrodden is often a thankless job. The mission work has faced opposition from groups of people who think the only reason the homeless are in Sacramento is because the mission is there. Greg has filled many positions at the mission, starting as an assistant to the director, then as a chaplain, and for several years as the director of development. While he was chaplain, he wrote and implemented the mission's 11-month recovery program.

After working in the mission for over 10 years, out of the clear blue came a call from a group of people in Montana who wanted Greg to pray about taking over the work there. It seemed like a dream come true. Greg and Pam fasted and prayed and sought God's face. During this time of seeking God's will, Greg was interrupted at the mission by a drunken, cursing man. The man was on the telephone outside Greg's office, and Greg asked if he could help him. The man's name was Ed and he said he was trying to get a ride but didn't know where he was. On the other end of the phone was a crying young lady, and Greg gave her information on the mission and their drug/alcohol program. Ed was urged to stay at the mission and enroll in their program. Two days later Ed was found dead in his bunk. Greg was disturbed because he hadn't had a chance to tell him how to become a Christian. Later that day, however, he found out that the chaplain had led Ed to the Lord after the morning Bible study.

Greg felt that this "chance" encounter with Ed outside of his office was God's answer to his prayer about whether to stay or move to Montana. He knew God was confirming his call to mission work. When Greg wonders about his work with the homeless in the inner city now, he remembers the words of a poet who penned, "Some want to be in church with a pretty sounding bell; I would rather be in a rescue shop a couple yards from hell."

Greg has faced other trials in his service for the Lord, including facing the 99% probability that a tumor in his lungs was malignant and that he only had a year to live. Before surgery, Greg asked the doctor not to share the dismal prognosis with his family. He also told the doctor he believed God could handle a 1% chance and whatever happened, he knew God was in charge.

But on the day of surgery, Greg was filled with fear and strained emotions at the prospect of dying on the operating table and leaving his family behind. After surgery, he even thought they couldn't remove the tumor and had just sewn him back up. He waited for the bad news. After a few days of recuperation, the doctor called Greg and his first words were, "Well, Mr. Kirk, your God sure is good." The tumor was benign! God answered his prayer. Pam wrote later, "To God be the glory, great things He hath done. Great is His faithfulness. We have a renewed sense of the power of prayer-which brings you to your knees and the throne of God knowing God is still in control of any and all situations."

In January, Greg became executive director of the mission. He will continue to raise money for the mission, speak in local churches, oversee the staff as well as set the future course of the mission. The mission promotes many differing services such as nightly gospel services, evening meals, men's and women's residential treatment programs, a farm program that houses 25 men, food boxes, bus tickets, vocational training, and others. Every opportunity is taken to present the gospel, and the mission saw 170 converts in 2002.

The Kirk children, Kevin, Erin, and Shandela, have grown up, and Greg and Pam are excited about being grandparents soon.