Dear Friends,There is much to bring you up to speed with! Truly God is alive and moving in our midst and we are in awe of Him.
First, an update on the family.
Gary is a beloved Sunday School teacher of one of the adult classes at church. This class appreciates so much his ability to teach and facilitate a most interesting and stimulating class. We are currently studying Hebrews-Gary’s favorite book of the Bible. His computer business is picking up and keeping him rather busy. I’m so proud of him! He is constantly learning new information to compliment his already vast knowledge of computer “stuff”! Since I am working full-time here on campus much of the running around for the family, handling the day to day tasks of our home and just being an all around wonderful Guy has filled his daily schedule since August. He truly makes it possible and even enjoyable for me to focus so much of my time and energy on the ministry here at ACC. (Note From Gary: I am so excited to see Kris and the impact she is having on all ACC students. I count it a real joy to see her ministry flourish, while I focus on supplementing our support and "mixing" with the world!)
Tyler is still working for ASRC and living in a house here in Kenai. We usually see him about once a week for dinner. The things we see that give us hope are small but we praise God for what He is doing in Ty’s life. Please continue to pray for him. He will be turning 21 in December.
Chelsie is living in Indiana until May 2006. She has her own place, a car and a job-all accomplished within just a few weeks of landing in Indiana. She loves the closeness to family, and friends from our many years in Indiana. It is always a blast to hear from her and get caught up on all the things she is doing. Please keep her in your prayers as she looks ahead. Right now her plan is to return to AK in May and attend the University of Fairbanks in the Fall of 2006.
Cassie is now attending half a school day. She has gained weight, her hair is growing in nicely and she looks wonderful. We can’t praise God enough for the gift of her health and no more seizures!! Please continue to pray for her struggle with anxiety, especially as we approach the 6 month mark from her surgery and the Dr’s begin weaning her off her seizure meds. It has been a major adjustment not dealing with seizures anymore.
Finally, an update on the ministry here at ACC. Just a few short weeks and our students will be taking a much needed and longed for break for Thanksgiving weekend. As I spend time with the students I’m hearing over and over again that they are tired and discouraged and several are planning to not return after Thanksgiving or Christmas. This is something we deal with here at ACC every year. Please join me in praying that our students this year will not quit before the end of the school year. ACC offers so much to these students that will benefit them the rest of their lives. Perhaps if we cover them in prayer they will all feel the need to return and will be rejuvenated from a long weekend away.
Last week we started a Celebrate Life group here on campus. The Campus Pastor, Curtis Ivanoff, and I facilitate this group time. Our first meeting only two students showed up but WOW!!, we had an incredible hour and a half of deep conversation about worth and finding God’s direction in our lives. The presence of the Lord in our midst was powerful. Curtis and I are looking forward to this week’s CL group. We are praying that more students will join us. Our goal for CL is that God’s presence will be evident and the conversation will be encouraging and stimulating as we all strive to live lives that Celebrate the hope God gives in the midst of our struggles here on earth.
My Wednesday night ladies bible study has been well attended and very exciting. The young ladies attending are learning about the role of Women. The high and honorable role we as women have in God’s plan for mankind. Words like “submitting” and “being a help-meet” no longer carry that negative connotation the world would like for us to feel. We have learned that God’s plan and desire for us is honorable and very important, especially in our homes. We’ve also been talking about dating relationships. I LOVED the few moments I got to share my heart with them as a Mom and encourage them to wait on God’s timing and choice for their life-long mate. I challenged them to not even give a guy who doesn’t love Jesus with all his heart, a second glance and filled their minds with the blessing of falling in love with someone who does love Jesus. This week we are starting Elizabeth George’s book “Extraordinary Women of the Bible.” Thank you for your prayers for this special time every week!
Many of you are aware that ACC was named in a lawsuit that involved the suing of the Department of Education. As a result the Federal funding that ACC had been given to help with providing the program we offer here at ACC to native students, has been frozen and made inaccessible until the suit is completely settled. We have been cleared of any wrongdoing but because the choice to give funds to ACC is in question we have chosen to not count on the Federal funding and to appeal to those who love and know the ministry of ACC. I’m so thrilled to tell you that God has been really blessing. One of my tasks here on campus is receipting the money that comes in from donors all over the world. MANY very generous gifts have been given to help with the completion of the new dining room (a much needed addition to our growing campus), to help with the day to day expenses of running this campus and for scholarships to help students who have no resources to draw on to cover their tuition, room and board. These needs are ongoing though so please continue to pray for God’s provision and our faithfulness to wait on Him and trust HIM.
As OUR loved ones we want you to be aware of the need ACC has. You are so precious to us and have partnered with us through your faithful prayers and many of you with financial gifts towards our support. My salary is paid primarily from the gifts given towards “Harris support”. That means my “job” here on campus doesn’t cost ACC much at all. I’m so grateful for that. I trust that you are blest by the updates about the ministry here on campus and praise God for the opportunity to be a part of a ministry that is truly changing lives of Native young people for eternity! June 2006 my position here at ACC/NHCC will be evaluated again. The biggest hurdle at my evaluation is our support level. We took a $4,000 pay cut from 2005 to 2006 because our support level had dropped significantly. That was a bit of an adjustment, but God has provided graciously. >From my heart, I wish to ask you to pray about your partnership with Gary and me and the ministry here at ACC. For the first time in my life, I know I’m working a job that God has equipped me to do-and I LOVE it! I pray that I will be a part of the ministry here at ACC/NHCC for many years to come. Thank you! (Note from Gary: One supporter told me after our "lateral transfer" from ABM to ACC that they were under the impression that Kris was paid staff at ACC. Well, she receives a paycheck, yes. But the staffing position she fills is a Missionary Staff position. That's a nice way of saying we need to raise our own salary! )
One last story to pass on to you. There is a young lady on campus this year who has come to us with very deep emotional pain. Her first months here on campus we would hear her crying uncontrollably but no one could console her. I was just marveling today that I haven’t heard her sorrowful cries for a little over a week. When I passed her in the hallway this morning she had a beautiful smile on her face and a quick response to my “How are you doing?”-She is fine. God has begun a healing work in her life through the Bible teaching, counseling sessions, mentoring group, safe and loving environment and fellowship she receives on a daily basis here on the campus of ACC. YOU are a part of that great work. Take delight in it, praise God for that privilege and keep on being faithful.
Loving Jesus with ALL my heart!
Kris.
(Final note from Gary: We need to remind you that any special year end gifts sent to ACC on our behalf with the intent of being a Christmas or Year end Love Offering cannot be considered tax deductible. If you would like to do this, go ahead and send it to ACC, but wite it out directly to us and designate it as such. Thanks for your partnership!)
