I will be in the highlighted white area near yellowknife. Only a couple hundred miles from the arctic circle in the middle of nowhere.
I have the prospect of going on an extended mission trip to the Northwest Territories of Canada in May through early august. I will be going with my friend James whose been appointed to work up there with another missionary. Food, Lodging is free (though we may have to hunt and eat caribou all summer) and it will be basically continually daylight and in the middle of true wilderness. The best ammenity is that missionary has the internet of all things, plus A/C.
Currently I dont have a job and have been looking for a job for a while. I want to live on campus over the summer so that I may get a job to pay for tuition next semester, but thats not looking promising. God has said he would be faithful and provide my needs and he really has so far. All praise to him!
If I goto canada I wont be paid, but I will have a house, and food plus solid christian fellowship. Who can ask for more? I would be ministering to a tribal people. A Catholic Priest asked the missionary up there if he would teach them doctrine which I find odd, and James has mentioned that as a possibility for a ministry. Other work that I would more likely do is walking the town and ministering to various people, proclaim the gospel and work with youth. Start bible studies and help train the native's for pastoral work. That way they can minister to the tribes themselves.
James has been asking me to goto canada for about 3 months now though tonight has been the first night we talked about what it would entail. I keep telling him "maybe" but in light of my job situation I was thinking why not sow seeds for my job? God will be faithful through that. In prayer I havent heard opposition to this idea and it definitly sounds like something I would love to do.
The only thing holding me back is a worldly thing called money. How will I pay for next semester? I know the church will help and I will get a partial scholarship. The rest I could pay through loans and work off later. James said he will buy my plane ticket and all of that from the money he gets from NAMB. His reasoning is, "what more do I need other than food, a home, friends, and God? Use my money as it's not mine anyways nor do i need to rely on it." So getting there and back is coming with ease. I am merely holding off for one reason, $$$.
I would like to do it. It would be a time of growth and hands on application of what I learn here at school. Maybe it'll turn into a yearly thing, but at the moment everything seems to have fallen into place for it while nothing has fallen into place for me to stay over the summer.
Can you give some advice and would you all pray for this?
Thanks,
Bro. Mark
(edit: if my post contains bad grammar and is at times repetitive and/or seems like rambling, please forgive that. I havent been getting much sleep and its late as is.)
