The summer schedule continues to march on, sometime at a pace that seems quicker than one can imagine. It would be nice to be able to put things in s... l... o... w... m...o...t...i...o...n every now and then. It would also be nice if all the plans that get put into place would stay put. But that is not always the case.
The visit to the Garden Hill team is one such case. I decided to fly in and meet the team at the Island Lake airport when they flew in from Winnipeg. The reason for that was sometime arrangements for transportation of the team from the airport to the community and the final accommodations can change without much notice. People in the communities have obligations and sudden changes to their schedules just like each of us. School buildings and teacher houses have to be renovated over the summer. Plan A" is made but then plan "B" ends up going into effect. The pastor who usually is in the community could not be there because he was scheduled for a class at a seminary in Vancouver. So I wanted to meet the team and be with them to make sure that their transportation and accommodations were lined up.
We arrived at Island Lake airport early enough so that Andrew and I could add a section to the fuel hose and a new fuel nozzle. The airport added lighting to the ramp area but it meant we can't pull up as close to the fuel tank as before. Hence the extra length of hose. The old fuel nozzle was leaking requiring a replacement. With that work done and the plane refueled, we walked to the terminal with 15 minutes to spare before their flight arrived at 12:15 PM. That would give us plenty of time to get the team over to Garden Hill, settled in, and leave to beat the bad weather forecast to move into Red Lake later that afternoon. That was Plan "A".
I checked with the airline agent at the counter and was informed that all their flights had been delayed due to storms in Winnipeg. Their flight wasn't due in until 2:10 PM. I could smell Plan "B' going into effect. I made a call over to Garden Hill to Karen Flett who had been contacted to help transport the team from the boat landing to their accommodations. I let her know that the flight was late. She asked me to give her a call when we were at the boat landing at the airport and then she would meet us at the boat dock in Garden Hill with her pickup truck. Yeah. You get from the airport to the community in a "water taxi". They are your typical fishing boat with an outboard motor. It's about a 5-7 minute ride and quite picturesque.
The team's flight arrived about 2:20 PM. I met everyone in the terminal with handshakes and hugs. We gathered outside to see a Kubota tractor connected to 4 carts stacked full of luggage including the VBS team's belongings. The tractor pulled the cart train from the terminal parking lot to the boat landing where a half-dozen boats with outboard motors awaited to take people to Garden Hill. Since the team had so much, we elected to wait until the other passengers where delivered since it was going to take at least 4 boats to transport the team and their stuff.
The empty boats started their return to the dock and we loaded people and supplies up for the trip across the bay. I was in the first boat so I could meet Karen at the dock. She was waiting patiently with her pickup truck. We put the first load of baggage and totes in followed by the second boat. By now it was closing in on 3:30 PM. The weather from the southwest that delayed the team was also closing in as well. The third boat arrived along with drops of rain. I decided it was time to call flight service, get a quick weather briefing, file a flight plan, and leave ASAP to avoid the heavy weather.
So as the last boat arrived with Andrew in it, I told him, "Stay put. We're heading back." I said goodbye to the team who understood our predicament. So Andrew got a nice boat ride for the day!
Back at the airport, we did our preflight, got our clearance, and flew back to Red Lake. I did have to fly around some visible areas of heavy precipitation, but be got to Red Lake without difficulty and landed with a large pocket of good visibility and high cloud ceilings. It wasn't the ideal trip I had in mind, but it's all part and parcel of doing the work of team and community support.
With Monday being a down day for the front to pass, we were back at it on Tuesday, July 25th heading up to Cat Lake. This team really has a heart for this community and others evidenced by a prayer vigil they held for the communities in the midst of the suicide epidemic a month earlier. We arrived there bringing with us a bag full of a half-dozen quilts brought north by the Norway House team for us to distribute in communities.
This would be Day 1 of their VBS week. We arrived early enough to help with the set up of the church. The team has everything planned out using the small Pentecostal church since there was going to be a funeral at the Anglican church they normally would use. After we got things ready, we had a hearty lunch and then headed back to the church ready for the children to arrive.
As the children registered, they would come into the church and be met by Jeff who was taking prayer requests. Those were all put in a can for the team to pray for after VBS.
A small room off the side at the back of the church was converted into a preschool age classroom. This would help separate the activities from the larger kids and allow Lynne to have a less disturbed environment for the lessons and crafts. As the children arrived, they were occupied with Lego blocks and coloring sheets.
The older children were divided up into three groups which were more manageable. They rotated between craft, lesson, and game time. The team started off VBS with everyone together to sing their repertoire of old songs the kids knew along with some new ones.
I'm always fascinated at how each team finds innovative ways to teach the lesson. There's the story that's told first (The 3 Men in the Fiery Furnace). Then each of the three men, "Shadrack", "Meshack", and "Abednego" were interviewed about their experience.
The preschoolers had a blast with the bubbles for their recreation time. It was a windy day which made bubble blowing that much more interesting.
The older kids went down to the playground area for their game time.
Anna, Liz, and Pastor David worked with the children to make their angel craft. It represented the angel that the Lord sent to protect the three men in the furnace.
The day went by very quickly. After VBS was over and the kids disbursed, the team spent some time at the church debriefing so they could make whatever adjustments to their program the next day. We also talked about other ways they could minister to the community, including protocol for attending the funeral that week to support the family. Then we all headed back to their apartment to relax before dinner.
Afterwards, a number of the team (i.e. the "athletic" members) headed out to play ball with some of the kids. We gathered for prayer asking that the Lord would bless their efforts in the community. Andrew and I walked back to the airport to fly back to Red Lake. Each year, the team develops more and deeper relationships to the community and individuals there. Through social media, email, and messaging, they remain in contact and are able to pray for their specific needs and offer encouragement until they return the next summer. That is Christ care for Cat Lake!
Another day...another weather front. So on the 27th we were able to make it up to Red Sucker Lake, Manitoba. This team has a core of John and Sue Folger who have been going north with VBS teams for years...like decade years! Their connection to the people is strong and deep. They even have made trips there over the winter road (i.e. Ice Road Truckers).
We got there and were met by Rev. Susan Evans. I had done some grocery shopping for her and her brother, Gordon Disbrowe, who I got to know in my brief time with LAMP. Instead of being reimbursed with money, I got a bunch of fresh frozen Pickerel! Susan took us to the team apartment and we met the returning team members and the "newbies" who were just as excited to be there.
After lunch, we hauled the totes with VBS supplies over to the school gym. As the children arrived a coloring sheet with the day's lesson were on the tables with markers. The story for this team was also about the three men in the fiery furnace. So as the children colored, the team members and I would explain the story.
After most of the children were registered, the team got the gym rocking with a few VBS songs.
The team next did a story and a skit of the Bible story with Meshack, Shadrack, Abednego, and an angle who was dressed up as super hero to rescue the three men. There was "fire" and everything to dramatize the account.
A puppet skit followed to reinforce the lesson of the day. The children really were engaged and enjoyed the different ways the team presented the Biblical account.
Then it was on to craft time. The craft involved making a "fiery furnace" out of paper plates and then gluing a backdrop of the 3 men with the angel on it. Colored markers brought the diorama to life!
Afterwards, the children lined up for recreation time, receiving a snack on the way out of the gym. The VBS went by very quickly with great attendance. The team posted examples of each of the crafts on one of the gym walls depicting Jesus as our Superhero, which was the theme of this year's LAMP VBS.
Of course, I had to get a team picture before the end of the day and heading back to the teacher apartment. We had two women from the community along with 3 Mennonites who were visiting helping the VBS team. It was quite a group that worked well together.
As the team debriefed and decompressed for the day, dinner was being prepared (beef tacos). I diced up onions and tomatoes to help with the process. It was a great time and a joy to see how attentive the team is to the children and the adults they know in the community. I would love to stay longer, but our daylight was running out and we needed to head back to Red Lake.
Once again, God's love was demonstrated to the children and the communities of Garden Hill, Cat Lake, and Red Sucker Lake through the team's compassion, dedication and care. None of this would be possible if it weren't for the prayers and support each team receives from individuals and their church families, not to mention their own commitment to the ministry.
As the summer season progresses toward the last couple of weeks, the passage from Romans 12:5-8 is a reminder of the gifts the VBS teams use as they minister to the communities they serve; "...so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
Until the next time...
God bless!
Dennis
The visit to the Garden Hill team is one such case. I decided to fly in and meet the team at the Island Lake airport when they flew in from Winnipeg. The reason for that was sometime arrangements for transportation of the team from the airport to the community and the final accommodations can change without much notice. People in the communities have obligations and sudden changes to their schedules just like each of us. School buildings and teacher houses have to be renovated over the summer. Plan A" is made but then plan "B" ends up going into effect. The pastor who usually is in the community could not be there because he was scheduled for a class at a seminary in Vancouver. So I wanted to meet the team and be with them to make sure that their transportation and accommodations were lined up.
We arrived at Island Lake airport early enough so that Andrew and I could add a section to the fuel hose and a new fuel nozzle. The airport added lighting to the ramp area but it meant we can't pull up as close to the fuel tank as before. Hence the extra length of hose. The old fuel nozzle was leaking requiring a replacement. With that work done and the plane refueled, we walked to the terminal with 15 minutes to spare before their flight arrived at 12:15 PM. That would give us plenty of time to get the team over to Garden Hill, settled in, and leave to beat the bad weather forecast to move into Red Lake later that afternoon. That was Plan "A".
I checked with the airline agent at the counter and was informed that all their flights had been delayed due to storms in Winnipeg. Their flight wasn't due in until 2:10 PM. I could smell Plan "B' going into effect. I made a call over to Garden Hill to Karen Flett who had been contacted to help transport the team from the boat landing to their accommodations. I let her know that the flight was late. She asked me to give her a call when we were at the boat landing at the airport and then she would meet us at the boat dock in Garden Hill with her pickup truck. Yeah. You get from the airport to the community in a "water taxi". They are your typical fishing boat with an outboard motor. It's about a 5-7 minute ride and quite picturesque.
The team's flight arrived about 2:20 PM. I met everyone in the terminal with handshakes and hugs. We gathered outside to see a Kubota tractor connected to 4 carts stacked full of luggage including the VBS team's belongings. The tractor pulled the cart train from the terminal parking lot to the boat landing where a half-dozen boats with outboard motors awaited to take people to Garden Hill. Since the team had so much, we elected to wait until the other passengers where delivered since it was going to take at least 4 boats to transport the team and their stuff.
 | |
| The Garden Hill team and "just a few items" to transport. |
So as the last boat arrived with Andrew in it, I told him, "Stay put. We're heading back." I said goodbye to the team who understood our predicament. So Andrew got a nice boat ride for the day!
Back at the airport, we did our preflight, got our clearance, and flew back to Red Lake. I did have to fly around some visible areas of heavy precipitation, but be got to Red Lake without difficulty and landed with a large pocket of good visibility and high cloud ceilings. It wasn't the ideal trip I had in mind, but it's all part and parcel of doing the work of team and community support.
With Monday being a down day for the front to pass, we were back at it on Tuesday, July 25th heading up to Cat Lake. This team really has a heart for this community and others evidenced by a prayer vigil they held for the communities in the midst of the suicide epidemic a month earlier. We arrived there bringing with us a bag full of a half-dozen quilts brought north by the Norway House team for us to distribute in communities.
This would be Day 1 of their VBS week. We arrived early enough to help with the set up of the church. The team has everything planned out using the small Pentecostal church since there was going to be a funeral at the Anglican church they normally would use. After we got things ready, we had a hearty lunch and then headed back to the church ready for the children to arrive.
As the children registered, they would come into the church and be met by Jeff who was taking prayer requests. Those were all put in a can for the team to pray for after VBS.
 |
| Jeff taking prayer request from the children. |
The older children were divided up into three groups which were more manageable. They rotated between craft, lesson, and game time. The team started off VBS with everyone together to sing their repertoire of old songs the kids knew along with some new ones.
I'm always fascinated at how each team finds innovative ways to teach the lesson. There's the story that's told first (The 3 Men in the Fiery Furnace). Then each of the three men, "Shadrack", "Meshack", and "Abednego" were interviewed about their experience.
 |
| Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego being interviewed |
 |
| Lynne teaching the lesson to some pretty active preschoolers using a felt board. |
The lesson was done outside along the side of the church building. Jeff covered the story and then asked questions to reinforce the meaning for the kids.
The preschoolers had a blast with the bubbles for their recreation time. It was a windy day which made bubble blowing that much more interesting.
The older kids went down to the playground area for their game time.
Anna, Liz, and Pastor David worked with the children to make their angel craft. It represented the angel that the Lord sent to protect the three men in the furnace.
The day went by very quickly. After VBS was over and the kids disbursed, the team spent some time at the church debriefing so they could make whatever adjustments to their program the next day. We also talked about other ways they could minister to the community, including protocol for attending the funeral that week to support the family. Then we all headed back to their apartment to relax before dinner.
 |
| The Cat Lake Team from Bethel Lutheran Church. (The dogs are not included!) |
Another day...another weather front. So on the 27th we were able to make it up to Red Sucker Lake, Manitoba. This team has a core of John and Sue Folger who have been going north with VBS teams for years...like decade years! Their connection to the people is strong and deep. They even have made trips there over the winter road (i.e. Ice Road Truckers).
We got there and were met by Rev. Susan Evans. I had done some grocery shopping for her and her brother, Gordon Disbrowe, who I got to know in my brief time with LAMP. Instead of being reimbursed with money, I got a bunch of fresh frozen Pickerel! Susan took us to the team apartment and we met the returning team members and the "newbies" who were just as excited to be there.
After lunch, we hauled the totes with VBS supplies over to the school gym. As the children arrived a coloring sheet with the day's lesson were on the tables with markers. The story for this team was also about the three men in the fiery furnace. So as the children colored, the team members and I would explain the story.
 |
| A couple of the guys acting silly. |
The team next did a story and a skit of the Bible story with Meshack, Shadrack, Abednego, and an angle who was dressed up as super hero to rescue the three men. There was "fire" and everything to dramatize the account.
 |
| The Angel (On the left) protects the 3 men from the "fiery" furnace. |
A puppet skit followed to reinforce the lesson of the day. The children really were engaged and enjoyed the different ways the team presented the Biblical account.
Then it was on to craft time. The craft involved making a "fiery furnace" out of paper plates and then gluing a backdrop of the 3 men with the angel on it. Colored markers brought the diorama to life!
Afterwards, the children lined up for recreation time, receiving a snack on the way out of the gym. The VBS went by very quickly with great attendance. The team posted examples of each of the crafts on one of the gym walls depicting Jesus as our Superhero, which was the theme of this year's LAMP VBS.
Of course, I had to get a team picture before the end of the day and heading back to the teacher apartment. We had two women from the community along with 3 Mennonites who were visiting helping the VBS team. It was quite a group that worked well together.
Once again, God's love was demonstrated to the children and the communities of Garden Hill, Cat Lake, and Red Sucker Lake through the team's compassion, dedication and care. None of this would be possible if it weren't for the prayers and support each team receives from individuals and their church families, not to mention their own commitment to the ministry.
As the summer season progresses toward the last couple of weeks, the passage from Romans 12:5-8 is a reminder of the gifts the VBS teams use as they minister to the communities they serve; "...so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
Until the next time...
God bless!
Dennis
