To Revelstoke, Sicamous, Calgary, Kaslo, & back!

Our family is back in Prince George, and happy to be home! Amy and I were figuring so far we've been on the road more in 2011 than at home, kind of like our fall last year. That said, our trip to the Revelstoke area was awesome. Our first Sunday there we were able to share at the Sicamous Baptist Church, and were able meet some new folks there and say high to some old friends.

The week after that was quite 'event filled'. It started with a two night trip to Calgary where Amy and I were able to visit with some old friends we haven't visited with in ages. That was followed by attending my Grandmother's funeral on Saturday...Well, the intention was to "attend" her funeral, but for all of you who live in Revelstoke or have been there in the winter, sometimes road travel comes to a grinding halt due to avalanche danger - as it did the morning we were to travel to the funeral. So, we sat there from 5am on looking at road reports on the internet.

Out front of my parents house. Beautiful, but where to put the snow?

The roads briefly opened in the early afternoon and we arrived in Enderby just in time for the grave side service. All in all, that we even made the grave side service was an answer to prayer, and that evening it was great to see all the family that we don't often get to see. It was also very nice to celebrate my Grandmother's life. She was 103 years old, and loved Jesus Christ. Her obedience to God in her life lives on as a blessing to all her descendants. Where would I be today if she and my Grandfather did not raise my Dad the way they did?

Amy, Luke, and myself with Grandma Eadie about 5 yrs ago.

That Sunday we had an opportunity to give an update on our support raising at the Revelstoke Baptist Church, and say thank you to the church and the families in it that are supporting our ministry with MAF. It was also neat to meet a few new families (new to us that is) during the week following.

The weekend after that, we travelled down to Kaslo where we were able to share with the Kaslo Community Church about MAF and how we've felt God call us to serve with them. It was a very encouraging visit as we felt so welcomed and were able to meet some really neat families. Thank you to all the folks in Kaslo for all of your prayers, encouragement and support! Amy and I feel so blessed to know you and have you guys a part of our ministry with MAF.

Our kids have done very well with all the travelling we've done in the last six months, and I think we're all looking forward to some 'routine' in our lives - although it will be relatively short lived. Right now, we're attempting to focus as much of our attention as we can on increasing our monthly support level to 100% by April, at which time I'll be heading to Wichita Kansas for two weeks to take a course on a Cessna 208 Caravan.

We ask that you would pray that our MAF ministry support would come in - in God's timing, as our schedule gets much more crazy April on. To all the families that have chosen to support our ministry with MAF, we're so thankful and are so excited to be partnering with you in ministry in Indonesia. To all the folks we had coffee with, ate meals with and/or stayed at your place - thank you so much!

And thank you Mom & Dad for watching our kids (not always healthy kids either), making delicious meals, and all that you did to help us out! You've totally blessed us.

Luke at my parents front entrance - light to moderate avalanche danger :) The snow on the left is over 10 feet - just from the snow blower & shovelling. Reminds me of my childhood!

Snow-shoeing with my Dad for the afternoon. What's a trip up 'The Bend' without a fire? Good times!

A lesson from the Kimyal's

I have had the Word of God at my finger tips since I was old enough to pick it up. Today, with the internet, I can get pretty well every english Bible translation there is available, and I have access to more study material than I know what to do with.

I recently saw this video of the Kimyal people of Papua, Indonesia receiving for the first time the New Testament in their own language. It's completely humbling to watch something like this and realize how often I take for granted the Living Word of God, and how much I could learn from believers in Christ who literally are still living in the stone age.

"...Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

-Luke 11:28 (NIV)

MAF (USA) - Candidacy

Well it's been a wee bit of time since our last post - but for good reason. We're currently in Nampa, Idaho (just west of Boise), and Amy and I are taking a candidacy course through MAF-US. You might be wondering, "Candidacy course...didn't you already take one of those & aren't you already accepted into MAF? I'm confused..." Well, the answer is: We did take a MAF (Canada) candidacy course last spring and were accepted into MAFC. Following that, MAFC loaned us to MAF-US, and as part of our pre-field prep we're taking their candidacy course. A little confusing I'll admit, but all for a good purpose.

I don't miss the -25 degrees C or the snow shovelling (I sound like a poser Canadian saying that - but it's true). It has been super enjoyable for both Amy and I down here, we've met some really really neat people, including all the folks taking the course with us and also all the staff here. Each day has been informative and encouraging. Ten other families from all different parts of North America are taking the course with us, including pilots, mechanics, administrators, and teachers. It is so neat to hear all their stories of how God has led them up to this point. We're super excited to get back home to BC to continue on with raising support for our ministry with MAF!

MAF-US head office, just across the street from the MAF guest housing. The MAF Hangar is just in behind this building.

Our home away from home...for 2 weeks now, and 10 more weeks later this year. We're really thankful to have such nice guest housing 50 ft. from the offices!

Luke and Simon checking out the remains of Nate Saint's Piper aircraft situated in the front lobby area of MAF's office building. This is the same aircraft Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, and three other missionaries used to try and reach the Waodani Natives in the Jungles of Ecuador. In 1956, all five missionaries were killed and the plane was destroyed and left on the beach. In the early 90's the remains of the plane were found buried in a sand bar, and now are on display here in Nampa.

Something to be thankful for...

This year I received a really neat gift for Christmas - my Grandfather's WWII dog tags. He served in the 66th Armored Regiment of the 2nd Armored Division in the US Army. When I was in my early twenties, I went to school, played music, ate out 5 times a week, payed bills (when I had to), & in my free time I goofed off. When my Grandpa was in his early twenties, he spent almost 3 years of his life on 2 different continents - experiencing what I couldn't imagine. I often think how today our perception of reality is skewed; all I really know is peace & prosperity, but history tells another story of who really are and what we're capable of.

Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, & Me

I guess being thankful is kind of a thanksgiving thing to do, but who says we can't be thankful at Christmas? I'm thankful for the huge life altering experience my Grandfather went through as a young man, so that others did not have to. I'm thankful that my Grandfather & Grandmother are still married 60 plus years later. I'm thankful to God for watching over them through the years, and how He has blessed the 3 generations that now follow. And, being that it is Christmas, I cannot express how thankful I am God came to earth in Human form for the soul purpose of paying an uncountable debt I owed, to reconcile me to Him.

Merry Christmas from Ben, Amy, Luke, Simon, Helena, & "No.4"

A trip to Revelstoke

This last weekend myself (Ben) and our two boys headed to Revelstoke, leaving Amy and Helena to have a bit of "girl time" back here in the Big Stink (sorry, I mean lovely Prince George - The Spruce Tree Capital).

The reason for the trip is that (along with my brother and my Dad) I had a chance to attend the Revelstoke Baptist Church Men's Retreat held at Sunnybrae Bible Camp. The topic of the weekend was "Living Faith", and as always, between hearing some really neat (and encouraging) talks on faith, there was plenty of eating, card/board games, and floor hockey.

If you weren't there, your "do I really care" meter might be pointing at "not too much"...But check out a couple of the usual suspects going for a nice warm afternoon dip in lovely Shuswap Lake.

I was more than happy to watch Mike and Gerald make the long walk our to deeper "swimmable" water, while I stood there, camera in hand, with my toque and jacket on. Um, I had a bit a of a cold, yah, that's why I didn't jump in too. The fact that they're not braking ice to swim kind of says that this isn't really that big of a deal.

Back in Revelstoke, Luke and Simon got to spend some time with Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie's, Uncle, & cousins.

Candy snowman time with Grandma...

An early dump of snow this year - and Simon with a perma-grin.

Luke & Grandma (thanks Mom for taking care of the boys!)