(For more pictures of our trip, click here!)

LIFT 17 ALASKA Mission Trip Report

From March 15-27, LIFT 17 had the incredible opportunity of showing Christ’s love through ministering in various parts of Alaska. None of us had ever been to the 49^th state before, but after spending almost two weeks there, this beautiful and diverse land has a hold on our hearts. We feel so privileged to have been able to be a tiny part of the work God is doing throughout Alaska, and we trust that He will continue to use our experiences there to teach us more about following Him.

After a long day of travel (with a 5 am start!), we arrived in Anchorage on Thursday, March 15 around 9 pm – which felt like 1:00 in the morning to our weary, jet-lagged bodies. We were warmly greeted by CAMP-supported missionary Phil Baur, who helped settle us into our hotel. The next few days were spent in orientation as we learned much more about SEND International and how to minister to Native Alaskans. Our hearts went out for this people, a diverse group of individuals who have lost much of their culture and identity, and whose lives are plagued with hardships.

---

On Sunday, our team of 14 split into two groups, the Anchorage Team (AT) and the Village Team (VT). Orientation was over and it was time to dig in to ministry! The AT moved into SEND apartments for the week as the VT flew to their first village. While we had at first been resistant to the idea of splitting up, we look back now with thankfulness at how God was able to use us and teach us in many different ways in our separate locations.

---

The AT was excited to get to work with SEND missionary Eileen Starr, a woman who has served in Alaska for years, earning the trust and respect of many people – she has actually been adopted into an Athabascan Indian clan! Eileen directs the annual Spring Break Day Camp in an area of the city, and we were excited to work with her and the 150+ kids who attend. We were in an extremely diverse section of Anchorage, with over 90 different ethnicities represented in the student body. It is an area of high unemployment, economic depression, abuse, neglect and many other problems. Our hearts melted for our little students and we were thrilled at this chance to share God’s love with them, even for a few days. From 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, Mon – Wed, we poured out love and care for each child, praying that God would continue to nourish these seeds we were planting. The AT finished up the week volunteering at a Soup Kitchen and helping with some major ‘spring cleaning’ at the SEND apartments. Praise God for all of our opportunities to serve Him and to spread His love!

---

Through one flight on a small plane followed by another flight on an even smaller one, the VT arrived safely in a tiny village, population 35. We received a warmer welcome than we had expected, and within hours, found ourselves on ‘snowmachines’ and sleds, playing with the village children. During our 3-day stay, we were able to spend lots of quality time with these isolated, attention-starved kids, giving them love and having fun. As could be expected in a village with no roads and so few people, they face many kinds of hardships. Many of the kids live in houses without running water – and it’s winter about eight months of the year! After another ride on another tiny place, we found ourselves in another small village. This village has had almost no Christian influence and much of our time was spent in ground-breaking efforts, paving the way for future mission work. We are thankful to God for giving us the opportunity to share His love with the kids who were willing to come and spend time with us, and we trust that He will continue His work in their searching hearts.

---

Following a joyful reunion back in Anchorage the following Sunday, our entire LIFT team drove north to Glennallen for an amazing few days of rest and debriefing. Our breath was taken away with every turn of the road, captured by the miles of wilderness and the majestic mountains, frozen waterfalls and enormous glaciers. We were thrilled to be able to spend an entire day in Thompson Pass, a winter playground nestled in the midst of mountains. There we enjoyed God’s beautiful creation and built lasting memories of friendship and fun, sharing stories from our different experiences and praising God for His faithfulness.

---

For more pictures of our trip, click here!