Summer 2026 Full & Blessed

Heading to make deliveries to Kingfisher Lake, ON

On our way to visit Norway House, MB

2026 could and should be considered a great summer of serving in the North. Nearby Forest Fires only prevented one team from going into their community, as the Saskatchewan Forest Fire Crews had taken over the school in Southend, SK, for their base. Alternate plans have been finalized for the Outlook, SK. team to visit October 23rd -26th.

Lutheran Church - Canada 2026 Convention

All set up and ready for visitors in the Display Gallery

I was honoured to be able to attend the Canadian National Convention representing LAMP. My wife, Darlene, served at the display booth for the majority of the convention, holding many discussions about volunteering, and even more with stories that people shared as they pointed at various spots on the Canadian map of LAMP communities we serve.

Standing alongside the Directors of Lutheran Bible Translators and BC Mission Boat Society

Thompson, MB as Home Base

The airport at Thompson is a great home base for our summer with 2-hr. flights to all locations

Andrew and I were able to once again base centrally at Thompson. Over the past couple of years, we had difficulty getting out of the airport when returning after hours, but happily this year we were able to get fob access to the tarmac directly.  The Thompson airport has been working on a new terminal, which the management hopes will open this fall, and so we don’t know what next year will look like, but management has assured us access.

Three-bedroom Airbnb gives us enough room

Our duplex is in a reasonable location and is well maintained

We acquired the summer rental of our Airbnb duplex home again this year. Having three bedrooms allowing room for Andrew, Michael and myself to have our own space.

Flights making community visits

Despite some issues in the Lance with Sensors and a failed starter, we were able to meet our scheduled summer visits. 

Breakdown in Cat Lake, ON

Our first visit was a planned overnight trip to join the Cat Lake Team and my wife Darlene. Our attempted departure didn’t go as planned when the starter failed to engage. Andrew ended up troubleshooting it for the next three days, until Friday when Steve Morley (Sky Care pilot and friend of LAMP) came to pick up the team. He brought a battery booster which did not work, so he hand-spun the prop and got the Lance running. We flew to Sky Care hangar in Sioux Lookout, where Steve Morley arranged for a mechanic and a flight coming in from Winnipeg to deliver a new starter. Happily, within twenty-four hours we were off in time to meet our next week’s schedule.

Cat Lake Team helps maneuver the Lance into the grass

Ready for diagnosis and repair

Due to our unexpected overnight in Sioux Lookout we were blessed to meet TWO teams for supper, as well as belatedly celebrate Andrew's Birthday and say Thank you to Steve Morley for his aid

Visiting Teams

This summer, Andrew and I were able to visit all of our teams, though some visits were shortened or I would be dropped off for an overnight without my partner. It went well. Overall, it was great to see the teams well prepared and supporting each other in ministry.

Visits to communities not receiving a team this year

Garden Hill, Kingfisher Lake, Muskrat Dam, Wunnumin Lake; out of those four communities, only Kingfisher received our visit. The others had contacts who were out of the community when we were available to visit.

The young Mennonite couple from Idaho flew up to visit for a week with their little one

Their summers had been devoted to serving Kingfisher Lake, supporting our team for the last three years (this picture is from 2023)

Visit to Wasagamack, MB, looking to receive a team

Visit and tour of Wasagamack, MB

Just a boat trip across Island Lake from the airport and Garden Hill community

Sean Harper from Red Sucker Lake, MB, shared our contact information with Cheryl Harper of Wasagamack. They are seeking help and would like a team to support the youth in their community. I visited to meet them and take a tour. I hope we can provide a summer team next year to work with Cheryl, the Christian community, and the Elders of Wasagamack.

Scheduling two missionaries

To prepare for our summer schedule, I spend time with Andrew and Michael to understand the flight needs and pilot downtime. It is amazing how God has blessed us with workable schedules. In past years, I have requested assistance from Dennis Ouellette, Gordon Gilbey, and Steve Schave to visit teams and communities we were unable to work into the schedule. 

This year we successfully negotiated the summer without that need. Sadly, that is a result of Wollaston, Sandy Bay, Pelican Narrows, Tadoule, York Landing, South Indian Lake, Leaf Rapids, Grand Rapids, Moose Lake, Garden Hill, Muskrat Dam, Bearskin Lake, Kingfisher Lake, and Wunnumin Lake not receiving teams; along with Southend and Shamattawa teams, who are planning fall visits. A total of 16 communities therefore did not require summer visits.

Conclusion

The summer of 2026 was blessed by our Lord, and serves as a benchmark for the years to come. From here, we will watch how the Lord God uses the ministry of LAMP to serve the communities we are invited into each year. 

As we walk along as Christian friends, including our Northern friends and the entire LAMP family (staff, volunteer missionaries, and partners). I pray that the ears who have heard the Good News about our gracious and loving Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will know they are not alone and continue to be encouraged through dark and troubling times. We want each individual to know we pray for them and understand that they are loved by their Christian brothers and sisters. May this simple message fill their hearts and lives as we all strive to live for tomorrow.

Evening flight home to Thompson, MB

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1)

Ready! Set! Go!!! Summer 2026

Here we go! Another season 

We have seen an increase in the number of Volunteer Missionaries ready to go visit our friends in Northern Canada. Last year (2025) we had 154 Volunteers and as of now (2026) we have 205 excited and joy filled Mission Team members making their final plans to journey to their Northern Community. 

 

Andrew & Randy Visiting Cross Lake, MB

Summer Schedule 2026 

June 3rd Old Masset, BC 

June 28th Old Hazelton, BC 

July 6th Cat Lake, ON, Thompson, MB, Hall Lake, SK 

July 12th Sandy Lake, Big Trout Lake & Wapekeka, ON, Cross Lake, MB, Grandmother's Bay, SK, Gitanyow, BC 

July 19th Red Sucker Lake, MB, Southend, SK 

July 26th Little Grand Rapids, Norway House, Broche, & Lynn Lake, MB, Deschambault, SK, Laxagalt’sap & Witset, BC 

Aug. 2rd Easterville, MB, Cormorant, MB 

Aug. 9th Sachigo, Weagamow, ON, Lac Broche, MB, Sucker River, SK, Gingolx, BC 

Aug. 23rd Churchill, MB

Communities unable to receive Mission teams this year are: Muskrat Dam, Wunnumin Lake, Kingfisher, Garden Hill, Tadoule, York Landing, South Indian Lake, Sandy Bay, Wollaston, Kitimat Village 

Our home away from home in Thompson, MB

Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you for the many Volunteer teams, Staff Missionaries, and Pilots who plan to travel to Northern Canada during this Summer season. Grant them safety in travelling to serve their isolated friends with your precious Gospel. Bless these servants who take time to walk alongside their Northern Christian friends, encouraging each one in their faith journey. Keep the communities safe from another round of destructive Forest Fires, as well as give open hearts to hear your blessings of peace and hope.

Bless the team members with your Holy Spirit as they share the hope and comfort your loving grace brings through the cross and empty tomb of our risen Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

As friendships are renewed and new ones begun, may both the community and the team be filled with joy.

May each child who hears about your love find purpose to live day by day turning to you in prayer seeking your loving grace. This we ask in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus. Amen 

Lance on Apron in Cross Lake, MB

November North Trips 

Firetruck escort on runway in Saskatoon due to nosegear issues

Due to a damaged Nose Gear system, I had to cancel the community visits for the fall, but I flew Commercially to join the team as we went into the school in Shamattawa. 

Team with "Knit Hats" (aka. toques) Shamattawa, MB

Congregational Support Visits I was blessed not only to visit Cincinnati with the Board of Directors, but to have had the honor of meeting Luke Schave. LAMP visits to Prince of Peace, Regina, Trinity, St. Walburg, Reedsburg ,WI (via recorded message), St. Pauls in Bergheim, SK, Faith in Vermillion, AB, Christ, St. Catharine’s, ON, Holy Cross, Kitchener, ON, Shellbrook & Canwood, SK took place as planned. 

Best Practices & LAMP Staff Family Retreat This year we were blessed to journey as the LAMP Staff Family down to Phoenix AZ in February to attend the Best Practices conference with about 3000 other Lutherans and Mission agencies from across the US and Canada. 

Missionaries at Best Practices

LAMP Family gathered in Phoenix, AZ

We arrived a day early to spend some time getting to know each other’s families better. Our days were spent learning, receiving encouragement and promoting LAMP wherever we went, always presenting the message of bringing hope through the Love of Christ to the Northern Canadian remote and isolated communities served by our Volunteer Missionary Teams. 

Spring Team Visits I was honoured to spend a meal this spring with the Little Grand Rapids team, offering encouragement as they remembered their beloved Pastor, Rev. Warren Hamp, recently Called to Glory. Next, I visited with the Kingfisher Team in St. Catharines, ON, as a longstanding team member was retiring. On both occasions, heartfelt mission stories were shared. 

Retiring Volunteer Missionary Peter V (85yrs.old)

Community Spring Visits This spring Andrew and I took the Lance out after retrieving it from the shop and spent a week in the North. Getting to visit Cross Lake, Norway House, Thompson, and then over to Sandy Lake, and Sachigo, before running into a snag with dropping Oil Pressure which cancelled the remainder of our Spring Visits. 

Andrew & Randy with newly Ordained Minister for Thompson, MB

Andrew & Randy with Doreen at Sandy Lake, ON

Randy with Virginia in Sachigo, ON

We are so grateful for our Lance and the expertise offered to keep it flying across the North as we move into a busy summer season.

Rivers open

Ice still on the Northern Lakes Mid May

Summer Ministry 2025

Our Piper Lance taking us across the North

This summer has seen teams who were willing and prepared to come visit their Northern Canadian friends cancelling due to evacuations, highway closures or to heavy smoke and wildfires. Despite, the struggles to get to their friends, none have given up. While some teams hosted Bible School in the communities who accepted evacuees, others planned smaller visits in the late summer or early fall.

Young Artist sharing his heart at Wunnumin Lake, ON

The smoke cloud from Snow Lake, MB Fire

Our view from the end of the runway, Thompson, MB

One such community cut off from their team was Norway House, Manitoba. The team was ready as usual to drive from Minnesota up the highway North through Winnipeg, just about to Thompson Manitoba, where the road takes a turn back southeast around Lake Winnipeg and down to Norway House. The Cross Lake fire on that last leg had the road sometimes open and sometimes closed. Sadly, the community contacts informed the team that despite a desire to receive them, they didn’t want a day and a half’s drive come to an abrupt stop. This team adhered to the community’s direction and postponed the summer visit. That one wildfire also caused the cancellation of another team serving Cross Lake out of Iowa, who sadly watched from a distance as their friends were evacuated, then returned, and then evacuated a second time.

Meeting with Pastor Gordon & His Daughter April, Norway House, MB

Garden Hill Team, serving in Winnipeg, MB

When teams were told community visits were not possible, rather than seeing it as an end, they attempted to find a way to work around it. Initiatives were taken to find where their friends were evacuated to and brought Bible School to them there. One such team comes out of Wisconsin to serve Garden Hill, MB. Thanks to retired LAMP Missionary Gordon Gilbey, access to the University of Winnipeg was gained and Bible School hosted on the campus, giving families a couple hours needed break in an unfamiliar environment that felt nothing like home. Two other teams, both from Winnipeg, who had their Bible Schools cancelled in Northern Manitoba (Cormorant and Leif Rapids) also found ways to host and support their evacuated community members close to home this year.

Blessed with amazing Instruments to get us through the Smoke

Andrew & I meeting with Band Counsellor, Sandy Lake, ON

Lunch with Doreen Fiddler, Sandy Lake, ON

Andrew assisting with Crafts in K.I. (Big Trout, ON)

Andrew out of his element

Andrew's name tag written for him in Sachigo Lake, ON

It is under these circumstances that Andrew Anstey (Mission Aviation Fellowship Pilot seconded to LAMP) and I worked all summer from our “home away from home” at Thompson MB. Here in Thompson, the air quality has required us to stay indoors with the windows closed and plan flights that require Instrument Approaches due to limited visibility at destination airports. Thanks be to God for the generous LWML grant giving us the amazing new Instrument System and Auto Pilot in our beloved Piper Lance. Without these upgrades our flights this summer would have been a lot more difficult and some days, impossible.

Multi Generational Team from Red Sucker Lake

Folically challenged duo in Little Grand Rapids, MB

Team meeting after Bible School, Kingfisher, ON

Janine Cain celebrated for serving Little Grand Rapids, MB for 20 years

Team Devotions with Pastor Glenn in Sachigo Lake, ON

One tired volunteer sleeping in the bouncy van back to KI from Wapekeka, ON

Despite the wildfires that have plagued the summer programs in the North, the Lord is good. He continues to open doors to be able to share the good news of His amazing grace and the hope of a life lived with His loving favour. 

Three Pastors together in K.I. (Big Trout), ON

Pastor Gery Luck with those who made it for Men's Study in Weagamow, ON

Band Counsellor Abraham in Cat Lake, ON

Team and kids in Sachigo Lake, ON

Friends sharing in Dodge Ball, Sachigo Lake, ON

Andrew in the Skit at Churchill, MB

Crew they were able to wrangle to sit for Picture in Cat Lake, ON

Making a twin engine LAMP Plane at Cat Lake, ON

Many youth and young adults still suffer in the communities with depression and suicidal thoughts in their isolation, and so we pray for the fire of the Holy Spirit to keep the spark of faith alive within their souls, giving them purpose to live another day and hope for a future life God the Father wants them to enjoy. 

Youth Night in Sachigo Lake, ON

Brothers who came out to visit with the LAMP Team Wunnumin Lake, ON

Mode of Transportation to Bible Camp, Red Sucker Lake, ON

We don’t always know what the future holds for the communities we walk alongside, but we do know and believe that our Lord Jesus gave His all for every soul. And when we are invited by a community to come and show the love of Jesus to their children, to encourage hope in their teens, and to pray with the elders, we turn our eyes to heaven and call upon the Holy Spirit’s fire to light our Lamps that we might share the Gospel light with our friends. 

One Mile runway in Churchill, MB (Our first time back in 5 years)

We remain grateful for all the prayer and support that come to uplift us as staff, direct all the volunteers, and encourage the community faith leaders to lift high the light of Christ, igniting faith and hope to all whom the Holy Spirit calls. Thanks be to God through the love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that in this LAMP’s Fifty Fifth Season we are called to prepare for a Fifty Sixth Season. 

Mission Staff in attendance at Missionary Pastor Nathan Schmidt's Ordination

Continue to pray for open communities, open doors, and open hearts that the Holy Spirit may create life giving fire in the hearts of our friends in the North and continue to fuel the faith of those who live and serve His Holy Word. Amen.

The team van with top notch advertising