Introduction
My name is Gordon Gilbey, and I have just began the next
season of my life serving as a missionary with Lamp Ministry (www.lampministry.org). After graduating from Canadian Theological
Seminary with a M.A. in Religion (high honours), I served as Executive Director
of Missionfest Manitoba for 14 years.
The Lord called me out of the ministry that I loved so much in order to
do something completely different.
LAMP is a cross-cultural ministry sharing Jesus Christ with
God’s people in remote areas of Canada.
I have a long history with LAMP, volunteering on VBS teams and as
photographer and illusionist. The VBS’s
were located in Cat Lake, Ontario (three times), Fort Alexander and
Churchill. Plus I have visited many
other communities in Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Currently there are 17 communities in my jurisdiction which
are capably ministered to by 17 teams from Canada and United States. Our teams make a five year commitment to
their community and will visit during the summer months. Wherever possible, we ask our teams to make
an additional trip during the winter or spring.
If your church is interested in putting a team together, please contact
the LAMP office.
Non-Summer Visits
In February, Howard and Esther from Winnipeg travelled by
ice road to their community of Pikwitonei, Manitoba. This was their ninth winter visit and they
reported, “Our journey to our beloved northern Manitoba community of Pikwitonei
witnessed an ongoing broadening and deepening of our longstanding relationships
with the people there.”
Back in January, I was able to brave Highway #6 and drove to
Grand Rapids to meet a team from Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Moorhead,
Minnesota. They had a terrific time with
the children and youth of the community filled with music, amazing crafts and a
surprise visit from a crazy illusionist.
Spring comes late in Lac Brochet! Early in April, I was able to join a team
from St. Michael Lutheran Church, Portage, Michigan as we flew up to Lac
Brochet. When we got there, the weather
was so nice that the roads were mucky and full of small lakes. I thought that this will be a piece of cake –
but I was wrong. Within a couple of days
the temperature dropped down to -20°C
with a minus infinity wind-chill factor.
I walked a block and ended up with windburn.
But even so, we visited many classrooms in the school where
we shared the Easter story, did crafts and a trick or two. We had a youth night which was filled with
fun, games and a full magic show. The
youth were totally engaged during the show and the testimony which
followed. We also did a lot of visiting,
a women’s Bible study and an appreciation breakfast for some of the teachers. Our treat came when we were given some fresh
Caribou meat which was capably cooked by Mark – it was delicious!
“For Such a Time as This”
Currently, I am in Flin Flon visiting communities and making
plans for the busy summer months. This
gave me some time for much needed reflection.
In the Bible, Mordecai counseled Esther, “For if you keep silent at this
time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you
and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to
the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Est 4:14, ESV).
Our God is a God of the present! He gets us exactly where we need to be, in a position where we can accomplish His perfect will for each of us. So when we are serving the Lord, whether on the mission field or in our everyday life, and we are frustrated or discouraged, it is reassuring to know that the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. He has positioned us in this exact time and place, “For such a time as this.”
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