I'm a Yupik Eskimo who lives in northwestern Alaska. I travel as an evangelist to many villages throughout the vast part of the state. To get to them is different from traveling in other parts of the United States. Many can only be reached by one of three ways - airplane, boat or snowmachine. There are no connecting roads.Population ranges from 70 to 800 people in each village depending on their isolation. They are centered around hub towns that range in population from 3,000 to 5,000 people. I live in Kotzebue, one of the hub towns, and travel to these smaller villages to preach the Gospel year round.
They have many similarities-- a post office, a school building and a store. The cost of living is very high, so people subsist off of the land.
Many travel to the hub towns where prices are cheaper. Still others travel by airplane to the cities like Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau to shop but this is rare.
Jobs are scarce, so many people have to find work outside of their communities. There are churches in many villages, but some don't have pastors. It is to these villages I try to travel.
Many evangelists come to the big cities like Anchorage and, occasionally, they will go to hub towns like Kotzebue, but rarely do they get to bush Alaska. When they see what it costs to get there, they change their minds about coming.
These villages are the forgotten people. Many who live there are so hungry for God that when they hear of an evangelist coming, they flock to hear him. Yet, it is not without opposition. Religion keeps many from hearing the Gospel. It is only by the grace of God and the move of the Holy Spirit that these people are being set free today.As I travel throughout these villages, I see the Holy Spirit moving. Whereas, before, many of the villages had few people in the churches, suddenly they are filling small buildings to capacity.
They are hungering for more of the WORD and the Holy Spirit! It is so easy to feed them! We just need more laborers! There are a few Native evangelists, pastors and teachers. But there is plenty of work to do! Please pray for more laborers.
I have a goal to reach every village in Alaska. There are over 200. The difficulty is the high cost and inconvenience of travel. Please keep me and other evangelists in your prayers regarding Alaska.
There will have to be other means to reach the people at this time. The most current and effective tool we are using now is radio over the internet. We have the "God Loves You" program on KOTZ-Kotzebue, KICY-Nome and KJNP-North Pole near Fairbanks. We would like to professionally produce preaching messages for television as well. We are waiting for open doors in this direction.
I have always felt Alaska is a pioneer work. It still is. There is so much to do. We must be busy going about our Father's business. I have my sleeves rolled up. I'm working. Ask God to lead you to what you can do. Maybe He'll send you up our way.
Sincerely and in Christ's Love,
Norman Westdahl
