Karens Newsletter September 2012

www.arcticoutreach.org --- e-mail rinker@arcticoutreach.org --- phone 403-989-3715

Our main prayer request this year was for our VBS's was unity, and God truly answered prayer!

We had 3 teams working together plus local aboriginal ladies and Rodger and I. It was cool to watch how God blended so many activities together to give us VBS's that brought glory to His Name.

During the morning prayer time often the phrase for His Name Sake would be uplifted. This had to be our goal!

The activities involved the normal VBS sessions, children camping over night, home vistation, a trip to the mountains,morning and evening pray times and a lot of relationship building. Our VBS's consisted of a little over two weeks. One week at Sunchild and one at O'chiese an adjoining Reserve. Plus some days at Big Horn, a Reserve about an hour and a half away toward the west. We were privileged to have a couple from the Korean team of last year come this summer again to do all the cooking. They had agreed for only the Sunchild VBS but after they were here with the team and their own children enjoyed them self so much they decided to offer their services for another week to the second team. We truly appreciated their Godly spirit. They were such a blessing.

The Priority One organization out of the States sent 2 teams. One July 13- 21st and the other the 21st – 30th. The first team was a more structured and get it done group, which was a great blessing to the VBS activities held on the mission grounds. With our small chapel and facilities, organization and structure were so important. There were 70 children registered one day and the enrollment was over 100. The Rocky Co-op gave goodie bags for those having perfect attendance, This was special!

Since VBS at Sunchild 7 people have gotten baptized. Two of the ladies who faithfully attend ladies meeting and have been growing spritually were so thrilled to get baptized. They both faced opposition, but on that day they both had support from friends and family. The teens who chose to get baptized have faithfully attended the youth group and the Native Youth Conference which have strengthened them in their walk with God. I wanted to slip this in here because it is so important that you really pray for the children and adults here. Also for those interested in praying we are going to have our second Ladies Retreat Sept. 21 – 22. Some ladies from other Reserves have asked if they could join us this year. We are praying against gossip and for unity. The Holy Spirit will do the rest.

The second VBS team was more laid back and they handled the VBS sessions in the homes very well. Both homes were happy to have them. Plus they were thrown an unexpected opportunity. A different Korean Church than what our cooks attend scheduled a VBS in the O'Chiese school of which we were not aware of until after the Priority One's plane tickets were purchased, so our team came along side that Korean team and supported them with their VBS. We latter received a letter and a gift saying they would have suffered in the area of crowd control without our help. I was so proud of how the two teams blended together for His Name Sake.

Do keep praying for the grandmas on O'chiese that want their children and grandchildren to live for Jesus. God keeps opening up special doors on that Reserve. Again we have been asked to go and pray over a home bothered by spirits. This is a spiritual battle and must not be entered into lightly. Do pray for us as we do this in the near future.

Our third VBS was held earlier in July on the Big Horn Reserve. For years my friend, Karen Abraham, has prepared the location and did the ground work. This year she had a surprise for us. We were invited into a brand new school facility. It was just beautiful. The YWAM team from Blackfalds, Alberta did the teaching and the children really enjoyed them self. Joining us this year was the Canadian Sunday School church pastor and his wife from the town of Nordegg, 15 miles from the Reserve. Helping them this summer was a student family from Prairie Bible School. They helped with crowd control, the discussion sessions, games and craft time. The result from this VBS was that for years we had been praying that Karen could have some Christian fellowship, and now she has connected with a ladies Bible study at the church in Nordegg and is taking teen girls with her. Keep praying for the work at Big Horn and Karen, who isn't well. Yesterday I went over there and set up 5 weeks of follow up, so do pray for this that I would have the right people go with me and that I would have traveling mercies. God knows where he wants to take this.

In closing maybe now you can see why we prayed for unity with all the different teams and people involved and why everything had to be for HIS NAME SAKE!

God bless, Karen Rinker

Below is our VBS at the Big Horn Reserve. A teaching session on building the walls of Jerico.

Big Horn VBS