Summer Ministry 2024

Like every summer spent up north, it is a blessing mixed with difficult moments. It is a blessing to serve with each of the teams who volunteer their time, money and resources. This year was another gift for me to only have a few teams and spend most of the week with them.

The first week was really exciting as the team from Arizona had all their group returning from last year, plus one veteran, Ms. Becky. The group picked right up from last year with the connections they made with the kids and were able to build stronger relationships. The group was blessed with good weather and a great turnout of kids.

The following week, my home church, Christ the Vine came with many veteran team members and two new members. It was a fantastic week. Not only did we have a lot of kids, but the amount of knowledge of who God is was evident in how they responded to the lessons. 

The following week brought a team containing some members of a previous team to Gingolx. One member couldn’t attend, but the rest of the team picked up her role and did an amazing job. They are already discussing plans for what they would like to do next year.

I returned home for a couple of weeks and helped with my home church’s VBS program, which is something we have not held for a few years. I truly enjoy assisting with it. 

Then it was back up to B.C. for a week in Witset. My wife Tina was able to come and help. This year we helped at a kids' program in the morning with a one-hour VBS. Then it was an afternoon of hosting a water slide at the lake with an evening program for adults and youth.

 

The days were long, but it was fantastic to make connections with many different people in the community, including attending a men’s dinner hosted by the community. The only negative was a nearby fire that closed our waterslide early on Friday so the water-dropping helicopters could get water from the lake.

The summer went very well, and I look forward to next year when more teams join in helping spread the word of Jesus’s love for all people. 

I am struggling to write this part of my newsletter, but I want to share this with you. While in Gitanyow, I talked with a friend named Matthew whom I have known for a long time. Despite struggling with many challenges in his life, he has always been helpful to me and taught me about the costumes and customs of Gitanyow. Tina and I once gave him a ride from Terrace, and during the journey, he talked with us the whole time. Matthew has two beautiful daughters, one of whom recently graduated from high school.

A week after I returned home, I received a message informing me that Matthew had passed away. Facebook was inundated with shocked messages from people in Gitanyow about his passing. There is still no information on how he died, but when I saw him, there were no visible signs of any health issues. 

Matthew's death serves as a reminder that every day is a gift from God. We never know when it will be our last, nor when the people we know may no longer be with us. May we always live each day for God, giving Him the glory and telling others about Jesus and His love for them.

This week, I started my final year of schooling in the CMC program. If everything goes as planned, I should be at the call service in St. Louis on April 30th, with my ordination at the end of August. This year will be the most challenging year, as I will be working on starting my new ministry, taking language classes, and completing my portfolio. However, since it does not look like the Mariners will make the playoffs, once again, that will be one less distraction.