www.arcticoutreach.org --- e-mail rinker@arcticoutreach.org --- phone 403-989-3715
Dear Friends,
Before school let out for the summer, one of the teachers at the Sunchild School, which has an enrollment of about 500, came into her classroom and found a large circle of kids sitting on the floor holding hands with their heads bowed. The teacher was somewhat alarmed, fearful as to what this involved. So she asked them what they were doing. “We are praying to Jesus like we learned to do at our Sunday School at the mission,” was their reply. This teacher is a Christian, and was deeply impressed at the influence the mission has in the lives of these kids. This mission is the only Christian influence for 40 miles of these two Reserves. In the last 6 months we have had more than 65 volunteer workers assisting in the mission operation programs here. With these workers there has been a wonderful unity and prayer burden. As I write this, a team of Koreans is on their way from Calgary, to hold a youth event tonight & tomorrow, and the next day a team from the Three Hills Bible College is coming, from a distance 3 hours away, to hold our Sunday services. I say this to explain to you folks who are far away, how important this ministry is to the community here. Just recently I was awakened at 3:30 in the middle of a dark night, to the sound a 1st grade child banging on the door, and crying uncontrollably. She had been left in a traumatic situation and walked through the dark bush to come to the only place she had to go for safety. Events similar to this are common. One of the greatest testimonies to the effectiveness of the mission was shown when we came back from the Yukon, and about 8 years ago had to rebuild much of the mission to revive it and put it back in operation. The principal at the Sunchild School at that time had seen such a deep impact on the young people in the school by the influence of the mission, that he put $20,000 of his own personal funds into renovations and getting the mission functional.
This letter is going to individuals and churches that have been faithfully involved in our Outreach and mission here at Sunchild for “many” years. I feel a special responsibility to your commitment over such a long time, and I'm often frustrated when something really special happens that I so wish you could see, but you have no way of seeing, and know this would have never happened without your faithful support and prayers. It is humbling to realize the trust you have put in myself, actually from my youth, for many of you. This summer, I have seen the greatest spiritual depth in the teams ministry here, since they've been coming, and it was directly due to the united prayer of a large group of volunteers.
For the past year, Karen has been living with our daughter, and assisting her with her baby. They live close to Edmonton, and Karen has decided to stay and will not be working at the mission now. Karen has been involved here at Sunchild for 40 years and served with a depth of intensity that it is a mystery how she has been able to hold up to that daily grind and through tragedies as well. The dynamics of our operation will be very different without her involvement, to say the least, but hopefully she will be able to recover to some extent, from the stress of the pressures here. For over the last year, I have been the only full time staff on duty here, and it has been 24/7 responsibility, with no time off. Please pray that others will come to help. I am committed to carrying on, as long as it is God's will and He helps and provides, because of the critical importance of the mission in the lives of these people. God bless you and in your churches, and reward you deeply for your faithfulness, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving & Christmas season.
The above letter is a copy of the news we sent out by mail. Below is our pictures and more news.
At the top of each picture will be comments and a discription of what the picture is about. This is the new team from the Korean churches in Calgary and Red Deer, that held our VBS this summer here at Sunchild. This page has 10 pictures of that VBS, and the following pages will feature other teams. As I mentioned in the letter above, the key to the success of this team was their special, unified prayer. This is a picture of just after the team arrived, and special time they spent circling the property and praying for their ministry that week. As a result we had special victories that we had never experienced here before.
Every evening the team would spend several hours holding a devotional with sharing and prayer. They ministered to me in a special way during these devotionals, and it was wonderful times. Most of it was in the Korean language, but someone would always quietly interpret for me while it was going on.
We set up this tent pavillion beside the gazebo, and eventually had to set up a second one before it was over. They had these special tee shirts made for all the workers.
This is one of the first days of VBS, preparing for snack time. We had to build more picknic tables also.
In the evenings, local people would often show up to share in the supper and special time of fellowship.
This is after we set up the second tent pavillion.
On Saturday, the last day of VBS, the team had something we never did before, in all the years we've been here. The team had a footwashing service with all the kids. They spent quality time with each youth, and spent personal time praying with them, and each one got a big hug. It must have taken a couple hours because they only worked with a few at a time.
Our kids have 'never' experienced being loved and cared for like this, and it certainly had a huge impression on them.
Beyond doubt, they will never forget this. I hope to get some video up on the website of this service, before too long. I got a lot of it on video.
