God Has Been Faithful

Cathy and I are thankful to God for these 63 years He has given us to serve Him with NCEM. When we joined NCEM, we felt the call of God on our lives to commit ourselves to a lifetime of service for Him. We have watched NCEM spread across Canada from a few provinces to coast to coast; from a few missionaries to a good number scattered here and there across the nation.

In those 63 years we have ministered in village work in 15 different Native villages in four provinces.

Matthew 9:35-38 tells us that Christ was moved with compassion as He looked on the multitudes who were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd. God spoke to our hearts concerning this need across Canada amongst the First Nations people and gave us love for these people and the vision to reach out to them. We had heard of the commitment and sacrifices that those who had gone on before us had made, and we felt the call of God to join Him and this group to labour together in bringing in a harvest. We have never looked back, nor have we ever considered giving up.

We have seen so much change within NCEM, within the people we minister with, the people we minister to, and have continually seen that God has been faithful to us over these many years during hard times and good times.

In the early 1960’s there was a wonderful radio program that reached scores of First Nations people across the western provinces. John Unger, who was our language teacher in 1961, headed up the program giving the Gospel in Cree both in song and preaching. We often entered homes where they were sitting close to the radio listening intently to every word. What a surprise it was to one family when John Unger and I knocked on their door one day while they were listening to the program. They couldn’t believe they were meeting in person the same John Unger who was speaking on the radio! There were others who preached and taught in different Native languages and this developed more over the years.

While Eastern Field Director in the 70’s and 80’s, I travelled a number of times to the Eastern Arctic and to Labrador opening up fields to place missionaries and then visiting them periodically. This was very different from our usual ministry on the reserves but it was interesting and enjoyable. I served one term as Director of the Mission and besides office work, we travelled across all of Canada visiting our missionaries.

63 years is a long time when looking back and reflecting on what all has happened in those years, although many of the memories feel like it could have been only a few months ago. Our lives have been varied and filled with many experiences that we look back on with many good memories.

We saw the growth of the Aviation Department and were involved with the moving of the airbase from The Pas, MB to Nipawin, SK. We were part of the planning committee for Key-Way-Tin Bible Institute as Bible training for First Nation students and are very excited to see plans for Keywaytin to start again as a discipleship program.

Bible camps have been used a lot in evangelizing and training youth. Cathy and I have worked at over 20 camps over the years, teaching, directing, cooking, building, and you name it. I was Camp Coordinator for the Mission for a period of time.

We saw the NCEM Office move from Meadow Lake, SK to the city of Prince Albert, SK., and then to the Shellbrook Highway where it remains.

We watched the Printing Department enlarge and grow over the years. This department has been a busy one and a real asset in the ministry. A lot of literature has come out of there and into the homes of First Nations people all across the continent.

We watched our Tribal Trails T.V. program develop across Canada and the US. We promote Tribal Trails on the reserves here in Eastern Canada. We have done random spot checks and are amazed at the coverage. Many Native believers have been used by God to preach the Word or to share their testimony to a vast audience out there.

Over these many years, we have seen a lot of change. We have seen a lot of growth. There are some things that have never changed. What has remained the same throughout all 63 years is how God has been continually faithful to bring people to Jesus Christ, to use the missionaries of NCEM in bringing the Gospel. We have seen planes, camps, literature, television, schools all being used by God. We have attempted to be continually faithful in following Him, and He always is faithful to us.

We are presently working on five reserves here in New Brunswick and God is touching lives. We want to thank our prayer and support team for standing behind us these 63 years. They are an amazing team. We serve an awesome God. God has used NCEM, and we have been blessed to be a part of the team.

Our prayer is that God will provide workers for the eastern part of Canada. We continue to labour for Him here in the Maritimes as there is still much to do and not enough workers for the task. The Lord is still looking for labourers to commit their lives to full-time service for Him. There is so much to be done but so few of us.

Please continue to pray for NCEM, that we keep our eyes on the Lord. Without Him we can do nothing. This is the Lord’s work. May He receive the glory.

Emeritus missionaries Carroll & Cathy Hill serve in Smiths Cree, New Brunswick.

(from Northern Lights issue #568)