Moving to Epistle!

Just wanted to give a bit of an update.  We're switching how we update people on our ministry and the work that we are doing in northern Canada with MAF & LAMP.

We've begun using a new platform called Epistle.  Going forward, you can now check out our updates at:

anstey.epistle.org

Make sure to hit the subscribe button to have updates delivered to your email at a frequency of your choosing.  Subscribing also makes sure that you get access all of our updates, as some are not posted publicly and only available to subscribers.

I'm going to leave this site up as it maintains a history of our past newsletters and some more information about the work that we do, but updated information on this blog from here on out will be minimal.

I just want to thank everyone that's reading this for your support, prayers and interest in our ministry over the years.  We hope that you continue to follow along with our work by checking out our Epistle page.

God Bless,

Andrew & Linnea

Waiting with Faithful Hope

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him.

He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.  I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people.  He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of your people Israel.”

Luke 2:25; 28-32

 

As I travel around during the summer, I’ll sometimes see children lined up waiting to get into the church or school gym for VBS. The air is filled with excitement and anticipation about what they’re going to do, what games they’ll play or crafts they’ll construct and the songs they’ll sing. 

At one program, as a mother dropped off her children, she commented that they had been waiting for this for weeks and were so excited. Before the week is even up, kids will be asking our volunteers “When are you coming back?”, already waiting for next year.

Fuel Pumps and Forest Fires

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:8

Every year, there’s always at least one challenge that we need to deal with when it comes to flying. Last year, it was fuel availability. Just before I departed for Thompson for the summer, I learned that the one truck at the Thompson airport they had to fuel aircraft with aviation gasoline had broken down. “How long could it take to fix a truck?”, I thought. Apparently, about six weeks. To make matters worse, halfway though the summer, the only refinery in Western Canada that produces Avgas had to be unexpectedly shut down for repairs, causing a shortage all across the prairies.

Thankfully, as is so often the case, God, being sufficient in all things, provided and we were able to make it through the summer regardless of these challenges. This year, fuel availability hasn’t been a problem, but we’ve had other difficulties to overcome.

In Full Accord

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:1-5

I first met Elma some thirteen years ago. In fact, she was actually one of the first people I met, on my first trip into a northern community with LAMP when I flew into Pelican Narrows, SK. At the time, Elma and her husband ran the Northern grocery store there. 

However, she was originally from Red Sucker Lake, in Manitoba, where she first became familiar with LAMP when we started sending a VBS team to her community 40+ years ago. Her mother really helped take the young couple, John and Sue, that were volunteering with LAMP under her wing and Elma’s children attended LAMP’s VBS. Her children have since gone on to become leaders in their community, churches, and surrounding area with a deep and lasting faith in Jesus Christ.

Persevering Through Fire

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.    

James 1:12

 


A few weeks ago, shortly after we had put Ethan down for the night, I heard someone faintly yelling and banging on a door at a house nearby. I went to check to see what the commotion was. As I approached the front door, I saw what was happening: our neighbour’s house across the street was engulfed in flames. 

Thankfully, everyone was able to get out of the house safely and within a couple of minutes, the fire department was there with about four trucks and a dozen plus firefighters putting out the flames. 

Answered Prayer

 

Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

 

Matthew 19:13-15

 

It was lunch time on Monday and the Cadet Center, a large warehouse-like building in Cross Lake, MB, was all ready.  That’s where we would be holding the first LAMP VBS of the year.  The 11 team members had made the long trip, all the way from Indianola, Iowa for the first time and were brimming with excitement in their matching shirts. 

Swords into Plowshares

He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. 

Isaiah 2:4

It didn't take long after the Wright brothers’ first flight in 1903 for airplanes to be used militarily. The first world war began just over ten years later when aircraft started to be used in the war effort. World War 2 drove many of the major advances in aviation technology, helping to usher in the jet age and modern aircraft as we know them today.

Isaiah prophesized in the above verse that in the last days nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. That is, they would take instruments of war and turn them into instruments of peace.

I’ve always somewhat thought of the work that we do in that way. When MAF started shortly after the second world war, aviation had, for the most part of its history, been used for death and destruction. The first MAF pilots took what had been instruments of war and used them to help bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

LAMP’s Cessna 182, GODX, takes off from Cooking Lake Airport in Alberta

Obviously, the planes we use on the mission field today are not the same as the planes that are used in the military.  The plane needs to be suited for the job and it’s critical that the right aircraft is used for the right mission.

Little is Much

 

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:8-14

 

I sometimes wonder what the shepherds thought when they arrived at the manger. Having just been visited by a host of angels, proclaiming the coming of the Messiah, a Saviour, a new born king! Did they arrive at the manger and think, “Is this it?” A baby, humbly born in a stable; He wasn’t born in some  great palace to a powerful and wealthy family, somebody that could obviously influence and change things. How could this child possibly change the world?

Trusting Him in All Things

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.  

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Trusting my instruments to guide me to the runway that is just a couple of miles ahead.

 

In my time flying in northern Canada, just about every summer you’ll come across at least a certain number of forest fires and smoke. It’s inevitable considering the entire area we generally fly over is covered in dense forest.

Some years are worse than others with certain areas getting hit hard. This year, was certainly the worst I’ve experienced, as I’m sure many of you reading this would agree. 

It didn’t seem to matter where you lived, if you were in Canada or the USA, at some point this summer you probably stepped outside to a yellow haze obscuring the sun and that familiar “camp-fire” scent in the air.

The smoke itself doesn’t preclude us from flying, but the reduced visibility that comes along with it can make things a little more challenging. Instead of flying “VFR” or via Visual Flight Rules, we need to fly “IFR” or via Instrument Flight Rules. In this case, you’re no longer flying and navigating the plane based on the horizon and geographical features that you can see out the window, but rather based on the information provided to you from the instrumentation in the plane.

Back in the Swing of Things

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. 

Galatians 6:9-10

It’s nice to be back to normal, so to speak, after a three-year hiatus from LAMP’s regular, ongoing ministry of vacation Bible schools. Last year, as some COVID restrictions lingered in place, we expected more of our teams to head north. However, as the summer waned, one-by-one trips had to be cancelled for one reason or another. In the end, we only ended up with about 7 teams being able to make the trip in 2022.

This year though, things were looking different.  Through the winter and spring, more and more teams were indicating that they would like to return to ministry, following God’s call to serve in northern Canada. 

It looks like we’ll have about 27 teams throughout the summer in communities all across northern Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and BC. Still, a far cry from our usual 50+, but everyone at LAMP is actively praying and working on getting back there soon.

Our first stop this year was at Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug… a bit of a tongue twister for me, so I tend to stick to calling it by its other name, Big Trout Lake. 

The last time I was there for a VBS was a number of years ago. As we walked from the airport to the church where the VBS was being held, we got stuck in a torrential downpour as a thunder storm hit shortly after we had landed.

This year wasn’t much different, as we had to weave around a number of heavy rain showers as we flew there from Thompson, where we are based for the summer.

As we approached the church, I could see the LAMP Bible Camp sign proudly displayed outside of the weathered building. When we entered, we were greeted by the familiar sound of children screaming and shouting with excitement and energy.

The team was in the middle of their VBS program when we arrived, and it was as if they hadn’t been forced to take a three-year break.  They were back where they left off, singing songs with the kids, doing crafts, playing games, and putting on puppet shows, all to help illustrate basic Gospel truths. Despite the roadblocks and ever-changing restrictions over the past few years, the teams did not give up and were excited to be able to return as soon as they could.

The Big Trout Lake team (from left to right): Becky, Dave, Kari & Jeanne

What a blessing to be back in the swing of things again. We stayed the night in Big Trout Lake and were able to help the team out with VBS the next day before heading back to Thompson.

It’s going to be a long summer, with many more teams to check in on. Primarily, I’ll be flying around with Pastor Randy. LAMP’s Executive Director, Steve Schave, is also helping cover a handful of communities this year, as is LAMP’s newest missionary, Michael Gillingham, who just started with us a few weeks ago.

We’re excited to be back in the communities and bringing the Gospel of Christ to those in the most remote areas of Canada, sharing His peace, joy, hope, and love with those that we serve.

Please keep us in your prayers as we and our teams of volunteers travel all across northern Canada to bring the love of Christ to those living in remote and isolated areas.

 

Self-Reliance

Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.  These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.  Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.

Mark 6:7-11

 

Back at Christmas, as we packed and prepared to go to Toronto to visit family, I noticed how much more difficult it was to travel now that Ethan had come along. We had multiple suitcases, packed right to the point of bursting, a stroller, car seat, diaper bag, laptop bag, and multiple carry-ons as well.

A Decade in the North

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

James 4:13-15

 

One of my very first flights with LAMP into South Indian Lake, MB in 2012

This past year I celebrated my tenth year being seconded to and serving alongside LAMP in Northern Canada. It’s been a blessing to be a small part of such a great ministry to the First Nations peoples of this country. 

When I first started serving with LAMP back in 2012, I wasn’t sure what God had in store or where He was leading me. With that in the back of my mind, I agreed to do one year. I couldn’t imagine what He would do over the next decade.  In that time, I met Linnea and now God has blessed us with Ethan.

Moreover, my time serving up north has given me the chance to learn more about my own country’s history, to learn about First Nations culture and to make some great friends along the way. It’s allowed me to travel to places I never thought I would go. Places I had known about, such as Churchill, and places that I had never even heard of, such as Wapakeka, ON or Shamattawa, MB. 

Most importantly though, it’s allowed me to help facilitate the preaching of the Gospel to people that otherwise may never hear it; to bring hope to some people who may otherwise feel hopeless; to see children’s faces light up when they’re told that God loves them. This is why I have continued in this role for 10 years.

However, all of this has only been possible because of people like you who have believed in, prayed for, and supported this ministry during the past decade. Some of you have been giving for all ten years of my time here (some even longer, during my time in Botswana). Others have joined us at some point along the way, while others have just recently started. 

Regardless, you have been an integral part of this ministry and we could not continue in this work without you.  Thank you for making this ministry possible for the last ten years.

Much like when I first started with LAMP, I’m not sure what God has in store for the future. However, I know that I’m looking forward to seeing what He does over the next decade and I hope you are too.

 

Beautiful Feet

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”.

Isaiah 52:7

 It’s been three years since I have landed at an airport in a northern community, and then actually left the airport on foot. For the past couple of summers, every time we arrived at a community it was to drop off supplies, be it medical protective equipment, or donations of knitted winter gear and quilts, or gifts of crafts and school supplies for the children. 

However, we would only be able to meet our contacts beside our airplane, standing out on the apron of the airport. We’d unload our boxes and chat for a few minutes, then it was back in the plane to fire up the engine and head off to the next community. COVID outbreaks and lockdowns had prevented us from doing much else.

Arrival

 

I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;
With my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
 
I will declare that your love stands firm forever, 

That you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

Psalm 89:1-2

 

It was a long time coming, but the day finally arrived.    Early in the morning, Linnea and I rushed to the hospital, filled with excitement. We had waited a long time for this moment; a moment that we weren’t quite sure was ever going to happen. 

The doctors had essentially told us no; that there realistically was no chance.  That we should look into other options.  But we tried our best to remember that God is faithful and He will keep the promises that He makes.

He is Faithful

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

Isaiah 9:6

Almost three years ago, I wrote a newsletter after Linnea and I had found out that due to my past history battling cancer, that it would be impossible for us to have children naturally.  That was incredibly difficult to hear, but as we inquired about possible medical treatments we could attempt, the news became worse. 

Some Much Needed Upgrades

 

I’ve been flying now for almost 20 years and it may come as a surprise that, in all that time, I’ve only ever flown one aircraft that was younger than I am. Seeing as I just turned 40 a few weeks ago, that means every airplane I’ve flown, other than one, was built pre-1981.

The current instrument panel in LAMP's 1977 Piper Lance

Flying with LAMP has been no exception as the two aircraft they use were built in 1977 and 1979. As you look around, you may notice that there’s not many vehicles on the road from the seventies, so why are so many smaller airplanes from that era still in use today? 

Giving Thanks for God’s Abundant Provision

 

I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:3-6

As we entered 2020, I knew there would be some challenges. We were going to be losing a significant portion of support for our ministry that would leave us with about a $1000 per month deficit, and I wasn’t entirely sure where the additional funds were going to come from. 

When I first felt God calling me into missionary service, I knew that some amount of fundraising would inevitably be necessary to carry on in ministry. However, that concept was probably one of the most frightening things about accepting God’s call on my life. I’m not a naturally gifted public speaker or someone who enjoyed doing that sort of thing. So, I made a deal, so to speak, with God. I agreed to follow His call, wherever it may lead, but when it came to the fundraising, He would need to provide.

Bringing the Good News

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.   

Acts 20:24

Ten years ago at this time, I was in the midst of having to make a very difficult decision. The first term I spent with MAF, I was seconded to an organization called Flying Mission, where I flew on an air ambulance in Botswana. I was coming to the end of my two-year contract, and Flying Mission had asked if I would stay on with them longer.

I knew right away what I wanted to answer: Yes! I loved the work that we were doing, the country, the culture, the people, and even the weather. I was perfectly content living in Botswana, had made some great friends there, and very much enjoyed my two years. However, as I began to pray about it, I felt the Holy Spirit leading me to return home.

Isolation

Father Joji and I in front of LAMP's Piper Lance

Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

Psalm 139:7-12

 Isolation is a big part of living in a remote, northern community. With no roads to many of the communities, coming and going is not always easy and people can easily feel cut off from the rest of the world. The current state of the pandemic has not helped matters either, and there are many people that struggle with feelings of seclusion and loneliness throughout the year.

A Season for Everything

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 

… a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.

                                                                                                                    Ecclesiastes 3:1,5

 

It’s been a strange summer. As I write this, I’m sitting in my house, even though it’s the middle of July. In fact, this is the first time in almost a decade that I’ve been home at all during the month of July. Normally, I’d be flying around northern Saskatchewan, Manitoba, or Ontario, helping LAMP with their Vacation Bible School programs.