This mission team was started by David Hahn, a retired policeman that flew helicopters for the police department in Louisville, Kentucky.  He and his wife, Etta have four children and six grand-children.

    In 2000 while tracking the progress of his son's move to Minot, ND from Alaska the Lord began to draw his attention to a river that flows through the Northwest Territory in Canada.  Mr. Hahn began placing phone calls trying to get information about that area.  He made contact with Dwight Hoffman, Mission Coordinator for parts of Canada and the Northwest Territory, and learned that Dwight and others had been prayer walking in that region asking the Lord to send someone to work in that area.

     Mr. Hahn took several trip trusting that the Lord would give him direction, and have him meet people there to began some type of mission work.  The Lord did not diss- appoint him; from a waitress name Gloria to a Christian camp director named Bera Ladu he was led to the right place at the right time.  It was Bera that told Mr. Hahn about a missionary pastor named David Shed that lived in Rae-Edzo, NWT with his wife and children.  They had been in Rae for 10 years ministering to the first nations people in that village.

    From the first trip until now the Lord is bringing more people along side Mr. Hahn to meet the needs of what he is doing in the Northwest Territory. In a very short time period we have had teams prayer walk, deliver clothing, scout different villages for places to begin bible studies, and have a team go to the Sheds home in Rae-Edzo and do a  vacation bible school.  We are confident that this is just the beginning and we are excited about what the Lord has in store for this remote region of Canada.

      While discussing what to call this team one evening, it was Mrs. Hahn that made the suggestion  Northern Lights.  We brought this and others names up to the team and we chose Northern Lights.  We feel it is appropriate in the region we are working because it is where the Northern Lights can be seen.  Our prayer is to go into this area and be a different kind of light, but a light.  One that will bring people to see Jesus, and let them see what he did for us and for them.

Northern Lights Missions

A brief chronicle of work and activities

 By: Founder David Hahn

2001

My wife Etta and I traveled to the Northwest Territory of Canada this year with the expectation that God was about to show us something. We met some First Nations people there and saw some very new and different country. We did not learn very much about what God was working out for us in the way of missions. That came in 2002.

2002

This year we made our first mission trip. Four men from Kentucky, Bob Akridge, Bobby Lewis, Claude Owen, and I traveled to the Northwest Territory.

Dwight Huffman, church planter for western Canada at that time, met us at the airport in Calgary. For about two weeks we traveled, going north into the Northwest Territory and then returning back to Calgary.  We realize now that God was preparing us for the work we would be doing for years to come. This year I made two additional trips to Canada.

2003

In the winter of this year, Dwight Huffman and I traveled through the Northwest Territory and Alberta, Canada, making contacts. I was also making preparations to hold a Vacation Bible School with David and Glenda Shed. We planned to for this to be held in July next year.

In October, I flew back to Calgary, AB, Canada for a summit meeting. Bob Akridge and  I also made the first trip to Eagles Nest Bible Camp with a trailer loaded with clothes. Bera and Bonita Leuda distributed the clothing to the local First Nations people as they shared the Gospel with them.

2004

In January of this year, Dwight Huffman and I traveled through Alberta, Canada and into the Northwest Territory. We made new contacts with First Nations people. We also held a Bible study in Wrigley with Charley and Florence Heardesty. They invited many in the community to attend. We also made arrangements with David and Glenda Shed for holding a Vacation Bible School the following July.

In October, I was appointed by Dwight Huffman to become Mission Catalyst/ Church Planter for the Northwest Territory and the Yukon.  I flew back to Calgary to attend a strategy coordinator meeting.

In October, we took another load of clothes to the Eagles Nest Bible Camp.

2005

In January, I travelled across the Northwest Territory making contacts. I held several Bible studies and also prepared for summer teams to go there and hold Vacation Bible Schools. In July we held VBS in two locations. Later in October we took the 3rd load of clothing to Eagles Nest Bible Camp for distribution.

On Oct. 21, I flew to Edmonton for an associational meeting. When the meetings were concluded, I travelled with a young man, Brett Thornton, from Edmonton to the Yukon. From there we travelled back through the Northwest Territory introducing him to many people. At that time Brett was planning to help me with the work in that area. However, he finally took a pastorate position at a church in southern Alberta.

2006

In February, Kent Kennedy and I drove from Kentucky to Deline, Canada. We made many contacts along the way going and returning. We travelled several hundred miles on the ice roads to villages not accessible in the summer.  We held several Bible studies and made preparations in several locations to hold Vacation Bible Schools, where current teams would spend the summer and share with the local young people. In July we took current teams back to the Northwest Territory for Vacation Bible Schools and to get them positioned.

In September, I travelled to Rae to attend the wedding of James and Liz McGray. From there I drove to Teslin, Yukon to meet with Bruce and Charlotte Parker. We travelled together to Whitehorse and on to Ft. McPerson.  There we stayed at the home of Paul and Lynn Handthorn. This was a year we travelled several thousand miles.

2007

In January, I travelled to Edmonton, Ft. Providence, Rae, and then back to Providence. Plans were made for VBS at Rae and Ft. Providence for July of this year. I departed from Ft. Providence and travelled to Ft. Simpson where I met with Dan Quevellen. We made plans for a current team to be there in Ft. Simpson in June.

VBS was held in July at Rae and Ft. Providence. A current team went to Ft. Simpson to spend the summer working with young people. In May of this year we travelled to Gallup, New Mexico to work with the Navajo.

2008

In January I met with Dwight Payne in Edmonton, Alberta. We rented a vehicle and started northward. The purpose of the trip was to hold Bible Studies. We were able to hold VBS in two locations. We also contacted the Ft. Simpson Recreation Center to arrange usage of the building in July for another VBS.

We travelled to Tulita in the Northwest Territory on ice roads. We spent the night with Lynn Burger and his family. The next day we went on to Delini. We held a Bible study with a group of First Nation people who Chuck Bloomquest had been working with for 33 years. The temperature on this trip averaged -45 degrees.

One purpose of this trip was to let Dwight Payne see what winter was like in the north. He seemed to be feeling a call to work in Canada. The following year in 2009 this became a reality.

To make a long story short, we were wonderfully blessed on this mission trip. We were given an airplane with a pilot, and the budget to travel as we needed. Our pilot, Jim Parker, flew us on ten missions along the Arctic Ocean this year. In addition we were able to do the VBS at the Ft. Simpson Recreation Center.

On Nov. 11, I flew to Calgary for a summit meeting. I returned home on Nov. 15. I also travelled to Gallup NM this year working with the Navajo people.

2009

In January of this year I travelled with Kevin Madden, who was Mission Catalyst for Western Canada and also my boss at that time. We travelled from Edmonton in a rental car all the way to Colvill Lake, which is the end of the Ice Road Northwest. We made contacts all along the way and held Bible studies. As usual, I was also making preparations along the way for the upcoming summer.

In May a team of N.L.M. went to New Mexico working on church buildings and sharing with people we would meet.

In July, I flew to Edmonton where I met with a mission team. We drove 2000 miles to Ft. McPearson to help build a church. There was about 40 people  gathered there to help with the building project. In two weeks time the church was complete. This was the most incredible experience with people working together that I have ever experienced.

In October, Bob Akridge, Calvin Henson, Wayne Hahn ( my son), and I  took two trailers loaded with food and supplies to the Rose Bud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. There we distributed the supplies and shared with the people.

2010

In January, Bob Akridge and I flew from Louisville, KY to Edmonton AB. There we rented a vehicle and travelled north. The first stop was to stay all night at the home of Ray and Hope Shannon. Next we went on to Hi Level where we met with a good friend, Peter Weebe. From there we went on to Ft. Providence where we spent the night with Kevin and Doris Wells. While there, we made plans to hold a VBS there in July. Next we went to Ft. Simpson and met with Dan and Sylvia Quevillan. We had dinner with them and discussed plans for holding a VBS at their location later in the year.

Our next stop was Wrigley. There we held a Bible study with Charlie and Florence Hardesty. Charlie is a First Nation person I have been working with for several years.

We had hoped to go on to Delini to hold a Bible study but the road situation prevented that. Through another contact, we learned the Ice Road was open to Trout Lake. The next morning we decided to go there and had a successful meeting.

Next we travelled to Rae. We stayed the night with friends David and Glenda Shed. Plans were made for the upcoming VBS.

We went back to Edmonton. There Bob Akridge took a plane and returned back to Louisville. I met a Pastor from Dallas TX.  Together we attended a conference in Northeast Alberta. The conference lasted four days. After the conference, I drove back to Edmonton and took a plane back to Louisville and home.

Later in June, I travelled to Canada with Matt and Marcie Fowler, Youth Directors at Plum Creek Baptist Church. There was a two-fold purpose in this trip. One was to hold the VBS previously planned for, and the other was to introduce Matt and Marcie to the North. They were feeling a call to do mission work somewhere. Today Matt is pastoring a church in Western Kentucky. I’m not sure where God will eventually send them.

Also this year, a team of N.L.M. went to the Navajo Reservation NM. We also took supplies to South Dakota.

2011

In January, Dan Morgan and I travelled to Edmonton and on to the Northwest Territory. We made many contacts along the way. Dan is a professor at the Baptist Seminary in Cochran, Alberta. He is head of the Nehemiah Project there, and was my boss at that time. The main purpose of this trip was to introduce him to the north and the work I do. I also made preparations for VBS and Bible study for July.

In May, Bob & Angie Akridge, Laverne Smith, and I drove to New Mexico. There we held Bible study and shared with the Navajo people. We also helped with some home repair projects. We met Dan and Denice Nickelis at Wingate Baptist Church. As they heard about the work in Canada, they decided to go with me in July. This did happen.  We held VBS at Rae with David and Glenda Shed at their church. Now, Dan, Denice, and Nick are planning to go back to Rae in 2012 to possibly stay as missionaries there.

In August, a team of N.L.M. travelled to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. We took food and supplies to give away. There was also a music team that went to provide a music program.  We had a great time sharing the Gospel through music and songs. Also in August I travelled with Plum Creek Baptist Church Mission Team to Eagles Cove Bible Camp. We helped the camp for one week. Thankfully we saw several young Indian people come to Christ.

May 2012 Mission Trip to Pine Ridge South Dakota

Our May trip to Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota was a success. This year our group divided into two teams going in consecutive weeks to Pine Ridge. The multi-purpose building is progressing and our main hope was to work on that project to get walls and trusses in place.

As it turned out we were not able to work on that part of the project because materials were not on site. Instead, we concentrated on completing the shower house adjacent to the new building. All went well and most of this was completed. At this point we still need further funding and material donations for the building to be completed. They include windows and doors, plumbing, electrical, HVAC equipment and installation, drywall, and insulation.  Mr Hahn also said they need log siding.

The first week was May 5^th- 12^th. Included in this group was Pastor Chad Morrow, Joe Coulter, Megan Magsig, Velinda Tindle, Shirley Thomas, And David Hahn. The second week was May 11^th – 18^th. Included in this group was Bob & Angie Akridge, Phillip & Elane Ingram, Carrol Ingram, Laverne Smith, Wanda Henson, Jarred Mattingly, Sharon Brock, and David Hahn.

(See maps)