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For several in our group, this was their first time to travel outside Alaska.  I had so much fun seeing this group have new experiences!  Before we set out from Soldotna, we gave everyone two of the objectives of this trip: "to learn things and to meet people."  From discovering grasshoppers to free refills to car washes to hotel etiquette, everything was new and exciting and everybody soaked it in.  Whenever they had an opportunity to talk to people they did it:  bikers at rest stops, campground managers, the kids of people we stayed with, the photographer for a kit plane company, pilots, etc.

Highlights of our travels included Laird Hot Springs, Alaska Christian College (ACC), School of Missionary Aviation and Technology (SMAT), the Creation Museum, West Edmonton Mall, and of course, the Fly-In Air Show at Oshkosh. Our hours in the van were filled with journal writing, singing, story-telling, Scripture memorization, and drooling over all the nice cars and bikes that passed by us on the road.

The fact that this was an aviation trip made it different from the other trips we’ve led. Several in the group have little or no involvement in church but to my surprise, these were the ones who were most open and receptive during our evening talk times.  I know of one decision that was made for Christ, and I am looking forward to seeing other fruit grow out of the seeds planted and nourished on this trip. 

SEND North missionary]]> Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EDT
Eileen writes, “We know that these parenting materials work well in other cultures because they are based on the way God created us. Our positive approach to parenting is not the traditional approach of Russian parents. However, the parents and leaders who participated in the workshops could see how it would help them overcome some of the negative results they have seen in their children. When we showed them that the principles are consistent with the way God, as our Father, deals with us, they were ready to embrace the concepts and eager to put them into practice.

“We had lots of invitations to return and do family camps, church meetings, and more training. We are committed to training a few leaders who will be able and willing to carry on the ministry in many communities in the Far East of Russia. With that in mind we hope to return next year to the same locations and do more training. We pray that many who attended this year will come back, learn more and then be ready to teach others.”]]> Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:30:00 EDT
"The conference also brought a needed call to invest in the lives of children. God’s heart is with children (Is 40:11) & we are called to protect, defend, & guide children. (Matt 18:5&6)The state of Alaska continues to be a leader in the nation concerning child abuse. But that night men & women in this valley made commitments before God to be warriors & protectors for our children."

"The following night’s testimony by a young college-age man was even more powerful when he shared  how he was pretending for years until he finally committed his life to Jesus. God convicted him to be a warrior for his nieces and nephews and he proclaimed it in front of everyone. He set a date for very next night."

"Faith in action. That’s what it is all about. Sharing Jesus in every way!"

]]> Mon, 2 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EDT
When I got there, the mom and the girlfriend of the man bombarded me with all sorts of questions about death and end times and how they were grieving over their loss. God gave me a great opportunity and words to say as I shared the gospel with them. The girlfriend says she accepted Christ at a young age, but is living as she said "a sinful life."

Please pray for these women that they will think on the scriptures that were shared that night and that the truth of God's word would change their hearts.

Leaving at around 1:30am, I rejoiced that the Lord had led me there that night and He was working in their hearts long before the visit.
-Tim]]> Sun, 25 Jul 2010 09:30:00 EDT
In May, SEND North leadership told the NLN they were spinning us off to be an independent ministry. In June, NLN leadership announced a radical new vision for the three radio stations, KCAM, KRSA, and KVRM.

The staff nervously listened during an “all hands on deck” meeting to hear the new vision for NLN. Turns out...it makes sense and got us all pretty excited!

Previously, the radio stations were working mostly independently from each other at three separate locations. The new plan is to have all three stations operating out of the KCAM building in Glennallen which has been renamed Northern Light Network Studios. All of the NLN people will now be under one roof, able to support all of the stations together. This will allow us to make better use of our resources and will give each station the best chance for success.

It is a big change in that staff from other areas will need to move to Glennallen, unity as a network reaching the unreached is now our focus, and job titles have been tweaked. Instead of Station Managers and Program Directors, we have divided the network into two parts lead by two leaders. Jeff is in charge of all the financial and physical decisions for the network. Our new teammate, Daryl Carlson, is in charge of all the radio and programming decisions.

Ann is the KVRM advocate and will continue to focus on that station and target Alaska Natives. She now has a team of people to work with along with the Advisory Board and three studios at her disposal! KVRM also has some money to work with now and a source of income with the profits the two commercial stations will bring in.

Ann’s main concern with the sudden changes was what the native folks on the Advisory Board would think since we had just moved out into our own space in the SEND Administration building. Thankfully, everyone seems on board and agrees that it makes sense to work together and have the station be in the former KCAM building. Praise God!]]> Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:10:00 EDT
God has been at work in this community for many years and through many organizations such as Interact Ministries, Assemblies of God, and SEND North, and through many godly individuals working here as teachers, mechanics, station managers, and more. Each one lived their life for Christ and in turn impacted the growing body of believers here in the Aniak region. Some tilled, some planted, others watered—God gave the increase. This budding regional church is largely due to a willingness of believers to set aside prejudice, assume nothing, and grow and work in a team unity in Christ.

SEND North at this juncture has been uniquely gifted with resources and personnel, and with this great supply of resource comes a great and serious responsibility. Kingdom responsibility demands that we pick up the torch where others have begun, and continue meeting the spiritual needs of the scattered believers in tiny villages, no matter their introductory denominational ties. We must run the race in a way that we can build on, and Lord willing complete, what others have begun for the glory of God.

Please pray for maturity and leadership development in this newly formed church family.]]> Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:40:00 EDT
Six years ago when a group from Glennallen Chapel went to the same village, they could not say anything overtly Christian as the ministry was just beginning. Today, the new fellowship is bursting at the seams. Now that the Glennallen group have earned respect, they did an evangelistic skit each day. They are praying the Lord will use their words and deeds for His glory.]]> Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EDT
Like many of our visitors at the Seaman's Mission, this man is a sailor on one of the big cruise ships. Many of these men are internationals, some from countries with very limited access to the gospel. This man was looking at some of our print materials. One of the volunteers brought him down to the Chapel where he could talk to one of us.

He said he had been too busy supporting his family and hadn’t taken time for God. But now, at age 41, he came with a heart prepared. Things were different and he believed Jesus was coming soon. He believed the gospel and put his faith and trust for his salvation in Christ and Christ alone!

He was given some good study material to go over for the next weeks before his ship returns to port again. On the way back to the ship, he said to me, “Now I’m a Christian!”]]> Thu, 3 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT
"Praise the Lord!  We have been blessed with another year in the village and it has been very eventful.  When we arrived back here in August, we enjoyed being back with our villagers - they were so welcoming and glad to see us back.  Throughout the year, we continued to see God grow our relationships with them.  We had the opportunity to have many of the adults into our home, much different than the steady flow of only kids we had last year.  By the end of the year, one friend of mine here asked if we could talk more in depth about God and is even hoping to join us in a Bible study next year.  As we look to next year, we are excited to have two other SEND teachers joining us as teachers, fellow ministers and friends.  This will lighten the loads we carry both at school and in ministry.   While we have seen many chances this year to be more involved in the lives of those around us, our work load has prevented much of what we would have liked to accomplish.  Being at a two teacher site sure does have its challenges!"]]> Fri, 21 May 2010 09:00:00 EDT
Jeff Urich says, "This does not affect our plans for KVRM.  We are working on renovating the studios and office space and we have two more full-time missionaries arriving this summer to work with KVRM.  The Lord continues to open doors by providing contacts and resources and the native advisory council is excited to see this station happen. 

"Please be praying for KVRM and the NLN radio ministry.  We believe there is great potential for NLN to reach all of Alaska with the Gospel if we can use our gifts and abilities together as a ministry team.  Pray for unity, wisdom, and guidance for all of the NLN workers. We are excited to see what the Lord will do in the coming months!"

SEND has a 65+ year history of starting schools, medical facilities, radio stations and other institutions and then handing them to local control to flourish. These allows SEND missionaries to focus on starting reproducing churches, our core mission.

Jeff and Ann Urich]]> Tue, 18 May 2010 09:30:00 EDT
Our purpose for being in Northern Ministry is to be a part of the voice that is telling the message of Hope and Peace. The message of Jesus Christ who came to Earth, died on the Cross and rose from the tomb so that we can enjoy eternal life with Him.  

We see so many people who are mesmerized by day-to-day problems of life and don't realize that they are heading on the road to disaster. We feel like shouting  STOP! STOP! STOP! waking them up so that they can clearly see the reality of what lies ahead on the road.  Only by God's grace will they see and understand that life doesn't have to be filled with hopelessness.]]> Mon, 1 Jan 1900 12:00:00 EDT