The sky was blue, dotted with light clouds.  A little wind reminded us that winter was clinging to the north lands.  Snow patches remained in the shadows of the dwarfed evergreen trees.  Spring...in the Arctic Circle.
Walter and I rode in the 15-passenger vehicle with Paul Hanthorn navigating the Dempster Highway from Inuvik to Fort McPherson, NWT.  He brought his adopted daughter, Grace, along for the ride.  She and her twin sister, Hope, have been part of the Hanthorn family since birth, and are now almost 8 years.  Shy and quiet, I thought all Inuvialuit children were subdued, especially around strange white people!
The road was gravel and in pretty good shape.  We had heard nightmare accounts of the Dempster but it was relatively dry and pothole-free.  After an hour and a half, we came to the Mackenzie River.  The road curved and came to a sharp angle downwards to the ice.  We could see the wide "ice road" cleared across the frozen river and also intersecting to make a highway up and down the river.  This was the "north"; we would be crossing here to get to our destination!
I sucked in my breath as we drove down to the river.  We saw a few spots of water, but Paul assured us the ice was several feet thick and it was only surface melt.  Nevertheless, I prayed!
The Hanthorns live in an older house, added on to over the years as other missionary families had resided there in Fort McPherson.  NCEM has had ministry efforts in this community for over 40 years.  Paul and his wife Lynn came to the community nearly 25 years ago as professionals and then joined NCEM to minister full time.  They are raising 6 of their own children and have fostered many others over the years.  They now have 3 adopted daughters of Inuvialuit background (their biological families are not from Fort McPherson).
Walter and I stayed in the church building, two doors down from their home.  A team of folks had come up from the U.S. to help build the spacious church and we slept in a nice room off the kitchen.  We had modern shower and bathroom facilities.  The building had infloor heating and was toasty warm.  Staying in the church allowed us to have our own space in the evenings so they could settle their children down for their nighttime routines, as well.
Another name for the community of about 800 people is Fort "Mud-Pherson" and we wondered if our running shoes or city-slicker boots would be adequate for the spring conditions!  As we walked around the community with Paul, the ground was frozen enough to make a firm walking surface. On the days when things were melting, the ice/snow/mud did become tricky to navigate.  My socks got a little damp!
We joined their family for breakfast and Lynn asked both Walter and me to share in their morning devotional time before their homeschool routine.  Then we went to the church with Paul and he would tour us around and visit with us about life and ministry.  On one evening, we participated in the weekly Bible study.  The next afternoon, we took part in the Awana Bible Club program.  The Hanthorns' daughter led in some games and Lynn served a snack.  Walter got a chance to share one of his kids' stories.  It was noisy and chaotic and fun!  We remember now why we aren't actively doing a kids' club ministry anymore!
On a little drive with the family, we went on the ice crossing on the Peel River, which is a smaller system that links with the Mackenzie.  We traveled the Dempster to within a few kilometres of the Yukon border and needed to return home for the Awana club.  On the way out, the crossing was pretty solid with a bit of water on the surface.  On the way back, we were shocked - and so were the Hanthorns - at the amount of water we had to plow through to reach the other side!  Back in the community, talk was that they may be closing the crossing within days as "break-up" occurs.  Whew!  It was clear God's timing for this trip worked out best for us and our transportation needs.
Sitting on the plane of "Air North", lifting off from the Inuvik Airport, I felt sad to leave this lovely area of the Mackenzie Delta within the Arctic Circle.  With the sun rising at 4:30 am and setting at 11:30, I loved the daylight hours and the warmth of those we met.  My heart was full as I saw how God is at work among people in remote places.  My commitment to prayer for our NCEM missionaries in these communities is heightened now that I have seen and experienced a glimpse of their realities.
Stay tuned for the rest of this adventure...