Fall 2022 A Newsletter to all friends of the BC Mission Boat Society est. 1999 The Compass THE ENCOURAGEMENT EDITION
This fall we will be reconnecting with our teams to see what their plans are for 2023, and we will reach out to churches who were interested in a mission trip prior to the pandemic. Throughout September and October, I will be travelling to Northern BC, Manitoba, and Ontario to do some presentations. I will be sharing about what God is doing through our ministry to increase our supporters and to increase our teams and volunteers so that we can be able to go to each community three times a year. This summer I was able to speak to some Elders who thanked us for coming back and shared how thankful they were that we are willing to start coming to their communities again. When we got to the Northern Region Games, some of the ladies asked if we would have a Bible study. A mom asked about Bibles for her children. It is encouraging to be a part of God’s plan for these communities along the coast! The Compass– Fall 2022
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S CORNER
Rhonda Kelman
The four communities are excited to have us come back and the communities of Ahousat, Bella Bella, and MMFN (near Gold River) are hopeful that we can travel there next year.
This summer we managed to visit Kyuquot, Klemtu, Ehattesaht, and Kingcome. This was the second visit for the first three communities this year, and this was the first time we have been able to go back to Kingcome since 2019. It has been encouraging to be welcomed and invited back to the communities we serve. We are thankful for all the volunteers who were able to come and serve this summer. Most of our teams were not able to fundraise and plan a mission trip with such short notice, so we asked for volunteers to come out and help us serve.
We
“ Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16 18
Praise God for the warm welcome BCMBS received on each of our mission trips.
Please contact us to start planning, fundraising, and to receive support as you create a team to come. have how-to plan, a mission trip brochure to help you along the way, and some training guides for you and your team. are starting to book mission teams starting in the spring of 2023 and we would love to book your team!
Pray for God’s provision through our Moving For Mission fundraiser.
PRAYER WINDOW
Pray for guidance on reconnecting with teams this fall.
We
Praise God for all the volunteers who joined us this summer to bring Kid’s Club and other activities to Kyuquot, Klemtu, Ehattesaht, Kingcome, and Yuquot.
Pray for wisdom and guidance for each community as they seek to support their children and youth.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to water and grow the seeds that were planted in the hearts of all the children who participated in the Kid’s Club and in the communities at large.
The Encouragement Edition Seeking Mission Teams for 2023!! Interested in joining us to share God’s love with one of the communities we serve?
Our summer started with a beautiful time in the community of Kyuquot. We had a family of four join Rhonda, Braeden, and I for a week of Kid’s Club. We had the opportunity to bless and be blessed by one of the Elders, Chris. She had broken her hip a month prior and was eager to go back home, but needed much assistance with returning home. Our team was in need of a place to stay. Rhonda contacted one of Chris’ daughters and we ended up going to visit Chris in Campbell River. After finding out that Sylvia, the mother of the family that joined us, was a nurse, we arranged with her for Chris to be able to stay in her home while we were in Kyuquot. As we were coming off the dock with our bins, the image of Chris smiling while surrounded by many of her children and grandchildren walking her home, will be forever imprinted in my mind. Her journey of recovery is difficult but she made much improvement in the time we were there.
The children who came to Kid’s Club were a joy and the Lord provided us with many opportunities to serve outside of Kid’s Club. We had a family fun night and women’s craft night, we served a community taco supper followed by a board games evening. Some of us got to vacuum-seal fish for an evening, the guys got to go fishing with one of the men of the community, and we also helped a family that was moving away. We had many opportunities to pray with many of the adults who came to the evening events. Our time was full and fulfilling as we relied on God’s strength and energy. I felt privileged to hear some of the difficult stories of some of the women I connected with. Their vulnerability and openness to prayers reminded me of how, as believers, we are called to bear each other’s burden and in this way we will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 The Compass Fall 2022 Ehattesaht
Braeden Anderson
REFLECTION ON SUMMER 2022 Kyuquot Julie Bellrose
This summer I got the wonderful opportunity to serve with the BC Mission Boat Society in the community of Ehattesaht. The community was holding a homecoming celebration during our stay there. The celebration was for many children who had returned to the community after spending time within the foster care system. We were able to be of service through assisting with meal preparation for the community, as well as acting as leaders, helping to run some of the fun activities for the children. Throughout our stay we also hosted a daily Kid’s Club for the children. It was fulfilling to see the children having fun and learning about the Bible. The children showed great comprehension and enjoyed the stories, activities, and games that we ran. Seeing the bonds between the mission team and the children was great to see. I hope that in the future the BC Mission Boat Society will continue to return and serve the people of Ehattesaht.
The Encouragement Edition
REFLECTION ON SUMMER 2022 Klemtu Darlene Deheer
Kingcome Clara Fenske
Each day held new experiences for me. Listening to different women share their stories during Kid's Club and later at the Ladies' Craft Night left quite an impression on me. George showing up at our door, and sharing in good conversations and later on welcoming us at the Big House was impactful. (Front Picture) Many of these people have been through such difficult situations, but still hold onto their faith in God. I found most of the children to be so caring for one another. They are eager to be involved. Although the children were sometimes over energetic and loud, they were still aware of the stories being shared through word, puppet shows and crafts. There were often youth standing at the gym doors, watching and curious; for these we continue to pray. Doing crafts with the children was interesting seeing how important it was for them to have the right colour of pencil crayon or the particular bead sequence. It was important for the children to be listened to, and to have their share of input in games and table activities. The table games night brought out more children and parents. One of the girls shared her father’s iPad pictures with me, introducing me to her lifestyle; Potlatch activities (her shawl and hat), family gatherings, birthday events and so on.
Closing off this summer in Kingcome, I got the privilege to be one of the four in our small group. This is the first time BCMB has been back to Kingcome since 2019, and my first time being here. Over the past six days, we’ve played numerous games of tag, parachute, and Happy Salmon. The kids are so full of energy which is hard to keep up with at times but a blessing none the less. With Kingcome being a small community, we’ve walked it several times. We’ve been able to help others with different tasks along the way. We’ve had the opportunity to help a family move back into their home after renovations, an Elder weed her garden, and much more. One of the kids was talking to me and said, “when it comes time for you guys to leave, I’ll say I don’t want you to go.” That was only on Wednesday, and we were supposed to leave on Friday. The little girl got her wish as we found out on Thursday night, that we had to stay an extra day due to weather. Before we even found out about our delay, I was thinking about how sad I would be to leave this beautiful place. I hope to be one of our group returning to Kingcome next year.
Yuquot—Northern Region Games
Rhonda Kelman
The Compass Fall 2022
It was at the beginning of summer when MMFN announced that they would be running the Northern Region Games (NRG) this summer. The week they were having the NRG was the week that we were going to be in Ehattesaht, so we switched plans. One of the coordinators was Jon Amos and I had met him back in 2006, and the last time I remember connecting with Jon was in 2008. I messaged him through Facebook and he was excited to have a team from the BC Mission Boat to come and help with the NRG like we had always done in the past. This time it was a little trickier since they decided to have the NRG in Friendly Cove (Yuquot) instead of their reserve. This place is only accessible by boat and so we had to make arrangements for transportation. MMFN chartered the Uchuck, which is a working ship along the West Coast. We were able to get to Friendly Cove that way and then we took a water taxi back to Gold River after the NRG. There were ten of us who went and camped in tents with no electricity, running water, wifi, or cell service, along with just over 300 other people for the week. It was amazing to see over 100 tents set up around both fields and to be able to visit with various people throughout the week. We were able to help cook and serve meals, help with the games and activities, and have a craft afternoon with the younger kids when they needed a break from the sun and the heat. One of the mornings there was a thunderstorm, so we spent the morning inside the church doing crafts and games while we waited for the storm to pass. Some of our team was in Ehattesaht for a few days before the NRG, so they were able to reconnect with some adults and kids while we were in Friendly Cove. There were some families there from Ahousaht as well. I was excited to see a woman from Ahousat who I hadn’t seen since 2010, and I was able to visit with her and pray with her, as this was her first time back to Friendly Cove since her husband passed away from COVID 19. Some ladies asked to do a Bible Study one evening and we started to do one until a meeting was called about the NRG. During the last day there, a couple people from Kyuquot and Ehattesaht shared with me how important they thought it was that we come to their communities as much as we can to encourage them and to be there for their children and youth. They love all of the activities that we do and they also asked if we can do a Bible study as well when we go. It was very encouraging to hear and to see how God has been working throughout these communities that we serve.
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We are have been able to fill in over 20% of our 500 piece puzzle so far! Each puzzle piece represents someone supporting us for $25 each month. This consistent funding has been a huge blessing for our future planning. Please prayerfully consider if you can partner with us in this way. If you can support us by $50 a month, that will fill in two more puzzle pieces, or $100 a month would fill in four puzzle pieces. This ministry would not be possible without our faithful donors who continue to support us. to with BC Mission Boat Society to God s love to remote BC coastal communities.
Rhonda is starting to do presentations at churches to share about what God has been doing through the BC Mission Boat Society, and to raise more financial support and more teams. The plan is to travel through Northern BC between September 6 13, from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay September 19 26, and then through Ontario after that. If you are interested in connecting with Rhonda or having her come to speak, please contact her as soon as possible. Rhonda is planning to travel through Southern BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan in the Spring of 2023.
The Encouragement Edition Yes! I want
Box 3237 STN MAIN Courtenay, BC V9N 5N4 250-871info@bcmissionboat.org8311 www.bcmissionboat.org Encouraged! SUMMER2022
