Week #4 @ MDP

This week has been a little different for us. I (Amanda) missed class on Monday, because Abigail was fighting off the stomach flu. They had a very good discussion on a book we read titled The Whiteman’s Gospel. Tuesday our workshop was on the impact learning a language can have on ministry. We heard a story in which one word in the Native language spoken at the right time opened the door for an opportunity to do a gospel radio program. Joel and I were both challenged by how much could be gained by if we take time to pick up at least some of language of the people we will be living by. I decided that day that of things most needed to be an effective missionary, using your ears and eyes and being an observer is top of the list. We have so much to learn, which is overwhelming and exciting at the same time. Wednesday we did more book discussion on two more of the required readings, The Grieving Indian and Ministering Cross-Culturally. Thursday our family missed a great workshop on Urban Ministry, which is very relevant when dealing with First Nations peoples due to the migration to urban centers from the reserves. Our family went to Prince Albert for a visit to the Doctor and other errands. This pregnancy is still right on track, which we praise the Lord for. Friday the topic of class was how to avoid becoming a rescuer to a people group that has been forced into being a very dependant nation.

The above is what we have been doing in the classroom; one of the other things we have at MDP is Connections. Tuesday evenings the men get together for discussion and fellowship, they have discussed topics like family life on the field, and what being a “successful” missionary looks like. This past week Joel was able to visit with one of his teacher's from Frontier School of the Bible. His name is Warren Cheek, he is the general director of UIM International. The women’s Connection’s is on Thursday and we shared about life for MKs (Missionary Kid’s), abuse and God’s healing touch, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. These have been good times for both of us as we are able to "hash out" difficult situations in missions with experienced missionaries.

Abigail has also been learning a lot during her class as well, new songs, bible stories, and even bible verses. She really enjoys her time with Miss Hannah, Miss Tammy and her friend Samuel.

This coming week will be a change of pace for us. Joel and the rest of trainees, minus the other moms, left for Wilderness Trails on Friday, they will be gone for 8 days into northern Saskatchewan. You can be praying for safety and good learning experiences along the way. Abigail and I along with the other children, mothers, and staff will have a fun-filled challenging week as well.

Thanks to all of you who send us love, we appreciate you so much. We are so thankful to have this opportunity to learn and grow here at MDP. May God be Glorified by all of us!

Week #3 @ MDP

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Colossians 3:12-14

Do you know the number one reason that missionaries leave the “mission field” today? It is not because of finances, nor is it lack of ability to reach the people you’re working with; it is because of interpersonal relationships. Not being able to get along with other believers that you’re working with on the field. Missionaries are just like anybody else; they have real struggles, and struggle with pride and selfishness just like anybody else.

Some of the things we talked about this week were: Loving Listening, Drawing People Out, Helping Others Solve Problems, Confronting, Receiving Confrontation, Building Personal Trust, Living in Community, Managing our Conflicts, Helping Others Manage Conflicts, Helping Others Grieve well, Managing Stress, Maintaining Margin, The Battle for Moral Purity, and Being an Encourager. These topics took about a week to cover and we were blessed by our instructors who so humbly shared their experiences and facilitated our times together.

We both felt it was so practical as we are heading to work with a team in the Chilcotin, and how badly we do not want to be one of the statistics in missions. We know this information will provide lots of knowledge in the many years to come.

We were also blessed to have our Native Ministry director and his wife here with us as we went through the week; they went through it as well. It was wonderful as we could talk about the future when we get to BC, and some of how it will be once we get there.

Week #2 @ MDP

We have settled into a nice routine here in Timber Bay. It’s so exciting to have the opportunity to learn about and discuss so many relevant topics. We feel so honored that the Lord has called us to cross-cultural missions.

Monday and Tuesday we discussed the painful issues of abuse and suicide. Though statically these issues are greater among Native peoples than mainstream society, we were reminded that there are no boundaries to where these problems are found. The answer for complete healing is found only in Christ. We discussed practical ways to lead people to healing, and how communities can work together in finding solutions which make a difference. The first step is often being there to listen to individuals tell their story of pain, and responding in love. Though emotionally draining, this time in class brought us even closer as a group as we dealt with the heart.

The rest of the week our sessions focused on cross-cultural communication (one day the guys split wood for the camp). It was fascinating to learn about different communication styles, for example, direct and indirect.

We also learned the power of culture, illustrated best by the following story:

One evening a Native man stopped by to see a missionary, the two men sat in the kitchen in silence for a few minutes, drinking coffee. Then a conversation was started and they discussed things like the weather, fishing, livestock etc. After about 25 minutes the Native man asked the missionary if he could give his family a ride into town to the hospital. The man’s son had swallowed some poison.

At first glance many of us from the “western” mindset would not understand this story. The conclusion is this, certainly the Native man in the story loved his son greatly, but his culture, his very way of thinking, told him that the more important a request is the more you “beat around the bush” in asking. (For a biblical example of this see how Esther approached King Xerxes, Esther 5 and 6). Culture is powerful thing, we can try to understand it and allow it to work for the good of the message of Christ, or we can fight against it. The more we are willing to learn and observe, the more understanding we will have. This could be overwhelming if it wasn’t for the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit guiding us and giving us words to say. There is so much more we discussed, and I’d love to share it all, but hopefully this gives you a taste of what we are learning, and how important it is to learn.

Thank you for your continued interest and prayer on our behalf; we are blessed by how the Lord has brought us all together to bring Him Glory.

Week #1 @ MDP

"For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. " Romans 1:21, 24-25

This passage sadly is the way of life for many people in the world today, especially the Native American people of Canada.
We just finished with our first week of MDP (Ministry Development Program) in northern Saskatchewan. One of the questions that we were challenged with at the beginning of our week was “What transformation will take place?” That was asked of us by our directors as we look to the next 8 weeks of studying and listening to the topics that we will cover while here at MDP (more to come in our June newsletter).

This week we spent Monday learning about our unique personality traits and spiritual gifts. It was a wonderful reminder for us both as we were challenged with the thought that God has us here right now on this earth for a reason. And God has made all of His people the way they are to accomplish His purposes here on the earth (that means you & me). After that we spent the next 4 days (Tuesday-Friday) talking about Cultural Spiritism & the Bible. Many Native people have “exchanged the truth of God for a lie”. And so we spent the week talking about that and the way(s) God has given us to combat those lies. We concluded that truth will always prevail, and as our world turns towards relativism, God’s truth will always stand firm.

Thanks so much for your prayers for us as we are here. Please continue to pray for Amanda, we went to the doctor this week (here is Saskatchewan) and all seemed to be well with her. We praise God for the health Amanda has had while pregnant!

More Travels

April has almost disappeared from the calendar, and we want to share a little bit about our month. We spent most of it in Alaska, visiting friends, updating people on what God is doing in our lives and attending a wonderful wedding of some special friends (Dan & Brie Lathrop). We are so grateful for the opportunity to once again visit this majestic state and for the hospitality we were shown by dear friends. (Thanks so much). We arrived back in Wyoming on the 17^th; our flying went very smooth, which was a huge blessing. We have seen our Doctor here in Cheyenne and got all caught up with the needed tests etc. Having the ultrasound was a special time for our family and we got some wonderful pictures of our baby’s face. Everything looks good, so we are thankful to hear that! Last weekend, the 21^st and 22^nd, we had the chance to travel to Newcastle, WY and present the path God has chosen for our family to a special group of believers at Gateway Fellowship. We were greatly encouraged by this church and their interest in missions. The rest of this last week we have been planning and packing for our trip to Saskatchewan for MDP, and saying more goodbyes to our friends who will soon be graduating from Frontier and moving on. This has been a very brief glimpse of our month, and in some ways it feels like a chapter of our lives is coming to a close and a new one will begin at MDP. We are looking forward to eight weeks in one place and all the learning we get to do. Please continue to pray for us, thanks so much for all the ways you are encouraging and supporting us. We will be giving updates on life and MDP so check back more often for new reading!! We do have contact information for our time in Canada, our address till the 23^rd of June will be:

Joel and Amanda Sewell
MDP
General Delivery
Timber Bay, SK S0J 2T0
Canada

Moving

March 15^th at 8:00 AM our family driving a very large moving truck and pulling our car left Sturgis, Michigan and headed west. Three weeks before this we had no clear idea of how we were moving our stuff. The Lord provided for Dawn (Joel’s mother) to move some of her things she had been storing in Michigan to her new home in Colorado. This worked out very well because we were able to drive her items out and use space on the truck (90% of the truck is her "stuff") for the rest of our things as well. We had a wonderful trip! Abigail really enjoyed the “big truck” and sitting right in the middle where both of her parents could be helpful. It was a special time in which our family just enjoyed being together and the excitement of moving. We made it as far as Lincoln, Nebraska our first day, and after a restful night got back on the road. We arrived about 5:30 PM on Saturday in LaGrange Wyoming. That evening we unloaded our boxes from the truck, and we able to attend our church on Sunday morning and connect with friends. Sunday evening we drove down to Colorado and Monday we were able to help unload the truck with Dawn. All the details of this trip went very well and again we thank all of you who helped in packing, moving, and loading. We are grateful to have so many willing hands available to help. Since arriving in Wyoming we have attempted to get settled (the Lord has provided a furnished home that we can stay in, just our family-yeah!) and enjoy lots of time with dear friends in the area. Joel and I spent time this past week in Colorado Springs focusing in on our marriage, while Abigail stayed with her Uncle Brad and Aunt April in Cody, Wyoming. We have been refreshed in many ways and very thankful for the Lord’s continued grace and working on our lives. Due to a late Wyoming storm we are a day late in retrieving our daughter and flying out to Alaska a day latter than planned, so we have had a little bit of adventure on our hands as well!

I keep thinking about something I wrote in January. As I sat and pondered all the details and confusion of the coming months I remember getting overwhelmed and having no choice but to give all that to the Lord, and I want to pause right now and give Him the Glory. He has orchestrated every detail in a way that works out perfectly. (Not always the easiest or most fun in our mind, yet hindsight shows us it was the best) As we look ahead to the next few months I see more busyness and moving around and lots of unknown details. And yes, we are tired; we’d be lying to say otherwise. But we rest in this: We can trust the Lord to be our strength and to work out the unknown details. He is faithful and we rejoice in Him.

Thanks for all the love you’ve shown to our family, we appreciate you!

What We’ve Been Doing

Greetings from Wyoming! For all you faithful blog readers, sorry for the long space between new postings; since we last left a message our lives have accelerated to an even faster, hectic rate.

February began in a whirlwind. We had lots of wonderful opportunities to share in home meetings and we were also soaking up time with friends and family in Michigan because we knew our time there was coming to an end. We were truly blessed to have so many precious moments with the people who have laid the foundation of our lives. Thanks again to those of you that took time to be with us and opened your homes so we could share about what God is doing in our lives.

March looked much the same way as February only more intense as the time grew closer to leave for Wyoming. We also spoke in two churches, which included to quick trip to Ohio, and a Sunday morning west of Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was a blessing to meet new faces and see new excitement for what God in both of these gatherings of believers. The other time taker was packing, and organizing our things so we could move smoothly. Since we are moving into Canada our things need to be labeled well and itemized to help the border crossing happen with ease, we also want to take all our things the first time so we don’t have to pay tax latter.

From all these moments we have many stories we would love to share with you but for the sake of eyes we will highlight a few:

At the beginning of March we were able to meet with fellow InterAct missionaries Dale and Carol Smith, (see picture) for a long breakfast. Dale fills the position of Canada’s Native Ministries Director (which means he’s our boss) and we also have the privileged of being mentored by this couple.

We have also managed to have a couple check ups for the baby, that have shown everything is going well and right on schedule. We are all growing more excited as the time draws closer.

This was busy time for us, yet the Lord provided strength, and health, and rich fellowship. We are so thankful to all of you who made it special and grateful to the Lord for all His provision. May He get the Glory!!!

What is in store for the future?

Lots of things have been happening in our lives since the 1^st of the year. We praise God that we are currently around 66% for our support level, and so that has been an encouragement to us. After spraining his lower back, Joel has found healing, which makes getting around much better.

We were also able to meet with our team that we will be working with in Canada. We spent about 4 days in January with them, getting to know each other better. The missionaries that are in Canada came down to the states and we were able to go to Wisconsin and stayed with another couple who are raising a support team to go to BC as well. What a wonderful time as God is truly pulling together a team to reach indigenous people in Canada. Abigail also got to where a piece of cheese on her head for the first time.

Many people have asked about the future what is in store, so we would like to post somewhat of a schedule of the next few months, this is a tentative schedule (God could change it at anytime)… Please also see our web-site for dates on speaking engagements when we will share about our ministry. www.sewellsonline.com/schedule

• February 1^st-13^th~We will be in southeast Michigan (Sturgis Area).
• February 14^th-March 2^nd~We will be in Oakland County area in Michigan.
• March 5^th- March 18^th/19^th (Approximately)~We will be in southeast Michigan packing all of our stuff to move back to LaGrange, Wyoming.
  
• March 19^th-March 31^st~We will be in Wyoming & Colorado.
  
• April 1^st-April 17^th~We will be in Alaska for the wedding of Joel’s good friend Dan Lathrop.
  
• April 17^th-April 25^th~We will be back in Lagrange, Wyoming.
  
• April 29^th-June 23^rd~We will be at MDP in Timber Bay, Saskatchewan. http://www.imcomissions.net
  
• June 23^rd-?~We will be traveling back to LaGrange, Wyoming.
  
• July 12^th (Approximately)~Amanda’s tentative due date for our 2^nd child!!!

Sometime after that we hope to get to Canada. We have to be “released” from the home office in Boring, Oregon, providing that we are at 100% of our monthly support level.

Some things to be praying about:

• That God would be given glory through this time of change in our lives!
• We will find a way to get all of our stuff from Southeast Michigan to LaGrange.
• That MDP will be a good time of learning and that we will be moldable to the adjustments that we need to make in our lives.
• For Abigail in all the transitions she makes, all the “hi’s & “bye’s”, we hope that she will still be able to attach herself to people.
• That God would continue to raise up a support team as we go to minister to indigenous people of Canada.

Thanks so much!, again we ask you to let us know how we can pray for you!!!

Our Christmas '06 Season

The beginning of December found us packing up and traveling back down to Sturgis, Michigan, where we dove into the busy Holiday season. Our first Christmas get-together was December 16^th, when my Great-Grandpa Carpenter’s descendants gathered to celebrate the birth of Christ.

We also spent Christmas Eve with my dad’s family and Christmas day with my moms. Both days were full of special memories that I am tucking away for years to come. I am so thankful for family that understands the true meaning of why we have Christmas. I find myself more thankful than ever for the gift of Christ. The time flew by as I tried to soak up as many precious memories as possible. Joel undertook a Christmas project which kept him busy as well. We had acquired a picture of his late Grandpa Mohritz in his younger years hunting in Wyoming, so we made copies and Joel made oak frames to put them in for all the grandchildren. They turned out wonderful and it has been a blessing to see the reactions of the family. The day after Christmas we traveled back to Oakland County to spend the remainder of the Holiday season with Joel’s family. Joel’s ten year class reunion was held December 27^th, so we were able to attend that. It was a good night in many ways, a good reminder to us of how much we all need Christ. His mom is in town from Colorado and it has been great to see her. We will spend New Years Day together with Joel’s family. One of the highlights of this Christmas is the joy of watching Abigail experience it all, she has learned what the word “presents” mean, and we hope she is learning about who Christ is as well. God is continuing His work in our lives as he prepares us for the future He has called us to. As we look into the New Year it is very uncertain for us, we don’t know at all what it holds, and though that is true for everyone, we don’t even have the luxury of pretending to have a plan, so we continue to trust that God does have a plan and we will know what it is in His perfect timing. Please continue to pray for us, we need His Truth to penetrate our hearts, and change us so we can be His light to all. May you trust Him for your 2007!

Amanda- For the Sewells!

Ramblings

This morning we woke up to our first real blanket of snow, which in some parts of the country wouldn’t have even counted, but here in Michigan it was enough to be considered ground cover. Since a week ago it was warm enough to go to the zoo and actually get warm walking around, winter arrived suddenly for us.

For Abigail it was her first real look at snow. We bundled up and went outside to make tracks through it. She of course had a blast, and I was struck with the joy of experiencing something totally new through the eyes of a child. When we got back inside she wanted to show her doll the snow out the window. It’s so great to be completely entertained and happy with something so simple. Today my thoughts are simple and maybe even not that organized to a point, but that’s the beauty of a blog we can share whatever is on our hearts, you of course can chose to read it or not!

Even though this is a little past the holiday my thoughts go to thankfulness. We were reminded in our Thanksgiving Eve service what an incredible love God has for us. The message was taken out of Psalm 139, very meaningful for me as I think of our precious baby being knit together in my womb by the very hand of the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. I am awed, humbled blessed and yes thankful. No matter what comes our way in life God is enough to give us reason for thankfulness, to give us hope, peace and even joy. When we stop and consider who He is and what He desires for us, how can we not be overcome with those things I just mentioned? Words do not fully express what God does in my heart, but today I want to give Him praise for He is so worthy of it and I am often so neglectful in giving it. Lately my only prayer seems to have been “God give me strength to get through the next hour till I can take another nap” so today I’m even thankful for feeling like a semi-normal human being again (as I am pregenant).

Can you Praise God now? I hope so, I hope that with this reminder your heart will sing to its Maker and you will in turn be blessed.

Love,

Amanda

The Aroma of Christ Among the Nations

I stole this title from an article I recently read from a man by the name of John Piper. It challenged me and I would challenge you to read it, it is quite lengthy, but worth it in my humble opinion (The Aroma of Christ Among the Nations). Some of the things that personally challenged me as I read through it were the “Heart Breaking” and “Rejoicing Side” of Missions. Piper exegetes a passage from 2 Corinthians 2:12-17. In that he comes to these conclusions:

The Heart Breaking side of Missions:
...some people smell the sacrificial love of Christ in the life of a missionary and it only smells like death. They hear the gospel and all they hear is death. They look at the cross and all they see is death. They see no life. No hope. No future. No joy. And so they turn away. And if they turn away forever, they die. They are the perishing. The smell of death leads to death. That’s the heart-breaking side of missions. They are people who don’t believe. They don’t see Christ as precious. They don’t see his suffering as a treasure. They don’t smell his death for sinners as the sweetest fragrance in the universe. It’s not a satisfying fragrance. It’s simply the smell of death.

Verse 16: “. . . to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.”

The Rejoicing side of Missions:
Those who are being saved smell the death of Christ as the aroma of life. They see in his death the substitute that they so desperately need before God. The Son of God dying in their place is the fragrance of life. So they don’t turn away. They believe him and receive him and embrace him and treasure him and they live—forever. Smelling Christ as the aroma of life gives life.

These are tough conclusions to come to! But it is my opinion that they are truth! Some may not choose the wonderful reality of Christ, and in that they are eternally condemned, some do, and so in that they recieve a wonderful inheritance. What a serious decision God has given us to make.

As I ponder these thoughts of Piper and of Paul, I think of our (Amanda and I) desire to not only make Christ known in an area of Western Canada, I think also of the life that God wants us to be living right now! For those who don't know, we are going to British Columbia to spread the good news of Christ with First Nations people.

We are trying to build a team to go do that! It's tough though. It feels as though it is a noble thing to do with one's life, (to reach people with the Gospel of Christ). There is a dying and hurting world out there, and sometimes we all (including Amanda and I), get caught up in our little corner of the world and don't think of making Christ known where He is not known. But with life there are so many struggles, and expectations that we face each day. There are the struggles and trials of raising a child in a way that brings glory to God, along with that the struggles of sin and our flesh that we battle, as we learn to live as one. Along with that, the struggles that all people face of finances, keeping a car running, what the next meal is going to be.

I am realizing the balance it takes to make Him known. Piper concludes his article with this thought of Paul:

Who is sufficient for These Things?
He said in 2 Corinthians 1:12 and Romans 1:5 that he carries out this very ministry by the grace of God. He is not sufficient—you and I are not sufficient—in ourselves. No missionary feels sufficient. But 2 Corinthians 3:5 says, “Our sufficiency is from God.”

So the utterly crucial question for many of you, as you have prayed and thought about giving your life, or a substantial part of it, to missions, is: Can I do this? Can I bear this weight of being the aroma of Christ in some new place? By God’s grace, you can.

With all the struggles of everyday life and, it can be done, yes it can but only by the grace of God. May His grace bring you to a place that you realize all you need is in Christ, and to a true understanding of the Cross and the wonderful sacrifice that was done there so that we may truly live.

Thanks for taking the time!!

Beauty in Death

Fall has begun its work here in Michigan the reds, oranges, and yellow are appearing everywhere. To see the bright colors reminds me that out of death comes beauty. As the plant life changes and begins to die the glorious display is revealed. My prayer is that moment by moment I will chose to die to self so the Lord’s beauty can be seen in my life. For only in His power and greatness and love will any act done by me have any meaning in eternity.

Romans 11:36

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

My only response is AWE! Which prompts me to PRAISE Him, Will You?

I’m writing this today from my parents, we have been in the area for almost three weeks and I’m finally feeling organized. You would think by now that we would be better at adjusting to all the moving around. We have spoken in two churches since arriving in the area and have one more this Sunday. It’s been a blessing to see old faces and meet new ones. We have enjoyed connecting to the people around us. To be totally honest the last few weeks have not been easy, Joel and I have both struggled with discouragement and just plain being overwhelmed. I’m not sure what happened along the way, maybe we finally learned some much needed lesson, or just made the decision to obey…. I can’t tell you for sure, but I can tell you God is FAITHFUL and He was working all along. Today I’m thankful to report a renewed sense of peace and purpose in the task God has set before us. Our marriage is stronger, our family is growing (in the emotional sense not in numbers), and I want to take the time to give God the Glory and to thank you for your prayers!!!!!

That’s really all that’s new with us, we are heading back to Oakland County the end of next week, and we are excited to see and share with all of you in person! For those of you we haven’t connected with lately in Michigan or any where for that matter, give us a call, or send us an email. We truly love to hear how life is going and how we can pray for you! Whatever your situation is today chose to TRUST,

HE IS THE FAITHFUL GOD!

Amanda For The Sewell’s

A Few Days of Down Time

Since arriving back from Alaska on August 18^th we have continued our whirlwind schedule. We have mainly used this time to reconnect with family and attempt to relax a bit. The first week we spent in the Sturgis area, once again getting settled in at Amanda’s parents, visiting friends and even attending Amada’s five year class reunion. The 24^th of August we drove to the Rochester area to visit Joel’s family. After a few days there we went further north to Lewiston, Michigan, where Joel’s dad’s family have cabins on Snyder Lake. This was a great time for us! We were able to go swimming, jet-skiing and best of all see Abigail enjoy her cousins. As well we went to Joel’s counsin’s wedding in Washington Twp. That was a joy to see as they get their lives started together.

Now Labor Day has passed and we are gearing up for the next phase of life for the Sewells. We will be now be focusing our time on building our support team, and establishing a “normal” lifestyle after being on the road for so long. This will still be some what challenging because we are basing out of two areas, Sturgis and Oakland Township (north of Rochester, Michigan). In Oakland we are staying with Joel’s aunt and uncle, and Joel already has a job working for a landscaper. In the Sturgis area (about 3 hours from Oakland) we will with Amanda’s parents, where Joel also has a job. There we will mainly be working to share with churches and individuals that are interested in joining the team of people reaching the Chilcotin.

We are speaking at the following churches:

September 17^th-Sturgis Missionary Church in Sturgis

September 24^th-Locust Grove Mennonite Church in Burr Oak

October 8^th-Wasepi Mennonite Chapel in Wasepi

October 8^th-Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Rochester

Thank you for your interest in our lives and please feel free to contact us, we would love to see you face to face if that is possible. We are thankful for this time to be surrounded by people that care for us, and trust that the Lord will allow us to go to the Chilcotin in His perfect time. Our desire to go serve these people grows daily, please pray for us to be what He wants us to be and where He wants us be at all times.

The Last Frontier

Our time in Alaska is reaching its end. We have had a wonderful experience and as usual time went way to fast. A little review of what we have been up to, since our last post! Sunday, July 30^th we shared at Glacier View Bible Church, located near Victory. We had a problem with our media presentation, but were very encouraged by the message the Pastor gave and people’s interest in our lives. So all in all it was a very good morning. Our second week at Victory we were able to visit more old friends and connect with some new. Joel’s speaking at chapel for the campers went smoothly. We were once again blessed to see the Lord at work in kid’s lives through Joel’s messages and camp in general.

Saturday, August 5^th we left camp just like we arrived, on the bus, and got off in Palmer. We spent the next several days with our friend Dan Lathrop and his family, which was a lot of fun for all of us. And Joel got to help his good friend Marv Den Bleyker stack the logs on his new house. Monday and Tuesday we were able to partake in some of InterAct’s Alaskan Field Conference. Even though we are serving in Canada, this was a great opportunity to meet part of the InterAct family and hear what is new in the life of the mission in general. We were so encouraged by our time at the conference. It reaffirmed that InterAct is an organization that we are excited to be apart of.

Tuesday evening we drove back into Anchorage, and spent Wednesday catching up and getting reorganized. Thursday the 10^th, after Joel went fishing for Salmon (the Silvers were running) we drove down to Homer. We stayed with Ruth Sensenig, a friend from my Alaska Bible Institute days. Joel spent most of his time in Homer catching fish (see Halibut picture), something he didn’t have a lot of time for when he lived in Alaska. I was able to visit friends I had made while attending ABI (Alaska Bible Institute). Saturday evening we drove back up to Anchorage, were we are continuing to meet with friends and reconnect. What a blessing it is to have friends that you may not see for years and yet you can sit down and share life with them and connect in the Lord. We are VERY blessed to have people like that in our lives.

Thursday, August 17^th, close to eleven p.m. Alaska time, we fly back to Michigan. Please be in prayer that our flight goes smoothly! We are looking forward to connecting with our friends in Michigan. Once again we are thankful for all the CONNECTING we are able to do with fellow believers here in Alaska. It is what makes life rich and full of flavor. If you got time, please let us know how you are doing. Let’s keep each other lifted up in prayer and remember we fight not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12), but against an enemy out to destroy all those who call God their Father, and Jesus their Savoir. Praise the Lord we know the battle is won and may that truth spur us on to run the race harder. Amanda (For the Sewell’s)

North to Alaska

Joel and I realized it’s been a long time since we given an update. I thought I had done one a week ago, but I guess it never left my thoughts and materialized on paper. So it’s time to catch you up!

We left Texas as planned on Sunday July 16^th at about 5:30 PM; we drove straight through to Michigan and arrived somewhere around noon on Monday. It went GREAT, thanks for all your prayers. Abigail pretty much slept for the whole time, with very little cry time. Joel was able to drive the majority of the way, with myself filling in when needed. Monday, Tuesday and most of Wednesday, were spent getting settled at my parents, which will serve as home base till we move to British Columbia. Wednesday evening we connected with some friends and family that won’t be in Michigan when we return. On Thursday morning we got to participate in a Carpenter Cousin’s meeting to pick out some of our Grandparents things, since they have sold their house. About 2:00 PM we left for Chicago to catch our plane. We finally arrived in Alaska about 12:00 AM, Alaska time, (which is 4:00 in morning in Michigan). But again things went GREAT, prayer is powerful, Abigail slept most of the flight and Joel and I were even able to catch some rest.

Friday morning we woke up semi-rested in Alaska!!! The first thing I realized when I stepped outside is that Alaska has its own smell. It is good to be able to visit again. We spent the next two days able to relax a little and even got to see my cousin Karla before she flew back to Michigan (she was in Alaska for the summer). Sunday we were able to present at Sand Lake Baptist Church. Joel was the youth pastor there while he lived in Alaska five years ago. It was good to see old friends and be able to share how the Lord is working on our lives. We hope to have some good contacts from that time as we sure love and appreciate those people.

Monday morning found us on a bus full of campers bound for Victory Bible Camps. We arrived and got settled into a wonderful cabin that we get to stay in for a total of two weeks! Joel is the evening speaker, every night, but other than that we don’t have a set schedule. Joel spends his time studying and he also hangs out with the kids a lot. I have been able to relax, which is so nice. The Lord has been working in kids lives this week and it’s so awesome to get to be a part of that (we’ve been able to see some kids come to know Christ as Savior). We are so excited to be where God has called us to be. There are so many stories we could tell of how the Lord has blessed us in just the last week, but I’m running out of space. Thanks for being a part of our journey. –Amanda (for the 3 of us).

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Well I’m writing this entry from Texas. Since leaving LaGrange we have gone north, west, back east and now we are south. It’s been a lot of fun, and we are blessed so much by everyone’s hospitality and kindness. We have been on the road for almost two months now and only two of those nights were spent in a hotel.

On Wednesday the 5^th of July we left the St. Francis, Kansas area to drive to Whitewater, Kansas (near Newton). We had visited this area 3 years ago on our honeymoon and it was so wonderful to be back. We stayed with Jonathan Wiebe’s family (Joel and Jon became good friends at Victory Bible Camp), but we also knew other people from this area that we met at Frontier and also Victory. Several people expressed interest in joining the support team, which is so encouraging. Sunday after church we had a good Mennonite meal then we headed south to Texas. We arrived in Weatherford about 9:30 at night pretty exhausted, but glad to have made it. We are staying with our friends, Clint and Ashley Weaver (who we met in LaGrange) and their three adorable girls.

This week has been a lot of fun for the whole family! Joel has been getting up with Clint at 5:30 am to be the heat and they have been able to ride and rope almost enough to satisfy the hunger, Abigail is enjoying the company of other children and I have gotten to swim, relax and have girl talk. Once again it has been nice to be in one place for a longer period of time. Our plan is to leave for Michigan Sunday the 16^th late afternoon and go the whole 18 hours to my folk’s house. We will just be in the Sturgis area for a few days and then Friday the 21^st we catch our plane to Alaska. Thanks to all of you who have been praying for us during our travels. Though traveling has its stresses we have had a great time and feel so blessed to be able to interact with all the wonderful people we met along the way. The team that will enable us to go to the Chilcotin has started to come together and that is exciting to see God do. Thanks again for your interest in our lives. -Amanda (We had to include a picture of Joel & Clint roping).

Greetings from Kansas

Today is the 4^th of July; I can’t believe how fast the summer is going. Our travels have gone well. It’s definitely hotter the further south we get! Since leaving Miles City, Montana on Tuesday the 28^th, we have seen a lot of people. Our first stop was Busby, Montana the home of Reuben and Diana Busenitz (Jen Boyd’s parents). We had a great time of fellowship that was enjoyable and also challenged us to keep our eyes on eternity. Friday the 30^th we drove down to LaGrange with a few stops to say “hi” to friends along the way. We stayed the weekend at our friends Dave and Wendy Stiegelmeier, who are heading into their senior year at Frontier School of the Bible (where Joel went to school). Saturday the 1^st of July was spent taking care of business, we had a months worth of mail to read! Sunday, we were able update our home church about our last 6 weeks and then we headed for Kansas to visit Jake and Joy Stroh, friends we knew from Frontier. It’s great spending time with old friends and it’s fun to see Abigail play with kids her own age. We are having fun celebrating the holiday, yesterday spent the afternoon on the lake in a boat so we are all a little red. Wednesday we will drive to the Whitewater, Kansas “area” to see Jonathan Wiebe and the rest of that clan. We are fortunate to see how God is blessing our journeys. We send regular prayer updates, and if you are interested in receiving them, send an e-mail to us at: joel.sewell@interactministries.org

Meet Us In Montana

My apologies to those who check this often, we have been out of touch with internet access or way to busy to write. Since we haven’t written in two weeks, I will try to give you a quick update of what we have been up to. After visiting some friends in Yelm, Washington (near Seattle) we left Tuesday, June 13^th for Montana. It was our longest day yet this trip. It was a fourteen hour trip, with lots of different scenery. At about 10:30 P.M. we arrived at Bridger and Jen Boyd’s in Wilsall, Montana. We were able to stay there for the next week. They are friends we know from Frontier and have an adorable one month old boy. We were able to visit them and Bridger’s parents who manage a beautiful ranch. It was a great time of fellowship and it was so nice to be in one spot for a while. Sunday the 18^th we shared briefly in Shields Valley Bible Church in Clyde Park, Montana. Tuesday the 20^th we drove to Cody for some family time with Brad & April Ruckert (Amanda’s sister). We also had a chance to reconnect with some old friends that have a heart for Native ministry. Thursday the 22^nd found us back on the road and headed east for Miles City, Montana. Pat and Lori Linger graciously allowed us to come stay with them and share at the Ismay Community Church, where Pat is the Pastor. Their son Ty is a friend of Joel’s and they both graduated from Frontier this year. Ismay is a small community east of Miles City and they have a wonderful community church. They meet at 8:30 AM to beat the heat. The church building is around 90 years old and it is in beautiful shape, there is something special about those old country churches. The people were very welcoming and encouraging. One of the perks of this time in our lives is meeting so many great Christian people in all areas of the county. Praise the Lord!!! We are so thankful for the way He is blessing us in so many ways. I wish you all could experience this journey with us, it’s amazing. Thanks for keeping in touch with us.

The Pacific Coast in Oregon

What an amazing week! Monday we drove ten hours from Chilanko Forks to Bellingham, Washington were we stayed with Stan and Ginny Gillespie. Tuesday after a great breakfast we headed down to Boring, Oregon, with a short stop at the Warner’s in Yelm, Washington. It was great to be back at InterAct’s home office, Joel and I both felt like we were seeing family. We had various written and oral tests Wednesday and Thursday that we did as a part of our final interview process. Friday morning we got packed up and headed towards the Pacific Coast. We stayed that night in Tillamook, Oregon at a hotel for some family time. Saturday we drove down the coast to Pacific City where we were scheduled to speak on Sunday. Joel’s friend from Frontier (Zach Canady) dad is the pastor at Pacific Coast Bible Church, and they invited us to come share our ministry. Sunday morning we shared in their Sunday School hour. It went great; the people were so welcoming and encouraging. The couple we stayed with this weekend have an interest in missions and were very hospitable (as well they had an awesome view of the Pacific Coast from their house). We have much to be thankful for and are pumped up for the next leg of our journey. God is taking care of every detail in amazing ways. We are heading to Wilsall, Montana next to be with friends and share at Shields Valley Bible Church.

The Britany Gathering

I have been wanting to share about our awesome weekend since Sunday night, but haven't made the time to do so. I was doing some reading in Psalms today and came across the old familiar verse Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart" I know this verse is often misunderstood, but it reminded me of some of my old "dreams" that are now coming true in some ways in my life. As a child I always wanted to live hours from any major city, I also had a fascination with Native culture. This last week I got to experience both, which is just a preview of what our future will hold. Friday evening we drove about two hours south-west of Steve and Jill Horsman’s (Chilanko Forks) to a place called Henry's Crossing. We arrived about ten an night, and were supposed to meet up with a group coming in on horses. I'll spare you all the details, but with a little bit of adventure we finally had the horses taken care of and tents up for everyone by about three in the morning. That evening is a story in itself and not really the point of this blog. So anyway the next morning, we did sleep in, the fun begins. First we learned why the Chilcotin people even had this gathering together. Basically this gathering started about fourteen years ago and was done in protest of a certain lumber company and how they were logging the land. The place that we had gathered was called the Britany triangle (hence the name Britany gathering). They are still battling all the details in court and every year they get together to celebrate and remember. We got to see some parts of the Chilcotin culture first hand like singing and dancing (see picture). We also got to taste some traditional foods like moose jerky and ban cook (fry bread) but done on a stick over the fire. Moose jerky is great for teething babies. The best part of all was when Saturday night we stayed up around the camp fire and hung out with some new friends (who are Chilcotin). We had a blast just talking and laughing and enjoying the outdoor night. Sunday was a long day because we had to break down camp and take everything back home, but it was worth the weekend of new experiences. We were so thankful for this opportunity and it has given us a new sense of urgency to raise support and come back to the Chilcotin to share Christ.