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)