What We Do

What We Do

At Gladstone, Jeff is the Site Manager. You name it; he does it. A huge place like Gladstone has an endless supply of opportunity for someone who likes to work with his hands! As Gladstone has “taken shape” physically, Jeff is right there in the midst, helping with new building projects, working with maintaining what’s there, and serving in this behind-the-scenes role so that lives can be touched when they come to Gladstone. Jeff’s spiritual gift is hospitality, and that permeates his work at Gladstone, helping to make people feel welcome.

So what specifically do we do? Oh, Jeff can be found just about anywhere on the Gladstone property each day, whether it’s to dig trenches, leading work teams, feed horses, build docks, chop firewood, fix anything and everything, mow grass, deliver drinking water, haul trash, build buildings, plow snow, clear land, serve meals. Sometimes I’m able to help with cleaning Gladstone and baking for groups, but for both of us, our favorite “work” is to chat with guests, pray with some, and rejoice in God’s power at work among First Nations people.

And in our “free time” we seek to minister to folks from church and the neighboring Piikani Blackfoot Nation. That involves a lot of music, late nights, houseguests, phone calls, fixing things, coffee & tea. To boil it down, relationships take time…and of course they are worth it.

For example, R. might call, wanting to stop by before a hockey game. Thankfully there are usually plenty of leftovers from dinner, or maybe he is in time to join us for dinner. He will claim to have just eaten, but I can tell he is hungry, and as an older man living on his own, he shows obvious enjoyment at the home-cooked meal.

Or G. might talk to me after church about her and her husband’s health issues. We’ll swap and compare health info, and now I know better how to pray for them.

Or B. might be so overwhelmed with raising many children on her own, and just gets a recent diagnosis of cancer. I can’t help her with the kids (who are much older than mine), yet I can pray.

Or Y. who at times I am so close to, and at times doesn’t show at church for weeks at a time. She loves the Lord fiercely, and we love each other dearly. I drive by her house and impulsively stop by with flowers that I’ve just bought on sale, thinking they were for myself. But there is more joy in seeing her light up, and having a quick chat.

Then there is S., a friend who is white but married to a Native man. She brings him over for coffee, and we end up visiting for 3 hours, us ladies separate from the guys, yet watching them having a really engaging talk. Her husband had a sprained wrist, and even though he was needing a painkiller, he was waving his hands all around as he gestured in an animated discussion with Jeff. Jeff is so good at putting Native people at ease.

One night about a year ago Jeff asks me if I will pray about inviting another family to live with us for the summer. I did, and the Lord gave me the green light, even though I wasn’t really expecting it. So, the Striped Wolf family moved in for 2 months in between semesters at Bible school. When they left, I felt that the loss of spiritual light that believers bring to a place.

One time Jeff chose to help a financially struggling friend with their trailer. He remodeled, with his own money, the entire kitchen, bath and living room so that they could sell it and pay their debts.

Jeff: Everything I build, fix and repair will someday burn; but what we build into people will last a lifetime, and stand the test for eternity. Please pray for me during winter; it is a hard time for me as I am wired to be a people person yet for most of the winter I am working alone.

Ann: It’s easy for me to get overwhelmed in the sometimes exhilarating, sometimes mundane calling of changing diapers, doing laundry, raising children, scrubbing floors, making meals, etc. Opportunities to minister do come, but often I feel lost amongst others who get to do more “ministry” than I can. Pray for me as I work on the next generation of Christ-followers, and contentment to support Jeff as I should.