It has become an annual occurrence now for us to go north to Canada in just about the coldest time of the year. Yes, it happens to be our Pickle Lake trip. This year we went to Winnipeg first to visit with friends from when we lived up there “way back in the nineties.” We are so thankful for all the brothers and sisters there who pray for us and we enjoyed visiting with many of them.
We stayed with good friends of ours whom we lived down the street from when Canada was our home.
Sara, Deborah, Jayne, Abby
early-morning visiting with Uncle Byron…
…who made us these scrumptious lattés
Sunday we went to the church we used to go to, and we were told, “Welcome home!” It was good to visit again after not being there in a few years. Everywhere we went we were blessed to catch up with friends and hear what God is doing in different lives. Thank you to everyone who showed us hospitality during that short weekend!
Then we were off to Pickle Lake. We stopped in Dryden to spend the night at Beaver Lake, where the NYP staff is so gracious to let us stay so we don’t have to drive remote roads in the dark. Tuesday found us pulling in to Pickle Lake and setting up for the Pickle Lake Winter Road Conference at Friendship Baptist Church. (See our previous Pickle Lake posts for more details.)
Mr. Rassmussen, who started the conference a number of years ago
we sang
the speaker, Mr. JD, was from North Carolina
Mrs. Crisco, Mom, and Mrs. Rassmussen (as well as others) kept everyone well-fed
this is after we took a brisk walk through the woods. fatigue? you decide.
helping Mr. Crisco with the wood
Over the weekend, after the Winter Road Conference, the Freedom in Christ Conference (outreach meetings) was held at the town hall. Each night God brought more people out, and we saw specific prayer answered; for example, a certain a young person who may have never been to church before came. We know the gospel went out to a number of people who don’t know Jesus.
prayer before the service
the girls sang
the Sweat family sang
the Rassmussens sang
we sang
Gary Quequish shared the message each night
And more pictures…
we were glad to see Chief Connie again
making sandwiches for after-meeting food
Saturday morning we held a kids club (with some extra help) at the town hall for the community children. We had a lot of fun singing with them, playing games, and acting out the story of Jericho.
Sara leading the kids in making a rain storm
Rahab and the two spies
During the week the boys were excited for an opportunity to go flying. A missionary friend took the guys up. Daniel and Jonathan had quite the experience. Unforgettable. Ask them.
And, as also has become a tradition, we went Canadian bowling. For those of you who are not familiar with this, let me paint a picture. There are only five pins. The balls are quite small and all the same weight with no finger holes. You get three attempts each turn.
Needless to say, it is more challenging than “normal” bowling (or maybe “American” bowling?). I think that must be why they give you three tries instead of two.
two deborahs
It was so much fun to just bowl and laugh and with everyone. In a two-lane bowling alley a game takes a while and everyone is engaged in the whole thing.
But then when one lane breaks down and it turns into a one-lane bowling alley…well, then you have a bowling experience that is even more abnormal than Canadian bowling.
P.S. Gutter balls are very common (we shall blame this on the fact that there were no bumpers).
bowling buddies
the mothers and others
We love going to Pickle Lake. Every year we see God answer prayer and every year we leave looking forward to the next.
good-byes
Dad, what do you think about indoor cats?
Oh, okay.
And this time we leave wondering, who will win an arm wrestle next year?
did she win? he says, “not by much.”
All the way my Savior leads me, what have I to ask beside? …For I know whate’er befall me Jesus doeth all things well.
So that pretty much brings us up to date. Thank you to everyone who prayed for the different ministry opportunities we had.