We were both born and raised in Missouri, never even been to Alaska. Some might say, why Kiana? As we look back over the past years since we both have been saved, we can see how God brought us to where we are today. We have had the desire to serve in missions, but believed we couldn't because we didn't have enough education. When missionaries came to our church we would house and feed them and we loved doing it. It was so exciting to be a part of missions in that way. In 1997 we had a World Mission Conference in which a Pastor came to our church from Jackson, Wyoming. We were both volunteering in a mission in Montrose. He came to our house to eat, visit, and also came to the mission to see what was going on there. He invited us to spend the whole summer with him the following year doing Back yard Bible club. Many obstacles came up and we couldn't stay the whole summer, but we did go and stay 3 weeks. During our time there, we used some puppets and saw how people responded, no matter what the age. After we got home, I contacted a seamstress to see if she would make us some puppets, but she was too busy. I had a sewing machine, but am not much on sewing. God really impressed upon me to try it, so I did, and now we have a quite a puppet family. We enjoy camping and we found out that it wasn't easy finding a church to go to and then having to bring church clothes, ect. So, we decided to start having a service on Sunday mornings in the campground at the amphitheater. It went over great, so we started going camping every weekend, weather permitting, and doing puppet shows, and John preached. The next Spring, we read in the Word and Way, (Missouri Baptist Paper) that there was a need for people to help in resort ministry at Lake of the Ozarks. We ended up going for 4 weeks, tent camping, and took our puppets. We performed at several campgrounds, nursing homes, & day cares. Our supervisor told us about Mission Service Corps Missionaries. We sent in our applications and went to our orientation the following Fall in Topeka. We didn't know how we were going to pay for that, but God took care of everything. Also, that same summer we again heard from our friend in Wyoming. He had moved to Louisville, Kentucky and asked if we could come to Onieda, Kentucky that summer for a week and work with kids during a Mountain Missions Conference. We accepted and it was great! We taught the kids how to use puppets and they performed for the adults on the last day of the conference. After we finished our orientation in Topeka, we were assigned the following summer to Lake of the Ozarks resort ministry for 4 months and were told we would be working with our supervisor and his wife. For years we both sensed that God was going to call us into full time ministry. One Sunday, we went forward and told our pastor that we were surrendering to Gods call on us for full-time ministry. We didn't know when or where, we just knew God said to us, "Follow Me."
As time grew near for us the next summer, Satan really attacked in many ways. Our supervisors wife had a health problem and they couldn't come and be involved in the resort ministry that summer. She had to have both of her legs amputated. We thought how are we going to do it without them. John said he couldn't preach 2 sermons every Sunday. ( We know we can do nothing, it is only God that can.) God kept saying, " Follow Me." We were on assignment in Lake Of The Ozarks for four months in the summer of 1999 as Mission Service Corps Missionaries in Resort Ministry. We did puppet shows, in which we shared the gospel, 3 nights a week at 3 different campgrounds, and conducted 2, sometimes 3, services on Sunday. Parker, our dog, also performed at the campgrounds, with his various tricks, at nursing homes, and at the school. We also volunteered in the Doves Nest, which is a store front on the Bagnall Dam Strip where there is cold water, clean rest rooms and an air-conditioned place where tourists can rest. We had the opportunity to give them tracks and talk to them about the Lord. While we were at the Lake, we still sensed God calling us into full-time ministry. We prayed about it, surrendered to Gods leading, and He began making it known of the opportunity for us to serve in Alaska! Every were we went we ran into someone, who would talk to us about Alaska. So we went to look at the Internet site for NAMB, which lists all the Mission Service Corps needs. The first state we looked at was Alaska, and the first place we saw was Kiana. We called NAMB and asked, "If we thought God was leading us to Alaska" what would be our next step? They said no problem They would have the Director of Missions from Anchorage call us. He did and said he had several openings in Alaska and would send our resumes around. We got several calls and narrowed it down to two. We still were having reservations about this big move. John had made a close relationship with the D.O.M. in Eldon, MO. He is an elderly man with great wisdom from the Lord. He prayed with us several times and we all became very close. One day he drove over to the church, where we were living for the summer, and came in and told us he had talked to the D.O.M in Anchorage and during his prayer time the Lord had impressed upon him that we would be going to Alaska and we would know when and where before we left for the summer. Well, that was only 3 weeks off, so we said something better happen soon. It came down to the night before we had to make a decision between the two places that were prospects. We had been in much prayer about it. We came to each other and we both said that God had placed Kiana in our hearts. So, when the call came, we said we would go to Kiana. Now, we only had 3 weeks from the time we got home to the time we were to be in Alaska, but God worked it all out. We sold our car, house, and most all of our possessions. Since we have been here, there have been many challenges, but we both know without at doubt this is exactly where God wants us to be. Before we left, our home church licensed John to preach the Gospel. John was ordained by First Baptist Church Kotzebue on August 27, 2001. We have been here in Kiana since October 11, 1999. John is the pastor of the mission church here. Our housing is provided by First Baptist Church Kotzebue, which has 5 missions along the Kobuk River. They are a very small church. Mission Service Corps are missionaries that volunteer. Things are a little on the high side here in the Arctic of Alaska, gas is 6 dollars a gallon and milk is 12 dollars a gallon. Everything here is 3 to 4 times the price as anywhere in the lower 48 states. John is permanently disabled from a Motorcycle accident in which he broke his neck. His right arm is paralyzed and his shoulder is fused. His right lung does not function and he has metal in his right leg from his hip to his knee with 8 screws. He has a lot of pain at times. As long as either of us has a breath in us, we will serve the Lord. Since we have been here there have been a total of 116 professions of faith since we have been here. God has blessed us so much by being obedient and following Him, though we could not see what was ahead. Please pray for us to have wisdom, strength, and health as we serve in Kiana, Alaska. We will be here as long as God leaves us here.
Love In Christ,
Pastor John and Kim Piepmeier
"Mission Service Corps Missionaries"
On Top Of The World In Kiana Alaska
Our Eskimo names: "Qayaaqpaq and Ayagiaq"
P.O. Box 145 Kiana, Alaska 99749 (907)475-2126
kjpie@inutek.net
