The Evangel Vol.6 Issue 1

THE

EVANGEL

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Volume VI, Issue 1

A Messenger of the Kodiak Baptist Mission

Spring 2006

“Hey Ms. Heather, do you have a minute? Can I talk to you?” I looked up to see Madelyn, one of our high school volunteers standing in my doorway. Smiling, I welcomed her in and asked how I could help.

It seemed she was thinking about her summer plans and this year they did not include KBM Summer Day Camp. As our conversation continued I flashed back to other times when Madelyn had been in my office.

Madelyn has been with our Day Camp for the past 8 years. I first met her as a third grader excited to be around the horses. She was a tough little kid and over the years I found myself on the “principal” side of my desk with her several times throughout the summers. Yet she returned each year growing a little more as an individual and in her relationship with God. Her last summer as a camper was before her 8^th grade year. It was a tough summer in some aspects, as it often is for middle school girls. However, she was determined to return the following year as a Counselor in Training (CIT). She began talking with me, exploring the possibility and I tried to explain what the expectations were for a CIT. Madelyn made a commitment that school year through her actions to truly seek after Christ. She began attending church and youth group meetings regularly, growing by leaps and bounds in her faith and maturity. That growth has continued over the last two and a half years and now here she was sitting in my office again. This time, she was ready to branch out and grow, away from Kodiak and her comfort zone.

Madelyn decided to apply for a Teen Missions International Team that would take her to Malawi, Africa. There she and her teammates will visit AIDS Orphanages, washing the children’s feet and giving them a new pair of socks and shoes. She’s begun the process of raising the necessary funds and will leave in June for Boot Camp. I look forward to Madelyn’s return and witnessing the changes that have occurred in her as she has grown and matured in new ways. This young lady is an example of the “fruits of our labors.” Young adults; some college age, some high school, others older have permitted themselves to be used by God through the KBM Summer Day Camp program. Most will never know the impact their lives had on Madelyn. I count myself blessed to have been here long enough to witness the miracle of a life changed by Christ. Actually I should say lives. Through the change that has occurred in Madelyn’s life, her mother has also accepted Christ and is beginning the journey of following Him.

What will you do this summer? Will you make yourself available to impact the life of a child through a program like KBM Summer Day Camp? We are currently accepting applications and would love to have you join us. Check out our website www.kodiakbaptistmission.org and the Summer Counselor Program link. At the bottom of the page you’ll find the link for the application. The original goes to Volunteers in Mission and a copy can be sent to KBM Summer Counselor Program 1944 E. Rezanof Dr. Kodiak, AK 99615. This process takes about 2 months so please make your decision now and plan to spend a summer on the beautiful island of Kodiak. I look forward to hearing from you. Who knows, you may be instrumental in shaping the life of a child like Madelyn.

As the new Director of the Kodiak Island Food Bank, I am here with much to be grateful for. From the Midwest to the

East, to the West and back East again, I have finally come to the best of all, the Northwest. It sure is a blessing to be serving the Lord, and the icing on the cake is I get to do it in Alaska! The Food Bank brings many challenges along with all its blessings. Surely God’s divine chisel continues to carve out more rough patches in my life.

Throughout these early months of the year the Food Bank has seen many cannery workers come in from all over the lower 48. My fellow servants and I have had many practical opportunities to share the love of Christ to them along with the rest of our clients. I am very blessed to have brothers and sisters both here at the Mission and from churches in the community to serve in this privilege. Distribution days are twice a week, and it can and does get very busy. I am reminded of our busiest day in January when we served over 60 households! The Lord prepared me by bringing my awareness to the quantity of boxes and the abundance of food donated for that day. It truly is where the rubber meets the road in practical Christ-like service, and again what a blessing to help and serve in this capacity.

Spring began Monday and I found it amusing and had to chuckle that a season has an “official beginning and ending” time. I thought about how for us in Kodiak the transition between summer and fall begins at the end of summer day camp in mid August. I was reminded of this time last year. There was a chill in the air and the trees where becoming bare. The animation of this was articulated through the mere enjoyment of watching campers at day camp gather up piles of yellow and orange leaves, throw them in the air and watch them fall to the ground. Falling leaves and color during the fall is rather rare in Kodiak, so watching the shear enjoyment of the kids playing in a pile of leaves was magnified as if this were a mere lesson in life.

How often did I take for granted the enjoyment of watching the surrounding ridges behind Montreat College in western North Carolina transition from green to a painted mosaic of vibrant colors by the Lord. It’s a mystery to me how the lack of color here in Kodiak is a reminder of those beautiful fall days in North Carolina. When the few deciduous trees lose their leaves and kids enjoy playing with them it is a true treasure and I see a comparison, to the Christian life.

The transitions of the seasons remind me of what the Lord has done throughout the seasons in our own lives. Yet what then is taken for granted when the hardships of this world comes about? Is it so simple, that what would have been so insignificant in the past is magnified as a blessing in the present? What now? That a pile of yellow leaves are God’s reminders that I live and minister at the Kodiak Baptist Mission in Alaska? That I have a chance to impact His kingdom through the joy of challenge courses, backpacking and kayaking while using the wilderness as a tool to reach kids for Christ? Is it that simple Abba? Yet in the complexity of my adult mind the Lord brings these simplistic reminders about in the most beautiful of ways.

For example, one afternoon Heather Norton and I facilitated the challenge course with a group of 3^rd graders from Main Elementary. About an hour into our games a bald eagle landed in a Sitka Spruce tree some twenty yards from us. Throughout the rest of our time this eagle sat perched in his nest and made high pitched calls, which echoed into my heart. When my adult complexity enters into a fetch, reminders of the simple enjoyments of being in Kodiak show me that the Lord is faithful to sustain. An eagle, the colors of fall; not bad reminders from Christ that I live and work in Kodiak, Alaska.

I cannot believe we are already planning for our summer programs. We have only 3 months before we begin the summer day camp program and visitors from all over the U.S. to give us a hand here at the Mission. This all means there will be a lot of hungry people wanting something to eat. That means that old Lucien has to come out of hibernation, with the bears, and start making plans as to how he will feed all these hungry, hard working people.

I guess the first thing that I need to consider is that I need HEEELLLPPPP! So far I have only one confirmed helper for 1 week in August. If there is anyone out there who would just love to give ole Lucien a hand this summer, please give us a call at the Mission. There are several people who have said that they would like to give me a hand, but nothing concrete as of yet. I will need people from May 30th through August 25^th. So if you feel the Lord tugging on your heart and you can come any time between these dates, please let me know!

Now, I am supposed to share with you how it was that I came to the Mission. Well I was living in Southern California and was a 3-4 year old Christian. I received the call to come cook for the campers on Woody Island, Kodiak in 1995. I was also asked to return the following year. When I had completed cooking at Camp Woody in 1996, I had the opportunity to stay at the Kodiak Baptist Mission for a week. I was very tired so it was a real blessing to stay at the Mission. I was able to just rest and enjoy God’s beauty all around me in this very quiet and pleasant environment. (I also remember having the opportunity to go halibut fishing once and I caught a 110 pound halibut. Praise the Lord!)

Now back to my story, while I was staying at KBM I met Pastor Evan Jones. He had just become the Director of the Mission, but there wasn’t anyone to direct. This was the time that the Mission had decided to stop receiving funds from the State in the amount of $500,000.00 per year for support. It seemed the State wanted the Mission to stop using the name of Jesus. So, the Mission stepped out in faith, trusting the Lord for its support. At this time Pastor Evan asked me if I would care to come back to the Mission permanently. I told him I would pray on it and call him in two weeks. Well, I began my travel back home to California and by the time I got there I knew that I had to go back to Kodiak. So I opened my front door at home and put a yard sale sign out. Once everything was sold I packed all my belongings that were left over into my 1980 Toyota truck (which had over 250,000 miles) and struck out North to Alaska via the Al-Can Highway and never looked back.

I have to interject something here that was very instrumental in my decision to come to the Mission. Before I came to Alaska to cook at Woody Island, I read a book by Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God. In the book Henry talks about looking around you to see where God is working and jump in, then you will be in the will of God. Well that was exactly what I did, and have been totally blessed ever since. I have come to love the Lord with a passion over these past 10 years. I want to share with everyone how He changed my life by my choosing to be His bond servant. It is wonderful to know that I am being used by the creator of the universe. At times I have failed to keep my eyes on Jesus, but He has always managed to get my attention and draw me back to Himself. It is incredible how quickly I can revert to my old ways of thinking without the Lord as my focus.

Now before closing out this letter I need to ask for your prayers for the following concerns that I have. First, ask that you would ask the Lord to give me wisdom for some decisions I need to be making regarding my Lion Tamers. Second I need your prayers for the Lord to make provision for the purchase of more Jesus DVDs that I will need soon, and also for the Lord to bless and make fruitful all the videos and DVDs already placed. Third I am asking the Lord to provide a commercial refrigerator unit to replace the 3 home refrigerators that I am currently using in my kitchen. Fourth I surely need an exhaust system for the brand new range the Lord gave me last summer. Oh how I love that range, thank-you Lord! Please pray for the Lord to raise up someone who can give us information regarding the installation of a new system and that we would have the people to install it. It seems that there isn’t anyone on the island who knows enough about this system who can sign off on it after it is installed. Fifth I seek the Lord’s sustaining power for my physical strength, as the emphysema that I have continues to drag me down physically each year.

May our wonderful and most precious Lord Jesus Christ richly bless each of you and all your families.

I hate being late to church, and as much as I hate it, I am usually always late. Par for the course I guess, with three kids. This past Sunday started out quite well. Not only were all three kids fed and dressed by 11:00, I also had lunches and swimsuits packed for our trip to H2Oasis water park after church. I was set! I did not count on my two nieces and nephew not being ready or Evan having a last minute task to complete. So

yet again we were late to our 11:30 service. This was not the normal small church we attend, which meant Evan had to drop the boys off to their room and I had to drop Julianna off, (since they are on opposite sides of the church). Our plan was to meet in the foyer. It only took a minute to find Evan (one of the benefits to him being so tall) and we started into the auditorium together, only to be stopped by the usher. We needed to wait, someone was giving a testimony and they did not want any interruptions.

We were surrounded by about fifteen other people, and I just stood there, shaking my head thinking, if only I had not gone to bathroom, we would have made it in. My thoughts were interrupted by the usher telling another young man to wait as well. I glanced up and was automatically reminded of a young man who Evan and I had in our house during the two years we served as foster care parents. As it was still all registering in my mind, Evan marched right over and shook his hand and I realized it truly was Mario!!!

It was amazing to meet up with him in Anchorage and even more amazing to meet him in church!! Here was, a young man from a small village who we thought would have nothing but trouble with the law once he left us. We hadn’t seen him for at least three years. He told me after church, “I am not a Christian yet,” he explained how he had been going to church with his aunt. He also promised us that he would call and come to dinner. It was so encouraging! It was one of those moments we’re so thankful for as Christians, totally God directed. To see someone so dear to us and so part of the ministry of the Mission, at a church, was amazing. And, to think God used our being late to bring it about. How great is our God!!

A week later Mario gave us a call and we spent the day reminiscing over the time he lived with us. Our oldest son Joshua got to know the man that carried him everywhere we went. We did Mario’s old favorite of bowling and then went out to lunch. When the boys were tired of sitting around the restaurant (which usually happens pretty quickly) Evan told them they could go play in the car but go right to the car because the street was too busy to play outside. The boys dutifully headed towards the car when Mario also jumped up from the table and walked towards the door. When he looked outside and saw the boys were taking their time and looking around in the parking lot he told them, “You need to get in the van like your dad told you.” When he saw they were safe inside the van he came back and sat down, I was amazed that he stilled care and watched over two boys he hadn’t seen for years. As I dropped Mario off at his house that evening I wondered how he felt about hanging out with my husband Evan, me and our three small children. Not the way most twenty year olds like to spend their time, but as Mario was getting out I could hear the sincerity in his voice as he said, “I had more fun today than I’ve had in a long time.” I know Mario is not a Christian yet and maybe I am just too optimistic but I felt like I could see the seeds of Christ planted long ago sprouting in his life and I will continue to pray that the love of God will rain down on him.

It was 5:30 AM when my alarm clock went off. It took me a minute to remember why I was getting up so early on a Saturday morning, but as my head cleared it was quickly filled with the thoughts of what lay ahead. Today was the Kodiak Island Eco Challenge. As I quickly packed up my bag I couldn’t help but question myself. “What am I doing? I really think spending a summer with all the kids from summer camp has made me lose my mind. I’m a flat land, Midwestern girl!”

It was Heather Norton’s idea, she was the director of the Summer Day Camp and a good friend. She had been right there beside all of us counselors throughout the summer as our “Fearless Leader.” I’ll never forget the day she approached me about this Eco Challenge thing. We would put together a team of four. These people would together run, hike, raft, bike, and complete challenges throughout the day long race. The team would be Heather, myself, Joel North and JD Watson, three people I trusted, worked with and knew very well. However, there was one area which made me a little leery, we had no idea where we’d be going. At the beginning of the race we would be handed a map, and coordinates. We could use a GPS, but would have to figure out how to get to the next check point and we’d never know what came next. When we got to the check point the next coordinates would be given to us and the same things would be done again. We would have a support team at certain check points to supply us with whatever we needed to reach the next area. For example, a raft to paddle down the Buskin River and across the ocean to get to the beach where we had our first challenge of building a fire, heating the water to 112 degrees, getting our bikes, helmets and heading up Marine hill.

So if you haven’t figured it out yet, the race had begun. Somehow the morning events had become a blur and here I was biking up what wasn’t a small hill to an unknown area. Only minutes after rafting down a river with salmon, heading into the deep ocean, being cheered to the shore by our support team, finishing a challenge (sigh) . . . Wow, and this was only the beginning! As we reached the top of the “hill” our coordinates directed us up a mountain to Heitman Lake where our next challenge lay. We hiked around the lake only to find that we had to swim back to the other side. I couldn’t believe it! I dislike swimming greatly, but soon I found myself in the middle of Heitman Lake. The water was cold, and my body numb. But as the four of us made our way back down the mountain we had to laugh at how the Lord uses the strangest things to keep us guessing. Up until that point we had attempted to keep ourselves somewhat clean, but it was obvious as we went straight through the mud pits we had a bigger mission in mind.

Our team name was Mission Possible, it was all we could think of at the time, and with each completed leg of the race I realized that the Lord was supplying us with everything we needed to make this Mission Possible.

It was not long before our team trekked through heavy brush, practically fell onto the beach and in the distance caught a glimpse of our support team. At first we wondered if it was only a mirage, but soon our names began to echo and shouts and cheers were coming our way. We were energized as we completed the challenge of making a huge SOS sign with drift wood on the beach, carrying four 5-gallon buckets of ocean water from the beach, up a hill to an open area in a grove of trees (oh, and the water had to be two inches from the top, or the task had to be done again), we then had to hunt for a tent in the trees, retrieve, and set it up to receive our next coordinates. At the completion of the challenge my three teammates and I made our way to our support team. As we plotted out our next set of numbers, we received food, water, and prayer from our faithful support crew.

Soon we were off on our bikes energized and excited. We were seven hours into the race and felt that the end was drawing near; little did we know that the most strenuous and mentally draining part of the race still lay ahead.

Mission Possible was flying as we hugged the curves with our bikes and flew back down Marine Hill (scary, but amazing), and into the “Flats,” an area of Kodiak all of us, but Heather, knew nothing about. Our GPS had us close to our next check point, however only yards from it, we realized it was in the middle of a huge lake, and there wasn’t a person standing in the middle of that lake. Our numbers were wrong, and we were off course. Our minds were also becoming a bit shaky, but after back tracking and entering a different equation of numbers we found ourselves on a little island doing another challenge. I was blind folded and my teammates were each allowed one word, like right, left, forward, and stop to direct me to retrieve five colored flags. For some teams this was the most difficult challenge, but we breezed through with the best time. I trusted my team and was only led into one big log (I have a great scar to prove it).

We carried our bikes back across the river and headed to our next destination, which we all prayed would be the end. However, after circling the area, and again and again being faced with a mountain (with no way around) we all sat down, and wondered if this Mission was possible at all. Our minds wouldn’t work right, our bodies ached and I, I really wanted to cry. But it was Heather Norton who stepped out and said, “I think we should try the Jake Lakes.” It was close to where we were, and we trusted Heather’s judgment.

There we were standing on the edge of a roaring river, looking at a thin rope stretched across it. It was our last challenge, each of us had to traverse ourselves across and back. Heather had been right, the back trails of Jake Lakes were right on target. After doing the most extreme biking I ever want to do, crossing the biggest mud pit I would have never dreamed of crossing, and bush- whacking back to this roaring river, I found myself looking down on the river, latched in, arms burning, team yelling, me wanting to be home in my bed, but knowing I had to finish. Oh, what a relief to receive our final set of numbers and be on the homeward stretch. Only a few miles of biking stood between us and the end.

We heard everyone before we saw them yelling and cheering. We had covered over 43 miles of land and water in a little less than 11 hours, putting us in 3^rd place. We all tumbled off our bikes and shared a moment of praise together. It was right there at the finish line our entire team (including our wonderful support team) lifted our thanks to the Lord through prayer. He had sustained, encouraged, and blessed us beyond measure.

It was a great day, one I will always remember. But as my alarm clock rang at 6 AM on Monday morning,

I found myself tying my running shoes and heading down the road. It was not long after I was playing my guitar, singing songs with the kids, sharing in life changing moments with my support team of fellow day camp counselors. The week after our Eco Challenge was our last week of Day Camp, and I saw my real Mission, which had been playing out all summer; bringing children and people into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This was a challenge, but with every check point, road block, stretch of myself, the Lord was making His Mission Possible. The Kodiak Island Eco Challenge was an amazing adventure, but so is my day to day life as a Christ-follower and KBM employee.

Each day the preschoolers gather around their teacher as they read a book. Instantly they are taken to another time and place. There are some stories, which have been passed from generation to generation. There are other stories that are new and exciting, but I have found the best stories are those that are true. Children love to hear you say that, “this is a true story.” They instantly become more attentive, and remember every detail.

Just recently I had the opportunity to sit and eat supper with Joyce Smith. Reverend Smith is well known for her tremendous life service as a missionary. Her husband and she captained a boat, which took the message of Jesus Christ to the villages around Kodiak. Joyce is also known for her vital role in beginning the first and still thriving camping program in Kodiak. After the death of her husband Joyce continued their ministry in the small village of Ouzinkie.

Joyce is also an exceptional story teller. Sitting around the dinner table that night she told us stories of her children eating certain fruits for the first time. She explained that living in Ouzinkie there was little access to fresh fruit

and the first time her daughter attempted to eat a banana, in the lower 48, she didn’t know it needed to be peeled. When asked what color a banana was, her children said green. She also recalled the children being reluctant to eat strawberries, as they never had seen the fruit before. Her life experiences have been second to none and what makes them so much more meaningful is they are continuing daily in the small village of Ouzinkie.

Each Christmas Joyce invites the entire village to a celebration at her home, and they all come. One Christmas she was unable to be there, so a speaker phone was taken to the village, and set up in her home. Reverend Smith was able to give the Christmas blessing and speak to all of her Ouzinkie family. In utmost sincerity she explained how that was all the Christmas she needed. When she hung up the phone her heart was filled with an abundance of joy.

oyce’s stories are always uplifting and positive, even when the subject is not. Throughout Joyce’s winter visit to the Mission it became clear that finances were tight. Many of us complain about gas prices and the cost of heating a home, while I’ve never heard Joyce complain, it only takes common sense to know heating a large house, out in the small village of Ouzinkie, is difficult. One day as I took Joyce to the dentist she stated that much more money was going out than coming in. Early in the winter her heating oil tank had broken, creating an unexpected expense. She was blessed by a check from M&M, but there are still every day expenses.

Reverend Joyce Smith would never ask for support, so we here at the Kodiak Baptist Mission will do it for her. Joyce is a faithful Missionary in Ouzinkie. The many stories of her life have been full of difficulties; however, she has remained true to what the Lord has called her to do. Joyce loves her life work, she loves the people of Ouzinkie, and she knows the Lord has provided in the past and will continue to provide in the future. Please remember Joyce in your prayers and if you are able please remember her financially as well.

Joyce Smith is indeed great at telling the story of missions in Kodiak, but what she won’t tell you is that the Ouzinkie Mission could use your help right now. Rev. Smith is personally funding the expenses of the Mission and a few unforeseen expenses have really made it difficult to make ends meet. While we don’t usually fund raise for others, I hope our unusual request will move you to help.

Stuck….nothing coming in, nothing going out. That is exactly what we went through for almost a week in February. It was kind of exciting, in a way, for those of us who are from the Midwest and our only excitement is a random tornado. Augustine volcano was erupting. Augustine is about 200 miles north of Kodiak, but it is between Kodiak and Anchorage. We didn’t get any ash fall here in Kodiak, but because it was on the flight path,

airplanes couldn’t fly in or out of Kodiak, not good news for Kodiak High School Athletic Department, leaving the boy’s varsity; girl’s varsity & JV basketball and wrestling teams stuck in Anchorage. Normally if the planes aren’t flying we can always count on the ferry. We are used to travel restrictions, that is one of the problems with living on the island. You travel GWWP, God willing – weather permitting.

But that week went beyond just travel restrictions. Boats weren’t traveling either, which was understandable. If the ash got into the engines, then the boats would stop and be dead in the water. An unpleasant prospect, in the middle of winter , in the Gulf of Alaska. Nothing came in for a week, no mail, no cargo, no groceries, nothing. The shelves in the grocery stores were starting to look bare, and because they weren’t getting any food, they couldn’t donate any food to the Food Bank, so our shelves were looking bare.

I was not planning on leaving the island at all during this time, but because I knew I could not leave, if I wanted to, it made me want to leave. Yes, Kodiak Island is the second largest island in the United States, but if you can’t leave the island, you are still trapped in the middle of the ocean. This made me really appreciate our early missionaries. To them this was a fact of life. Monthly mail runs and travel off the island became iffy or non-existent in the winter. When supplies were down, they just made do until the next supply boat came in, and hopefully it would be soon.

Well, Augustine quit her erupting, and the winter storms have turned into spring winds. Travel is back to “normal” and we have returned to our modern way of life. But for that one week we could actually feel like the early missionaries at KBM and feel blessed that we only had to endure it for a week rather than a whole winter.

“Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will. Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures—I wish no more than this, O Lord.”

God does call us. He calls us to higher and higher places; higher planes of praise, higher callings. Evan and I know God has called u back to Kodiak this summer to serve as house parents. There is nothing more amazing than living in community with twelve to fifteen young adults. There is also nothing more difficult than living in community with twelve to fifteen young adults. But it is so worth being an active part of the vision God has given us. I am going into this summer with earnest anticipation of ministry, renewal, and a desire to enjoy

every moment with the people who make Kodiak Baptist Mission so wonderful..

sixty days and twenty one hours the first child will arrive for the first day of Day Camp 2006 (from the time that I write this). Endless days filled with hiking, swimming, playing four square, not to mention all the laughter, singing, hanging out in the yard and just plain fun are a few of the things that will fill the three short months of the su

mmer. But right now, two months away, the time is spent planning, preparing, and . . . did I mention praying for the best summer yet!

Winter breathes it’s last dying gasps in the quickly melting scattered snow falls; daylight hours lengthen and thoughts turn toward summer. Where will you be this year? How

will you invest your time and talents for these three months?

Think about spending your summer in wild, lush, green

Kodiak, Alaska. Work to spread the love of Christ to the island kids. Experience the extravagance of God’s for Day Camp this summer!

Due to some unexpected change of events Kodiak Baptist Mission is welcoming you to think about a summer work trip to Kodiak. This opportunity is for highly motivated, construction/maintenance minded people.

The next time you sit down to eat your favorite Campbell’s meal think of us at the Kodiak Baptist Mission. Each label we receive goes towards making our exceptional programs even better. Last year we were able to receive many “big purchase” items.. A big thanks to all of you who are already supporting us in this ministry. You are making a noticeable difference.

Kodiak Baptist Mission is seeking an Office Manager/Bookkeeper. Self-motivation, friendliness, proficiency with PC computers and thorough knowledge of computerized accounting is a must. Duties include bookkeeping, oversight of volunteer office staff, reception and other duties as assigned. Position pays $12.00/hr, healthcare and retirement benefits are provided.