Anyone know Alex?

Reading through old LAMPLighters, I can across this awesome note from 10-year old Alex that was posted in one of the early editions. It makes me wonder if he ever volunteered with LAMP? Here's the letter, copied as written:

Dear L.A.M.P.,

I am going to work with you when I am a grown-up. I am 10 years old. I am a student at a Lutheran School, and my dad is the pastor at our church.

I love the Lord the Father in heaven and I'll give up anything to do His will. I have this little flame inside my heart that could become a fire. I keep thinking that I should be with you and I think the Lord wants me to be there, or at least be a missionary. I'll pray for you and the people you serve.

I think if I was living where the people you serve are I'd like a pastor too. I am only in 4th grade so it will take me a while to get there. Write soon. Yours in Christ, Alex

You see, it's letters like this that make me pray without ceasing for kids across southern Canada and the United States to be touched in this way by the power of the Holy Spirit when they hear of our ministry through our "Fueling the Mission" program. (Although my prayer is that their "little flames" turns into "fires!" and that they go wherever God leads them, taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.) Take a look at our present "Fueling the Missions" materials by clicking here.

VBS No. 1, 1970

The community of Chipewyan Lake, Alberta relaxes in quiet isolation 230 miles north of Edmonton. About 200 Cree First Nations people lived beside the small lake back in the 70's; presently the population shows to be about 90. Chip Lake was a Christian community; although there was no resident clergyman, the people gathered regularly in the small log chapel for worship. In August of 1970, the Youth Board of the AB-C District (LCMS) and LAMP flew in five teenagers and Pastor Cliff Guebert to teach a week of Vacation Bible School. Here's what those first VBS'rs reported:

"When thinking back on our trip to Chip Lake, we can't help but thank God and our church for giving us the opportunity to gain experience and awareness. Awareness of created land, trees, and lakes. Experience from living with people, learning to understand them and their culture. We were to teach a VBS if possible, but we didn't go with the idea of bringing these people from darkness into light. We are not going to say, "Now this is the way we do things and it's the right way." Instead we had the materials, and it was there if they wanted to come. As it turned out, it was accepted by the children, and they in their own way enjoyed it. The materials that we used were in some ways useless, because of the very isolated area. The topic was "Neighbors," which was good, but the idea of relating it to a city neighborhood was a bit out of reach for these people.

We were the ones that had to understand religion from their point of view, and from ours too. But at the same time we had to remember that we were worshipping the same God (as one of the Indian men had reminded us.) I think in judging the amount of time that we lived there that the people that benefitted the most were ourselves. We first became acquainted with the children by playing tag one evening. This fellowship progressed to ball games with the whole village each night we were there.

The situation also developed so that we had open house every day with both adults and children drifting in and out. We were amazed at how so many had the ability to play the guitar. The last night we were there one of the Indians had a fiddle and we all joined in and square danced. It was there that they first became familiar with pizza, and it was unfamiliar to them as bannock was to us. (Bannock is their form of bread.)

The most outstanding lesson that we learned was that the Indians, even though different in language, culture, and race are people just like we are."

Written by Ruby McCulloch and Sharyn Pieper
The LAMP Lighter, Volume 1, No. 1, September 1970

Director's Report from the Field (reprinted from the LAMPLighter, Volume 1 No. 1, September, 1970)

Getting a fledgling missionary society into the air is a thrilling experience. It seems like God is going out of His way to show us His approval of this venture.

I see His hand in the interest of so many Christians who want to support the work and hear more about it, in the $2,500 grant that the AB-C District Lutheran Women's Missionary League is now gathering for us through Mite Boxes, and in the interest of about six people in placement in northern Alberta.

The response from Christians who are already living in northern communities is encouraging. People want to keep close to God. I'm looking for self study materials for adult instruction in Hay River, N.W.T. and encouraging several families in High Level, Alberta, to meet together for spiritual growth. The VBS in Chip Lake was a priceless experience. Wish you could have been there!*

Mid-September now - we had our first frost last night and snow showers were mentioned in my weather briefing today. Winter is coming; I'm looking forward to some cold flights and warm experiences.

Please encourage your friends to become members of LAMP; we want to continue what God has let us begin.

Rev. Les Stahlke, Director of LAMP

*Read about LAMP's first VBS experience next!

How was your mission trip? Tacoma team leader response...

I will be asked this question many times in the next few weeks. It's harder to answer than you might think. For those who are looking for the short answer, I can do it in four words: "Awesome. Best trip ever." And they will be satisfied.

But for those who've been on mission trips, or for those with whom I have a spiritual attachment, that won't suffice. So I'll have to gauge how much of their time they may want to invest.

With Leanne,my massage therapist, it was easy. I had her undivided attention (or she had mine) for almost an hour;she asked lots of good questions and heard lots of details. For those who've read my email updates (now a blog at lampcanadaandusa.blogspot.com), I only had to fill in the blanks.

But what about the dear friend who asks in passing at church, "So - how was your mission trip?" I feel the question deserves an honest, detailed answer. It really was the best trip I've been on in five years, due in part to the awesome collection of people who went, and also to the lack of crises we faced.

I could talk about how team members' hearts were touched: how Tyler committed his life to Christ after campfire devotions one night, or how Jen spent several late-night hours counseling teens who were facing some difficult personal problems. Or I could tell how our teens discovered they could give their all one day, come back to camp emotionally and physically exhausted and sore from too many piggyback rides, and do it all again the next day, with more love and patience and smiles than they might ever give at home.

I could talk about arriving at our VBS site and finding kids already waiting for us, no matter how early we were, and how they would jump up and down with excitement, calling "Jon! Alisha! Alex!" and the ever-present "Piggyback!" or "Shoulderback!"
I could talk about the older VBS teens who would initially pretend just to be checking things out but could easily be talked into sitting down and working on a bead-gluing or cross-painting craft. And in the process, engaging in friendly (and sometimes deep) conversations. Or how one of the older guys was actually talked into going up front and helping Matt lead "The Hippo Song" on the last day!

I could tell about the tears - the sobbing, actually - on our last day, when we had to say good-bye. About Jessy and her new 4-year-old friend clinging to each other, tears rolling down both their cheeks. About how David's phrase "Only 360 more days til VBS" was heard spoken by many on that last day (except the one who muttered, "360 days? Dude, that's waaaay too LONG!").

I could even tell about the conversations on the way home, about the number of teens on our last night who admitted the week had changed their lives. About their comments like, "I know now that my parents make rules because they care," and "I never knew how easy it could be to talk about my faith," and "I didn't realize what an effect it would have on my own relationship with Jesus."

If I have the time, that is what I will say. But if I have to give a short answer, it's four little words:

Awesome. Best trip ever.
 
Sue Acuna

Kitsegukla - Team from Tacoma, WA - Sun, 11 Jul 2010

Hello, Friends and Family,

We arrived here almost without incident - we had one near miss, but I'll tell you The Tire Story in a moment - and had camp set up by 10:30 last night (when it's still really light up here). Though the rain clouds were ominous, they apparently went AROUND us, and we saw only a sprinkle. This is what Pastor Bart Metcalf, our wonderful liaison in Hazelton, calls "the valley effect." We're thankful that God used it to shield us last night!

So - The Tire Story: After driving over 500 miles on Saturday, we pulled in to our destination, Williams Lake, around 6 p.m. After a stop at Fast Food row for dinner and gas, we headed up the hill to the church where we'd be staying. On the way up there, Mark noticed that the tire on the van in front of him had a serious bulge, what he called "a tumor." Derwin and Tony were getting the van jacked up when our church host friends told us they had BCAA (auto club) membership, so the BCAA put on the spare.

The next day I dozed while Matt drove. When I felt us slowing down, I sat up and looked around. Wondering what time it was, I pulled my phone out of my bag - only to discover Derwin was calling me. He asked where we were, and when I told him we were passing through Quesnel, he said he was just on the other side of town at a tire store, and he needed me to hand over the mission team credit card. We were literally 3 minutes away. Had I missed his call, we'd have been out of town and long gone, and he would've had to pay for it some other way. Also, though I was frustrated by our delay at the coffee shop earlier in the morning, it turned out to be just one more way for God to put us in the right place at the right minute.

Today we worshiped in New Hazelton at a 2-hour prayer and praise service, which really stretched the comfort zones of some of our kiddos. Then it was off to visit our villages. In Kitsegukla we split into 3 groups and - led by some of our VBS kids from previous years - went around the village inviting kids to VBS tomorrow. By the time our 3 groups got back together, we had a crowd of at least a dozen excited kids, many of them already riding on shoulders or piggy backs.

Everyone is healthy and scratching their mosquito bites! Life gets busy tomorrow; I'll update you when I can!

In Christ,

Sue Acuna

I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me. Ps. 6:13

Team from Tacoma - Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:02:53 -0700

Hello all,

First of all, last night was the windiest, coldest night I've spent in my 5 trips up here. All tents have tarps over them, and those tarps were flapping like sails all night. Some of us had trouble sleeping through it, but not yours truly (Lori gave me some earplugs, so NOTHING bothered me). I'm happy to report that all the tents survived the storm (which, thankfully, did not include rain).

We had some good prep time this morning, including a chance to chat with Pastor Bart Metcalf, who lives up here and ministers to people in the villages we are visiting.

By 11:30 this morning all four teams had headed off to their respective villages. This evening each team reported in, and it sounds like everyone had a great day. Numbers in Kitwanga were low: only about 30 kids instead of their usual 60 plus. Apparently there are other camps going on in their neighborhood, so some kids went there instead. However, they still had great VBS time, followed by soccer camp (Brian Valley would like me to mention that he played a rousing game of soccer).

In Kitsegukla we had at least 71 - more came after we stopped writing down names. My team was a little nervous, so they rushed things a bit, but they did a really nice job. We found out when we got there that the main soccer field was unavailable, but Aunna took over the responsibility for finding an alternative field, and it all turned out well. Some of our team played soccer all afternoon while others entertained the younger ones with the jump rope and some sitting-in-the-grass games.

We've only seen one bear so far - and that was on Sunday when we visited Kitsegukla. He ran across the road several dozen feet in front of the van. The Kitwanga group saw 4 bears the same day - a mama bear and three cubs. Not that it's a competition or anything. . . Other than that we've seen a few eagles but nothing else. We'd REALLY like to spot a moose!

Tonight's going to be really chilly - down to 7 degrees. That's CELSIUS, you know. It's about 44 degrees to us Americans. But there should be sun the rest of the week!

Tomorrow's when the relationships really start to blossom. I'm hoping to have some good stories about VBS kids to share!

In Christ,

Sue Acuna

Team from Tacoma - Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:53:34 -0700

Hello all!

It was a wonderfully exhausting day! But first off, I want to apologize to the Lighthouse parents because my stories will be so heavily biased toward Kitsegukla. I am trying to get stories from the Kitwanga team, but they're all so tired that all they say is, "It went great."

Garett did say that it was funny to see little Amber beat all the little boys out on the soccer field. And one of the kids told Brian that "This VBS is better than that camp with the zipline!"

I spend a lot of time at the registration table checking in kids, and yesterday Kerena told me how to spell her name: "K-E-R-E-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V." It's so hard to hear some of their voices, but fortunately many of them have the same last names. You spell Hyzims "H-Y-ZED-I-M-S," by the way.

We had a bear sighting in Kitsegukla today. A parent told me that it had been sighted "down the hill, behind the complex." Several of the kids walked down to the soccer field anyway, but Mr. Bear never came out to play with us.

We also had a word of the day - "BAM!" It was one of the sound effects from our skit about the houses built on the rock and on the sand. We actually couldn't remember when it was supposed to be used (we'd written the skit and made the prop cards a couple months ago), so we used it for the sound you make when you build a house - BAM BAM BAM BAM. But at other random times team members could be heard calling out "Bam!" - always good for a laugh.

Today's craft involved using watercolors to decorate a small, wooden cross, and then stringing beads on a thin-gauge wire to wrap around it. It was a fairly long process, which gave us lots of time to chat with both the older and the younger kids. Chats usually begin with "What's your favorite color?" and move on to more personal sharing. Many of the kids have gotten really good at working the gospel into their conversations. Today I heard, "I really like how you painted your cross! Do you remember what the cross means?" And if the VBS friend can explain it, the VBS team member will jump on the opportunity.

One of our team members is named Erika. When our five Edmonton friends arrived, one of them asked her who she was. "I'm Erika," she replied. "America?" one of them asked. "You're AMERICA?!" She now has a new nickname.
Today I heard a sad story about one of the young girls. Please join us in praying for her and others like her. (God knows who she is and what the circumstances are.)

We ended our VBS day with soccer camp. Since it was a beautiful, sunny day, my team members got quite warm. Bless the wonderful people in the Health Center adjacent to our field who came out with trays of watermelon, cantaloupe, and pineapple wedges. Very refreshing!

In Christ,

Sue Acuna

I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me. Ps. 6:13

Tacoma Team Report from Hazelton Campground - Wednesday, July 14

Subject: VBS, Day 3

Hi Friends,

It's actually Thursday, and we're getting ready to head out to the villages for Day 4, but it's my first chance to update.

Yesterday was a really awesome day for us in Kitsegukla. My team - 15 of us from the Tacoma area plus 2 leaders and 3 youth from Edmonton, Alberta - has really jelled. Not only are they working together well, but they're really having a lot of fun! We had 70 kids again yesterday, so once again we were the last team to return to camp. Our days go like so: leave camp around 11:45 for the 25-minute drive to the site; set up and greet (and play with) kids until about 1:15; sing, teach the lesson and pray until around 1:45; do crafts with older kids while younger kids play outside for about 20 minutes; switch who's doing crafts and playing outside; close with songs and prayer and then serve snack around 2:30.

We then sit in a circle on the gym floor for about a half an hour, taking a well-needed break and eating snacks while we debrief. When we're done we head outside to play soccer and basketball - or jump rope and play on the playground with the smaller kids. We've been heading back to camp around 5, making it just in time for dinner at 6.

Last night we had guests at dinner - Willis and Judith Fitzpatrick. Judith grew up in Kitwanga and attended college in Kansas City, where she met Willis. They married, and eventually moved their family back up here, where Willis was a minister to the village for many years. Both of them shared their stories and thanked us for being here. Willis then encouraged our teens to just love the kids with all their hearts, and to tell them about the love of Jesus every chance they get.

Later in the evening we had our first real rain, which meant a quick scurry from the campfire to the covered shelter. Around 90 of us (teams plus local visitors) crowded into the picnic shelter, where the acoustics made our singing sound exceptionally awesome! It rained on and off all night, which always sounds worse on the tent and the tarp than it actually is.

This morning we woke to showers and gray skies and COLD temps, but it's supposed to clear up by this afternoon. This is good, because we're expecting around 200 visitors for dinner - it's Family Night! We've been inviting people from our villages all week to join us at 6 for a potluck dinner and then maybe some soccer and socializing. We'll end the night with worship around the campfire, when several of our youth will tell how they came to know Jesus and what it means to live for him. Last I heard, Aunna, Dylan, Matt Lambertson, and McCrea were slated to speak, but that keeps changing.

Got to run - need to pack my lunch, gather my gang, and head out to Kitsegukla.

Thank you for your prayers - please keep them coming!

In Christ,

Sue Acuna

I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me. Ps. 6:13

Tacoma Team Report from Kitsegukla - Days 4 & 5

Dear Friends,

It's over, and as usual it went by way too quickly. Despite the rain in camp yesterday morning, once we got to Kitsegukla the roads were dry and we had no rain. We finally got a handle on the kids (big and little) playing soccer in the gym, so it was much quieter when we were doing our skit and lesson (no soccer balls bouncing in the background).

Our theme yesterday was how Jesus gives us peace in the midst of life's storms, so we acted out the story of Jesus calming the storm. We created an imaginary boat up front and invited the kids to join the team members "in the boat." Lydia then narrated the story while everybody acted it out. It was a big, noisy storm, believe me! And when Jesus woke up, looked over the edge and said, "It's not that bad. I'm going back to sleep," the terrified protests could be heard throughout the village! (Or at least at the back of the gym.)

Last night's Family Night went well; we had a couple of quick showers while everyone was lining up for dinner, but everybody just pretended not to notice them. I don't think we had as many people as last year, but it was still a good-sized crowd. After dinner the four kids gave their testimonies - a couple of them through tears. It's always good for our guests - teens and adults alike - to hear that these American Christian teens don't all have perfect lives back home. Or to hear how God continues to work in their lives even when they haven't given Him much of their time.

After campfire there were many activities going on simultaneously. I got a group going with the Double Dutch jump ropes (and even managed to jump a few times myself). There was a volleyball game in addition to tossing a football and kicking a soccer ball around. Some hiked out to The Point (the confluence of the Bulkley and Skeena Rivers), and several sat around in small groups, just chatting. Everywhere you looked, you saw visitors mixed in with our teens - we were very proud of their hospitality!
This morning we awoke to at least a hundred crows calling to each other. I'm sure of the number, because on my way back from the shower I counted at least 40 in one tree! It was a very cold morning, and the line for the women's showers was looooong because the last of our visitors had left so late last night that no one was allowed to shower before bed.

After our final planning session we headed up for the last day of VBS. Everything was different because we had to meet in a church basement instead of the gym (there's a big wedding this weekend, and they were going to decorate the gym). My team adapted well, and once again we had around 70 kids. It was easier to hear the skit in the church basement, but it sure was crowded!

After VBS we handed out the Goody Bags - large white lunch bags filled with donated items like toothbrushes, Beanie Babies, books, and school supplies. The veteran VBS kids know these are coming, so they were quite excited all morning. Because it was the warmest day of the week, the afternoon was spent not only playing soccer, but also sitting in the shade playing hand games, and sitting in the cool basement having final conversations with new friends.

At last it was time to say our tearful good-byes - always a difficult time on both sides. We piled in the van for camp, but made a scheduled stop on the highway to load up on huge boulders to be dropped over the single-lane bridge which spans Hagwilget Canyon. It was a fun way to celebrate a great week!

As I write this, the traditional VBS Canada vs. USA soccer game has begun in a nearby field. The winner gets the double-flagged trophy created by a team member a couple years ago, plus bragging rights for a year. In the time I've been coming up here, I believe the wins have been split pretty evenly. However, the Canadian team usually has to borrow a few Americans to boost their numbers, so it's often unclear who the real winner is.

Tomorrow is a free day: a group of about 15 is heading up to Alaska to view the glaciers and visit the ghost town of Hyder; others are driving an hour into Smithers and taking a hike up by the ski lifts; still others will sleep in, maybe catch a movie in town, and hang around camp all day.

Derwin asked at the campfire the other night who felt they had been changed by this trip. Almost every hand went up. When he pressed for details, answers included, "I appreciate how much I have," "I have a new perception of how awesome my family is," and "I can talk much more easily about my faith and what Jesus means to me." Derwin challenged them to make those changes a permanent part of their lives back home.

I can hear cheering from the field - time to go check out the score!

In Christ,

Sue Acuna

I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me. Ps. 6:13

Tacoma Team - It's a Wrap #1

Hello, Friends and Family,


We're home! But between Saturday morning and Monday night we still had time for a few more adventures:

The Logging Road

On our way into town on July 10 I'd noticed a street called "Bulkley Canyon Road." It sounded like it had potential for awesome views, so on our free Saturday (July 17), I invited people to join me on a little driving exploration. A few leaders - Lynn, Matt, Ardyce, Lori, and Mark - were game, so off we went. Bulkley Canyon Road ended in a dead end with no views, so we followed another sign to Ross Lake. It was so beautiful and so peaceful (but what WAS that calling from across the lake?) that we decided we'd plan a picnic there next year, weather permitting.

On we journeyed, heading up the road to Kispiox, a village about 16 km from Hazelton. After admiring their totem poles, we crossed back over the river and decided to explore a side road, hoping to spot some bears. After 11 km (and still no bears) the road forked: one branch led to an Experimental Forest, but the other was unmarked. We chose the unmarked road and soon found ourselves heading uphill. As the views grew more spectacular and the piles of bear droppings ("scat") grew more plentiful, our hopes of spotting a bear (or three) grew. Unfortunately, the condition of the road deteriorated. Eventually, it wasn't much of a road but more of a bulldozed, narrow track covered with coarse rock (not smooth gravel). When we came upon downed trees we realized it was merely a logging road. Rationalizing that logging trucks couldn't possibly turn around on such a narrow track (and not finding any place suitable for turning around even if we'd wanted to), we deduced the road had to go all the way through to a main road, so onward we went.

Until the road abruptly ended in a stand of trees, 12 km from the fork (we're sure of the distances because there were km markings along the way). There was a small turnaround area, but one small miscalculation with the (14-passenger) van, and we'd either be in the ditch or sliding down the sleep slope into the trees. No one knew where we were, and we had no cell phone service. As we all prayed mightily (as we had been doing for about 15 minutes by this time), I hopped out and let Mark take over driving. With God's help he maneuvered us back over the rocks, through the water- and mud-filled tire tracks, back to the fork, and on out to the main highway. When we were safely home, I kept looking around the camp, thinking I'd never been as happy to be there as I was that day. Oh - and we finally did see a bear. One bear. Running across the road. Near the bottom of the hill.

The Alaska Trip

Two vanloads of teens and adults set out at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning, knowing they'd be spending a good portion of the day on the road the day BEFORE our two days' driving to come home. But the scenery on the 3-hour drive to the border was spectacular - waterfalls and Bear Glacier (and even some bears) and tree-covered mountainsides. Once across the border they stopped at Fish Creek hoping to view grizzlies from the safe viewing boardwalks, but they saw no bears (we never do). They continued on up to Salmon Glacier, where they ate lunch and then played mountain goats, scampering up the rocks to take in an even-more-spectacular view.

After a stop in the "ghost town" of Hyder, where you can buy fudge from the Dulcimer Lady, they crossed back into Canada (getting their passports stamped in the process) and headed home. I was told the van ride was almost the best part of the journey; it was a smorgasbord of music (some of it so old only the adult leaders recognized it), and it was often accompanied by dancing. That's what they told me: dancing in the van. Don't worry - I'm having a hard time picturing it, also.
I'll continue to adventures tomorrow in Part 2, when you'll get all the details of the broken ankle and the flat tire.

In Christ,

Sue Acuna

I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me. Ps. 6:13

Tacoma Team - It's a Wrap #2

Hello again,


One of the hardest things about being middle-aged is acknowledging how long it takes to recover from big trips. Here it is my second morning at home, and even after two 8-hour nights of sleep, I'm still a little groggy. Thirty years ago my husband and I could drive the 22 hours to Los Angeles straight through, with a few breaks to eat, and it would take one day to recover our energy. It just doesn't seem fair somehow.

The Little Hike

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip

That started with a hike uphill, and ended with a slip...

Tony had heard of a couple of hiking trails less than an hour away, and he was game to try them on our free Saturday. Joined by his wife Carrie and five teens (Cody, Bryce, Sarah, Jen, and Tyler), he left camp around 9:30, promising to be back in about four hours. Around 5:00 I received a call from Jen, saying they were heading to the emergency room in Smithers because Carrie might have broken her ankle. Another phone call a couple hours later confirmed the diagnosis: a broken fibula, down near the bottom. She was getting a cast and they'd be home soon. Around 8:30 I received a text saying they were finally on the highway headed back to camp.

About the same time, some of our local visitors were saying good-bye and heading home, when one little girl rushed up to Derwin and said, "My dad told me to tell you that the bridge is closed because someone is trying to jump!" The bridge she was referring to was the one-way suspension bridge which spans the Hagwilget Canyon about 300 feet above the Bulkley River. It's the only way into the campground from the highway, and it's been the site of so many suicides that the local kids say they hate that bridge. I quickly called Tony and explained the situation, and he said they were already in the back-up at the bridge, close enough to see the young man standing on the railing.

Around 11:00 Terry, one of our local friends, came back and told us we needed to come up with a Plan B, because the bridge might not open before morning. He and Matt Dressler put their heads together and came up with a family on the other side of the bridge that might take in Tony and his crew. I called Tony, he went to the Johnsons' house and explained the situation, and he was immediately offered a place to stay for the night. Not only did this mean they could get finally get out of the van, but it also meant a bed for Carrie instead of the thin camping pad awaiting her in her tent.

They returned to camp the next morning at 6, just in time to pack up and prepare to leave for home. It was then that we heard about how Bryce, Cody, and Tony had taken turns carrying Carrie down the steep trail, and how all the teens were troupers, enduring the long day without complaint. We clucked over Carrie's PLASTER cast (no pretty fiberglass?) and promised to sign it when we stopped for lunch. We also learned that the young man had been talked down from the bridge, and we all thanked God for that news.

A Tiresome Problem

As we were driving through Seattle, so close to Tacoma we could almost smell it, I received a text from the van behind me, telling me my rear tire was almost flat. Matt was driving at the time, so I had him pull off at Michigan Street to check it out. It appeared we'd picked up a nail, so we inflated the tire, consulted with my GPS about the nearest Les Schwab, and headed off to Southcenter to get it repaired. Matt, Jon, Zach, Aisling, Haley, and I enjoyed the TV, free wi-fi, and newspaper crossword in the waiting room, and soon we were on the road again - with two brand-new tires. It wasn't just a nail - it was a very worn-out tire. We made it back to the Dressler house an hour or so after the rest of the crew, having earned the honor of having the final adventure of the trip.

To sum up, it was one of the best mission trips I've ever been on. There was something special about this group of teens and adults, and we dealt with fewer issues than usual. We shared a lot of love around our campfire and in our villages, and our prayer is that the people whose lives we touched will never forget how much Jesus loves them.

In Christ,

Sue Acuna

I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me. Ps. 6:13

Used Clothing and ... Frozen Food?

I just read the LAMP email and thought I too would like to share my experiences from days gone by.

I used to belong to a small rural congregation near my home back in the early 1980's, and volunteered to collect clothing, etc. for LAMP. The items needed to be taken to Thunder Bay, where Pastor/Pilot Gary Sartain would collect it and distribute it on his flights to the northern villages. I never expected the enormous response I got. I had two elderly sisters (both in their nineties) knitting mittens; others bringing boxes of skates, shoes and boots and lots of clothing. I even got a WWII great coat. Now my basement was full! How was I to get it all to Thunder Bay?

My next door neighbor, a Mennonite, suggested I call Erb Transport in New Hamburg and ask for the owner. I don't remember his first name but he was most interested in helping. He said "just bring everything in plastic bags down to our main office and we'll throw it on top of a load of frozen food on our way to Thunder Bay." Wouldn't you know it, Gary had access to a warehouse right next door to Erb Transport. God does work His wonders. I often wonder where our donations ended up. As for Mr. Erb; his name was in our local newspaper just last week being honored for his charitable work in the trucking industry.

May you receive many more happy memories.

Dorothea Faulhafer

Memories from long-time supporters Rudy and Ruth Ann Domke

Your recent letter brought many memories to mind as I recall how my late husband, Rudy Domke, was really “turned on” for LAMP after meeting Pastor Les Stahlke. Rudy met Rev. Stahlke in the 80’s at the Northwest District Convention, probably in Portland, Oregon. There was discussion at that time regarding LAMP coming to Alaska.

As you know, LAMP came into Alaska with many different pastor/pilots until calling Pastor Ed Baltzersen to serve permanently. Rudy and I hosted or entertained some of the pastor/pilots; I recall especially Pastor Lee Berry, Paul Brinkman and Pastor Gary Sartain. I have a quilted table mat as a thank you gift from the Sartains – I still use it every Christmas. They used one of our cars during the time they were in Fairbanks. Pastor Baltzersen became an associate pastor at our church, Zion Lutheran, and a good friend. We’ve stayed in touch with him and his wife, Judy, in their retirement.

Rudy was so very interested in the unique ministry of LAMP and plagued each pastor with questions to learn all he could while they were here. He touted LAMP whenever and wherever he could. One money-maker for LAMP became the annual “Pie Auction” at Zion with Rudy reigning – lots of fun memories as pie-bakers competed. He remained a faithful supporter of LAMP up to his death on March 2, 2010. I hope to be able to continue with that support; both financially and prayerfully. God has been so good to us.

May God continue to bless your ministry and service to His northern people.

In Christ’s love, Ruth Ann Domke

LAMP Offering Stolen, then Replaced Over and Above

This report was received from Bill Reinhardt, long-time LAMP supporter and LAMP Rep from Calgary, Alberta. Bill remembers the Prince of Peace, Calgary, Sunday School children taking a bus out to the airport to see Les Stahlke and his plane shortly after the inception of LAMP in the 70's.

Recently, the Sunday School children from Prince of Peace launched another LAMP campaign, showing the current video* and providing participants with a "northern-style potluck"--bannock and venison included. The children adopted a flight plan goal to "fly 480 miles"* by Easter. They were well on their way to the goal with pennies being collected weekly in a glass jar. Shortly before Easter, the jar was stolen during a church break-in. Undaunted, a new jar was bought. The entire congregation joined in the campaign, and by Pentecost, they passed their goal! The enthusiasm for LAMP also brought a summer VBS volunteer from the church. 

Thanks to LAMP Rep Bill Reinhardt for sharing this story, and his continued encouragement and involvement in the ministry of LAMP!!

*For more information on how your Sunday School can support LAMP, go to www.lampministry.org/Fueling

40th Anniversary Reunion

My name is Michael Newman and our family has had a long history with LAMP. In the early 70”s my family was living in Cold Lake Alberta on the Air force Base. The wasn’t a Lutheran Church close to the base so my father Bill Newman arranged for Pastor Les Stahlke to come into Cold Lake once a month or so to give communion to the Lutheran families on the base. Sometimes Pastor Stahlke would fly in. One time when the weather was bad, he had the control tower give him a radar vector to fly in on. I remember him telling my father that that was the first time he had been called a slow moving target. Sometimes he would drive in. When he drove, he would often stay overnight at our house. It was about 3 hours drive from Edmonton. I think that Pastor Stahlke ministered in Cold Lake for 2 years. Our family moved from Cold Lake to Montreal in the summer of 1973, and I am not too sure if LAMP continued to come to Cold Lake after we left.. My sister Sandra Newman ( Plouffe ) was married in Edmonton in 1978 and Pastor Stahlke officiated at the wedding. At the 40th anniversary of LAMP my sister met Pastor Stahlke once again!

40th Anniversary Greetings from Pastor Pilot Gerry Mitchinson and wife Dr Doreen Mitchinson

I regret that neither I nor my wife can join you for the 40th anniversary celebration of LAMP's ministry. I was a pastor pilot based in High Level, northern Alberta and my wife was a medical doctor there for over ten years in the early 70's. We have many fond memories of the special experiences during the time of our ministry there. I always appreciated LAMP's theology of stewardship. We were provided with good, reliable equipment while being expected to be responsible in our flying decisions. Of course, even with our stewardship we needed the protective help of the angels!

I not sure if I have totally forgiven Lester (Rev. Stahlke) for criticizing the first photos I did for LAMP's promotional work. He pointed out that the pictures lacked people in them. I kind of liked airplanes so I had restricted the pictures to the vehicle until he corrected me.

My memories have even filtered into one recurring dream where I forgot to return the airplane to LAMP. Let me know if it's not just a dream and I'll do some searching.

Blessings on your continued ministry in the Canadian North which, until the advent of LAMP with Lester's vision, was quite neglected by the Lutheran Church.

Pastor Gerry Mitchinson and Dr Doreen Mitchinson Victoria, B.C.

Memories from former pilot Cam McNeil

The first time I met the gentle, pastoral Pastor Les, I wondered how he was going to fare in the rough trade of bush flying - until I flew with him in the C310 and realized that he was as good and professional as any of the pilots I had flown with in the RCAF.

I remember vividly flying the first VBS team north to Ontario in my newly acquired Mooney and having to land in North Bay on the way back. The engine began to run so rough that I needed a radar (PAR) talk down in un-forecast local weather so bad that Air Canada missed their approach. I was truly in the hands of God. After that I realized even more how important good maintenance was and a current Instrument Rating when flying in the North. Most people do not know that there are more aircraft missing in northern Ontario than in the infamous Bermuda Triangle.

I was often in Yellowknife on business and met and flew with Gary Sartain and Lee Barry, and met their wonderful families. Lee looked like a Pastor from the front and an NFL linebacker (which he was) from the back.

The joy of teaching VBS is still with me. I led the first team to Fort Hope; then took my son and eventually my daughter to Fort Severn, the northernmost village in Ontario - with polar bears and ice off shore in July. The trips were Confirmation presents for the kids. Their first jobs as adults in the church was to freeze on the edge of Hudson's Bay in a village older than Toronto.

Another joy for my wife, Uldine and me was to be an eastern home-away-from-home for LAMP’ers. We went to Government House with the Thompson family to see Rev. Neale Thompson receive the Medal of Bravery from the Governor General. I believe Neale is the only Missionary/Pilot to receive it. We had Les and Judy, Ivor and Gary and families, Steve, Don, Ron, and Gordon (who taught us the table prayer – God bless the cook). Ivor and I flew the Mooney to a tiny strip in northern Quebec to visit the LBT (Lutheran Bible Translators) Stime family. The next week, Tim told a bush pilot that his friends had flown in a Mooney. The pilot said that it was impossible - it could get in but not out again. Ivor gave me a LAMP cap, which I wore almost 20 years later, flying the Commanche out of Red Lake. Ivor, a Fulbright Scholar, who looks like a Viking or a Pirate, met me as I taxied in and complimented me on my cap. He had forgotten it was his.

God bless you and keep you,

Cam McNeil

Time has flown!

My goodness, how time has flown. It seems only a few years ago when a young minister named Les Stahlke, who was our former Pastoral Advisor for the ABC District Walther League Executive, floated past us the idea of having a “flying ministry” for the remote communities in northern Alberta. God blessed the endeavour and the rest is history. As a young man in the 70’s pursuing grad studies and having many doubts about the organized church and how it works, I found that my faith in God’s work was restored when I followed the work of LAMP through reading the LAMPLighter.


Even with all of LAMP’s ups and downs over the years (for the pilots – no pun intended), I am proud to be a “life member” of LAMP and look forward to hearing Les again. Last time I talked to Les was at the funeral of another old Walther Leaguer and staunch supporter of LAMP and original editor of the Lamplighter, Paul Scott.

Cheers, Erich Berndt

Quilting Memories

One memory I have of LAMP is the quilts our Usona LWML group made. How they were enjoyed!  I also remember sending donations to help with the Vacation Bible Schools, and recall how pleased the LAMP staff was to receive them. Our group was thrilled to be able to do things for LAMP so that LAMP could help others. God bless your work. I enjoy helping wherever I can.


Wilma Hennig

God has not forgotten

We thank God for the ministry of LAMP these 40 years. God has not forgotten the people of the North, and we feel privileged to support this work and celebrate these years.

Loreen Merz

Little Log Church

Hello, from Ted and Carol Johnson of Dore Lake, SK. We were served faithfully at our “little log church” first by Steve Kristenson then John Panning and lastly Doug Kabell. They came with wives and children and worshiped with us at our home. They all got to be family; we still keep in touch. Thanks to LAMP, our church is still open under a retired minister. We wish we could attend the banquet to see everyone again. God’s love to all.

"My Memories"

· Retreats at Prairie Point and at the Father Lacombe Centre in St. Albert.

· Flying with Pastor/Pilot Gerry Mitchinson to Zama, Garden River, Assumption, Rainbow Lake, Steen River and one time landing in a farmer’s field near Buffalo Hills due to smoke from forest fires.

· Christians-in-Service fellowship at Pastor/Pilot Mitchinson’s home

· VBS in Norman Wells; visit to Tuktoyuktuk and Yellowknife to see CiS Alice Olson and Pastor/Pilot Lee Berry

· The monthly newsletters.
· Many great memories!! To come North as a single nurse and discover so much support and ministry was an extra blessing all because of LAMP!

Ena Simpson (Elzen)

Celebrating 40 Years

I am looking forward to celebrating with you at the 40th Anniversary meeting. God has indeed kept LAMP under His wings and blessed it and the people it serves over the years. He continues to guide and bless LAMP's mission work, the dedicated missionaries, pilots, volunteers of all kinds and the people it serves.

My husband John and I became Charter Members in 1970-71 and have continued to help out as we were able. John worked in the northern areas a great deal, sometimes with native people. They always amazed him with their mechanical abilities and other talents. We both grew up in areas where “free Indians” (refused all government assistance) worked for pay on farms. They were special people.

Here in BC, we have many reservations. Many natives are trying to become self-sufficient – at least here in southern areas - where they can own orchards and wineries, do logging, fishing, etc. Areas in the North don’t have these opportunities so we see the need and go to them, help with education and bring them the Good news that Jesus is there for them too. We have much we can learn from them and their spirituality. In the coming years may they and we always remember Jesus is just a prayer away.

Evelyn Ryll

Remembrances...

During the time Rev. Kronen was our pastor, Rev. Stahlke flew to Innisfail (Alberta, half-way between Calgary and Edmonton on Highway 2). My husband Alex picked him up for our worship service. Both pastors had lunch with us. I sent home canned fruit and homemade sauerkraut. Les was overjoyed! Alex took Les back to Innisfail with our 2 kids. Les gave the kids a plane ride to Penhold, AB (about 14 km.) where Alex met them.

Alvina Wolf

40 Years, and it seems like yesterday

Sharon and I have been helping to support the mission of LAMP for many years now. It has been a great sense of feeling to be involved in something so very important to so many thankful people. I remember thinking, "How in the world did they find all those Pastors that could fly a small bush plane in and out of the many remote locations?" And then I remembered that with God's help, it's easy! We even had a boat that visited the Queen Charlotte's (North of Victoria)on Sundays to conduct services, if I remember properly.

God Bless You All
Congratulations and may we have many more successful years
Murray and Sharon Schultz

The birth of a ministry

Submitted by Roger Nichols

In 1969 my wife and I visited Les Stahlke, a Lutheran pastor who had resigned from a congregation in Fort McMurray, Alberta to serve full-time in the isolated communities of the North.

Rev. Stahlke owned a 1047 Stinson airplane. He did part-time commercial flying to support his family of six.

To help Les get started, I raised $750 for skis and gas for the Stinson. Our hopes hinged on a proposal to a major mission board, where we introduced a plan to serve the many northern isolated communities, all of which were lacking in Christian witness. Following this presentation, a very discouraged Pastor Stahlke shared that the board wouldn’t even listen. They had no funding to offer. In addition, the communities had no way to support a ministry of this sort.

I said, “Les, maybe God wants you to go ahead on your own.” He immediately knew. “That’s it!!” he exclaimed.

So, my wife and I sent him off by giving the balance of our savings account, which he used to legally organize the Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots. There was even a few dollars left for postage and fuel, and LAMP was started.

Membership was $10.00 but our first request was for people to pray for LAMP. “We need your gifts but most importantly, please pray for us." One of the most faith-strengthening things in my life was to see the hand of God move so deliberately and quickly!

Ethel's Story

My husband, Wally and I shared in the ministry of LAMP in Slave Lake, Alberta from 1968-1971. I remember barbecues at our home {house trailer] in Slave Lake after a service led by Les, [if my memory is correct]. We have lived in the U.S., Argentina, Brazil, Scotland, and these towns in Alberta: Calmar, Innisfail, Wainwright, and Slave Lake {again}. We landed in Newfoundland, Ontario, and finally back to Alberta--Athabasca in l99l. I still live on the acreage which used to be a farm. Wally went to be with the Lord on October 25, 2008. So many experiences have happened in my life, all of which help me realize that the Lord is always by my side. What a blessing! I am trusting the Lord to help me make decisions for my future. God bless the work of LAMP. Ethel Kanzig.

A Volunteer's Testimony

I have been working with LAMP for 8 years now; a short time in the scheme of things. We have volunteers who have been with us for 20+ years, which is truly amazing! My faith has grown so much during these years, especially throughout the time I've spent in the North. God has been developing my leadership skills, and given me a vision for the people of the North as well as for the folks on my team. I've come to realize that the "mission trip" is not all there is "to it." God works through the preparation, the trip, the debriefing, and the repeating of the 'stories.' He doesn't waste a moment...and there's not a moment to waste! My testimony could be the length of a book. I will try to sum it up using this one particular story.

Every year we spend a night in Sioux Lookout prior to our flight North. This particular year, my team was on it's way to supper when we encountered a couple that appeared to be drunk. One of our team members responded to their question of "Hey, where are you guys going?" by telling them that we were missionaries going to teach children about Jesus. Their response, "I want to know about this Christ," left us breathless and afraid to witness. But God had other plans, and, filled with the Holy Spirit, He enabled us to share exactly Who our Christ is and gave us powerful words to pray for these people.

Do we know where this couple is today in their walk with God? No. Do we know what kind of impact our meeting might have had on them? No. But then, do we have any idea what our witness to the northern community has on anyone except ourselves? No. The good news is, we don't have to know the answers to these questions. In fact, we really have no right to ask the questions! Our job is to be obedient in every situation and to trust that God will continue to do His work according to His plan. Our call is to pray...lifting up those who need His divine interference and healing touch. Father, enable us to do this work You have called us to do, in Jesus' name. Amen.

"I still remember..."

How many of you have voiced this thought: "I still remember LAMP coming to my Sunday School when I was growing up. I remember hearing the pilots tell stories of the people in the North, and seeing pictures of the beautiful children. I love LAMP!" *an actual quote told to a LAMP staffer during a church get-together

If this is you, sign our Guestbook below. Better yet, send us a note! We'd love to hear from you!! YOU are LAMP!

40 Years and Counting...

Soon LAMP will be celebrating 40 wonderful years of God's grace and favor. Over the years, thousands of people have seen and experienced amazing things--powerful, God-changing events--through the ministry of LAMP. Help us tell the story...HIS story! Share your testimony of how God's working through LAMP has impacted your life. You can post it as a comment below, or email us at lamp@lampministry.org, and we'll write it up and use it as one of our blogs in the future. Photos are welcome, too! Our prayer is that you are encouraged in your faith walk by the words that are written here. To God be the glory!