LAMP 1973

LAMP was founded 39 years ago, in Canada, by Rev. Les Stahlke. Much of Northern Canada is accessible only by aircraft, as there are no roads to these remote areas. Pastor Stahlke visited these remote communities in his small single engine aircraft and provided Pastoral support to the people living there. Local Christians were encouraged to begin a ministry and provide Christian education in their communities. Volunteers were recruited from churches in the South (Canada and the U.S.) to teach VBS in the summer, and serve long-term as Christians-in-Service within these remote communities.

In 1972, the International LWML (Lutheran Women's Missionary League) provided funding to buy LAMP’s first airplane. Support and volunteer teams came from church groups all over North America. LAMP expanded and a Pastor Pilot was called to serve across the Northern Territories. In 1985, LAMP was incorporated in the US and the ministry expanded to Alaska. Fifteen years later, the US organization began operating separately from the Canadian organization. What the enemy meant for evil, God has used for good.  Today there are two organizations, each with different areas of focus, reaching more with the Good News and hope of Christ.

In 2003, LAMP began a new program to reach out to the youth in remote communities: the Sports Ministry Program. An entire team of soccer players travels to several northern communities, teaching youth new soccer skills, proper exercise and nutritional habits, and most importantly, sharing the love and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Over the past 39 years, hundreds of thousands of children have had an opportunity to hear the Gospel, shared through volunteer teams teaching VBS and Youth Bible Study in the Vacation Bible School, Canoe, and Sports Ministry programs of LAMP. LAMP sends out over 500 volunteers each summer, and expects more than 5,000 individual children, youth, and adults to be directly touched by a LAMP program.

LAMP continues to invite supporters and volunteers to be involved in this beautiful cross-cultural ministry sharing Jesus Christ with the people in remote areas of Canada.