Nain Report - December 2007

Ministry Trip to Nain, Labrador – December 2-10, 2007

This is a brief report of a weeklong ministry trip to Nain, Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador) to work with Ray & Juanita Whalen of Shining Light Ministries. Ray & Juanita are now starting their fourth year living permanently in the community after ministering there whenever they could over the past dozen or more years. The main purpose of going there was to see what they are doing and to find out how I can bring awareness to others that ultimately will bring needed resources to their ministry.

The ministry they do in Nain is to bring the Gospel and in the name of Jesus, provide food and clothing to dozens of people living in the most Northerly occupied community on the Labrador Coast.

Nain is located about 250 air miles North of Goose Bay Labrador and has a population of approximately 1200. Unemployment is very high and a lot of the jobs are seasonal. Many in the community work for the various local, regional and provincial governments and in schools or other community infrastructures. There is a small group of stores and other commercial enterprises as well as a Health Clinic, and RCMP detachment.

Youth find it particularly frustrating and somewhat hopeless as the availability of work is very limited and all post-secondary education takes place in the south (Newfoundland mainland and elsewhere in Canada). Many families are fractured with the breadwinner being out of town most of the time working at such large-scale projects as the Voisey’s Bay mining located many miles from Nain.

Regardless of the reason, the end result is that on any given day, Ray & Juanita are asked to provide food parcels to several families and even feed individuals in their own home. Periodically they provide warm clothing to the community through large-scale distributions held in the local arena. In addition, they provide bulk food supplies to some of the local resource centers and other social outreaches.

All this is supplied free of charge through the large amount of food and clothing donated to their ministry from individuals and corporations in the south of the country. Most of the goods are stored in their home and around town in various buildings. They must cover the cost of shipping to Nain and have relied on donations from other ministries and individuals.

Twice a week they have services to youth and adults in a beautiful sanctuary created in the basement of their home. They offer corporate worship and individual counseling and Bible studies.

The ultimate dream of Ray & Juanita is to build a Christian Centre that offers not only spiritual food but practical helps such as a youth centre, food and clothing distribution centre and more located on an adjacent lot that they own.

A few weeks before going to Nain, I met with Mr. Norm Cheng of the Bible League in Burlington who provided me with several information kits and some resources to deliver to the Christian leadership in Nain. I was amazed at the interest by lay people though, especially with such material as the Manga Messiah Bible. I left three copies there to serve as examples to show people. The reception especially by young people was overwhelming. Their main comment was “.. is this really a Bible? ... wow, I would show this to any of my friends!” Even youth as young as eight years old read it and thought it was “neat”.

In the end I asked the League to send up a dozen more and Ray said he will use them as a “Bible study” for his Thursday and Sunday night groups, having the youth keep the Bibles and “show them off” to their friends. He also said he will be taking copies to the school and ask to have them displayed there. I personally believe that this Bible will be a major tool and key to reach the youth in the community and by extension, the parents.

A husband and wife team was also staying with Ray & Juanita. Pastor Mike and Flora Mason from Scotland have spent 7 weeks in Nain seeing what is going on and learning first-hand about the Inuit and ministry in the North. They will be returning to Ottawa where they are affiliated with Bill Prankard and his worldwide outreach to aboriginal people in Arctic Canada and Arctic Russia.

Pastor Mike said that he firmly believes that this Manga Messiah Bible will be well received by the ministry in Ottawa and is praying for an expansion of its use in Inuit and First Nation communities. He is personally impressed with the quality and the method of presentation of the Gospel through the Manga Messiah Bible.

Although the general socio-economic situation in the community is low in terms of southern-Canadian standards there are several ‘lights’ of hope shining through community based outreaches and individuals who are able to minister to the spiritual and social needs in the community. The overall wellness of the community is very dependant upon the working, hunting and fishing conditions that can vary from season to season and year to year. In times of lack in these areas, the community can face an increase in social problems that can only be alleviated by outside intervention.

The greatest spiritual need is a renewal of hope only to be found in a relationship with Christ. This will come about as people in the community shed their bindings of religiosity and tradition and individually seek Christ. Practically of course the greatest need is food, clothing and shelter that is presently not provided by government to the degree needed. Secondly, the greatest need is to address the social evils of alcohol, drugs, abuse and abandonment found in the community.

Here are a few photographs of Nain and the ministry activities that I was involved in.

View of part of the community of Nain Overlooking the Bay – still not frozen over

Pastor Ray Whalen of Shining Light Ministries The Moravian Church in Nain

Ian & some of the kids outside the Arena Unloading Supplies for the Resource Centre

Sunday night Worship gathering at Ray’s Praise & Worship with Ian & Mike

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