Ways You Can Help (Needs) - :
Wal-Mart Gift Cards
Some have asked about sending canned goods to us. Shipping from the lower 48 is very expensive. We have a Wal-Mart in Anchorage with a toll free number that we can call and order from. They will ship it to Kiana and only charge 10% of the order for S&H. So, the best way to help in this area is to send Wal-Mart gift cards. That way we can order anything from Wal-Mart we need and pay for it with a gift card.
Penny's gift cards would be great
When we are in Anchorage, we can use any food chain gift cards such as: McDonalds, Applebee's, Pizza Hut, TGIF, Golden Corral, we have about all the food chains in Anchorage as the lower 48.
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We need help! There is a big need here for help with utilities for the church and house property. The town is very limited on jobs and being able to support this church and the other church in town is very difficult. If the Southern Baptist are going to continue serving the Lord in Kiana, we must have outside financial help. Please make out checks to: Kiana Baptist Mission and designate for utilities. Then mail to: Kiana Baptist Mission P.O. Box 145 Kiana, Alaska 99749. We need a minimum of $1000 per month to meet monthly needs and that is without any incomefor the pastor.
The average monthly contributions that come in from Kiana are $250 $300.
The following is an excerpt taken from an email sent by our supervisor, John Forrester in Kotzebue, which is our mother church:
Another thing that all of us will have to do if we want to see the ministries survive up here is we have to all work hard on trying to build partners from outside Alaska to partner with us. The offerings from all of the churches/missions are not keeping up with the expenses of utilities and fuel oil. That means even the mother church is having problems as well. One of the mission churches is running almost a $1000 in the red as I paid bills today. You all get my newsletter and you know how I have been asking for partners from churches in the lower 48. We have gotten a little response but we still have a long ways to go. Do not be afraid to share with all of your contacts what your needs are.
First Baptist here is running over $2000 a month just on heating oil and electricity, and we have been doing everything we can to save on the use of both. We are looking into a new heating system for the church to see if that would help cut our cost. Of course, we will have to raise the money to pay for the system once we are told what will work.
Remember, all of the mission support from ABC is starting the phase down this month. That means, you will be getting a $100 less each month.
Ideas for your group is to provide snacks, Valentine party items, Easter party items, VBS snacks, Thanksgiving items, and Christmas party items. We have many needs throughout the year and wanted to mention now, so you could be praying what God might have you do to be involved in what He is doing here in Kiana.
The $100 a month phase down is for us personally for a stipend to live on. Jan. 1st, 2008 our stipend is now cut $300 a month.
Native Youth Camp 2007 update
Grace and peace to you all my brothers and sisters!
Praise the Lord and to God be the glory! The Alaska Native Youth Camp
was a success again this year, thanks to you obedient servants allowing God
to work in and through you to accomplish His purposes with these kids. By
praying, giving, or going, you all have helped Native kids from Kotzebue,
Kiana, Buckland, Togiak, Dillingham, Ekwok, and Anchorage either begin their
first steps with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, or helped them with their
next steps toward serving Him. Quyaanaqpak!
As most of you know, our theme this year was "Ready2Serve? Step Up!".
With the 56 students who came to camp, 18 prayed to receive Christ and are
now in the Lamb's Book of Life. Praise the Lord! 10 rededicated their life
to Jesus including one of our counselors! More than half of the students
who came to camp are veterans and stepped up tremendously.
We divided the kids into 3 groups this year:
1st Milers (30 of them): 1st year kids to ANYC. We had them go to the
"Knowing Christ" class throughout the week to get a biblical view of God,
man, our need for a Savior, who Jesus is, what He did for us and how we can
respond.
2nd Milers (20 of them): 2nd and 3rd year kids. These students learned how
to do their part in a Kid's Club whether it be Teckie work, Worship, Skits,
Bible Study, or Games.
3rd Milers (about 12 of them): some 3rd---5th year kids. These not only
learned their parts in the Kid's Club, but they also helped serve and clean
up in the cafeteria...showing the others what humble servants they are.
All students went through "Team Time" and practiced using their
Evangecubes. I received an email the other day from a student in Dillingham
who reported he already shared the Gospel with the Evangecube to 10 people
so far. Praise the Lord. It's a very helpful and useful tool, especially
since most Natives are right-brained and think in pictures.
About 15-20 of the students passed the Evangecube practicum and received
a very nice Christian CD/DVD combo pack. I encouraged the others to
continue practicing theirs at home and if they can pass the practicum with a
church leader I'll mail them the CD/DVD.
As you may know, we had the 2nd and 3rd milers practice twice a day for
putting on a Kid's Club (using Lifeway's G-Force curriculum). They
practiced a certain lesson entitled "Jesus Obeyed God" and Friday afternoon,
they all did their parts in front of 25 kids that we brought in from the
area. The Native kids did the entire Kid's Club themselves...and they
nailed it! It was so cool to see them practice all week, have the jitters
when the little ones walked in and then do their parts confidently. We had
a little testimony time after the little ones went back home and you can see
the joy and elation the Native students felt afterwards.
It's my hope and prayer that the local pastors/youth leaders in Kotz,
Kiana, Togiak, Dillingham, and Anchorage put these kids to work in their
local children's ministry ASAP. Call them, pick them up...whatever it takes
to get them there. Once they have a major part in your Kid's Club or SS.,
they will grow in their knowledge and faith in the Lord as well as their
commitment to Him and the church. I know it's going to be difficult at
times, but please be patient and encouraging and helpful to them...they'll
come around, I did. I pray I can show up to your churches this fall and
winter and witness your youth doing your entire Kid's Club or S.S. while you
sit back and support if necessary. Bringing up Indigenous leaders to reach
their own should be our top priority.
Apart from the ANYC students, I also heard testimonies from the staff
and counselors that the Lord worked in their hearts as well. I was drinking
coffee with one young, Native counselor and asked him what he thought of the
camp so far. He said he'd like to do this more often. I asked him, "What,
you want to help with a Regional Camp or two? Maybe a school assembly trip?
He said, "No, I want to make this my lifestyle."
I thank the Lord He gave me such an AWESOME group of brothers and
sisters to labor side-by-side with. I believe that the Lord may be giving
me the team that I could use for Alaska hub-city Freedom Camps in the
future. Spring Pungowiyi was my right-hand girl and did a great job as Camp
Director (her first time)!
The Kelly Austin Band was phenonmenal! They definately were in tune with
the Holy Spirit and led us in powerful worship services every night. Big
kudos to them. I'm still singing their songs in my head everyday.
Although this camp was very different from years prior and had its
challenges in schedule and timing, it will be tweaked and improved. I'd
like to use it as a template for future ANYCamps at Wasilla.
Regarding follow-up. I pray that the local pastors/youth leaders will
work with those students who prayed to receive Christ at this camp. I
handed out to each group leader (except for Buckland, Fred, let me know how
I can get this into your kid's hands), NAMB's "Beginning Steps for New
Believers". It's an 8 week Bible Study that you go through with them to
help them get started in their walk with Jesus. If you need more of this
resource, let me know.
I'll also be getting together with a friend to put up a Native
discipleship website where the students can worship, learn, chat, pray, and
minister to each other. Should be up by late September. If you guys have
any ideas or input on this, by all means, help me out.
I'll also be travelling to the villages to encourage and uplift these
kids this fall and winter.
Thanks again to all who have helped in one way or another. Hugh, if you
can forward this to those fine folks at Yellow Creek and Plant City, we'd
much appreciate it. Brenda could you forward this to Austin and the band
members? Fred, to Scott Warnberg? and Stephanie to Jon-O?
Keep these kids in your prayer throughout the year, please. They'll
need every single prayer.
"They (Paul and Barnabas) preached the good news in that city and won a
large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and
Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to
the faith (Acts 14:21,22)"
(14:27), "On arriving there, they gathered the church together and
reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door
of faith to the Gentiles."
Oh! Colin Singleton did a tremendous job in putting together the camp DVD.
We'll be sending a copy to all our staff, pastors, and sponsors really soon.
In His Hands,
Lance Kramer
ANYC Administrator
Airfare for one of our youth to go to camp this year was $537.
The planning for ANYC '08 begins right now. Please pray how God can use you.
