Meet Maak. This dear lady has been our most faithful church member in the six years we have been in this village. She loves being in God's house and is such a blessing to my family. We love listening to her tell stories from her childhood; I especially love the stories of her father. It sounds as though he was a very wise, Godly man. Maak's father was a tremendous help to the two previous missionaries, Bro. Nick Serino and Bro. Gary Carlson, who served in this village before my family took over the ministry. Bro. Serino pioneered the North Slope by planting the first Baptist church in this village over 25 years ago, and since then has planted three other Baptist churches on the North Slope. He and his family made many sacrifices and faced many difficulties to start this ministry. They flew into the village in a little bush plane during the middle of a blizzard. Only by God's grace did they survive the storm and land safely. The Serino family had no place to stay in the village so they set up tents on the shore of the frozen Arctic Ocean. Maak's father happened to see these tents and was concerned for the Serino family, so he found an abandoned Eskimo house for them to live in. I wish I had time to tell you the amazing stories Maak has told me about her father. Someone needs to write a book! =)
Thank the Lord for Maak! In a little church like ours, when having four visitors makes us feel like we have twenty, it is such a blessing to be able to depend on the faithful few to be in God's house every time the doors are open. There are many times when Maak is the only one who comes to church. We have proven Matthew 18:20 countless times, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." What a precious promise! It has encouraged me over and over.
The greatest outreach of our ministry is the children. If we can reach just a few, if they grow up to love and serve the Lord and build Godly homes... oh, there is no way to measure what God could do! Little is much when God is in it! In the children I see hope for this little church in the far reaches of Alaska. This is the burning desire of my heart for our ministry.
There are children all over this world that are going to live hopeless lives unless someone loves them enough to reach out. They only need someone to lead them by the hand and show them the way to Jesus. He can do so much in their lives if we will simply be willing to do our part.
There are so many villages all across Alaska that have no Gospel-preaching churches. There is such a need for missionaries in "The Last Frontier," and as great a need all over the world. Malawi. The Netherlands. Greenland. Mongolia. Papua New Guinea. Who will go? Who will tell them? Oh Lord, please keep on calling! Keep on sending forth! How we need another laborer...
"He hath set the world in their heart" (Ecc. 3:11). They're hungering to fill a void that only Jesus can meet, seeking to satisfy it with the empty things of this world.
"For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me
shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John 6:33-3)
People need the Lord! What are our "needs" compared to the aching need of
never-dying souls, entering eternity without even once hearing the
blessed Gospel that is for all? When we come to realize just what need truly is, we will be willing to give up anything to meet that need. The comforts and pleasures of our settled lives will appear absolutely worthless when we weigh them against the treasure of souls. When God gives you eyes to see to see the lost and hungry and empty and hurting souls of this world -- to see them through His eyes -- no price will be too high that you might go and tell them. You will count the cost and with joy you will choose to pay it.
Count the Cost
Song by The Brad Wells Family
Written by Deborah Wells
Than what He would have me be?
Would I gladly lay aside each dream I hold?
Could I count my gain as loss
And take up my given cross?
Am I willing to be spent for Christ my Lord?
Count the cost of one soul lost
Without hope and without God,
Death forever in a lake of flaming fire.
What's the worth of this whole world
When compared to one lost soul?
There's a reason to count the cost.
It may cost me suffering
In the service of my King.
It may be a lonely path I have to trod.
But to deeply know my Lord
Will be my great reward.
I will gladly give my all;
I've counted the cost.
Count the cost of one soul lost
Without hope and without God,
Death forever in a lake of flaming fire.
What's the worth of this whole world
When compared to one lost soul?
There's a reason to count the cost.
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