“I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6).
On June 18, Berean Youth headed to Anchorage, Alaska - a place that stays light outside until midnight in the summer months. Only then does it get about as dark as sunset, and a few hours later, the sun fully rises again . . . hence one of the nicknames it has gained over time, “Land of the Midnight Sun.”
Despite the sun's persistence, there is much darkness in this beautiful yet broken state. Countless children have never heard the name of Jesus, and fewer have ever attended church. It is easy to assume that other countries and foreign nations are far more unreached than any of America’s own states, but reality proves otherwise.
God blessed us to return and reconnect with the people of Alaska.
I was blessed beyond words to go on last year’s high school trip to Alaska and return this year, accompanied by both of my younger sisters. While many other students had also gone on the trip before, a handful went for the first time this year. Working with the ministry GraceWorks, based out of Anchorage, our group from Berean split into three teams to work at different parks in the area.
Monday through Friday, each team headed to their park for the afternoon to connect and play with the kids, minister to parents and guardians, provide food, and, most importantly, teach them about the hope, love, and good news of Jesus Christ.
We had Bible teaching time each day at the parks, and our memory verse for the week was Psalm 139:14, which says, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” It continually blessed our hearts to watch the kids and teens who came by each day recite the verses eagerly in front of the group.
Two of our groups were able to return to the same parks we were assigned to last year, and what a blessing that was! Leading up to the trip, we had no idea if we would see any of the same kids, but we walked into the week praying that the Lord would use us in big ways, no matter what happened. In his loving kindness, God allowed us to reconnect with multiple students from last year as well as many new ones.
On two of the days, our team also had the amazing opportunity to serve at Dimond Boulevard Baptist Church, a small church working to grow its outreach and relaunch. We were determined not to let the bugs, mud, or rain get in our way. We were able to help clear the church property of brush, branches, and debris - enough to fill two gigantic, industrial-sized dumpsters.
God worked through conversations in Alaska to share hope.
Anchorage is Alaska's poorest city and is filled with poverty and homelessness. Because of sin, beyond the broken homes are also broken hearts.
It was beautiful to watch God work through conversations, and by the end of the week, kids we had met just a few days before were opening up to us and sharing their hearts.
This happened two specific times at my group’s park with a couple of teenagers. One of the days, a girl came to our park for the first time that week with her friends. Just minutes after being there, she started opening up about the struggles she and her family faced. One of our team members was able to share tears, prayer, hope, and eventually even joyful laughter with her. Another student, a young man, came every day that week. On the final day, he brought his journal full of poems he had written. He invited us to read through page after page of vulnerable, heartbreaking words. The beauty was that he felt he could trust us with something as personal as his writings, despite having known us only for a few days.
The beauty of creation in Alaska was yet another reminder of the goodness of God. As we hiked through gorgeous misty mountains on our final day, it was a breathtaking grand finale to all the incredible things God did in our time there. With hearts so full after witnessing kids committing their lives to Christ, getting baptized, and shouting the memory verse from the top of their lungs, it was incredibly difficult to say goodbye. We know that God will continue to work in Alaska and that he planted many seeds we may never fully realize he used.
God used this trip to bring hearts together for Christ.
After both last year’s and this year's trips, I have been amazed by the way a missions trip brings together the hearts of individuals for Christ.
First, it amazed my sisters and me to watch who God used to gather the needed funds and partner with us for this trip. There were moments when we wondered if we could meet fundraising deadlines, but God’s hand was so evident, and he provided so faithfully. Additionally, witnessing together as a team how God worked on this trip was one of the most incredible things.
The Lord absolutely used this trip in my life to shift how I view both the body of Christ and how we can continue making Christ known, even from here in Minnesota.
Our team will never stop thanking God for this trip, and we are so grateful to our church family at Berean for lifting us up in prayer throughout the entire journey. I'd like to ask for continued prayers for the Anchorage community and the GraceWorks ministry as they keep making Jesus known and bringing the light of Christ to a state filled with darkness and hurt.
Consider taking a missions trip!
I strongly encourage you to consider stepping out in faith and going on a missions trip, even if it’s within the borders of the United States. The gospel is needed everywhere. Pray about even going on a missions trip with your kids, siblings, or Small Group.
Following the Lord’s leading in life is the most fulfilling and beautiful thing you can do. Never underestimate how he will use that obedience in your life and for his glory.
Read more on the Berean Blog!
Interested in learning more about last year's youth mission trip to Alaska? Check it out below! And if you'd like to learn more about opportunities for youth at Berean, click HERE.
