Summer of 2023 "For All the Saints"

Wapekeka Church

Students at Cat Lake, ON

For all the Saints 

What a great year for Northern Ministry! LAMP had 27 teams return to their communities in Northern Canada. We still have a way to go to meet our goal of 55 Teams in the North for our 55th anniversary in two years. Yet it is a wonderful change from 2022 when our number of teams consisted of 8, and NO teams in 2021 were personally in the North. 

I certainly wasn’t sure what I was going to find when I went to meet teams in community, some for the first time. The Hymn melody “For all the saints” continued to rattle around in my head as Andrew and I flew into these communities. Since teams had last been in community, we heard of so many soldiers of God’s people who had passed into glory, joining the ranks of the saints. Some past team members were no longer able to travel north for health reasons, becoming home support, praying for the team and community friends they would not see in person. Over the past few years without LAMP Team visits to their adopted Northern community some of the home supporters and team members have themselves been called home by the Lord with a “well done my good and faithful servant”.

 Andrew Anstey (MAF Pilot) and I off to Thompson

Our new Lance Instrument panel

 

Close up of the new GPS & Auto Pilot unit

Reunions across the North

Can you imagine the delight in the words and greetings of friends meeting again after a couple years of separation? One such greeting I experienced was as, for the first time, I met Joan Winter of Wapekeka, ON. I had ever only visited with Joan on the phone since I began my call to LAMP in November of 2019. This summer I was able to join the team as we drove over from Big Trout (Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug) to visit the community. As the team greeted Joan they introduced me, and she squealed with joy, “Is it really you? In person!” She took my hands in hers and with tears thanked me for my thoughts and prayers and for finally coming. The church in Wapekeka had closed as her dad who passed on to the saints of heaven had been the caretaker and Pastor of the community, and Joan was personally struggling with her own health issues having had a stroke last year. Another visit brought mixed emotions and tears as we flew into Sandy Lake, ON. Doreen Fiddler who has a long history with LAMP came to pick us up from the airport and as she came out to greet the red LAMP airplane she was happy to see us, yet missed her beloved sainted Pastor Pilot Steve Dreher who she remembered flew in to visit Sandy Lake many times in that same red plane. 

Meeting Joan Winter (Wapekeka, ON)

Two of the Fiddler Sisters (Sandy Lake)

Darlene (my wife) making a new friend at Cat Lake, ON

Janine Cain reunited with past Bible School Students and the next generation (Little Grand Rapids,MB)

Pastor Jake Sawanis finally able to visit with LAMP Team Pastor Gery Luck (Weagamow, ON)

Meeting with Sucker River Community and past Bible School Students turned supporters & helpers

Overcoming Hurdles to share the Love of God and grace of our Lord Jesus 

Many of our communities struggled to find housing for our teams, as most of the traditional places they stayed were being used by contractors, busy trying to play catch up from 3 years of not being able to work in the communities. But without fail, by the time the team arrived, there was a place for them to stay, and a place for them to hold Bible School for the week. Community leaders were excited to welcome the returning teams as they served the people, bringing a message of hope through the love of God and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

One such community where healing was needed was Little Grand Rapids. Here the team has been coming for over 20 years and many of the young families knew the team members and their work and focus. But due to allegations against the Catholic Priest, who was no longer in the community, many families would not bring their children to Bible School at the church. The anger and struggles of the past collided with the present. Yet thanks be to God, the team soldiered through, joining the Treaty Days celebrations, making their presence known and being welcomed and received with open arms, renewing old relationships, and rebuilding the hope and love they represent. 

After Church Service Weagamow, ON

Little Grand Rapids Team and Nuns serving together with Band Counsellor Clinton Keeper who invited the team to come

Me (Cowboy hat) with the winning team at Little Grand Rapids 5-Legged Race. Two LAMP Team members on the team behind us.

Student at Little Grand Rapids holding up her artwork

Summer Ministry was blessed as all visits were completed 

At the end of the Summer, as I returned home, I realized I had been blessed to visit 12 communities and 14 teams. I was supported by Gord Gilbey who came out of retirement to visit three teams, and our Executive Director Steve Schave who I arranged to visit another three teams. It was also the initiation year for our Newly minted Missionary Deacon Michael Gillingham, who came to LAMP with much Mission Trip experience. I was able to arrange 7 community visits for Michael who started with us July 1st (we teamed up on three of those). Our BC Missionary, Nathan Schmidt, had 3 teams he was able to join. That left only 2 very experienced teams that I was unable to connect with this summer, but whom Pilot Andrew Anstey was able to spend time with in Thompson before they headed North to their points of ministry. Andrew shared time with them updating any information they required and encouraging them for their week of service. 

I am with LAMP Executive Director, Chief, Counsellor, and Community contact (Sachigo,ON)

Deacon Michael Gillingham going on his first flight with "Andrew Airlines" (Lac Broche,MB & Wollaston,SK)

One of my supporters (my mom) coming out to see the LAMP Trailer loaded with Community gifts (quilts, baby layettes, hygiene kits, and bibles)

A homebase in Thompson this summer 

This summer Andrew and I set up our homebase in Thompson Manitoba. It was central to the communities we were to serve by aircraft. We were certainly blessed to find a family home where we were gifted the opportunity to house sit while the owners stayed at their cabin at a nearby lake. The home accommodated our needs and the owners were happy to have their home utilized while they were away. The Lord opened a door for us (quite literally) that was an amazing blessing to our summer ministry. Thanks be to God. Support comes in many and various ways.

Sunset at Weagamow, ON (Round Lake)

The Winter of 2022 -2023 serving with LAMP

 

My First Night Flight in the Cherokee 140

My time has been filled with supporter conversations, congregational visits, team and community connections, pilot training, and two community visits.

Supporter and Volunteer Connections

I have maintained contact with many through Facebook, email, and phone conversations. Most of my conversations with supporters this winter happened through Christmas greetings and distributing my fall “Blogspot” via email, and print. Darlene and I sent snowflake ornaments to encourage and connect with the team leads and community contacts. I was so happy to make those contacts and be able to share with them the work they have enabled to happen.

Our Christmas tree with all the snowflakes we sent out to community leaders and teams

Visit at Waden Bay, SK with Past LAMP Board Member Lynn & Iris

Congregational Visits

I visited churches in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. I preached, led worship, and made presentations to the invested members of Churchbridge, Estevan, Lloydminster/McLaughlin, Vermillion, Abbotsford, La Ronge, Rosthern, and Atikokan. I sat down with the pastors from Chilliwack, Surrey, Langley, and Richmond, British Columbia.

Faith Lutheran Church and Parsonage, Atikokan, ON

Presentation at St. John's, Warman Bible Study Group

Sadly this winter, I had to send off and say goodbye to Pastor Alex Timm and his family, who supported our efforts from Dryden (Alex took a call from Dryden/Vermillion Bay, ON to go to Vancouver Island, B.C.). I also visited to encourage Pastor Glenn Worcester and his family in Winnipeg. Glenn is now a solo pastor at Peace Lutheran Church since his former senior pastor and LAMP advocate’s placement on permanent medical leave (Please keep Pastor Brad and his family in your prayers). Peace has, in the past, sent two teams North with LAMP.

Team Connections

In conjunction with our fall Board Meeting, I met in person for the first time with the team who serves Grandmother’s Bay, one of our Saskatchewan communities. And this February, I met with many of the team leaders for Saskatchewan, Eastern Manitoba, and Ontario in a video meeting. This meeting sets the stage for a busy summer of community visits with Gord’s imminent departure. During this meeting, I provided a heads-up that I would be the only missionary left to serve the prairies (33 active communities) until a new missionary pastor was called, placed, and brought up to speed. In early March, I drove out to spend time with Dryden/Vermillion Bay Leaders planning for a summer team to Cat Lake without their pastor. I also met with leadership from Peace Lutheran in Winnipeg, who decided to reduce their efforts to one community from two. I encouraged them to reach out to other Winnipeg congregations to possibly serve the second community. 

Pilot Training 

This winter, I maintained my currency until the weather took a turn, and I couldn’t fly for six weeks. At that point, I decided to switch flight schools and follow my instructor, who is now the Chief Flight Instructor with Millennium Aviation here in Saskatoon. Their fleet includes two Piper Cherokees (140 & 180) that are low-wing aircraft (little sisters to our Lance). Since I had not yet flown this design of an airplane, it was an added incentive to make the switch. I have completed 10 hours of Instrument Flight Training and will gain the hours necessary to achieve a VFR Night rating. I was blessed to do my cross-country night flight on the evening of March 23rd, which was an amazing night displaying God’s glory in the Aurora Borealis. I thank God for the LWML ABC District and Central District Grants received to help further develop my flight proficiency. I joined LAMP with 51 hours on my log book and currently have over 134 flight hours recorded!

Post First Night Flight

My instructor Randy Kerney (See! Smiling Post-Flight)

Following Highway 16 to North Battleford under the Aurora Borealis (Need a better camera)

Community Visits

Billings, MT Winter Visit to Cross Lake, MB

At the beginning of January, I joined the team out of Billings, MT, while they sadly made their final visit to Cross Lake, MB. Then in February, I was blessed to join the Detroit Team in Sucker River for their second Annual Winter Fun week to support the kids during winter break. It was their best-attended program in the community since this team started serving there seven years ago.

Michigan Team on their way home stop at the Heide's for a bite before the plane

Cross Lake Community Leader Linda with Jonathan from Billings

Cross Lake Community Leaders Dion and Selena (keep Selena in your prayers as she goes through Cancer treatments)

Cross Lake Community Leader Connie with Roger and Jonathan from Billings (keep Connie in your prayers as her husband has been diagnosed with Cancer)

I was asked to share a message on the Cross Lake Radio Station - Epiphany message: God in flesh for all the world

Cross Lake Youth come to visit with their friends from Billings

Gym Night for Youth of Cross Lake

Matt and "Trek" share their journey to the summit with Sucker River Children

Sucker River Children enjoying Taco in a bag

Planning for the Summer

As we move ahead with this year’s summer plans, I have 21 Summer Community Programs going ahead and a few others still to be determined. We additionally have one team that is going in April, but will still be under Gord’s watchful eye (as he remains on call until June 30th). Gord has offered to assist with establishing the team dates and facilitating their arrangements but will not be available during the summer. Our Executive Director has offered to be “back up”, and I have requested Steve’s assistance for two weeks to support two or three communities during that time frame.
Before the busy summer begins, I have seven preaching engagements, a Missionfest presentation, and five support and team visits in Minnesota. May the Lord bless our efforts keeping us safe and healthy as we rebuild and rejuvenate the teams serving the communities of Northern Canada.