Alaska- Operation Heal Our Patriots

              Again, I wanted to thank you for your support and prayers. This has meant so much- and please continue lifting this trip up in prayer as I start Training Camp tomorrow! Very excited to step into the overseas mission field; and also to meet most of the squad mates for the first time. Training Camp will be filled with discipleship, cultural training, team challenges, and preparing for life on the field. It will be a crucial step towards organizing our group and preparing us for ministry starting in Eastern Europe (Romania is the first country) and beyond.

              To say that Alaska has been impactful has been an understatement. There is so much that happened while we served there; the Lord moved mightily. As a group, we served for 2.5 weeks in Port Alsworth as part of the 2021 Cru Lifelines Alaska Expedition. Each of us were from different areas of the country, and we all met up in Anchorage to minister and serve in Alaska together. For the first 5 days, we explored the wilderness in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve as we got to bond as a group and culturally (and spiritually) prepare for the ministry that was ahead. The next eight days involved serving at Tanalian Bible Camp (TBC) as summer camp counselors for high school campers who are from Alaska. Near the end of the trip, we spent the last five days after serving at the camp abiding with the Lord and lifting up / debriefing what took place together. There were a significant amount of takeaways from the trip, and even today (almost 3 weeks after getting back), it is still a lot to take in.

              For the purpose of this blog with regards to Alaska (and likely for many mission field updates while overseas), I plan to tell stories from what happened while there. Storytelling is a terrific way to express the trip’s events and allow others to be along for the ride as the experience and mission is made known. It provides a snapshot as to what happened while out on the field and tells pivotal moments in a deep, meaningful way.

              This first story centers around a nearby ministry that is also active in Port Alsworth, Alaska: Samaritan’s Purse Operation Heal Our Patriots. On the first Sunday that we were in Alaska, we had church in a beautiful open gymnasium before preparing to serve at Tanalian Bible Camp for the week. We worshipped and praised the Lord alongside the rest of the Port Alsworth community there as the week began to get underway. Later in the afternoon, we walked over to the Lake and Pen Air (LPA) airport in Port Alsworth. Step by step and alongside the Samaritan’s Purse Lodge, we rounded the corner and arrived at the gravel runway. A large crowd greeted us, and a man handed out American Flags for us to take and wave in the air when the time came.

              The crowd grew bigger. More people began to show up, and Samaritan’s Purse staff greeted and chatted with us. A lot of these people are from Boone, NC, which made me think about home. Yet excitement and anticipation was building in the air. Somewhere over Lake Clark, two airplanes were each bound for Port Alsworth- each with Veteran military couples. These veterans have served in combat; and they travelled here to rest and rejuvenate their marriages. Faced with years of trials, PTSD from war, and marital stress, they looked to Alaska as a place of refuge and often to get a fresh start.

              With our flags, we became a large crowd as the first plane emerged from the sky and landed on the ground. Applause rang out as the first married veterans and their spouses exited the aircraft. We shook hands with them; one by one; forming a long line and giving high fives. Emotion continued to ring out as they walked towards the Samaritan Lodge (where they would be staying and receiving counseling / ministry for the week). Just a few minutes later, the second plane landed. We were stretched out into an even longer line as more veterans exited the aircraft. We continued to greet them and clap while waving the American flags high into the air. Out in the beautiful Alaskan Wilderness, in the shadow of Tanalian Mountain, they have come to find hope and healing. And the Lord was there in all of that.

              As camp counselors, we had a very busy week being with our campers and making sure that our cabin groups were in good shape. For most of our days, we had a lot on the agenda to complete. But during our breaks, we often got together and went to buy milkshakes. The walk took us by Samarian Lodge Alaska; where we prayed for the veterans and those who are ministering there. While we did not have much overlap with them throughout the week, seeing the large American Flag draped across their lodge while boating on the water continued to remind me of them- and to continue lifting them up. It is one of those moments where even if we are not directly involved in the ministry itself, prayer is nevertheless a powerful expression to the Lord as His work continues to take place there.

              The next Sunday, the sun shone through the mountains as Lake Clark Church began in the open air of the gymnasium. Camp was nearly over, and we all gathered for a time of worship and abiding with the Lord. One of the Operation Heal Our Patriots staff members got up on stage and spoke about the week. He said that it has been a “trying week” navigating the marital relationships and walking with those who have been through so much. Yet he also elaborated on very joyous moments; including couples who decided to re-dedicate their vows to each other- along with significant spiritual growth along the way.

              On Friday, June 18, we saw that American flag for the last time as we boarded our own aircraft and flew out of Port Alsworth; bound for the Lower 48. Yet we will not forget the times that the Lord opened the door for us to play a small role in helping transform the lives of those military veterans. Please continue to lift up this ministry in prayer, and if you would like to hear more stories about what is taking place there, please visit this link: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/operation-heal-our-patriots-encourages-both-spouse-and-injured-warrior/?utm_source=FY21OHOPCampaignEmail2&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=m_YOHO-21E6&utm_content=cta-btn-bottom.

              Psalm 9: 8-10: “He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who knew your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” (see Psalm 9)

              More blogs posts from Alaska will be posted after Training Camp ends on July 17. Thank you again for lifting up the ministry and the journey that the Lord has placed me on, and please feel free to reach out anytime!