Why Alaska?
Imagine being 12 years old, the oldest sibling of 6, and having to care for all your siblings over the summer because school is out. There is no where for you to go because you have a single mom at work and not enough money for day care or a nanny…living below the poverty line wondering what to do all summer while you are not in school…wondering, if life being this hard is even worth it.
In the midst of this brokenness, we have a hope. His name is Jesus. Our hope is not in this world but a Living and Eternal Hope (1 Peter 1:3-9). God in his mercy saved us from death to life and how can we not share this new life with others? Many of the kids in Alaska have never heard the gospel and the hope that we have in Christ. These kids are hungry for love and need to see that the love that they are craving is found perfectly in Christ.
2023 Alaska Team (not pictured Mia Posey)You may be wondering, how do we share this hope with these kids in Alaska. Living Hope Church is sending a team of 19 individuals to Anchorage, Alaska (3 are already there) to make the gospel known. Our team is partnering with GraceWorks Alaska in this ministry. For 8 weeks over the summer, GraceWorks hosts a Bible day camp across 17 parks in Anchorage and Wasilla. Our team will be taking off on Sunday, July 23 and returning on Tuesday, August 1. At this day camp, we seek to share the gospel with primarily the kids and connect them with the local church. We hope to connect these children who are believers to be discipled and become a part of the local Body because we understand that we are in Alaska short term but the local church can provide ongoing discipleship.
At the park our team, will engage in relationship with these kids building trust and share the gospel with them. Most of our time with the kids is playing with them and talking to them. We also will have a teaching time, play a game to reinforce the Bible lesson, and do a craft related to the Bible Lesson. One of the nights, we will be hosting a park party. At the park party, we encourage the kids to invite their family as a way to connect with the parents as well.
