Summer Fellowship in Alaska

Hi friends, family and supporters! My first week in Alaska was spent in the village of Unalakleet attending a Bible camp with young adult leaders from around the state, and out of state as well. The camp was held 10 miles outside of town on a dirt road, so we were hauled out in the back of pick up trucks. The camp was a really unique experience. I didn't go into it with many expectations about native village life, but I came out of it with a much clearer perspective on what Alaskan culture is like. One thing I was especially struck by was the stillness of the culture. One Alaska native at camp said, "we don't have the need to constantly fill the silence with words." And I thought, that is exactly how we are in busy, Western cities. We fill any silent moment we have with more noise, and we don't give each other our full attention. In having conversations with Alaska natives, I realized that listening well to others is one of the best ways that we can love eac