Profile by Erin Cady Our focus is to be involved in every way we can with young people.

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Profiles | Send mail to The Voice MBC professor uses carpentry as a ministry Dr. and Mrs. Aldrich work as a ministry team. -Dr. Aldrich, photo The hour is 5:30 a.m.; the sun still rests behind the horizon, and the last of the morning stars dot the sky. Dr. Tim Aldrich lumbers out of bed and walks downstairs to begin his Saturday routine. He stokes the burning embers of a fire, sips his coffee and begins his morning devotions, preparing for a day of hard, but rewarding, work. With a God-given ability to work with his hands and a strong work ethic, Dr. Aldrich spends many weekend hours on construction projects at his country home. He can often be found hard at work on a household project such as cutting down a tree from the forest on his property, fixing a misbehaving John Deere tractor, helping his brother or father with a project or working on the addition to his house. His wife, Barbara, described him as a jack-of-all-trades. "But he is not so driven that he can't relax," she said. "He likes to stop and smell the roses. He likes to frequent pawnshops. He likes to drive up to the Gorge--that would be his hang-loose time." Over the years, Dr. Aldrich has developed a Christian camp construction ministry. He and Barbara spend spring and summer breaks helping camps with construction projects that range from building decks, bathhouses, and fences to fixing leaky roofs, plumbing, and doing electrical work. The Aldriches help at camps such as Kidder Creek and Mission Springs in California; Shilo Ranch in Idaho; and the Firs Fellowship in British Columbia. He said he hopes to take students to work at a camp this March. Mrs. Aldrich said, "We believe that the camping experience has a lasting impact on our youth. Our focus is to be involved in every way we can with young people." While at the camps, Dr. and Mrs. Aldrich also motivate and encourage the camp staff. "Our work as volunteers is a constant blessing for us," Mrs. Aldrich said. Dr. Aldrich works side by side with his wife on almost every project. He said, "God has blessed me with a great life partner. I couldn't ask for a better woman." The two met for the first time at Pier 34 in Seattle at Ivar's waterfront restaurant. Mrs. Aldrich lived in Ferndale, Wash., and Dr. Aldrich lived in Portland, Ore. His brother, Jon, had put them in touch, and they had become acquainted through frequent phone calls. One Friday night as they were talking, Dr. Aldrich said that he would like to meet the woman who had such a nice voice. She agreed after much persuasion but was slightly shocked when he asked to meet her the next day at noon. He asked how he was going to recognize her, and she told him that she would be wearing a green jacket. The next day Dr. Aldrich waited on the pier for Barbara. As the minutes ticked by, three women wearing green coats walked onto the pier. The first was young and surrounded by children. As he looked at her, he had to remind himself that he wasn't 30 anymore. The second was "as hard as nails," and he thought, If that's her, I'm out of here. When he found Barbara, he gave her a big hug. They spent the next 12 hours together. "He's a little boy at heart; he's just fun to be with [and] I can't wait for weekends," Mrs. Aldrich said. "He sings to me a lot; he'll take any song or chorus and put my name in it. Many times during the day he'll tell me that he loves me. He's a very kind, loving person." He grew up on a small farm and enjoyed repairing tractors for his neighbor. Over the years, he has collected old John Deere tractors that needed repairs, intending to fix them up and sell them for a profit. That hasn't happened yet. Dr. Aldrich has been to John Deere shows and to a John Deere tractor plant. He and his wife are members of a two-cylinder club. This allows them to meet fellow tractor lovers but also provides an opportunity for them to minister to non-believers. Another way they reach out to non-believers is through their restaurant ministry. For the past six to eight years, the couple has been reaching out to both servers and customers. Dr. Aldrich will often ask if a cross necklace has any meaning to the person or if any good churches are in the area. "Tim has an excellent way of drawing the conversation into spiritual matters," Mrs. Aldrich said. "I think it's a gift he has, the way he approaches people. He's very concerned with time -- this life is short compared with eternity. He defends his faith and is a minister; it is truly an honor to be married to a man like that." Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Profiles | Top Of Page Send mail to The Voice| Journalism department website © 2003 The Voice. No part of this publication may be reproduced in written or electronic form without prior written consent from the journalism adviser of Multnomah Bible College. All rights reserved.