Joan and I have returned home from our adventure in Alaska this past June. The trip was both challenging and refreshing. We are so glad to have gone, but are also happy to settle back into our home in Chicago. We decided to go to Alaska about nine months ago when some close friends of ours told us about the work they had been doing at a Camp out in a section of Alaska called the Bush. The Bush is essentially a part of the state that is off the Road system. In Alaska most of the State is not connected by roads and getting from place requires taking small airplanes from village to village. We were interested in helping out so we signed up to be on staff at the camp. We spent the months leading up to the camp getting ready, helping to with fundraisers, and learning about the culture we would be working with.
The Alaskan tundra, where we stayed, was incredibly beautiful. It was amazing to see the land transform before our eyes. When we flew in there was still ice covering the water, and patches of snow on the ground. We spent the first few weeks bundled up by the fire trying to fight off the chill. As time went on things were completely transformed. The ice melted and the trees began to bloom. Soon we were surrounded by such an amazing array of life it was incredible. The only downside to it all was the bugs. The warmer the weather got, the larger and more numerous the bugs got. By the time we left we couldn’t go anywhere without being swarmed by hundreds of mosquitoes and flies.
The culture in the bush is very different then the culture of the Mid-West in some ways, but similar in others. There are obvious similarities. We speak the same language, belong to the same country, and have similar taste in movies and Music. however there are also marked differences. The bush culture is deeply rooted in many of the Alaska Native traditions. Much of the food that people eat is either hunted or collected in the wild. We tried all sorts of new things while we were staying at the camp. People from the neighboring village would bring us herring eggs, seal oil, muktuk, and many other native treats for meals and snacks. It was truly an honor to be able to learn about the way of life of many of the campers we worked with.
Sadly another aspect of the Bush that is different from here is the level of abuse and brokenness the average child grows up with. The levels of physical, and sexual abuse in the Bush are very high. This is partially due to a high susceptibility to alcoholism among many of the people. There were many broken families, and a great deal of deep hurts among the campers we worked with. Many of them suffered abuse, or were dealing with the loss of loved ones. There are many deaths in the villages each year; some from suicide, which is very common other deaths are a result of the unforgiving harshness and isolation of the areas many of the campers lived in. The thing I found most difficult about my time of ministry there was seeing how much pain the campers had, and how little I could do to help.
My position at the camp changed from week to week. Two of the weeks I led the music for the two daily chapel services we had. Three of the weeks I was a camp councilor. Both of the tasks were incredibly challenging. Being a camp councilor was something of an all consuming task. I would wake up an hour before the campers and go to a staff meeting. Then I would hang out with my campers all day as we did activities, went on hikes, participated in a race called “The Musk Ox.” It was a lot of fun, but it was incredibly exhausting at the same time. The part I liked most about counseling the campers was coming up with creative ideas to incorporate Bible verses into our daily cabin clean up, and doing devotions at night.
My weeks as a Music director were awesome. During these weeks I was able to spend more time with Joan, which was great. I would wake up early and lead the staff in some Hymns and songs.Then I would spend the day preparing for the two chapels, guiding campers in crafts, playing music for the dish crew. Sometimes I would even help out in the kitchen where Joan was working. It was so much fun singing and dancing with all the campers. My favorite part of these weeks was getting closer to the camp staff and spending time in prayer for the daily activities.
Personally I found the trip to be a breath of fresh air. I love doing ministry with youth. As many of you know I spent around seven years as a youth pastor in various capacities. When I moved to Chicago to attend Seminary last year, one of the most difficult things I had to overcome was a feeling of disconnectedness. I was getting a better education then I had ever gotten before about ministry, but I was actually DOING LESS ministry then I had in over ten years. By the time I made it to Alaska I was so hungry to get my hands dirty in the work of God’s kingdom. By the end of the first week I felt more at home at the camp then I did at my apartment in Chicago. It was a great reminder to me of WHY I was in Chicago in the first place.
The camp, however, was not without struggles. There were a number of incidents that taxed me both physically and emotionally. My physical ailments were mostly due to exhaustion. The pace at which we were running at the camp was not something that could easily be sustained for the long haul. By the last week my body was on the brink of sickness at all times, I was sore all over, and I couldn’t remember the last night of good sleep I had gotten. There were also emotional challenges. My second week as a councilor I was placed in the difficult position of having one of my campers sent home. Watching him leave so sad and upset tore up my heart and left me wondering if the work I was doing was actually doing any good. It seems that it must have been the grace of God that got me though it all.
Not only was the trip was an incredible experience that really stretched me and helped me grow, but it was also a amazing gift to my marriage and I know Joan feels the same way. I was so impressed with how Joan was able to endure the harsh climate and exhausting pace we were working at while being six months pregnant. I’ve always been impressed with how well Joan interacts with kids, but here in Alaska Joan shinned. She was able to make some deep connections with many of the campers early on, and as the weeks changed and new campers came she continued to bring joy to all the campers. I think the whole experience was great for us. It helped us step outside of the day to day struggles of paying bills and going to work and see our lives with some perspective. We were able to really see the direction of our life and talk about it with new eyes. The camp not only grew me personally, but helped strengthen my marriage.
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