Spring 2011 Update

Posted by admin on April 1, 2011

The snow is melting here in Kenai and the sunlight is brightening our days! These are sure signs that another magnificent Alaska summer is near.

Our team continues to plug along on many fronts. We have two staff families out for sabbatical. They are resting and refocusing, which is vital to their longevity and effectiveness. We are also preparing to send a one final team to Nome to finish work on the pastor's new house there. When we leave, the house will be on the final stretch to finish with local help. This year-long project has been a lot of fun and exciting to bless the Fiskeaux Family!

This week, Kristi Dillingham is in Tok to help a new SEND North missionary families pack their belonging in preparation for a move to western Alaska. They will join a ministry team in a village to continue outreach in that strategic community.

Our Piper Navajo is being painted in Canada right now. We are really looking forward to having it back at the end of April for the summer ministry season.

We also have a Cessna 182 ready to fly with many new parts and repairs complete. Our staff pilots will be checked out to fly it during the months of April and May.

April 15-17 is the annual Spring Conference Family Camp offered by Tanalian Bible Camp in Port Alsworth. Several ABM staff will attend to visit ministry familes we serve from remote Alaska.

Back at home base, several staff have been busily working to fully implement new database software for managing our ministry and donor relationships. Many pieces had to be thought through in order to make sure our systems for accounting, receipting, communications, and more are streamline. This new software will save our team many hours of work from previous methods.

You might have heard that we were awarded a generous matching grant from the M.J. Murdock Trust for $115,000. This money will enable us to fully equip our hangar with shop tools and equipment to maintain our airplanes. In addition, we will be able to finish all repairs to our Piper Navajo and a second Cessna 182. However, we must raise our remaining portion of $29,000 in order to receive the grant funds. Your donation today toward the "Final Phase Project" will help us finish up the fundraising and get the work done to have our hangar and airplanes fully operational by summer.

Finally, we are recruiting volunteers to help us finish landscaping, drywall in the hangar, paint the floor, and other set up projects. If you are available to help between June 20 - July 1, please contact us today for more info!

As always, everything we do requires the Lord's strength and provision as well as your prayers. Thank you for joining us to strengthen and encourage pastor and missionary families in remote Alaska and Northern Canada! We are making a difference in their lives and ministry!