It’s that time of the year again when we head up to Pickle Lake, Ontario. Actually, last week was when we went up–we got home this week. For the past several years we have been invited by missionary friends to sing at a conference for Christian workers who work in the north.  After the conference we helped with evangelistic meetings at the town hall. We have lots of pictures… so for the most part I am going to let them tell the story.

We left for Pickle Lake on a Monday and spent that night at NYP headquarters in Dryden. They are always such willing and hospitable hosts…what a blessing to us! We spent the evening after supper singing, first us for them, and then they sang for us.

We arrived in Pickle Lake the day the Christian workers conference started. It was so good to see our missionary friends and the church family there.  One thing we really enjoy about Friendship Baptist is the way they sing. They love God and sing like they mean it. It is a joy to be a part of that.

After the 3-day Christian workers conference the outreach, called “Freedom in Christ Conference,” began.  One of the meetings specifically addressed the issue of alcohol addiction.  Some needy people came out to it.  The day it began it began some of us went into town to hand out fliers to invite people. So many people up there have alcohol addictions and they need Jesus in their lives. We were praying for people’s salvation.

On the last of the three “Freedom in Christ” nights, a man accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior! Pray that he will grow strong in the Lord.

Gary Quequish has pancreatic cancer and was not, according to the doctors, supposed make it to Christmas of 2013. But, as you can see, God still has plans for him. He needs prayer; he is in pain but he is still serving God. It was so good to see him again. He had us in stitches a good part of the time with his hilarious stories and comments!

Both of these conferences were encouraging to be a part of. Praise God with us for what He did in people’s hearts! Thank you for all the prayers!

The following were also an enjoyable part of our time in Pickle Lake.

Monday after one last breakfast with our friends, we said farewell, and headed down the long, long, road home, caravaning (is that a word?) with Mrs. Rassmussen’s step dad who was heading back to Minnesota as well. Before we left, Mr. Crisco played us a hilarious version of “Happy Trails to You” that had us laughing so hard we were still laughing when it was done.

We stopped in Sioux Lookout at Tim Horton’s for lunch (where you can get a doughnut as a side!), and had an unitentional-but-would-have-been-intentional-if-the-phone-had-service meeting with Mr. Quequish and his wife, who live in that town. So we visited a good while before continuing on. It was great.

Now we are home, trying to catch up with life since it’s been a month since we’ve had any kind of “normal.” What a ride it has been! We are calling to mind things to bless the Lord about like it says in Psalm 103. He is faithful, and without Him we can do nothing.

Special thanks to Mrs. Rassmussen, Deborah Rassmussen, and Mrs. Sweat for taking pictures for us. We appreciate it!

And more to come on Alabama…

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5