VBS DAY 1 - GOD CREATED US

Our first day of VBS was a busy and exciting day with 106 kids joining us!   We are so happy that God brought all of those kids to VBS.   There were a lot of familiar faces and a lot of new faces.   The lesson and theme today was about how God created each of us and we are special to Him.  A typical day consists of the opening with music, coloring, tattoos and free time in the gym. This is followed by  singing, teaching the kids a Bible verse through a game, a skit, a puppet show, and then game time.  After that we have snacks, music, and crafts.   The VBS starts at 1:00 each day with the morning being filled with a team Bible study and the preparations for the day.

After VBS we walked down the hill to Father Marks where there was a gathering of kids ranging in age from 3-13.  We spend time with them playing kick baseball and other games with the smaller kids. 

This is the first year for soccer camp with about 20 Southend teenagers participating!  There are four young men traveling from LAMP who spend their summer hosting soccer camps for teenagers  in the Cree communities.  They are doing it at the same time as our VBS so that there is something available for all of the kids in the community.  Messiah is supporting this by having some of our females be a part of their team since we want Southend males and females to be comfortable participating.  Molly is a counselor  joined by Amanda, Celia, Dominique and Kate.  This made for a long day for the girls since they were involved in the VBS as well.   The soccer camp starts at 7:00 each night.

We were very pleased with the lives we were able to touch today through both programs and during our free time.  Your continued prayers are appreciated as we continue to share Gods love.

Adam and Eve (Ben and Angela)

I've got the "joy, Joy, JOY!"

Craft time!  A book of this weeks Bible verses.

Soccer Camp - notice the long grass soccer field

And Then There Was Light!

Our latest adventure on this trip was when the power went out for 17 hours. That happened later in the afternoon so we had already been to church with Father Mark and had the soccer team over for brunch. Because the power went out we couldn't reherse any songs or skits because there was no light or electricity. Instead we passed out invitations with some of the kids from Southend to people's homes. The yard was full of our team and Southend kids as we played kick baseball, painted nails, and had games for the little kids. There was about 50 kids that we spent time with and gave out snacks to (provided by Messiah members).

MEALS ON WHEELS~Because the electricity went out we were not able to provide food for the 21 mission workers. Plan A was to cook on the kitchen stove, Plan B was to use the gas grill which ended up not working either. Plan C was created by Father Mark. It involved by putting chuncks of rock and sand into a wheelbarrow. He then put scraps of wood in, torched it, placed a grate over on top, and then we were ready to prepare our Meals on Wheels.

Brian, Father Mark, and Barb cooking dinner in the wheelbarrow

Yard Games - waiting for their turn in kick baseball and interacting with the Southend kids

Brian and Dave with the cross they built for VBS

We are now starting our Monday with Bible Study and Brunch, then it is off to school for our first day of VBS.  We are so Excited to see what God has planned for the day!

A Rainbow Welcome

We left Prince Albert yesterday morning and met Father Mark at his church in La Ronge. The soccer team arrived shortly after having driven all the way from Edmonton. The soccer team is made up of four young men named Andreas, James, Dan, and Stephen. They travel into communities with LAMP VBS to work with the older kids of each community. We traveled to LAMP lake to leave our cars and connect our trailor to Father Marks car.


As the parents unloaded, the kids took a "barefoot trail" with "Barefoot Mick" who believes in the health benefits of walking everywhere barefoot. We spent some time in the water and then hopped in the cars for the last stretch. Along the rainy drive, we saw sheep, deer, fox, and a beautiful rainbow that welcomed us just before we entered Southend! That was the biggest, brightest rainbow that Father Mark had ever seen and he reminded us over the walkie talkie that the rainbow is the symbol of the first covenant between God and man. When we arrived in Southend, we were also welcomed by excited kids waiting to see us!

                                                          ~Amanda and Angela

"I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant  between Me and the earth"  Genesis 9:13

Father Mark and the mission team kids at the Churchill River

Learning about the benefits of being barefoot by Barefoot Mick!

Southend Bound !

We left Estevan and continued north through Regina to Prince Albert.   It was  an 8 hour drive with a few stops along the way.  In Regina some of the team members had the opportunities to witness and give out our "Jesus Is My Rock" coin.  We enjoyed a wonderful spaghetti dinner with homemade pies that were provided by the members of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Prince Albert.   Then we spent the night at a hotel, getting a good nights rest before heading into Southend.

We will have another 8 hour drive today.  We are meeting Father Mark in La Ronge and will then transfer all of our  personal things into a  taxi van.  Our trailer will be pulled by a vehicle that has tires suitable for the gravel roads.  The last four hours  of our drive will be on a coarse gravel road into Southend - we are so excited!

Thank-you for your continued prayers.

Witnessing to a street musician - then he sang a special song for  the team..."I saw the light!"

The Piper families - they housed and fed our team of 17!

The team kids getting ready to leave Bethel Lutheran Church in Bismarck

We're Back at the Pipers!!

After a stop at Bethel Lutheran Church in Bismark for lunch (thanks to Vernice's family!), we made it across the border and safely to the Piper Family's home in Estevan, Saskatchewan.  We experienced safe and fun travel and are thankful to the Lord.  Our journey of 13 hours took a little longer than anticipated because we took the Lewis and Clark scenic byway (God's plan!!  And we liked it!!).  This gave us an opportunity for a practical joke involving running out of gas.  Just kidding, Brian!  We were delayed at the border briefly.  The border guard happily accepted the coin we gave him which says "Jesus is my Rock" and "My strength in whom I will trust."  (Psalm 18:2).  The entire verse says, :The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my Rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."  So very very good and God is great!  Once our passports were returned to us we were sent on our way by a big gust of wind which we believed to be the Holy Spirit! 

 It is so wonderful to connect with our friends, the Pipers and we are so grateful because we know there are not many families who will host 17 people.  They are family to us and hopefully you will have a chance to meet them when they visit Minnesota!  We are looking forward to seeing Laura's parents, Nat and Joyce this morning.  The Messiah kids love their time with the Piper kids!

Today we will head to Regina for groceries and Prince Albert for dinner at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.  Thanks so much for all your prayers!  They are the fuel for our journey for Jesus!

Ready to Roll!

One  more sleep and we're off to Southend.  The trailer is full...really full!  We had a pizza and packing party at the church tonight and joined together in prayer.  It's been a great year of preparation and team work.  We're grateful for the people God has put together once again this year; just as He has in the past.  We are grateful for all the support we receive from the members of Messiah, our friends and family.  We are thankful for Pastor Bob and Beth who have encouraged and supported us and modeled for us the love of sharing Christ with others!  Thank you for praying for the people of Southend and for us. 

I will praise You, O LORD, with all my heart;

I will tell of all your wonders.

I will be glad and  rejoice in You;

I will sing praise to Your Name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:1-2