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www.arcticoutreach.org e-mail rinker@arcticoutreach.org
Dear Friends,
We didn't try to send out a newsletter in July because we were in the middle of VBS. We had almost 100 enrolled, but since we missed getting some of their names well over 100 attended. As usual, new families started coming, which carried over into Sunday School after VBS was over. Karen was able to get several churches to send a ministry team to help with crafts, recreation, etc., where each church would be responsible for at least one day of VBS. This resulted in many lay people getting acquainted with the ministry on the Reserve as well as exposing the people on the Reserve to many wonderful Christian people from all over central Alberta, which is a rare event in this isolated community. The Bertness family was responsible for teaching and the primary evangelistic work; so this allowed each person involved to focus on their own responsibility to do it well. Those who camped and stayed to help included three people from Switzerland and a family of four from Germany along with other Bible College students, and were a wonderful blessing. The Christian Europeans add a special excitement because they have a much deeper appreciation than the average North American for where they are..here in a great wilderness, and who they are working with..the indigenous Native people, with a great love and without local prejudices. We have unforgettable memories of singing around the campfire late into the night, studying the stars, and even a little bit of northern lights.
Following this, Karen went to Ft. McPherson which is 2,000 miles northwest of here, with a team to hold VBS, and part of the team went to Tuktoyaktuk on the coast of the Arctic Ocean for VBS. Karen will write a separate article which we will put on the website because some of you would like to read more than I can put in one brief letter. I will write another article also.
A wonderful answer to prayer, and special encouragement to us happened during VBS. A lady who is employed on the Reserve found out about the mission and came in one day. She was excited about the ministry and started coming on Sundays and is filling in for us teaching one of the classes. She is going through great difficulties and this has added a special atmosphere of trusting God and seeing His grace at work in our midst. We also have had a lady from Iraq helping at times. She was born and raised in a religion that dates all the way back to John the Baptist called the Sabean church. They don't accept converts so you have to be born in the religion to be a part of it. But she didn't know about Jesus until she came to a refugee camp in Jordan and her family got saved there. Having these Christians from all over the world add a wonderful dimension to our ministry at Sunchild.
Our special request this month is for God to give us a good group of students to sign up for their student ministry assignments. September 7th is the Student Ministry fair at the college when the different ministries are represented and the students choose one for their ministry assignment.
Our Son Reuben and his family just got moved into my home town, Cumberland, Maryland, and is pastoring the Mt. Top Church there. He had planned on visiting us in July, but they wouldn't let them on the airplane because their new baby didn't have a passport. Mom seems to be doing OK, although she has had recent congestive heart troubles again. She hardly goes a month or two without being in the hospital with that, for the last year now. So I'm planning another trip home in the next couple months.
I'm including a number of pictures with this letter on our website with two supplemental articles. We depend so much on your prayers...In His Service,
Rodger, Karen, & Family
This is a family from the Rocky Nazarene Church who are teaching one of our Sunday School classes with some of S.S. children.
Below is the Lady from Iraq who is now living in Canada and a Student at the Bible College who has been a wonderful help. She is going on for more college studies in Calgary next semester.
This is our newest teacher. She has gone through great difficulties and is getting wonderful help from the Lord.
Here is Denna again, working with the teens.
Three of our girls enjoying a picnic at the Baptist River, not far from the mission.
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