The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta

The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta

Mt. Edgecumbe Highs School in Sitka has kids from 120 different communities all over Alaska. Our connection with kids at MEHS can impact communities state wide.  Part of my (Aaron)  job is to help rural communities start youth ministries.  Last week I visited Jason Bavilla (first Alaska Native on YL staff), in Tuntituliak (population 600) and then went to meet with 25 people in Bethel (population 6500) who are interested in helping to start Young Life.  The frozen land is pretty, the passionate people are encouraging, and the dream to reach every kid is God sized.  To see and read more click here

In Tuntutuliak I had a chance to visit an MEHS Graduate (class of 2007) and his wife and 2 kids.  Jason is the first Alaska Native on Young Life staff.  The pace of life is in the village is different and no roads or running water effect how people spend their time. Jason coaches middle school basketball  and knows every kid in the village. He plans on using his home to host Bible studies, and sleep overs. And wants to give kids the opportunity to go to camp. Highlights for me were spending time with the Bavillas, seeing him coach basketball, and eating moose, riding on his 4-wheeler, and going to hunt for fox. Jason's big dream is to help kids in his village understand that God really loves them personally and wants to have a relationship with them individually.  He wants to show them how to learn from the Bible and how to continue their faith when life gets hard. The picture above and below are from Tunt.

I met my friend Dale in Bethel as we met with a group of people who are interested in starting Young Life.  Bethel is the largest "hub" community in Alaska.  6,500 people live there and it services another 19,000 living in 50 surrounding villages. In 5 days we meet with many people who had a deep passion to bring the hope they have found in Christ to the youth in Bethel.  Many of these people are already involved in ministries but hope that Young Life can bring structure and organization to help coordinate outreach and discipleship. efforts, also bring training and support.




High lights of the trip for me were:  being able to meet such great people, the group interest meeting (the group from the photo), home-made pizza party interest meeting at the Byrnes's, a 15 mile snow machine ride down river to a Bible camp called Camp Hope, and participating in nightly traditional native steam baths with the men of the Fox family.  Dolena Fox graduated MEHS in 2014 and has been involved with Young Life since she first came to Mt. Edgecumbe.  It was during her time in Young Life that she started her relationship with God and since then she has always dreamed that Young Life would come to Bethel and plans on returning to help with youth ministry.  She wants all the kids from her home to experience the love and hope she has found through her relationship with God.

Ice road on the Kuskokwim River

Tundra by Camp Hope

Prayer Requests:

• Wisdom and timing for Bethel Young Life, pray also for more people to be interested in being involved in the support committee and a couple people in Bethel interested in coming on YL staff.
• For Sitka Young Life in recruiting more leaders, prayer team, committee, and donors.