Latches and Picnic Baskets

This might not seem like much, and maybe it isn't, but it definitely meant something to a special couple to us from Klemtu who are living in Vancouver. They have a young child with autism who has wandered away from the house. The old latch on the gate was broken and they couldn't install the new latch with the screwdriver they owned.

It was a simple matter for me. Just bring my screw gun and before you know it, latch installed. Now they don't have to worry as much about wandering. I know that means a bit to them.

Earlier in the day we shared a picnic together out In Abbotsford. It was a delightful day, bright and sunny down by the river. Everyone enjoyed themselves. Karen drove to the city to get them and then went shopping for food for the picnic. Scott made cupcakes and got other stuff together. At the park we sat and visited, went for a walk or two, sat and visited, ate some food and sat and visited.

Our hope is to see them actively put their faith in Jesus Christ in a way that is real and impactful in their daily lives.

Today though, it was shared time together with an opportunity to minister to a small but significant need they had in their family life.

PS- Jacqueline was the very first Klemtu kid to come live with us, almost eighteen years ago as a 17 year old. Boy we've known each other a long time!

Sometimes Ministry Here is Just Like at Home, Sometimes It's Not

Last week at the NAIM Staff Conference I had an opportunity to sit down with our three of our Washington staff to talk through some issues. That's part of my duties as Field Director for the BC Lower Mainland and Washington State. They requested the meeting without telling me what it was going to be about. My mind wandered through various scenarios. Were there issues within the team? Was there something pressing in the Ministry? I knew of one relationship which had gone sideways, was that what was on their minds?

As we sat down they began to lay out the issue. It was ministry related and they wanted advice on how to handle two situations. Without going into details, the issues came down to people not getting along. One person would not come to one of their functions if another person was there. In another case, two Christian couples from the Fellowship were not talking to one another over what seemed like a fairly small misunderstanding.

Does any of this sound familiar to your life? Your church? These are common issues found around the world. There is nothing new or earth shattering here. I thought of Paul writing in Philippians 4:2-3, "I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life."

I thought of Rodney King, the man who years ago was beaten by the LA Police which led to the LA riots. At the time he went on TV and said, "Can't we all just get along?" Sometimes it seems that simple, but it isn't. So we came up with strategies to address the issues between the couples and the individuals. Hopefully, guidance will be accepted and God will be glorified.

Sometimes Mission work is not all that different from issues you deal with in your churches. People are people and issues are sometimes universal.

Sometimes they are different. As I sat in on our Operations Council we were struggling with some issues unique to our work. In the continuum between evangelism/discipleship and church establishment/pastoral ministry, where should NAIM be placing most of its emphasis? Are we too heavy on one end or the other? Do we want to become a denomination? No, we are a Mission agency so then where does our responsibility for local Fellowships end and where does someone else's responsibility begin?

Where do we find enough Native pastors to handle the Fellowships? Should we be only looking for Native pastors? Is God's church color blind? Do Native pastors bring unique cultural understandings to preach and apply God's Word in Native communities? How does a Native minister/missionary find support when they don't have the 'rich' connections that white missionaries have? Do we help finance them?

I could go on and on. Some of our issues are quite common. Some are unique to our work.

Please pray for NAIM and myself that we would have God's leading and wisdom as we seek to sort out answers to these and many more questions we all have.

Thanks for listening. Thanks for being interested in the work that NAIM is doing in general and what Scott and Karen are doing specifically to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to Native people.