Cassie in Mountain Village 1/30/04

A conversation with my mother this morning on the phone made me realize that I should have sent this e-mail out two days ago. It just came together a few days ago.

Cassie had gone with Kris on her last trip two weeks ago. But she's turning around today and traveling out to Mountain Village with a Child Evangelism Fellowship team doing Back Yard Bible Clubs.

Pray for the flight and safety. Pray also that the Lord will use the ministry of CEF helping the Evan Cov. Church pastor who serves in Mt Village.

And pray for Mom and Dad!

THERE or in the air

Gary Harris

Ladies Trip 1/20/04

Kris and Cassie will be flying out on a Ladies trip to three villages this Thursday. Actually, they are spending most of their time in Pedro Bay and Iliamna, but taking a dear friend from Port Alsworth with them to assist. This is a neat way to do this because it gives one lady from the bush an opportunity to assist in ministry to two other ladies.

I struggle at times about going into detail about the situation in some of the villages we visit. But please pray for safety as they travel and a clear path to ministry.

I am also working on final plans to be visiting two pastors in the Norton Sound Area next month. Also, Joel and I will be attending a strategy summit led by a partner church in Anchorage as we consider "community" across the vast expanses where we serve. More and more, my tech background is coming into play in real ways.

There's one native gal from the village of Golovin who, along with her husband, serve in a village of a hundred or so people. She calls me "dot.com" I will finish a conversation with her husband on the phone, or she will be talking to Kris and say "How's that dot.com doing?" Needless to say, I think only of them now whenever I hear that phrase in any other context.

I just got of the phone with a friend who lives here locally, but traveled back to the village he is from to bury his grandfather, who recently died. As it turns out, he also has had an uncle die, and just tonight told me of a cousin also died this week. I don't know any of the details, or even too much of his family background. But please say a prayer for this young man and his family, won't you?

Finally, Kris and I are working on some itinerary items for some deputation trips to the west coast, Michigan and Texas. If you are interested in having us come and share in your church at some time in 2004, please let me know so we can at least consider all things when we make plans. Some of you support us financially, and we are thankful for that partnership. But we also covet your prayers as we are involved in dispensing God's blessings from vessels that are patched up at best! <grin>

There or in the air!

Gary Harris

New Year! 1/13/04

It's been a while, hasn't it?

First, let me tell you that our time over Christmas couldn't have gone any better, given the circumstances. Tyler came down from Anchorage for a few days and went with us to both Christmas eve services at our church. He is still doing his own thing, but we love him and pray for him all the time. God will bring him back.

Chelsie and Cassie are both doing well. Chelsie is struggling with some heavy academic loads right now. But from my perspective, she always stays on task and gets it done. She's a junior in high school. Cassie will be finishing up 8th grade this year. She has a real heart for ministry. We are so blessed!

ABM has been going through some growing pains in the past few months. We currently have three other families in the process of raising support to come and join us full time in the ministry. The Caldwell's started ABM in the year 2000, and we were the first family to join them full time in ministry in February of 2001. There are other folks who help us out on a volunteer basis, and their contribution is very valuable. But the bulk of responsibilities have been ours and the Caldwell's. It's exciting to think of other families joining us. Pray for ABM.

Part of the change involves the way salary is paid out to missionary families. It looks real good for those raising their support and not on the field yet. But modifications are being made for both our family and the Caldwell's, since we are already on the field serving. Currently, we are at 44% of the $6400 a month that we need to raise. Base salary is 40,000. The $6400 includes benefits, insurance, pension and ministry expenses. I ask that you pray for us, as we consider our future, and the need we have to bring our support level up. I know we have been at it for three years now, but we have not followed the traditional path of raise support and then go. We have essentially gone and then we raise support. Pray also for ABM's board of directors as they tackle these issues.

How often do I actually mention money in these updates. Sometimes I wonder if it is right to leave these sort of things out. In sort of the same way I struggle with how much of my day is simply spent in the responsibilities of day to day and how little, overall, we are active in "ministry". But it's the same for all missionaries. That's why it's important to make life itself count.

I was talking to a pastor's wife on the phone yesterday. This couple serve in a small native village up in the Norton Sound area of the state. She was explaining to me how the family snowmachine was down and it was a bad time because moose season is open (in the area of this village and the surrounding vicinity, the limit on moose is ten for the season. Not ten a piece, but ten collectively). Her husband had spent alot of time in the town garage, working on his snowmachine.

Here's where the LIFE ITSELF part of it comes in. We both remarked together that he probably spends more time around people and sharing the Lord with them in that garage then since he get's to from behind the pulpit, because not too many men from the village attend church. Isn't that a great lesson for all of us?

Kris is doing an incredible job with the Ladies ministry. In many ways, this aspect of ministry has become a major focus of what ABM does. Kris is up to the task at hand, I know, But it's a challenge. It sort of involved needing to jump back and forth between DOING it and SEEING IT GETS DONE. Kris would naturally like to DO IT all the time. But she is preparing for her role as a mentor to younger ladies that are coming on staff as well.

Plus, (and this goes for all aspects of our ministry, not just the Ladies ministry) it's such a challenge to do what we do, building relationships with those who serve in remote areas. Without thinking of all the other ramifications of such travel, it would sure be nice to be able to "beam over" to a village and help. But just about the time I start thinking, "are we really making a difference?" God brings confirmation over and over again.

Just ask the folks out in Hooper Bay, who benefited from a work team that came out and built a small hanger to house the plane that is used in ministry. Or the church at Mekoryuk, on Nunivak Island, where ABM sent a team to re-roof the main church building. Or all the families we visit. Or the pastor I cried with over a prodigal son. Or the missionary wife Kris talked to for nearly 2 hours on the phone. By God's grace, we are making a difference.

Your partnership with us, and that of the churches who send us out, is the key to everything we do. As we start into a new year, it is our prayer that God will allow you to be that light on a hill, the salt that gives flavor, the shoulder to cry on, and, above all else, I hope you are Always ready to give an account of the hope that is in you.

Scoopin' Up the Manna - - - -

Gary Harris