"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." - 2 Corinthians 5:20
In the summer of 2008 we sent out over 40 peope to be a part of the Lord’s harvest field. An adult team returned to Alaska to continue to do outreach at the Tanalian Bible Camp in Port Alsworth. The Sr. High returned to serve the kids they became friends with two years ago at central Detroit, while the Jr. High served in Chicago and Aurora. An additional team went to the deep-woods of North Carolina for a “Jungle Jump-Off” experience, where some of our young people experienced a simulation of missionary life and learned how to pray more effectively for missionaries, expand their viewpoint of the world of missions and began to examine what their part in world-evangelization may be.
Additionally, we two people served at Crosslands (United Indian Missions) summer camp in New Mexico, one who served in Algeciras, Spain, working with Operation Transit, and another who served at a youth camp in Mexico.
It was quite a summer. We are thankful to God for the opportunity to serve Him in these wasy and thankful for all who sacrificed of their own time and money to help us make these trips a reality!
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”—Deuteronomy 6:4-9
What does God want from me? The short answer is: everything. God wants your heart, and if we give our hearts to Him, then like a locomotive pulling freight cars, everything else in our lives will follow suit. We will want to worship Him, learn more about Him, tell others about Him, and live lives that demonstrate how valuable He is to us.
In our passage for today, we have the Jewish motto/anthem known as the Shema, from the Hebrew word “Hear.” The Shema showed Israel’s unique identity as followers of the one true God, as well as the discipline and actions necessary to maintain that identity. God is THE only God in the entire universe, and our response to Him should be one of sweet surrender and absolute devotion. We are to love Him with all of our heart, soul and might. One way this love is seen and communicated is through comprehensive and thorough instruction. We love God by teaching others to do the same.
After announcing that God is the only God, the author of Deuteronomy helps us see how we are to respond to Him. He begins by saying that the words of God, or commands, are to be upon their hearts (v. 6). And once they are upon their hearts, they are to intentionally communicate the words of God to the next generation. When? Where? How? The Bible gives us an answer: By talking about them when we are at home, around the dinner table, watching a movie, playing a game, working in the yard, doing the dishes, doing laundry, picking out clothes—as well as a million and one other activities that we have to do each and every day. We have plenty of opportunities to talk to our families about Christ. Whether it is our parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, or children and grandchildren—we must simply do it. We don’t have to be in church to talk about Christ, any more than we have to be in the White House to talk about politics. Our love for God is to be the dominant theme of our life that flows out of every pore of our being. We are to teach when we are walking along the way, or driving the car to the grocery store, or to the mall. We talk about God when we get ready for bed at night and when we get up in the morning. Everything in life is an opportunity for us to shed the spotlight on God, for everything we see and enjoy all points back to Him.
In verse 8 we see how far God wants us to take our passion for Him and His word. He says, “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Many Jews took this verse literally, meaning they constructed small boxes with copies of these verses in them (known as phylacteries) and then attached them with a leather strap and bound it to their hands, head, or to their doorposts with a small object known as a mezuzah. While their zeal and devotion are commendable, a better and perhaps more accurate understanding of these verses is that we should be thinking about God when we work with our hands and when we think with our minds and when we are at home and away from home—in other words, all the time. God wants us to think about Him, because when we do, we are showing how much we love Him, how much we value Him. May others see this devotion in us, so that God may be glorified. Amen.
During the week of July 26, a group of 21 senior high students and young adults returned to Detroit to be with the kids they became friends with two years ago. In partnership with Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation, this group conducted a week of Vacation Bible School during the mornings, and worked around CDC host churches in the afternoons, and spent their evenings worshiping, sharing, praying for the neighborhood, and spending time at neighborhood block parties.
Tuesday was an amazing day. God's Spirit poured out on our block party and Steve Sterkel led a young man named Anthony (20 yrs old) to the Lord. And we had the most incredible time of praise and worship where all of our team was filled with so much joy that half our team was in tears because of the pure joy of experiencing the awesome presence of the Holy Spirit!
To view a FUL SCREEN version of this slideshow, click here.
From July 5-13, a team from our Refuge group (Sr. High) went to the deep-woods of North Carolina for "Jungle Jump-Off", where they experienced a week long simulation of missionary life in a 'remote village'.
The team united as they "skywalked" on the high-ropes course. They dined as never before on food prepared on mud stoves, and even better, underground! They were stretched as they heard words spoken from a new language. They worked together to accomplish tasks that they usually take for granted. And guess what, they loved it, and they'll never be the same again!
After a day blending challenges and fun, sleep was sweet for some on a wooden floor in a champa (house built on stilts), and for others, in a hammock strung between trees in a heavily wooded area at the Jungle Jump Off site.
These experiences will helped explode some myths about missions and exposed our team to the realities of missionary life.
Tuesday morning was a work time and we pulled weeds and put down some new mulch.
Tuesday afternoon we learned about "Vernacular Media Services". They showed us how the means to communicate the gospel through different media. As part of the lesson they showed us how they will doub a movie with a new language. We paticipated in doubing a section of a movie. Look for a move clip with our voicec doubed in when we return :)
In the evening we cooked spegettie for supper and then headed off for more training. Martin taught us about the tough choice that poor third world people have to make.
Then we listened to testomony from a MK ( missionary kid). He was in the Ivory Coast Africa until his second grade and then came to the states for a few years then returnd to the Sehara Africa. He can speak Swedish, French, and english fluently, and parts of some other launges.
Monday started out with instuctions on how to set up our hamocks and then took rest of morning to set them up. Most of the kids slept in them.
Then in the afternoon we the afternoon we toured Jaars. We saw the avatiation center where they repair and service the aircraft.
In the late afternoon we were got a chance to enjoy the pool. Monday evening we made burgers on the open campfire.
In the evening then Dean gave us a lesson on how and why Wycliffe translates the bible to other languages.
After the lesson we built a campfire and enjoyed some smores.
6/23: We are so grateful to God for his providence over our lives, and the safety he afforded over our travels. Accross nearly 8,000 miles we experienced his mercy and had our awe of his creation increased exponentially. We are all back to our "normal" lives, and yet sense that mission is what we were made for both there... and here. Thank you to everyone who suppored through prayer and finance to make this possible.
Our junior high students served on a short term mission trip in the Aurora and Chicago areas. The purpose of this experience was to gain exposure and a heart for missions locally. On Monday, the team ventured to Wayside Cross and Pregnancy Information Center (PIC) to do some work projects and learn about those ministries. On Tuesday, the team traveled downtown to the Chicago Food Depository to package food for homeless shelters and then traveled to the south-side neighborhood of Zion Hills Missionary Baptist Church for an inner-city immersion afternoon to learn about and pray for the people of that community!
The final night of camp there was a special banquet for the kids. The camp counselors all decided it would be cute to dress up at geeks... for effect.
Macho Men...
Final Awards & Skit Night...
Each team member was given some kind of award from the counselors, and had the opportunity to put together a skit to perform the rest of the campers.
BIG Bonfire... And Goodbyes...
Our final night of chapel went really late, and our bonfire on the beach got over with around 1 am. The Lord was really at work in the lives of the teens, and several of them gave testimonies during our final time togther.
7500 Feet ...
It was a very cloudy day for flying back to Anchorage. The pilot flew via instruments for several minutes until we could get above the clouds. We flew higher above the mountain pass then we ever have before for a completely different vantage point.
Back in Anchorage...
Our trip is just about completed. We landed safely back in Anchorage at 9:40am on Monday morning. We're staying overnight with some friends of Scott's. God has been so good to us on this ministry trip. Thank you SO much for following along with us, and for your faithful prayers!
Glorious Waterfall After a pretty challenging hike, about 45 minutes of ups and downs from camp... Anne and I made it with a couple of dozen campers. Greg and Vic stayed with others for water-front activities... They had already climbed it the day after we got here.
Anne @ Waterfall
Quackers
Missionary pilot, Mark and Andrea's daughter Katie feeds the ducks up close.
Surprised by Sun Though the weather forecast called for more rain... the sky opened up and poured down sunshine most of the day. It ended up being the warmest day yet.
Greg's basketball class - A League of His Own...
Though Greg's specialty is baseball, he has found some kids interested in learning basketball and he's made some new friends.
Friends of God
Anne is using her talent of teaching sign language. Though there are no deaf kids at the camp, she is teaching about 5 hearing kids who have an interest in learning many signs including the lyrics to "I am a friend of God", by Phillips, Craig, and Dean.
Tough Guy's Softer Side - Vic giving a piggy back ride
Vic's huge arms may look intimidating, but they come in handy in giving a lift to a jr. high girl. We're all having a ton of fun.
Re-Energizing Landing
A very large DC-6 is landing on the longer of the village's two runways. This plane lands frequently to deliver the fuel which powers everything.
Aylah and Ashley snuggle up for the frigid "hobo" breakfast on the beach on Thursday morning. It's been raining off and on for the past two days... It looks about the same for the next two days... but should be warming up a bit.
Wrestling Lessons Vic figured that the dock would be a great place to teach me some wresting basics... with the water hovering in the mid 40's... the kids loved it! NOTE: (I was already wearing my bathing suit) ;-)
Tippecanoe and Life Vests Too!
You can probably figure out why the #1 rule of the canoe club is NO TIPPING. Kids sign up and get two days of lessons, then they switch to another activity, and I get a new group.
We've seen several eagles flying around which has definitely inspired awe in God. My pictures didn't turn out near as nice as this one I found, however the greatest one seen was flying right outside our chapel windows with a huge fish dangling from it's claws.
Worship with us...
Our God, You reign forever Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God The everlasting God You do not faint You won't grow weary You're the defender of the weak You comfort those in need You lift us up on wings like eagles
Kids from all over south-western Alaska... here are the names of some of the villages... Egegik, Iliamna, Igiugig, Kakhonak, Dillingham, Nushagak, Kenai, Naknek, Kanakanak... your love, prayers, and gifts are enabling the grace of Jesus into some pretty remote areas...
Vic's group
Anne's group
Greg's group
Another group
View of Chapel from Across the Bay
p.s. Some people have been having trouble seeing their blog comments... Be assured they are coming through to us.
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths."... Isaiah 2:3b
The massive mountain in our view is named Tanalian, which means "Mountain that runs into the sea" in the native language.
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Day of Worship
Sunday has been a day of rest as we await the arrival of the kids tomorrow. We joined the Port Alsworth Bible Church in worship this morning and the church was packed standing room only. Pastor James brought a sermon from Acts 17.
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Saturday Staff Training
James and Sharon Walsh led the staff in a time of training on Saturday so that we would be ready to hit the ground running as soon as the teens arrived.
Our final approach gives you a unique perspective on the bay where the Tanalian Bible Camp is situated along Lake Clark. Lake Clark is over 60 miles long and 5 miles wide. We arrived safely, and are grateful to the Lord for an incredible traveling day.
We’ve begun some staff training are getting rested up for the kids who arrive on Monday morning. All of the kids have to be flown in just like us since there are no roads connecting the little villages out here in these remote areas.
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A Walk Through the Clouds
Flying through the mountain pass at a higher altitude than last year made it look completely different, the sun was shining, and the clouds were above and below us at times. Awe inspiring!
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Almost There!
After 4 short hours of sleep, we gathered at Merrill Field at 7:30 am Alaska time. We are three hours behind Chicago. Team members Anne Camey, Greg Hess, Vic Epperson, and Scott Capp are standing ready to head to the village.
Answers to yesterday's trick question: Parents and a couple of friends were included in the photo of our prayer and send-off at church.
Today's weather might not be quite as clear as this photo indicates. Regardless, we are trusting God for traveling mercies as we traverse the 4068 miles to Anchorage and beyond to Port Alsworth Alaska.
It means a lot to us to have so many people following... and praying along the way. Feel free to post messages. (Team members won't have easy ability to reply... but your thoughts will be passed along).
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We had a great time of prayer at the church before leaving for the airport... How many of the team members can you recognize? Hint: This is partly a trick question... :-)
Our missions conference this year was the first “peak” of what we hope will be several several summits in the missions ministry of Village Bible Church this year. The missions committee decided that this would be a great time to put all of our mission talk into action with our 1st ever Missions Conference cross-cultural project (right in our backyard – Aurora) partnering with World Relief. The refugee’s that we reached out to are much more than a “project” to us... They are new friends whom we hope to be able to build friendships with throughout the year! Thanks to so many who made the Saturday ministry a total success. Sunday was dynamite as well. Dr. Jim Pluddemann gave a resounding affirmation of the vision of our church to spread the glory of God to ends of the earth. What a joy it was to have the Kehn’s, Fornelli’s, Sutherlands, and Jinette Griefenberger with us. Our vibrant worship of our mighty God is something we can NOT keep to ourselves(Psalm 67). We have been blessed mightily by God... To be a blessing to others. Thanks to all & glory to God!
From July 5-13, a team from our Refuge group (Sr. High) went to the deep-woods of North Carolina for "Jungle Jump-Off", where they experienced a week long simulation of missionary life in a 'remote village'.
