May Missions Update

Tanalian Leadership Center Update

TLC Group Graduation Bonfire

The Leadership Center students graduated on May 10th. The completion of the 7 month program came to a close with many emotions. Our students shared testimonies graduation recognizing the work the Lord did in their lives this year. We rejoice at what the Lord has accomplished in the lives of these young leaders and pray they would look to the Lord and His Word for guidance and strength as they return to their homes and live as lights among darkness. Please pray for them as they will face many challenges upon returning home, and that they have the opportunity to share and apply what they learned during the program.

TLC Graduation Carpentry Certificate

Tanalian Bible Camp Update

Summer camp is just around the corner!

IMG_4418

Work crews come in May to help do maintenance around camp and summer staff comes the last week in May for training. We are excited to have several TLC students and former campers on staff this year. One of Tanalian’s goals is to see native leaders raised up, discipled through the programs and returning to pour back into the youth from their own villages. It’s an amazing thing to see this happening and see them realize they can have an impact on their peers. Please pray with us for these young leaders as they serve this year.

Tanalian Bible Campers

June 3rd starts the first week of summer camp, Teen Pursuit for youth 17-19 and I get to be a counselor that week to 5-6 young ladies. I get excited thinking about it as I love camp and a chance to get to be a part of these ladies’ lives. Please pray in advance for myself as a counselor and all of the campers who will be attending. I will be involved camp this summer “part-time,” connecting with campers and counselors to build relationships with them and gain a deeper understanding our camping program.

Please pray the Lord brings the campers he wants at camp this year! We are hoping for 350 youth throughout the 7 weeks of camp. Pray for them to be impacted by the truth and hope found in the Word of God. We ask you pray for our staff and counselors each week who will be serving campers and showing them Christ’s love.

Campers in Paddle Boat

Development Update

The bulk of my job is spent on Tanalian’s internal structure and laying a foundation for development. This encompasses a lot of detailed planning, implementing internal processes and helping us focus on mission delivery. It’s a mountain of tedious work, yet I love this part of my job and feel the Lord has brought me here at a time where Tanalian is growing and the work to be done will enhance the organization in many ways. Pray for our team as we communicate through changes and that we would be unified and leaning on God for wisdom and direction.

I am continually grateful for those who have prayed for me, our staff and TLC students. You have been used in an incredibly important way! Pie Making with Victor

April Missions Update

There’s a lot of things I want to say. I wish I could have a face to face visit with all of those who truly want to know how life is going this spring. For each it would last about 3.7 hours there’s just so much to say. Here’s my best attempt to sum it up…

The Tanalian Leadership Center students are graduating on May 10th! It seems like tomorrow, yet there’s so much still to be said and done. Chelsey recently shared “If you want change, change will happen here.” It could be the motto for the year. CHANGE. In every single one of us. For the students, change has been happening due to the coming of the end of this wonderful wild ride we call TLC. When you take 7 months to be intentionally in the lives of others and be in the Living and Active Word of God every day…CHANGE will blow you away. I have seen the mighty, transforming power of the awesome God I serve.

Girla & Chelsey Speaking

Chelsey and Girla shared recently at the 50 Year Celebration Fundraiser for Tanalian Bible Camp. Here is an excerpt from Girla’s speech of how that change is happening:

“Lately I have been learning a lot about faith and trusting the LORD. God has shown me the power of forgiveness and how freedom will come when I forgive people who have hurt me in the past. Going through this process has given me peace. God has used people in my life who challenge me to trust Him with this area of my life. I have been learning that my testimony can be valuable. God has given me a unique life that he has redeemed and can help my native people learn that truth and freedom can only come from the LORD.

I thank God for the role TBC/TLC has played in my life. I believe this ministry should continue because God will use it to radically change hearts and shape the future of Alaska.”

The change God is doing in her life was a powerful visual of what the Lord is doing through the Tanalian Leadership Center. Please pray that as this time draws to a close, that the students and staff would stay engaged and challenge each other through the last days. To finish strong.

Tanalian Staff and StudentsOh yeah… the 50 Year Anniversary Fundraiser! That big event I was planning… it happened and it was incredible beyond my imagination. Despite a freak winter snow storm, 200 people over flowed the space and we gave God the glory for 50 years of working in Southwest Alaska. History was shared, testimonies given and people  reconnected. Financially, we were blessed beyond expectation and it was a highlight to see the depth of love and commitment for this ministry.

The next two days, I was able to be a part of a development strategy meeting with a long-time camp supporter who is a professional development consultant. It’s like I was given 1 million dollars. She spoke my language, affirmed me, she gave me my next steps, she inspired me and I left with confidence to “build the airplane” as we fly it. I have my work cut out for me, but left even more sure that the Lord has me right where I’m supposed to be, right for this time. It’s incredible to see how he truly put together that event and continues to do the work for me. My prayers are for patience and wisdom as I continue to push into the unknown and build the structure for development at Tanalian.

TLC Ladies on EasterPort Alsworth is out of hibernation. We are buzzing with energy from the sun. It’s glorious. The ground is thawing and planes are roaring more and more frequently telling us the pace of life is picking up. This weekend is Tanalian’s Spring Conference where families from around Bristol Bay fly to Port Alsworth for a weekend of reconnecting and encouragement. Shortly after that, work crews come to help spruce up the grounds and buildings, preparing for summer camp… Oh yea! Camp starts in 7 weeks! Woohoo!

Thanks for those who have spent hours praying for me and the students at Tanalian. Your faithfulness is what sustains me (us) and please help us finish strong! “He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.” 2 Thessalonians 5:24.

January Missions Update

The biggest event that took place in January was the Hearts Going Toward Wellness conference. Below you can see how excited we are it’s celebration day!

HGTW Conference

HGTW Small Group

All of our staff, students, and a few community members were participants. I was in a small group with three of the students (pictured above where I look like a giant) and got to see the Lord work in each of us as we went through the process of applying truth to the pain in our life. I look forward to continuing to mentor these ladies in the areas where they were challenged. All the TLC ladies will begin meeting weekly to continue the small group format where we can intentionally share, challenge each other, speak truth, and grow in our relationships with the Lord. We also came away with a greater understanding of the amount of spiritual warfare that surrounds our ministry, yet amazed at the power and freedom found in Jesus Christ! I left praising the Lord for his mighty power and the hope found living in His freedom!

View of Hardenberg Bay

Please pray for each student after this conference as the spiritual warfare continues. Pray for our staff as we dig deeper in discipleship with them on areas that need continued healing, and for me to personally process the impact and areas in my own life I was challenged.

I got a chance to teach a several Psalms after the conference and team-teach about being equipped for spiritual warfare. I’ve enjoyed a chance to be able to share what the Lord has taught me. I am continually in awe that the Lord would use me to have an impact in these students’ lives! It’s crazy to see how the Lord can use the pain in my past to help others find healing. In Bible this week, the students are excited to begin the New Testament, starting with Luke. Please pray the New Testament would come alive for them as they see it in light of the whole “Story of God.”

TLC Dress Up Day

I have been working on the TBC 50 Year Anniversary Fundraiser, which will be held on April 6th in Anchorage. This will include upcoming trips to multiple villages to conduct interviews for a promo video, which I’m looking forward to! Please pray for the many details of gathering event attendees, speakers, and the video compilation.

Sophia and Anna

After this month, I am more grateful for your prayers than you can imagine! My support team is incredible, and I am blessed to have each of you as part of this ministry! I praise the Lord for each of you weekly!

December Missions Update

I recently returned from a rejuvenating trip to Idaho. I enjoyed a relaxing time with family and a chance to reconnect with friends. I returned feeling very encouraged by my home church and having a strong body of believers behind the TLC program and me. Thank you!

Burrows Family

Praises
• Completion of studying 17 books of the Bible in the Old Testament. Lives are being changed through the study God’s living Word!

• Don & Edna, were guest teachers and had a powerful, positive impact. They shared great wisdom with students and staff. We are looking forward to them returning in January for the Heart’s Going Toward Wellness retreat.

TLC Students &  Shugaks

• Students are being challenged to trust the Lord with finances, current jobs, family relationships, and their future. It’s exciting to see them growing in this trust.

• Students are trusting us with personal hurts and deeper struggles and beginning to accept God’s forgiveness in their lives.

• Completion of the annual TBC newsletter!

TLC Ladies at Tanalian Falls

Please Pray
• December 15 – January 15 the students will return to their homes. Please pray for their time back at home with family and friends and that they would stand strong in their faith.

• During this break our staff will undergo some additional training and planning for the spring semester. Please pray for wisdom for us as we prepare.

• Robert, who attended TLC spring ’12), is returning for the spring ‘13 semester. Pray for his transition into our group and that he would continue to grow in the Lord.

• Pray for planning and preparation for the January Heart’s Going Toward Wellness retreat. Pray for financial provision and for the details to come together.

• Pray for the direction of our organization as we plan for the future.

• Pray for the TBC board and myself as we decide the direction of communication and financial development.

I am $100 a month away from full support. If you’d like to become a ministry partner sign up hereThank you for your prayers and support!

November Missions Update

Thank you to those who are on this journey with me…physically in Port Alsworth, through prayers and as financial partners. You all have a valuable role and I have especially needed the prayers this month!

The end of October brought temps in the single digits at night sealing the bay over with ice. We’ve enjoyed ice-skating and watching a few meager salmon slowly swim below the clear ice. Our moonlight game of human curling was especially memorable! Shooting at the range, bonfires, movie nights, and teaching the boys to cook are some typical weekly activities. Life is falling into more of a routine with the students and we are enjoying seeing them open up more and more. We are encouraged by the questions asked and can tell that their worldview is changing.

Life on life discipleship comes with great challenges and great blessings, so please be prayer warriors for students and staff. We trust in His strength and rely on His power to change lives! He is worth of praise for the great things He is accomplishing through TLC. 

Personal Update
It was a tough month for me adjusting to an ever-changing schedule and not feeling “accomplished” with my projects. I often feel torn between spending time with the students, working on my other job duties and keeping up on everyday life. However, I have seen the fruit of sitting in front of my computer pouring into designing a logo and writing an annual newsletter for the organization. I’ve been learning how to use the Adobe Master Collection and have enjoyed challenge of learning something new. I balance that with Bible class and time with the students.

I recently got to spend a weekend in Anchorage at a women’s retreat with three other close friends from Port Alsworth. It was a much-needed time of refreshment and fellowship. I’ll be spending two weeks in Idaho around Thanksgiving and am looking forward to restful time with friends and family. Hope to see some of you then!

Prayer Requests

  • Please pray for Megan and Andrew, the student mentors, who are with the students day in and out! Pray for wisdom and discernment in conversations, patience and personal time where they can be refreshed.
  • Our students: Victor, Robert, Chelsea, Girla, Brittany, Sophia and Lorrene.
  • Next week we have visiting guest mentors, Don & Edna, who are friends and leaders in the Native community. We look forward to having them interact with the students, teach Bible, share their stories and giving the staff on how we can be more effective in this ministry. Pray the Lord will use them to impact the students and encourage them.
  • We have begun sharing stories as staff and students to share the impact how the Lord has worked in our lives. Pray as the students reflect on their past and see how the Lord is working in their life.

If you are interested in joining my support team, please sign up here! My supporters are as much a part of this ministry as I am and I couldn’t do it without your prayers!