Everything happens for a reason

Sue Folger (r), Team Leader

Our team has realized through our experiences with LAMP that everything happens for a reason. This year, we had problems securing a place to stay. There happened to be a family in town for a funeral that also needed housing, so they were given the place we were to use. Afterwards, we realized that we were better able to connect with a community member who let us use his home. We hope to continue to communicate with him over the winter and build that relationship. In addition, we were able to help the grieving family by cleaning the house for them after they left.

We find that these encounters happen the entire time we are in our community. We need to realize that God is directing us all the time and watch to see what He is doing as He makes us aware of the opportunities put before us. Many times the reaction we have to the barriers we face is our witness.

BC Mission Trip 2011 - We've Arrived!

 

by Sue Chan Acuna on Monday, July 11, 2011 at 10:45pm

Sunday morning, 10:10 a.m.

We awoke in camp this morning and knew immediately why this part of the world is called "Misty Rivers."  A fog hung over the camp, but there was clearing for a few feet above the river.  By about 8:00 the fog had completely cleared, leaving us with a beautiful - though chilly - sunny morning.

Our trip went smoothly, without injury to any person OR vehicle.  We did get hung up at the border; for the first time every vehicle had to pull over and send the driver inside.  I got off easy and only had to hand over a stack of passports and wait while the customs lady checked them out.  Other leaders had to answer some unusual questions, like did we have proof that each kid has health insurance, and how were the kids going to support themselves while they were in Canada.  It was a minor inconvenience and was over within about 20 minutes.  After that, it was smooth sailing to Williams Lake.

Yesterday was another long day of travel, made more interesting by a sport I call Wildlife Spotting.  I didn't do well, spotting only 1 owl, 1 eagle, 1 bear, and 2 deer.  One van saw 2 moose (or "mooses," as I call them, just to irritate people), and when the first vans arrived in camp they spotted a moose calf across the river.  I'm waiting to see photos of that one.

Campfire

This morning we're off to church around 11, then after lunch we'll head to our respective villages to drum up enthusiasm for VBS tomorrow.  This is a great day for our veterans, as they re-connect with old friends.  It won't be long before they're toting kids on their backs or shoulders, and dodging bicycles and dogs running circles around them as they walk.  The "newbies" will be a little overwhelmed as they get their first look at reservation life, but the more outgoing of them will grow extra legs and heads as they offer their own backs and shoulders for transportation.

A few campers were not prepared for the extreme cold last night, so this morning we handed out a few extra blankets and gave some helpful advice (sleep in long pants and socks, tuck your nose inside your sleeping bag).  Hopefully they'll be warmer tonight - though it's only supposed to get down to 12 and not the 8 we had last night.  (That's Celsius, remember.)

Tomorrow is our first big day in the villages.  Please pray that we are adequately prepared for our lessons and that our sports camps are fun and injury-free.  But mostly pray that we can BE Jesus to everyone we meet.

BC Mission Trip 2011 - VBS, Day 1

by Sue Chan Acuna on Monday, July 11, 2011 at 10:46pm

Monday, 8:10 p.m.

I'm sitting at a picnic table in short sleeves, which tells you about the weather.  We've seen only one rain shower, but we've heard the end of the week could get nasty.  Pray for the clouds to go AROUND us rather than OVER us, please.  That's what happened yesterday, even though the wind came up and we were sure we were going to get wet!

As I write this, there's a card game being played by a mix of locals and team members at the adjacent picnic table.  Over in the grass a group of teens is batting a volleyball with some little local kids, and at the soccer net about 10 local kids are kicking a soccer ball with one of our teens.  There's another card game under the shelter, and at the campfire some teens are poking the fire and chatting with their young visitors.  Our mission to love the people here continues no matter where we are!
The Kitwanga team left about half an hour ago to make the 40-kilometer trip BACK to the village of Kitwanga to join the youth at a campfire.  We expect them back around 10.  They were pretty worn out when they got back this afternoon after leading VBS for almost 80 kids and following it up with soccer camp.  But most of them opted to return to spend more time with their Kitwanga friends.

Kitsegukla, British Columbia

In Kitsegukla we had 65 kids, ranging in age from 2 to 22.  My high school/college-aged team did an amazing job of leading, especially for the first day.  In fact, I have a skit committee working right now to polish up their presentation for tomorrow's lesson.  It's a wonderfully motivated group, though when it comes to songleading, they're a little lost without my son Matt leading the charge.

The Old Hazelton team has the smallest group and the shortest commute (about half a kilometer's walk into town), but because their village is so close to camp, they continue to minister to all the local kids who drop by.  Though the other teams are quick to reach out and make friends, the Old Town team still feels a sense of responsibility for "their" kiddos.

And the New Hazelton team, though they had only 25 kids today and also a short commute (maybe 8 km from camp), spends lots of time driving around the area and shuttling kids to their church.  Though the driving can be inconvenient, they have the unique opportunity of seeing where all the kids live, and meeting many of their family members, as well as lots of "car talk" time.

As we returned to camp after our first day and swapped stories, it was evident everyone was satisfied with how the first day went and can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring.  Please pray that we will take the time to notice the quieter kids and find ways to draw them in and make them feel special.

BC VBS, Day 2 - Tooooooooooosday!

by Sue Chan Acuna on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 11:11pm

Tuesday, 8:40 p.m.

Sue and kids in their community

This morning I learned that one can UNzip a tent more quietly than one can zip it back up.  Driven from my sleeping bag by Mother Nature at 4:30, I stepped out of my tent - and had to stop to catch my breath.  The clouds above the eastern mountains were glowing a beautiful shade of pre-dawn pink.  A few birds sang, the river rushed and gurgled below the bank, and the temperature was surprisingly mild.  Tempted as I was to linger and wait for sunrise, I knew I couldn't function on only 5 hours of sleep, so I headed back to my very cozy bed (my air mattress is covered with a fleece mattress pad, a flannel sheet, an unzipped flannel sleeping bag, and a down throw) and managed to sleep for another 90 minutes.
I'd forgotten that a couple of the kids in our village gave me a new nickname last year: 

"Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuue!"  This year it's followed by, "You belong in the zooooooooooooooooo!"  Today it seemed like every time I sat still somebody stuck something on me.  By the end of the day I was wearing two strips of masking tape:  one said "lol" and had a smiley face, and the other said "Bob" (I have no idea why), and two adhesive gems (used for today's craft), one on my cheek and the other on my forehead.  At one point one of the boys said, "Hold my hat" and plopped his cap on my head.  It was all very amusing, especially when we returned to camp and I had to explain my tape and my gems.

Before dinner tonight Derwin asked for team members from each village to share how the day had gone.  Whereas yesterday's sharing had sounded mostly like, "I met a little girl named Anna; her favorite color is blue and her favorite animal is an eagle," today the stories were more about how the teens had found ways to discuss their faith.  Noah told about how he was giving a "shoulder back" (a ride on his shoulders, as opposed to a "piggy back"), when the little guy mentioned that his aunt had died.  He asked Noah if he'd ever known anyone who died, and Noah was able to share his own experience as well as his belief in Heaven.  I've asked everyone who has a good story to share it with me so I can share it with you.

The weather is still holding; today we had one short shower go through, but that was after a MUGGY day on the soccer field.  When the soccer players want to end camp early, you know it's pretty miserable.  Pastor Kahle's phone said it was only 22, but with the heat index it felt more like it was closer to 30.  (I've just discovered that my cell phone has a converter, so chatting in metric has gotten even easier!)

Derwin just took a large group of kids to the soccer field to practice for tomorrow night's annual Canada vs. U.S. match.  I believe the Americans have taken home the trophy the last 2 or 3 years, so the Canadians are out for revenge!  (Though most years the Canadian team ends up being a blend of both countries' players. . .)
The adult leaders who are new to this trip can't get over how energetic and enthusiastic our teens are, even after a busy day.  Their positive attitudes and willingness to help out with whatever, whenever, are inspiring to us all!

Please pray for stamina and patience tomorrow; Wednesday is usually the hardest day because the newness has worn off, and everyone is short on sleep.
Thanks for your prayers and your messages!

 

BC VBS, Day 3 - WINDSday!

by Sue Chan Acuna on Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 9:16am

Thursday morning, 6:40 a.m.

One of the amazing things about this - and probably every - mission trip is watching how hard the kids can push themselves from their comfort zones.  Take Alex for example, who is very shy, very artistic - and very quiet.  So quiet, in fact, that at morning campfire on Tuesday another adult asked me if he was okay because he was keeping to himself.  Yesterday in our village, I saw him with one little boy on his back, and ANOTHER little boy up on his shoulders.  I called him "3-headed Alex."  At campfire last night he shared how the two boys had asked him to pick them both up at once, but he'd told them he didn't think he could.  They looked at each other, then at him, and said, "JESUS could do it!"  And, as it turned out, so could Alex.

Yesterday was another hot sticky afternoon - 26 degrees, but so humid it felt closer to 30.  (Are you looking the temps up yet?)  In the morning I'd given my team a pep talk, warning them that Wednesday is always a hard day, but if they kept saying positive things instead of mentioning how hot and tired they were, they'd feel better.  In the heat of the afternoon, Erika kept muttering one of our camp songs:  "I'm alive. . .awake. . .alert. . .enthusiastic. . ."  We were sitting on the bleachers in the hot sun watching soccer camp, and everyone was sticky and droopy.  But Erika - and the others - still hugged the kids or kicked the soccer ball around with no complaining.  I was so proud!

Sarah shared how she'd used an EvangiCube, which unfolds and refolds to show different pictures, to teach 6-year-old twins about Jesus.  One of them asked, "Does Jesus only love white people?"  "No," she said, "He loves everybody!"  "But I thought only white people went to Heaven," he said.  "Everybody who loves Jesus goes to Heaven," said Sarah.  And the little boy let out a cheer: "Woo-hoo!  I'M GOING TO HEAVEN!!"
Victoria spent time getting to know a local teen who was visiting our campsite.  After a game of Twenty Questions, the two girls - one from Northern BC and the other from Yuma - were surprised to see how much they had in common:  they both love Bruno Mars, Glee, and Ryan Reynolds, they both really like to sing, and they share a birthday!  Her new friend also thought she heard Victoria say she'd like to "buy" an Italian husband, which sent the two girls off into giggles.

Last night we thought we'd get rain, but the thunder showers went right around us (again).  However, the wind picked up, flattening a couple of tents and blowing over a few chairs.  It meant that even though we had a guest team from Oregon visiting us in the evening, we couldn't light the campfire.  Thankfully, the wind dropped by bedtime, so our rustling tarps didn't keep us awake.

I have to feel sorry for RV-ers who pull into this beautiful, remote campsite, only to see kids everywhere: playing soccer in the road and volleyball in the grass, playing cards and chatting at the picnic tables, sitting around the campfire singing and praying together.  They don't know that half of those kids will leave by 10 p.m. - and the rest of them are the cream of the crop of teenhood. I'd love to tell every one of them how these kids have given up ten days (or more) of their summer vacations in order to spend a week smelling like bug spray and woodsmoke, getting too little sleep, standing in line for meals, and scratching mosquito bites.  But each one of them is here because they have the heart to share their faith with others, in the hope of changing a life - and maybe someone's eternity.

Tonight we will host Family Night, which is when we invite people from all four villages to join us for dinner.  Please pray that our team members will make the guests feel welcome - and that the rain will go AROUND us again.

BC VBS, Day 4 - Thrillsday!

by Sue Chan Acuna on Friday, July 15, 2011 at 1:08pm

Friday, 8:45 a.m.

While there’s really no such thing as a “typical” day on this mission trip, yesterday stands out as a day of unusual events.

We awoke to a distinct threat of rain, but it didn’t really hit until after lunch, as teams headed out to their respective villages.  However, teams found that the farther out they went, the drier the roads were.  Everyone enjoyed a cooler-yet-rain-free day, especially on the soccer field.

Mid-afternoon, the team in Kitwanga learned that one of the higher chiefs had passed away.  They were told to wind things up and head out, and were warned they probably wouldn’t be able to return on Friday.  Tradition dictates that when an elder dies, everything in the village is promptly cancelled.  We were thankful that the villagers were still allowed to travel to our camp for Family Night, but they did arrive with confirmation that VBS was now officially ended.  The Kitwanga team said their good-byes last night and will spend today helping with some camp chores and planning a program for our closing campfire tonight.

Thursday night is traditionally Family Night.   Teams spend all week reminding VBS attendees to join us for a dinner of sloppy joes and hot dogs, accompanied by any potluck items that show up.  Last night was a challenge due to intermittent rain showers, but thankfully none were drenching enough to chase everyone under shelter.  The younger kids didn’t even seem to notice; jump ropes kept turning, and the volleyball, football, and soccer balls kept flying.  As we gathered at the campfire to sing God’s praises with our 200+ guests, the sun broke through and a rainbow arched over the campground.  Sometimes God speaks his approval very clearly!

Early in the week Derwin asked for 3 high school volunteers to give their testimonies at the Family Night campfire.  Each year this has a powerful impact on our guests, many of whom assume the Christian American kids lead charmed lives.  Last night three youth spoke about hardships in their lives - broken families, death of loved ones, and bad personal choices – and about how they saw God at work both during the tough times and in their lives today.  All three were in tears by the time they got to the end of their stories, as were many of us who heard them.

On a side note: in order to get from this area to the highway 5 kilometers away, we have to cross a one-lane bridge over Hagwilget Canyon (approx. 60 meters to the bottom).  All week, as we’ve traveled to and from our villages, we’ve passed a sign warning that the bridge would be closed daily beginning July 15 (Friday), from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., with openings at the top of every hour.  As I pulled off the highway yesterday and headed for the bridge, I prayed, “O, Lord, please let their bridge repair be delayed.”  When we approached the sign, we saw it had been changed!  Work will now begin on Sunday morning, which will have a small impact on our departure, but nothing like it would have had on our daily trips to the villages.

So today we will close VBS and say our hard good-byes to our village friends.  While we all hope to return next year, we caution our teens NOT to make that promise, because we can’t predict the future.  There will be hugs and tears all around, and as we drive away, the tears will continue both inside and outside the vans.
Tomorrow about half the group will make a day trip to Hyder, Alaska, while the other half will hang out closer to camp (some will hike, some will go into town for a movie, some will just relax and nap).  Please pray for safe travel for the travelers and good rest for the stay-behinders.

BC VBS - The Wrap-Up

by Sue Chan Acuna on Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 11:40am

Tuesday, 8:30 p.m.

As much as I'd like to write about Friday through Monday separately, I'm afraid it would get rather long.  I'll recap the highlights instead!

On Friday the Kitwanga team was visited by some of the kids from the village, and together they worked on the VBS craft.  Craft time is often the best time to have one-on-one conversations with the kids, and a good chance to talk about how much Jesus loves them.  The team members spent the rest of the day helping with projects around camp, and planning the program for the evening's campfire.

The rest of us headed to our communities for VBS as usual, but with a couple of differences:  for one, we had sad edges because it was our last day.  For another, we went bearing Goody Bags, which contained school supplies, small toys, toiletries, and faith-sharing items. (The kids who've attended VBS before know these are coming, so a few will show up only for the last day.)  It was hard to say good-bye, but thanks to Facebook, many of us will be able to keep in touch with our VBS friends.

Back in camp, Friday night's campfire was swelled by lots of visitors - almost as many guests as team members!  Planned by the Kitwanga team, the evening included lots of singing and plenty of time for sharing.  Several new team members were surprised by how much they had been affected by their time at VBS.  One said, "I knew the kids would cry when we left, but I didn't realize that WE would be crying, too!"  The veterans' experiences were understandably different; as one veteran shared, "This year it was about more than just having fun with the kids.  I found myself really looking for ways to make Jesus real to them."

On Saturday morning at 6, about half the camp (myself included) left for a day trip to Alaska.   Though there were only two fish (and no grizzlies) in Fish Creek, the waterfalls along the highway were spectacular, and the view of Salmon Glacier was breathtaking.  It meant another full day's driving right before our 2-day drive home, but it was well worth it because of the awesome scenery and the extra time spent with old and new friends.  Another group went on a hike up a nearby mountain - about 8 miles round trip, with a gain in altitude of at least a kilometer!  Team members who stayed behind relaxed in camp and helped disassemble the shelters we'd built earlier in the week.

Friday and Saturday also brought the beginning of breaking up the 2011 team as we said good-bye to our Canadian friends.  At our last campfire on Saturday, we all felt their absence as we sang almost every song we'd shared at VBS. Before going to bed, we removed the extra tarps from the tops of our tents.  The evening was clear - we'd been treated to a lovely sunset - so we thought we'd get them folded while they were dry, rather than wait til morning when they'd be wet with dew.

Imagine our surprise when we awoke at 5 a.m. to the sound of rain on our tents.  Thankfully, there was only a little leakage, and the rain actually served as a motivator to get out of camp as quickly as possible.  Our goal was to make it to the bridge in time for the 7 a.m. opening, and we were in line with all 8 vehicles by 6:50!  Sometimes God has funny ways of taking care of us. . .

Our last evening together was spent sharing pizza at Boston Pizza in Williams Lake, followed by an emotional time affirming one another.  Lori gave us all beads and invited us to give them to each other, along with words of appreciation or affection.  There wasn't nearly enough time for us to get to everyone!

After an easy border crossing, the vans arrived in Tacoma at different times on Monday evening, and everyone scattered to their respective homes.  Though we will never all be together in one place again (until Heaven), we'll always be united by our time together.  For one week we put our differences aside and shared a single mission: to bring hope to everyone we met by sharing how much Jesus loves them.  My revised version of Galatians 3:28 goes like so:
 "There is neither American nor Canadian, Arizonan nor Californian nor Washingtonian, neither male nor female, nor is there adult or teen, for we are all one in Christ Jesus."
May the lessons we learned about how easy it is to share Christ's love be lessons that stick with us forever.
Amen.

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