Dear Ones at SDBC,
It is incredible to think that twenty-six years ago you, as a church, sent us to start ministry here in Alberta focused on First Nations people in Western Canada. Thank you for your partnership in ministry through your faithful prayers and support.
For the first ten years, we were in southern Alberta developing a ministry site that was designed to intentionally gather First Nations. After that ministry site was closed, we made a transfer to InterAct Ministries of Canada. Five years ago, I was asked to take the role as the regional director for InterAct in Canada. This is a wide-ranging role that directly serves our missionary field staff through supervision and support as well as leading the overall operations of the Canadian organization. We are often found traveling somewhere between Manitoba to the Yukon and enjoy the times that we have in each of our ministry assignments.
One of the highlights from our summer was the opportunity to host four summer students in our short-term program. EnGage! is a seven-week opportunity for college-aged people to involve themselves in a direct hands-on missions experience. The students are hosted in a First Nations community and use every opportunity they can to build relationships of trust.
Two of our summer students spent the summer in Loon Lake, SK, and partnered with the First Nations church. Everything from leading a kids' club, playing baseball, swimming at the lake, and even joining an online video game became opportunities to build relationships with people. Over the summer, we encouraged the team to take those wider areas of contact and begin to funnel down and focus on the opportunities that the Lord would give them to impact a smaller circle of people. As the men departed the community, they were able to have significant conversations that continue to be a living gospel in the lives of people. We are grateful for the opportunity of the EnGage! summer missions program to help young people discover their place in mission, as well as the opportunities these young people have to impact communities with the Gospel.
August was full as we finished the summer ministry and turned our attention toward the annual conference for our Canada staff. Our theme this year was transition, as InterAct installed a new executive director for the organization and said farewell to the former director. The week we spend together is a central time of encouragement, training, and reflection on our ministries.
Soon we will be flying to Alaska for two weeks. I will be attending a week of meetings with the executive leadership team and then have a week of vacation planned with our daughter's family. This summer we had our latest grandson join Emma's family, and we are excited to have a chance to get to know this precious little one. I am also excited to have one of our younger leaders join me in the week of meetings and the chance to develop broader leadership.
The rest of our fall will be spent between visiting our staff in the west, representing the mission at a bible college, and keeping the organizational details in order. We are asking the Lord of the harvest to send the next generation of people to join in the ministry of making disciples who will make disciples across the North Pacific Crescent in Canada, Alaska, and Siberia.
Pray for us, for wisdom as we support and encourage our staff and for the Lord to transform indigenous communities through the hope of the Gospel. If you would like to be on our regular email list, click the button below to email us.
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