LOOK WHAT THE LORD IS DOING!
A glimpse of what God is doing in the Aleutian and Buvuma Islands!
Picture: Port Graham Village, Alaska
Andrew & Karina Smith Family
Alaska Village Missions
Alaska Bible Institute
Shepherd’s Heart International Ministry, Uganda
Serving with Global Outreach International since 2008
We came home from our anniversary saying, “Thank You God, everything seems to be peaceful. We see you at work in Uganda, at ABI, and in the villages!”
Then we got home! And the kids came back sick. And conflicts have broken our hearts…
We were reviewing James 1, “Count it all joy…when you fall into various trials, knowing the testing of your faith produces endurance…”
At the same time I kept hearing, “Accept this means of grace.”
It is delightful to walk hand in hand with Andy and feel the wind on our faces and the sun on our shoulders, but cuddles are sweetest when it’s cold and nasty out. In this last week, I felt the Lord drawing me in, using the hurt to humble me. Using the humbling to pour out His grace and pull me in close.
Andy’s parents, “Pops & Mom,” came to teach the writings of John at ABI – and to enjoy their grandkids! It’s a fun class, giving cultural context as well as deep insights. If you’re in the area, you should come next year!
Pops & Mom brought our nieces! What a kick. The four cousins had so much fun together. I loved GIRLS in my kitchen!
The Vroege boys are here now. Our boys have been trying to get them to Alaska since we moved up! Some of you may remember our prayer request from our 2013 furlough. We asked God to give them friends. We met Vroeges when we returned to Uganda. Over the years, their family would stay on the island with us one week every month. The boys raised bunnies and played in the mud while Gert-Jan helped Andy with Pastor’s Training. Stephanie, a Pediatric NP, and I homeschooled and ministered to medical needs. This week, the boys are all out at Port Graham, using their skills in basketball, wood cutting, and evangelism to connect with the youth there.
Our next visitors are more cousins! Joshua and Rebecca’s boys will join us in skiing and missions at the end of the month!
It’s so restorative to bring the worlds that we love (Family, Uganda, & Alaska) together!
“I’m so excited, I just had to share this with you! The basketball team had a tournament this weekend. Taylor spent the whole time with them. Each night the boys stayed up late talking with Taylor about the Bible. The first night they talked about holiness and what it looks like to be set apart and why we deserve the wrath of God. These were questions from youth group. The boys had tons of questions each night…The last night continued on the theme of relationships, i.e. what women desire (love) and what men desire (respect). They talked about how they see that in the village and how most of the girls see their dads treating their moms like garbage.
…Two of the boys confessed to be believers and another wants Taylor to pick him up for youth group!”
Prayer Requests for Alaska:
— Marissa Fendley has been invited to accompany the highschool girls on a retreat. Pray that the Lord opens opportunities for her to share!
–Timmy & Audra head out to Sand Point the first week of March for a final vision trip. Pray for clarity and unity of direction and for open doors and hearts!
Uganda Celebrations
— This year marks 20 years since Lingira Living Hope Secondary School began in a one room church on Lingira Island! In the next newsletter I will share reflections of how God made a way where there was no way!
To give toward the Smith’s ministry in Alaska
To give to SHIM’s ministry in Africa
For current updates on God’s work in Uganda