May 12, 2025

Spring has a special joy in the Arctic after a long winter of seeing mostly white and grey.  To witness the life that comes from bleakness after the extreme cold, continues to bring wonder and anticipation.  Perhaps you can relate, but we northerners congratulate one another for making it through another winter!  Although, just to be clear, as I write this note, we are still crossing our river on the ice bridge and lakes are still frozen over!

I will seek to answer a few common questions as an update on our lives and ministry.

What have been your struggles/challenges in the last 12 months?

• My dad (Paul) passed away in February at his home in Ohio.  God was soooooo gracious to allow for arrangements for me to be there in his final week.  I will always treasure this time I had. The reality of the years of being so far away from family for so long hits home at times like these. 
• Loneliness for the body of Christ and for the warmth and nearness of family; it doesn’t get easier, but we are content.
• The impact of hard drugs in our community; tragedy upon tragedy and at times there is tension awaiting the next “bad news”.
• The heaviness of so many lost, hurting people and the gospel being rejected. Why??? It can literally set you free!
• Living in a world full of deceit and lies.  Who knows what is true anymore…to the Word we must cling.
• Personal struggles in our family. We have our trials close to home that drive us to dependency upon the Lord.

How have you seen God be gracious to you personally?

• Everyday He is gracious to us! Our hot water tank recently sprung a leak just days after the road closed going north to Inuvik; the only place where a new one could be purchased.  It “just-so-happened” that someone in town had bought the same kind we needed for their Bed and Breakfast business, but it was too small for them.  Within hours we had our “huge” problem resolved.
• I (Paul) was able to attend The Shepherd’s Conference with our son Joel, and a few co-workers in March. It is always a huge blessing to rub shoulders with godly men and share stories of God’s faithfulness.
• A lady we had never met before, came to help us in 2018 with foster care, and she has continued to help us ever since! She supplies respite care for Hope and Grace and helps with their education.  She has lived in our home for the last two years due to a housing shortage but has recently been provided a comfortable apartment to rent.  Her daily consistency, along with her love and patience for the twins, has been remarkable.
• The opportunity became available for me (Lynn) to work for Aurora College for one year.  I have loved the challenge and change! I have taught life skills, adult upgrading, and assisted people with a wide variety of needs from writing resumes to applying for college. This job has opened many relationships and opportunities for sharing the gospel.  We have had several trips in the past 12 months, to visit our parents, see new grandchildren, and attend the wedding of our daughter in California! My employment has also provided us with the resources to make these trips without hesitation, and we are ever so grateful. 

How can we be praying for your ministry?

• The backdrop to a prayer request is as follows: Early December 2023, after an alcohol related squabble between family members that resulted in the older man seeking refuge at our house, the younger man (son) burned his own house down! This house is beside ours.  Unfortunately, a young woman, also related, was killed in the fire. This was traumatic for our family as we were the first on the seen. We were initially suspecting a young boy to be in the house and our daughter Esther and I, were desperately trying to make entry.  The old house however, went up in flames incredibly fast and we could not get in. There was some concern for our house, but the wind “just happened” to be blowing in the right direction to keep the fire from spreading and the fire fighters were careful to protect our home.  This was yet another tragedy that rocked our community.  This lot, now cleared and empty, is up for-sale. It is the only lot between our home and the church, and it seems practical for either ourselves or the church to purchase it.  I negotiated a price with the owner days ago, and he is asking what I consider an exorbitant price.   We will discuss this with our church family and we ask you to join us in praying for wisdom as to how to proceed.
• Pray for the growth of the believers and the salvation of those who have recently begun attending such as RA, PN, JB and SS.
• Pray for the children’s ministry of Kamp Klondike to be held in Dawson, Yukon June 15-July 4^th.  Lynn and I will both be involved.
• We presently have two sibling foster children: Tamera (3) and John (5). Little people again!!!

Thank you for your love, prayers, and faithfulness to us and the Lord. You are essential to the ministry and we never forget that.

Onward for His Glory,

Paul and Lynn Hanthorn

Our family and their whereabouts:
• Sarah (32) and Tyler Krahn – Chilliwack, BC
Carter (8) Caroline (6) Eden (4) and Lilienne (9 months)

• Joel (31) Hanthorn – Inuvik, NT
Axel (6) and Audi Lynn (4)

• Annah (30) and Marc Van Damm – Burns Lake, BC
Amy (3) Zoey (1) and number 3 to be born in June!

• Ruth (28) and Johnny Nah – La Crescenta, California (married April 12, 2025!!)

• Judah (25) – Works as an apprentice electrician in Calgary, Alberta

• Jesse (22) and fiancé Emilie – Works as a journeyman electrician in Saskatoon, SK while Emilie works on her Master’s Degree in Environmental Geochemistry.

• Esther (20) – In April, finished Mechanical Engineering Tech. at SAIT in Calgary and looking to attend University.

• Naomi (19) – Living at home and working at the Fort McPherson Tent and Canvas Shop.
• Hope and Grace (14) – Doing life together with us at home.