Looking back at joy

We are just two weeks from our three year anniversary of moving here. How does it feel? Well, Selawik has become familiar and comfortable, at least most of the time. We have become part of the community. We truly enjoy the people and the place.

Yet, we still have no major triumphs. We have been asked for more mission stories on our blog. I want to satisfy that desire, but honestly I'm not sure what counts as a "mission story". If it is conversion stories, we don't have any. We are still trying to learn the key that will change people's hearts here. Often it feels like one step forward, one step back. We also feel a need to maintain privacy: people here are reading our blog. As I have been considering my lastest posts, they seem rather morbid. Such is life out here. People have much more opportunity to gather for a funeral than for the rare wedding. In fact, people have been flying to Buckland because there has been a death (or two) there this week.

Still there are bright notes of joy among the negative noise of death and pain. We cannot hope to see victory in the lives of many here unless they learn to hear them. Here are a few of ours, if they count as "mission stories" I am glad.

Warren hopes to have the software to automatically stream 3ABN radio ready before we leave in January for pastor's meetings. Also we were excited to learn from Warren's Dad that the FCC allows unregistered TV stations where there are no broadcast stations i.e. bush Alaska (we only have cable not broadcast TV.) Now we want to explore that option.

Some kids came over this weekend and we decorated the Christmas tree in the church (we don't have room in the house). I was happy to see C again, it has been a long time. Then I got to tell the story of the shepherds and the story of baby Moses and Miriam because the children said they didn't know them. R even listened attentively to both of them. Then I got to play "basketball" with girls, this gave me a renewed desire to go to open gym time for exercise and getting closer to the kids here.

As I spent hours with P's family last week, grieving with them, rubbing their backs as they cried, sharing food with them, and learning more about all that takes place before the funeral, I become even closer to them. I even got to say "I love you" in Inupiaq. But I also learned more about myself and my weaknesses. I need to daily lay all of my plans at Jesus' feet and in the words of Christmas spiritual "Rise up shepherd and follow"

Joy to the world,
Verity

This is war!

This last week has been particularly hard for us. First, our vacuum sewer line froze all last week, so Warren's days were filled with carrying bucket after bucket outside after showers and during clothes washing. Then, we were confronted with teenage suicide for the first time last Monday. That was quite painful; we didn't know the girl but we did know some of her friends. We also know her younger sister. We are making plans for getting to know the teens better, so we can share the hope of Jesus with them. We have also been working on a plan for suicide and depression training for ourselves since this summer, but the wheels have been turning slowly. We need to speed that up. After every death, I would wonder how long it would be until it was someone really close to me, someone whose loss would tear my insides apart. Today I found out.

I went out to check the mail and pick up a few things for Christmas at the store. It was very windy and I enjoyed the mini-adventure. Little did I know what lay ahead. After I returned, I found out that P had killed herself. I spent the rest of the afternoon with her family, trying to comfort them, especially D who had spent all night trying to stop her. She ended her life sometime today while he slept. I cared so much for P and wanted her to walk beside D as he followed Jesus. I know she had suffered a lot in life and I wanted to get closer to her, but she held us back.

One night last week Warren and I were struck separately with the impression that we are under attack. Things seemed to have stacked themselves against our ministry. I hate what Satan is doing to the people here. Yet there has been good news. We have had good discussions with a number of people. It feels so good to be able to fellowship with the people here. Yet we know that we are in a war and we need to be covered in the armor everyday. Please pray we will have wisdom and strength; we feel so small compared to the job that stands before us.

To arms,
Verity

Yesterday was the funeral of Ruthie Ramoth Sampson. Her loss is deeply felt. Her sudden stroke and subsequent death made the front page of Anchorage Daily News (November 20). She had a service in Shungnak, where she was pastoring with her husband, before her funeral here. This was the largest funeral we have seen here. Groups from a number of villages got up to sing songs. Her metal casket was purchased instead of the usual locally made wooden ones.

She did an amazing amount of things in her fifty some years. Her work included much of the work on the Maniilaq book of elders' memories, providing the English voice in the Maniilaq video for the women elders,aiding the Inupiaq Bible translation, and assistance with the Rosetta Stone Inupiaq software (which we recently discovered and are enjoying greatly). She traveled extensively visiting places such as Greenland and Norway. She also lived in Japan for a time.

Roger and Diane Merrill had a friend who flew them up for the funeral. They came with a young man Ace who had recently joined them from Weimar. He has a very interesting background. God has lead him though many things and he is excited about sharing with the native people. We pray that God will continue to lead in his life. Our talks during our visit with him and the Merrills as well as Ruthie's sudden death renewed in our minds that our time in short and we need to live like it is. I am praying for wisdom to warn those around without offending unnecessarily. I do not want anyone to say to me "You never told me."

Blessings,
Verity

While I was away...

While I was in Washington, I had a little anxiety that when I returned I would find someone I knew had died since someone drowned during our last trip out. I was almost right. When we returned I learned in Inupiaq class that a group had gone through the ice, but they managed to get out. A few days later D came to the house and told us that he and his cousin were the ones who had gone through. I was so glad that he is still alive, it would be so hard knowing that this boy I know so well was gone.

Praising God,
Verity

Family Ties

My family is filling my thoughts as I prepare to leave today to go to my grandpa Virgil's memorial. Though I am sad to be parted from him, I am glad his pain is over. Mostly I am thinking of getting to see my family that I haven't seen for over a year. It is hard being so far from them at times. Yet this is a choice I have made. Why? Because I have another family to consider. My grandpa did the same many years ago. He remained a bachelor even though apparently he didn't have a lack of interested women. Then he met my grandma who was alone with three children and decided to help her. His current widow had suffered through some bad marriages forced upon her. He married her to show her what a good marriage could be like. Like my grandpa I have a duty of love. Selawik is full of people who need a clearer picture of the loving God I serve. The more I get to know them the more like family they are.

I feel I am making progress with Inupiaq since I happened to discover that Rosetta Stone has done an Inupiaq version of their language software. We still attend Inupiaq classes at school, but the learning is slower there since the teacher doesn't use the immersion method and speaks much more English than Inupiaq. It is cultural learning for us and a chance to show our interest in them. Some of the stories he tells show how much fear of the supernatural still exists even with committed Christians here. I want to see the true power of the gospel to sweep through the Arctic. They have a belief in God, but they don't yet know his power and love.

Let me introduce you to some of my family here. There is Virgil next door who I jokingly call “Dada” which is Inupiaq for grandfather. Last week we were able to connect with M and had a wonderful visit with her and her husband,. They had questions about Revelation that we hope to be able to answer when we return. We also getting to know L and her husband J who is trying to quit drinking. There is also P whose son D has quit drinking but she is struggling. She is proud of him, but she has conflicting feelings when she sees the change in his life. There is K who always has a sweet smile and a hug when we meet in town, but her friends and relatives like to tempt her and then take advantage of her by stealing or worse. There is Pauline Ramoth's family, our neighbors, who are all very dear to us. We had a wonderful church service last week with all of our regular members there. We had our chairs in a circle and I was able to relax and truly worship with family. Yes, we are surrounded by family here.

In Jesus,
Verity

Vanity Fair vs. Abundant Life

We are seeing our American way of life collapsing around us. I have been reading about how our prosperity has been built on the work of others more and more as the years have passed. And I blush to realize that our country has become an oppressing force in the word. I am as guilty of this greed and apathy as anyone else. I repent again of my vain lifestyle as I see more deeply how vain it truly is.

God in the Bible frequently warns the rich and calls the rich and powerful bloodthirsty and violent. (Prov. 23:4; Prov. 28:20; Is 1:15-17; Jer 7:6; Jer 22:17; James 5:16; Rev 18:11-19, and many others) From the time of Noah through to Jesus, this scathing rebuke is repeated again and again. What if we could see the blows we deal to others by our extravagance? Did that wonderful intemperate meal leave someone else hungry? Could that gorgeous new outfit mean someone wears rags? What if that darling new thing decorating the house causes someone to shiver through the night? Does that new car force a neighbor around the world to go without shoes? If thoughts like these make you ashamed, I am glad. God is not pleased and I believe that we will all soon see Him face to face.

What if we went back to the basics, while not forsaking the greatest benefit of modern life- medical advances. What would that look like?

As part of a school project with my girls, we learned a lot about farming. It was very eye-opening to discover that a vegetarian family could produce almost all they needed to eat or wear in about two acres of fertile land.

Of course, there are things that would still need to be produced or made by others. It would be inefficient for farmers to make cloth, for example. But all could live simply either on a small farm or making products. There ought to be time enough for all to engage in artistic, intellectual, scientific and spiritual pursuits. Everyone could do what they loved best and share freely as they produced more than they needed, trusting that all others are doing the same.

But of course, I know that is never going to happen this side of heaven. So why bring it up? Because it shows how the modern world has chosen vanity over the abundance of the earth. The world has become increasingly urban, which means less farming and other production. Especially has this been true in America, where the last thirty years have seen a move from a product-based economy to a service-based one. This means that most American jobs now focus on transferring money from one business to another, while our farmers and skilled craftsmen are becoming an endangered breed. The third world is not willing or able to support our empty, frantic race for pleasure any longer. For myself, I plan to give much more careful thought to my spending so that I don't trade the vanity of the moment for the abundant life.

In the words of John Huss, "Beware of adorning thy house more than thy soul... Be pious and humble with the poor and consume not thy substance in feasting. Shouldst not thou amend thy life and refrain from superfluities, I fear that thou wilt be severely chastened, as I am myself... But, I conjure thee, by the mercy of our Lord, not to imitate me in any of the vanities into which thou has seen me fall."

In the words of Jesus, "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?"

- Verity

Selawik VBS Captures Hearts

The theme for this year's VBS, directed by Julie Marsh (from Palmer, Alaska), was "Castles and Crowns". Focusing on Bible kings and queens, the stories, songs and skits aim to win the hearts of children to the love of Jesus.

Our first day of VBS opened with over 75 kids in attendance. Fortunately, we had the use of the Selawik school gymnasium, so we had adequate room for the group. However, the acoustics and smooth-rolling floor made for distracting background noise and lots of kids using "heelies" (heel roller skates in their shoes). Nevertheless, we noticed most of the kids actually joining in and singing the songs by the end of VBS, and we pray that there will be a lasting impact on their lives here and for eternity.

Our Bible stories were masterfully told by Rhonda Kack and Heather Merrill (with a brief stint by yours truly-- I need to beef up on my interest-holding techniques for kids). Our songs were led by Heather Merrill, with assistance from myself and the girls. Our skits had Hannah Merrill and Madelaine Kack as King and Queen, and Kyla Olson as Jester "Jane". Verity and I had a short stint as Queen and King as well. We split our group between crafts and games, with Julie leading crafts, and Madelaine, Hannah and Holly Merrill leading games. Meanwhile the rest of us assisted wherever needed. Brian Banning was a very important "behind the scenes" helper, assisting with everything from carrying food and crafts (heavy lifting), policing the building (keeping kids in order, gently but firmly), assisting with the computers and sound system, to washing dishes. Yes, dishes!

One thing perhaps unusual about our VBS is that we provided a full meal for the kids. Our first day, we started with the meal, but subsequently, we put it at the end, to provide a cleaner start to the VBS. Having the meal was not only a draw for the kids, but it also helped provide for a real need, and gave us time to get to know the kids better. It definitely doubled the amount of work needed to put on the VBS, but after seeing the blessing it was this year, we plan to do it again next year.

Lest you think VBS itself was the whole story though-- we must assure you that there was an exciting back story to the occasion. The story involves two sets of missed flights, delayed luggage, lots of last minute work, each of us alternately getting sick during the week, borrowed puppies, lost puppies, borrowed babies, ... Well, you'll have to ask the participants for more of the details than I can share in this brief blog!

However, one of the exciting things we had was that a Buckland elder "happened" to be seated next to Heather Merrill on the flight in to Kotzebue. Not only was the meeting encouraging to both Heather and the elder, but he gave our group an invitation to come to Buckland for VBS. We want to begin planning early next year so we can do a VBS in both Buckland and Selawik.

Plan to join us, in person if possible, and with any other support you can give if not. Keep God's mission in Arctic Alaska in your prayers.

Warren