
Welcome to Eagles Rest Ministries. A place for pastors, missionaries, and ministry families to rest, reconnect, and be renewed.
A Calling We Didn't Expect
When we returned home to care for aging parents, we didn’t expect to find ourselves on this journey. We’re still Bible translators, but there's a lot more to the story. We are John and Bonnie Nystrom. Since 1987, we have been working in Papua New Guinea (PNG) advising a local Bible translation project. In 2011 we needed to return to the U.S. to care for elderly parents. John now works with the translation team remotely from the US and makes annual trips back to PNG. Caring for John’s parents meant staying at his family's place, Nystrom's Resort, in the summers. He continued advising the translations while also helping his parents navigate cancer and dementia. John inherited the family resort when his mom passed away in 2021. We started asking the Lord, What are you doing? Why did you make us resort owners when we're still full-time missionaries? We love living here and serving our guests, but what is your kingdom purpose for us owning this place? The answer to that question came gradually but with increasing clarity. Ministry friends started visiting. People serving in missions, churches — people like us, in need of rest. And what we noticed again and again was this: being here made a difference. Being near the water, away from pressure and noise, gave them space to reconnect with the Lord and their families. We had been in their shoes, in need of that kind of break, and now we were in a place to make that possible for others. We knew that most people in ministry can't afford to stay in a nice cabin on a beautiful lake. But we did not know that most people who donate their place to pastors and missionaries can only accommodate a couple. Very few can host a whole family. Since Nystrom's Resort is all about building family memories, our vision for Eagles Rest Ministries was born. We’re now building Sycamore Cabin, a four bedroom log cabin dedicated to hosting ministry families. Watch the video for more of the story. We’re still doing Bible translation. We still live at Nystrom’s Resort in the summer. And now we’re inviting others in ministry to rest and reconnect here.
Watch The Story Behind Sycamore Cabin
Who Sycamore Cabin Is For
Sycamore Cabin is for people in ministry who need a quiet place to rest and reconnect with the Lord and their families at little or no cost to them. We expect to open in May 2026.
— And Who Helps Make It Happen
If you share this vision with us, you can donate here. You can also partner with us in other ways.

Join Our Waitlist
Sycamore Cabin will serve ministry families. With three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a loft, and a walk-out basement, this Amish-built log cabin will offer plenty of space — including a large living room designed for group meetings, meals, or quiet time together. It will sleep up to 10 people.
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If you are interested in staying in Sycamore Cabin anytime after it opens in May 2026, click the box below. We'll contact you as soon as we begin taking bookings, possibly as early as February 2026.

How It’s Coming Together
Sycamore Cabin has been steadily moving forward, one step at a time. Since completing the land survey in 2019, we’ve installed septic and water lines, finalized electrical access, completed cabin drawings, and received final permit approval. We celebrated the groundbreaking in early July 2025 and the build is underway. We are excited to share more as it unfolds.
To view the full timeline and construction updates, visit our progress page.
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If you want to keep in touch with us you can subscribe to our email updates.
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Don't miss our 3-minute video about Eagles Rest Ministries and Sycamore Cabin.