BOLD~
Fearlessly Making Him Known
By Ruth Browning, InterAct Missionary
Emily finished writing her bio for a national conference she would be attending. She wrote of her university days, her years of teaching and jobs she’d had. Finished! She set it aside but couldn’t ignore the thought, “I didn’t say anything about being a Christian.” She pulled out the bio, adding that she had attended Briercrest Bible College. “Studied psychology and biblical…. No! I’ll put the most important part first, biblical studies and psychology.”
Emily had attended the Saskatchewan conference of the Canadian Land Reclamation Association, an organization that advocates for the remediation of environmentally disturbed lands. Impressed by her involvement in her community of Loon Lake, Saskatchewan, a man from the provincial conference repeatedly asked her to sit on a panel for the national convention. She felt a lack of knowledge and the courage to share but began seriously praying about the opportunity. As a First Nations believer who grew up on a small reserve, she considered caring for the land a part of her cultural and Christian responsibility. That’s when the Lord began speaking to her through his Word. Scriptures like Psalm 103:19, Romans 8:28 and Genesis where God tells us to be stewards of the earth. So, she said yes.
With her bio changed to reflect her Christian education, she determined to use this opportunity to glorify God. She prepared with Colossians 3:23 echoing in her mind: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”
The president of the Alberta chapter called and offered to pay her way to arrive a day early so she could meet with the indigenous assembly that would advocate for the First Nations communities. The test of her faith and courage came at the outset of the meeting. Burning sage was carried around so all 200 or so people could smudge (cleanse themselves in an indigenous spiritual ritual). When they came to Emily she motioned that she wouldn’t smudge, feeling very conspicuous. She was the only one who didn’t participate out of First Nations and non-First Nations people. “That wasn’t too hard,” she told herself, “only the people nearby would notice.”
The leader began to tell how First Nation people smudge and carry on the traditions of leaving a gift when they take something from the earth, whether an animal or a plant. As she continued talking about the use of sage her eyes fell on Emily. “Come up and talk about the use of sage,” she asked. Emily got up, not knowing what to say but the Lord gave her direction. “I grew up with the sweat lodge and the sage, but I don’t practice that anymore. I now believe in God but we are still keepers of the land. My dad was a sweat lodge keeper [e.g., a spiritual leader in the indigenous community] but he respected me even though I believed differently.” When she sat down the leader said, “Not all indigenous people believe the same way but we need to respect one another.” Emily realized, “I had to let people know I was a believer, and God put me on the spot in front of those people because I am His child.”
Emily felt rather out of place sitting on the panel over the next two days with others who had degrees in environmental and bio science. Twice the audience fell silent when she expressed the importance of respect between First Nations people and businesses that use the land.
Many conference attenders thanked Emily and have contacted her through phone or email allowing her the opportunity to share with them. “I am so thankful God had given me experiences ahead of time that enabled me to talk about all these things.”
Emily was quite emotional when she recounted what she had learned from this experience. “I learned that God can use me even though I’m not a person with lots of degrees. I craved recognition from our chief and council, but instead I got recognition from God in the way He took this little hometown girl and put her on the stage at a nationwide conference. I learned obedience as I had to choose whether I would coward out. I learned He will be with me in a place that is scary. Just talking about it now, I feel so humbled and loved.”
Finding Those with Grace to Go
By Erin Bruzda, InterAct Staff
Pat Westdorp grew up surrounded by wilderness while living on land that adjoined a state park in Michigan. He spent his days exploring and finding everything a young boy could do in the woods. In 5th and 6th grades, he became part of a full-time environmental school program. Each day classes were held outdoors, learning everything from tree and bird identification to building Native American style lodgings and birch-bark canoes with only pioneer tools.
When Pat met Callie, he found that she was like-minded in her love of the outdoors and simple living. They blissfully spent their first three months of married life living in a remodeled chicken coop!
Before they were married, Westdorps sensed God leading them to attend Frontier School of the Bible, which they did. While at Frontier, Pat and Callie met Alaska Field Director, Steve Horsman, during a missions recruiting event. Steve shared about all three InterAct fields of service in classrooms and during chapel services.
Since childhood, Pat had been drawn to Alaska. When he was saved, he believed God had called him to be a missionary, yet he didn’t know the timing. Upon graduation from Frontier, God led them to rural church ministry, where they served, helping to revitalize a church.
One day while Pat was preaching, he shared a quote from Charles Spurgeon,
“Hesitate, my dear friend, while you are not sure that it is God’s will; but when once you are certain that it is according to the Lord’s mind, it will be unfaithfulness to God to have any kind of fear. Steam straight ahead, for that way lies your haven.”
In the middle of his sermon, Pat recognized this passage as God’s prompting and confirmation to him. It was time for him and Callie to move ahead into the missionary calling he’d received years before.
They remembered their conversations with Steve Horsman about InterAct’s ministry in Alaska and put in an application online. The Westdorps are now InterAct missionary candidates, raising financial and prayer support to go to the Alaska field.
God can and does use many pathways to draw potential candidates to InterAct’s fields of service. Sometimes He uses a personal connection to an InterAct missionary.
Jon and Chantel Wilke were part of planting a church in their home province of Ontario, Canada. Once the church was established, they sensed that God had something else for them to do.
In 2022, they sold their house and traveled to Southern Alberta to volunteer at Camp Nookoowai, serving indigenous families in the area. They went not knowing what to expect. After only two weeks, they felt sure God was leading them into full-time ministry in this area. They returned to Ontario, packed up their family and moved west.
While volunteering at the camp and running area youth activities, they worked with several InterAct missionaries who mentored them and helped them get connected to a local indigenous church. Leaders at the church eventually became like family. Still, they became increasingly frustrated as they saw opportunities and open doors but struggled with the balance of commitments to volunteering, family and work.
In 2024, Jon and Chantell realized they were at a crossroads. How could they maintain ministry and still have outside jobs? They also desired the support and accountability of a team. After conversations with some InterAct missionary friends, and looking into the foundations of InterAct Ministries, they could see that the organization was a fit. The Wilkes soon applied and are now missionary candidates, training and raising support to serve with InterAct in their current area.
The Wilkes are not alone in experiencing difficulties with ministry as independent volunteers or missionaries. InterAct Ministries was originally formed as a supporting and sending organization to address the needs of isolated, independent Alaska missionaries.
Our desire is to continue equipping missionaries who are called to serve the indigenous, immigrant and unreached people groups across Alaska, western Canada and Siberia.
There are multiple pathways InterAct Ministries uses to connect with potential field workers:
College Campus Outreach: Mobilizers visit college campuses to connect with students, like the Westdorps, who are seeking God’s direction. InterAct’s EnGage! program is a valuable opportunity to experience short-term, cross-cultural missions or to fulfill ministry internship requirements on one of our fields.
Missionaries sharing at their supporting churches: InterAct is encouraging and equipping missionaries to have a mobilizing mindset. Many present-day missionaries point to a missionary presentation as being what first challenged them to serve full-time in missions.
Online searches and publications: Increasing numbers of candidates are finding us through online searches or from recommendations of friends who’ve read our stories. Visit our website to discover ministry opportunities – InterActMinistries.org/opportunities
Our God is a communicating being. He revealed himself through the life of His son, Jesus. The perfect communicator unveils his character in a Bible filled with stories. Why? Because stories communicate!
Our InterActions communicate by sharing the stories of what God is doing in our ministries. We celebrate changed lives and the advance of the gospel so that He is glorified. These accounts remind us that our loving God is still very active in spreading the good news to lesser-reached peoples and places.
InterAct is in the business of making disciples who make disciples who gather as a church. The stories told in this InterAction come from both the beginning of this process and the fruit of long-term discipleship. Westdorps and Wilkes are on the exciting front edge of new ministries in the areas InterAct serves. Emily has been a long-term part of InterAct Ministries, being both served by InterAct missionaries and serving beside them.
For years, InterAct has prayed Luke 10:2, asking the Lord of the Harvest to send laborers into His harvest fields. While recognizing our dependence on Him for needed workers, our missionaries continue to plant seeds in daily conversations, in churches, and on campuses. Like those mentioned in these pages, God continues to draw a new wave of workers.
Will you join us in praying for new workers for His harvest, both in InterAct and beyond, so we may see a host of Christ followers like Emily in the days ahead? Thank you for partnering with InterAct but most importantly with the Lord of the Harvest through prayer!