Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.

In one of my blog posts, I commented about the snow, but I have to mention it again.  As we all know, no matter how much we plan, we are at the mercy of the weather.

I made a decision to visit communities in B.C. during February thinking there would be less chance of snow fall given the west coast climate. However, a few days leading up to my visit, it did not look good. There wasn’t much I could do but go.

As the plane neared Terrace, I knew something was wrong since we had been sitting way too long. Just then the pilot informed us that they would circle the airport a little longer to see if there would be a break in the weather to land the plane. Twenty minutes went by.  Another announcement.  We would have to head back to Vancouver and try another flight in hopes the weather would improve. Hence, a day later I finally arrived in Terrace, where it had snowed over two feet!  Seriously?! Luckily, I was able to change my reservation from a front-wheel drive car to a four-wheel drive truck. According to all the locals, this was the most snow in twenty-five years!

Gitanyow Independent School

The purpose of my trip was to make plans for March when ten other people from three different teams will come to visit their communities in the off-season. The purpose of their March trip is to encourage people and plant the seeds of faith.

The highway between Hazelton and Terrace.

Since my plans had changed due to weather on the first day of my trip, I visited someone from Gitanyow now living in Terrace.  That quick visit turned to something much longer and validation for long-term mission work. While visiting with Sharle, I found out her niece Julia was staying with her to attend high school in Terrace. I have known Julia for a long time, since she was about 4 years old. When I would see her at VBS during the summer, our conversations were short. On this visit, we talked more than any of all the other times added together. Julia was very excited to be in a different school and have options in career-oriented classes. She shared how she was helping with “Right to Play”, which assists kids to be more active. But, what surprised me most was Julia still had the book and card that Sherri gave her from three summers ago.

Several years ago, Sherri joined our church group on its mission trip to Gitanyow to cook for the team. Sherri and Julia ended up developing a close friendship. After three years, Sherri was unable to commit. The following year, Sherri sent a devotional book and card apologizing to Julia that she wasn’t able to make it. Julia still has that card and letter. What an impact Sherri had and still has on Julia.

Through relationships, we are more effective in sharing the love of Christ with other people. However, this takes time, patience and prayer. Please pray for people that are like Sherri, who are able to spend time with others sharing the gospel message through relationships like these.

When I travel, I like to use Airbnb as it tends to be cheaper, have more of what I need for a longer stay, and generally are nicer places to stay. I was the first guest at the Airbnb where I stayed at in Terrace. Generally, I make my stays based on reviews of others, but I took a chance. Not only was it a very pleasant Airbnb, but the host was super friendly and invited me to dinner that Saturday. The dinner was tasty and better yet, I was able to meet people from Terrace.

A highlight was meeting Ida. I was asked to play a song for the group. (Note, the only songs I know by heart are kid songs.) So I taught them Fishers of Men by Jerry Davis. After I was done, Ida played another version of fishers of men. Then she taught me a song in Nisga. Nisga is a First Nations near a community where LAMP serves in B.C. Incredible!

While having dinner at my Airbnb was a great time of connecting, God opened doors to build relationships several other times. I shared with different people involved in their communities about the spring trip in March. Each time they knew of another person to contact for getting the word out or another school we could visit. Despite the plans I made, God had a way of determining my steps.

Summer months just rock. It’s hot, and I love to be outside. January, however, gets a bad rap. After all, it follows all the festivities and bright lights of Christmas. A lot of New Year’s resolutions have been broken (at least according to the internet), and the days are short and cold. Many people, especially those residing in remote communities of northern Canada, struggle with seasonal depression. I can relate.

Just this past week, a young adult that I have known for quite some time messaged me. I could tell right away he wasn’t doing well. In the past, he would make Facebook comments about struggling with depression in the winter months. This time in the chat messenger, he commented about not doing well in school and that he might not graduate. He also mentioned things were different at home (common for an eighteen-year-old). He is struggling. I offered him some advice and mentioned that, as always, I would keep him in my prayers. I continue to check in with him online and will try to meet up when I make a trip back up north. What can you do to help those that struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts? And how can you help those living in aboriginal communities? Personally, I find the following video very helpful in supporting people around us and have used it for ministry for several years now: Although we can’t fix someone struggling with depression, being a compassionate listener is much more important than giving advice. Being supportive means offering encouragement and hope. More and more people need to hear the message of hope that can be theirs through Jesus Christ. You can bring hope to others. If you haven’t been on a summer mission trip, how about coordinating a trip with your church? Or contact me at 1-800-307-4036, ext. 5 to find out how to join a team already serving in the North. Another option to help those struggling is to support me and others that make trips in the off-season. This March I will be traveling with several people from different VBS teams from the summer. We will be visiting 3-4 communities to spend time with children and adults. Finally, continue to pray for all those that struggle to experience comfort and peace within that comes from the Holy Spirit. Be certain to make time for others, listen and be present. Pray and trust in God’s purpose for you live, to love Him and to love others.

Summer 2017 VBS teams

As the calendar year comes to an end, here are highlights from this summer's VBS teams.

I’m a total wimp when it comes to driving in the first snow fall. My Canadian friends and colleagues laughed at me when I mentioned there was about four inches of snow on the ground. I don’t mind driving in snow but the first snow fall puts me on edge. Maybe it’s the fact I’m from Portland and every two to three years we get what we call a snow storm. The three to maybe six inches of snow will normally last for about two days. It’s rare to get any snow over ten inches and it’s rare for snow to last more than five days. During that time there are three types of drivers in Portland. The drivers that are cautious and take their time driving. The drivers that think because they have four wheel drive the can go anywhere and drive as if there was no snow, which most of the time they create the accidents. And there are the third type of drivers that stay home and wait for the roads to clear up before heading out. Or maybe I’m a wimp for driving because once while driving with the entire family in our van, I nearly had a head on collision with a full size SUV while sliding uncontrollably down a mountain pass. Any ways, there I was trying to visit a community, the snow was still falling as was the temperature and the closer I drove in land the deeper the snow got. 

So I turned around, my shoulders were getting too tense and I really wanted to see my wife and kids one more time. Besides all that I really hadn’t made contact with anyone from the areas I was planning to visit. Feeling a bit discouraged and knowing my Canadian friends would laugh at my snow driving skills I headed back, plus after drinking a large double double from Tim Hortons I really had to go to the bathroom. As I got closer to Terrace and in cell range, vicar Chris from Redeemer Lutheran in Kitamatt called. We were going to meet the next day but he could meet with me that evening. This actually worked out perfect as it gave us more time to visit and build a connection. Chris and I had a great visit, found out he was originally from the NW (Kirkland, WA). I was really impressed with Chris’s humble servant attitude and his willingness to serve God where ever He leads.      

We often have a plan but it’s always God leading. I still struggle with this as I do with driving in the snow. I have everything planned out, but really God has it planned out. Proverbs 16:9 has been a favorite verse of mine for some time, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” I need help in remembering this, especially in the mission field. Despite that day of trying to reach a community in the snow, the next several days were fruitful as I was able to visit with several lay leaders, community leaders and friends from Gitanyow. I was even driving on roads with ice and compact snow at night! When plans change or times get difficult, remember God is still leading through everything, good or bad.

When your van/bus/caravan pulls into a community, your week of VBS has officially started. In some cases, you might be spotted coming down the road. It doesn’t take long before you have a crowd of familiar faces welcoming you back into their community. Kids eager to see who has come back and where so and so is and even though VBS always starts on Monday they still ask, “When does VBS start?” I love it! Often there are a few new faces and nearly every time they say one of my favorite phrases, “What are you guys doing here?” So I explain about LAMP and explain VBS with the Bible stories, crafts and games. This next part happens almost every time, they pause and think. Then say, “Umm I might come tomorrow.” Nearly every time they come to VBS the next day and there starts a new relationship through Christ.

               In John 1 verses 43-51, Jesus comes to town. While he didn’t show up in a church van and no crowds met him, he does find one person Philip and says, “Follow me.” Philip follows Jesus. Knowing that Jesus is the one that Moses and the prophets wrote about, Philip tells his friend Nathanael. Nathanael was a bit doubtful so Philip says, “Come and see.” Once Philip meets Jesus, all doubt goes away and the new life in Christ begins with Philip, for Philip “…will see greater things than these.”

               Through baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are able to “come and see” Jesus. To experience His love and forgiveness in our lives. Through building relationships with people and especially people in Northern British Columbia, they too are able to “come and see” Jesus as God works through each of us to help reach all people. Pray that God can you use you today, to help others come and know that someday they “...will see greater things than these.” 

(For the full effect play the video while you read this blog)

On my way up to serve in northern British Columbia for most of July, I failed to make arrangements for a place to stop the first night.  Normally when I’ve traveled with my church from the Portland area, we would make arrangements to stay in Williams Lake at St. Johns Lutheran. But in my haste to get everything packed and things at home taken care of for the time I will be up north, I had forgotten to call ahead to Maureen Welke the host at St. Johns. Once I crossed the border I called Maureen but got no answer and I left a message. So I thought of a hotel but I would literally be sleeping and going. Then I thought, I could always sleep in the car in the church parking lot or just set my cot up next to the car and sleep outside but then I remembered the mosquitoes are much larger and more aggressive in Canada. Just around dinner, Maureen called. I mentioned that I was traveling by myself, ahead of the mission teams. I asked if the church would be open, there was a pause, “Just come and stay here”, was Maureen’s reply. “You mean at your house?” I asked. “Yes, we have an extra bed just come and stay here. We would love for you to stay with us”. The Welke’s house sat up on the hill with an amazing view of William’s Lake, similar to the view from the dinning hall at camp Lutherhaven in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The Welke's hospitality did not stop there; the next day was the 91^st William’s Lake stampede. Every morning of the stampede there is a cowboy breakfast, bacon is served with a side of eggs, hash browns, pancakes an­­­­­­­­­d coffee. Maureen and her husband Rick invited me to be their guest. 

The breakfast hit the spot but the atmosphere with live music and local folks was awesome. In the story of Mary and Martha, Mary was spending time talking with Jesus. Martha is busy getting everything ready for the guests that are about to come over. Martha perturbed with Mary for not helping, ask Jesus to make Martha help her. Jesus explains to Mary that Martha is doing the right thing, she is spending time listening and learning from the Savior. For many years, decades really St. Johns has hosted teams coming from the states. Most teams traveling from Oregon and Washington can make the trip in a long day. The church during a remodel, added showers in each of the bathrooms for the teams. I also found out they collect donations for treats for each team, watermelons from Saskatchewan, Dilly Bars from the local DQ, yes they have those up here. There is plenty of room and it’s a way to save money on a place to stay. Maureen and the many others that have hosted teams at St. Johns, are there to help teams to spend time teaching and loving others as Jesus did with Martha.