Pitchford Family

My name is Keith Barnes and Charley Pitchford has been my closest friend for more than 30 years. We were college roommates, we were in each other’s wedding, celebrated births and adoptions, mourned the loss of family and have supported each other throughout our ministries. He was a missionary to Bosnia and Albania, and most recently was pastoring in Alaska. He is in desperate need of financial assistance, and I am requesting help on his behalf.

Charley and his family have been living in Cordova, Alaska since November, 2013. He served as pastor of a local church and the family has enjoyed exploring and being a part of the small fishing community.

Because of some medical reasons within the family, it became necessary for the Pitchfords to move somewhere less isolated. Stepping out on faith in God alone, they moved forward with their plan, deciding to relocate to Montana before being able to completely secure arrangements. They sold many of their belongings, and members of their home church took a love offering to help them on their way, but the money did not last long.


To save money on moving expenses, the family bought a trailer and loaded it for the journey, planning to sell it in Montana to recoup the cost. There was quite a drive to find this trailer and once they got it, they discovered many many things needing repair; including issues with the wiring, hitch, and problems with the bearing kit and jack. As if it couldn’t get any worse, their Tahoe, which had already been serviced in Cordova, needed additional repairs on the mainland, totaling $3,800. After all this, the money was depleted. But the journey doesn’t stop there.


Driving through the Yukon, where roads are quite wavy and in bad repair, they had blowouts. The closest repair shop was more than an hour away. Once they finally got the new tires, those blew as well, proving that the axles were causing unnecessary strain on the tires. Deciding to cut their losses, they gave up on the trailer and rented a U-Haul for close to $2,000. Now they are back on the road for Montana, but have depleted their budget and savings. With even further delays from wildfires in the area, they expect to barely make it before their sons start school, and Charley begins work as a para pro. They are concerned about the next steps once they arrive in Kalispell, Montana. They have no housing lined up, no trailer to store their belongings and no clue how they’ll make it to their first paycheck. The Pitchford’s are in desperate need of financial assistance so they can start their new lives in Montana.

If God places it on your heart, please give. Even the smallest donations will be a blessing to this family.