It's August already!

It's been a busy, busy summer, as usual!  

What a wonderful month and a half.  It’s always a fresh breath of air as over the month of July 150+ LAMP missionary volunteers come to our area for a week of ministry in each of the surrounding communities.  As always, many hearts were deeply touched with the message of the gospel.  The curriculum clearly explained God’s gift of salvation through Christ and invited them to respond to His love and mercy toward them. 


God calls teens to teach Sunday School in Old Hazelton
Probably the most exciting thing that happened was when a sixteen year old came up to me with a friend and said, “We have been touched over the last eight years with the ministry of LAMP Vacation Bible Schools and were thinking about the kids younger than us who need to have this kind of ministry on a weekly basis.  Would you work with us on beginning a Sunday School here in Old Hazelton?  First I linked them with the pastor of that congregation and then got some Sunday School material for them.  I will be continuing to connect with them and their pastor to encourage them in this journey.  Would you join me in praying that this desire would become a reality and that this ministry would be used of God to touch the hearts of many children in that community?  

LAMP soccer team

The soccer team only spent a week in Kitwanga this year. They spent more time in Saskatchewan, as their mission has evolved to working with existing VBS teams, helping them develop a sports ministry to teens.    Offering soccer is a non-threatening way to establish rapport with the youth, opening up opportunities to share the gospel.  Our week of soccer camp at Kitwanga was fabulous.  This year we were able to invite them to join the Tuesday night Bible Study that has been meeting.  Oh, that there would be many more Bible studies and opportunities in communities all across the country so that VBS teams could say, “There’s a great place for you to go if you want to learn more and grow in your relationship with God. Let me introduce you to the leader.” Please pray for stable, godly fellowships.  Pray that existing fellowships would be strengthened and where there are none, that God would stir hearts to start a group.  Is God calling you to be a part of helping community people develop a ministry where there is none? I would be happy to talk with you about communities that don`t have a VBS and are looking for help.

Richmond Chinese Alliance Church (RCAC) team Aug. 22-26

Just a week from now the next RCAC team will be arriving here in Hazelton.  They will be ministering in the community of Kitwanga.  Please pray for us as we join at a community event on Wednesday Aug. 22nd to pass out invitations and conduct youth nights Thursday (Junior High) and Friday (High School). On Saturday, weather permitting, we will be at Ross Lake Park with a group of the young people I regularly visit.  We are trusting God will meet us in these days and that new seeds will be planted. We pray that other seed that have already been planted will be drenched with God’s love and presence leading to further growth and maturing.

In the midst of crisis, God is faithful

Over the month of June there were a number of people with whom I regularly minister who were experiencing crises in their lives.  Some of these situations have been resolved while others continue to be a great challenge.  God has promised He will never leave us or forsake us, but in the midst of these times it is easy to struggle with that concept.  Would you pray with me that God will strengthen the hearts of these ones?  Would you ask God to touch their hearts and birth new faith toward Him in the midst of these crises? I think of the verse in Genesis where Joseph spoke of the evil intentions of his brothers and said, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” (Gen. 50:20)  Would you pray with me that these ones would come to know the sovereign grace of God bringing good out of things others intend for evil in their lives? God is faithful, and He is worthy of our trust.  He will never deny His character.  Even when we fall down and need forgiveness, He will always do the things that are consistent with His character.  Because of this, we can  expect good things from God as we humble ourselves and look to Him for His help in all of life's difficult situations.

Pray for God's continued intervention in these people's lives

Just this past week I was helping a young man and his partner. The conflict between them had resulted in her filing for custody of their son. After the court session and encouragement by the judge to seek reconciliation, they spent 45 minutes talking together.  During this time, I was talking to her family in the hopes of establishing a rapport to be able to liaise between them. As the couple joined us again, there was the beginning of a reconciliation.  Please pray that God will continue this work and that the things that separate them would be dealt with so that lasting peace can result.  Please pray for God`s hand to be on their lives, leading to a deeper work of his grace in their hearts. 

Is God leading you to support Misty River Ministries?

This fall we must address our need to increase ministry funding to offset the coming reduction in subsidy by the C&MA District office. We are so grateful for their support, yet we realize the need for some of these funds to shift to supporting other new works as they have ours in the early stages.  This does, however, leave a need in our financial picture.  If God would lead you to support this ministry, we would appreciate that deeply.  Please continue to pray for God`s provision.  I will be contacting some churches about the possibility of partnering with us in ministry by sending teams and joining with us in financial support. We also need individuals to share the financial responsibility for this work.  Thank you for praying and for giving if God is leading you to do that.

So thankful for prayer support!

I am so thankful God has put it on your heart to pray for us.  You are so necessary to the ongoing function of this ministry.  Prayer is the engine room for this work.  In my day to day ministry, I've noticed that when I pray with greater discipline, God`s hand is there in a way that it`s not when I allow myself to get too busy.  You are the backbone of this ministry.  Your prayer sustains me as I encounter darkness, and it helps me to be aware of your support when I see God move miraculously in people`s lives.  Thank you so much for standing in the gap for me.  In olden times, when a city was attacked the enemy would try to break through the walls surrounding it.  If they were able to knock down the wall in a certain spot, they could enter and conquer the city.  But if there were a few brave soldiers who would stand in that gap and prevent them from entering, the city would be saved.  Thank you for being those soldiers standing in the gap for the sake of God`s work here in the Hazelton area.

Partners together for the cause of Christ;

Bart