Alaska: Tanalian Bible Camp Ministry

              Here is a brief update: I just returned from Training Camp, which went super well. We got to bond as a Squad and prepare for the World Race together. Our final number is 29 people, and everyone committed to the Race, which was amazing! We also got to meet our coaches, Squad Mentor, and other leadership that will be guiding us along the way. We were put through a number of scenarios including hiking up a mountain with our packs and camping at the top, which was epic. Yet I was very thankful for the unity of the group and how God placed each of us together to function as the Body of Christ when overseas sharing the Gospel. In these next couple weeks, I am spending time with family and getting last minute logistical items in order before we launch in August. Over this week, we travelled to Florida to see relatives. Please be praying for continued fruitfulness and rest as I connect with family members for the last time before I launch- especially with regards to my grandparents who live down there. A blog post about Training Camp is coming up and will be posted just before Launch.

              There is much more to share about Alaska and what took place there over the month of June. One of the things that we did was serve as camp counselors for Tanalian Bible Camp (TBC), which is located at Port Alsworth. This took place during the middle 8 days of the trip, and we served high school students that flew in by plane for the week. And camp was a blast! We did numerous activities, pressed in with the Lord at Chapel, and talked to our campers about living a life that is sold out for Jesus. We did crafts together and also rode the boat across the lake as we fished together. Many of these campers have come repeatedly over the years, and they come from a variety of backgrounds. Meanwhile, the camp has a significant missionary presence. Because of this, I was able to learn about different mission agencies that work in Alaska, including E3 and Send North. One of our leaders from the trip lived in Alaska for many years working at Tanalian Bible Camp. This trip gave an intimate look at what it is like to be a missionary living full-time in Alaska.

              The Alaskan Native culture is rich in history and tradition. While in Anchorage, we visited a heritage museum that depicted their culture and way of life. We walked through the traditional homes of the Alaskan people, and learned about some of the competitive games that they played. While at camp, we got a chance to witness a demonstration of the Native Youth Olympics (NYO). NYO is a competition that brings youth together from Alaska to compete in games such as scissor kick, ball reaching, and the knuckle walk. More information about this event can be viewed here: https://www.anchorage.net/winter/events/nyo-games/. Yet we also were immersed in many of the challenges that they are facing- especially in their home communities. While hiking a mountain prior to camp, I had a conversation with one of the trip leaders and learned about the history of Christendom in Alaska (with the ongoing effort today to emphasize a relationship with Christ instead of the common presence of works-based religion). This pushed us to further live out our lives like Christ and to hear the stories of those who we came to serve.

              To be honest, the week was very intense- both physically and spiritually. Yet we continued to press into the Lord and lean on each other as well. The theme of the camp was called “Stand”. It is modelled after Ephesians 6:13 (and if you get a chance to check out Ephesians 6, I highly recommend it!). The verse states: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand”. When we begin to unpack it, this is a very lofty, intense passage of Scripture. It states that even as evil is all around us and after you have done even everything to stand in the face of it- to remain standing for the Lord. Furthermore, it reiterates our need to depend on Him- because we are called to stand even when it is not humanly possible for us to continue doing so. This is a great verse to meditate and pray over- especially as challenging circumstances and very difficult events in the world (think Covid-19) emerge.

              As camp ended, many people opened up about their lives, and the Holy Spirit moved in mighty ways. These are some of my favorite moments from the Alaska trip. Near the end of the camp, we all hiked to Tanalian Falls together. Tanalian Falls is this huge waterfall that the nearby river drops off of to enter the Port Alsworth area. We were this one big family hiking into a national park and getting to see a majestic wonder of God’s creation. This further opened doors to more friendships, and I got to learn more about their culture (which was a blessing). At the last day of the camp, we had Baptisms. Three people get baptized on the shores of Lake Clark, which was amazing to see. We all gathered on the edge of the lake (with a few of the adjacent Samaritans Purse staff showing up) to see them take this step in faith with the Lord. This greatly encouraged the camp after the week took place. And so, this is a snapshot of what we did in Alaska. I am planning to follow this up with one more post about the trip, and please reach out if you would like to learn more about it! Thank you again for your prayers and support, and I look forward to keeping in touch!

A demonstration of a traditional Native Alaskan (NYO) game at the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage.

Tanalian Falls (where we hiked to with the campers).

Chapel Time! (with a great view of the mountains from the chapel).

Me after being smushed in a tight space for over a half hour in order to not be found by the campers during the “Counselor Hunt” game (hint: I did not get found)!

The Baptism ceremony- held on the shores of Lake Clark at Port Alsworth, Alaska!