Sunchild News - March 2007

March 2007 News - Sunchild Reserve

www.arcticoutreach.org e-mail rinker@arcticoutreach.org

Dear Friends,

The ministry on the Reserve with the Bible College students has been growing in a very positive way this last month. We had a two day teen event that reached a good number of teens. The Nelson family is working with the teens and doing a wonderful job. Last Sunday we had almost 60 people in our little chapel and it was stretching our team to work with the large classes. We have an intense schedule where we do a special craft with each class in addition to the normal lessons. We do this because these people are especially gifted in artistic work and we always put scripture on the crafts and the crafts are proudly displayed in the homes and it is a unique way to reach everyone who comes in the home with scripture. It's been a blessing to have the use of the college vans. The first semester we only were able to use them a few times, but now we are using them most of the time. The college vehicle department was invoiced over $3,000 for the Sunchild trips so far this year and this amount is paid by the college.

We will be losing a number of college students after April for the summer months. If there are people in central Alberta willing to help in any capacity, for one day or many, we need Sunday School teachers, craft workers, and willing hearts to assist on Sundays. We have been able to get a week day Bible study set up in a home with lay people from Rocky leading it. We are slowly getting workers lined up for the summer VBS also.

The Band elections were held in February. It's difficult to publicly get involved in Band politics so we will stick to our policy of being neutral. We are not a political organization and we have to be equally available to all.

March is the best time for our outreach trip between Old Crow and Ft. McPherson in the Arctic. So I am packing to leave for that trip now. I will never forget my trip last year when I sat in a home with 6 men I've known for many years. I was 200 miles by snowmobile from the nearest road. They were expressing their appreciation for our family when in a very serious tone they pleaded with me. "Tell us what God would say to us if He was here! What would He want to tell us?" Every home I was in there was a serious hunger for God and I had extraordinary opportunities to minister. So I feel this is an amazing privilege that I wouldn't miss for anything. Karen will be leading the Sunchild team for several weeks while I'm gone, but she does most of the planning for the classes now anyway.

My Mom has been in the hospital with heart problems. I plan on making a trip east to spend time with her when I get back from up north. This should be in mid April when I make that trip. So I would appreciate prayer for Mom as well. She is 88 years old.

I think of the scripture that exhorts us to work while it is day for the night is coming when no one can work. Things are busy, but we fully realize that these opportunities won't last forever and we need to do all we can, while we have the open door. Thanks so much for standing with us in prayer to see God's kingdom advance and for your support to make this work possible.

(When we put these newsletters on our website, we usually include a number of pictures with them.)

In His Service, Rodger, Karen, and Family

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