Dr. William F. "Bill" Hunter has been editor of Prayfordenmark.com since its inception on March 1, 2004. Because of responsibilities in the care of his wife of 65 years and given his soon-to-be 86 years of age, he has felt that it is time for a change in the editorial role for this webblog. We are grateful that the Lord has brought to this ministry the right man at the right time with the right background to assume the editorship.
Beginning April 1, the new editor/writer will be Robert Elmer, currently Manager of Communication Services at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, Washington. Brad Haugaard will continue in his role as the technical editor. Brad has given unstintingly of his time to this ministry and has been most generous in covering expenses connected with it. Prayfordenmark.com would never have gotten off the ground without Brad's assistance. Most of all we give thanks to the Lord for the way He has blessed and sustained the ministry over the years and for all those who have been so faithful in their prayer support.
Bob Elmer is a committed evangelical believer who loves the Lord dearly and looks forward with eager anticipation to having a part in rousing fellow believers around the world to pray for evangelism, discipleship, revival/renewal, church growth, and church planting in Denmark.
Like Bill and Brad, Bob too has Danish ancestry. His parents are both from Denmark; his father born and raised in Copenhagen, and his mother on the island of Møn. They met in Denmark shortly after WWII and immigrated to the United States in the early 1950s. Bob was born and raised mainly in California, but in many ways has always felt a strong connection with his Danish heritage. His knowledge of the Danish language comes from having grown up in a Danish-speaking family. In fact, Danish was the only language in his home, so he grew up speaking Danish, and the Elmer family observed many Danish traditions along the way. He was raised in the Lutheran Church, but since accepted Christ as Savior and Lord at age 17. He affirms, "I've always felt a deep burden for the Danish people." During his college days in San Francisco, he volunteered at the local Scandinavian Seaman's Mission.
There are interesting elements in Bob's Danish heritage. His Great-Uncle Robert, after whom he was named, was a postman in Copenhagen and took his family to stay with out-of-town relatives during the worst days of WWII. Apparently he felt it would be safer for them to be away from the city. As Bob understands it, he would visit his wife and children on the weekends, and commute back to their apartment in the city during the week. But on one of those trips back to Copenhagen he was targeted and shot dead by Nazis--it is uncertain if it was in a crossfire situation or if it was deliberate. As for others in Copenhagen, there is no plaque commemorating the spot where he died, but understandably the story made an indelible impression on Bob.
Another story that made an impression on him was about his mother's sibling, Bob's Uncle Hother, who would apparently sneak out at night from their home to take part in a Resistance group. Uncle Hother was reluctant to speak of his experiences. Those familiar with some of Bob's novels can detect elements of these stories in them.
Bob has had a fulfilling career as a writer and editor and as a news editor, advertising writer, and freelance author. For a short time he was an assistant pastor at a Christian and Missionary Alliance church. In the past (depending on where they've lived) Bob and family have attended churches of various denominations. This has given him an appreciation for the various traditions amongst evangelical Christians. He is a graduate of Simpson Bible College and St. Mary's College.
As yet, he has visited Denmark only once, as a teen, but he is excited about the prospect of another visit to make contact with Danish churches and believers on behalf of prayfordenmark.com. Bob and his wife Ronda have been married for 32 years; they have three adult children and four grandchildren.
PRAY for Bob and Brad as they continue this much needed ministry of prayer support for the Lord's work in Denmark. We believe the best is yet to come. What joy it would be to see a nationwide return to Christ in Denmark!
