Aleknagik and Dillingham

by Kathy Rowe

	Volunteers recreate Vashti’s party from the book of Esther.

Alaska mission trips are a wonderful way to see some of God’s beautiful creations and, at the same time, share His love.

    From June 19 through June 29, 2008, seven students from Iowa, Missouri and Mexico, along with my husband Mike and I, traveled to Alaska to hold Vacation Bible School programs in the villages of Dillingham and Aleknagik.

    No matter which way you look, the scenery is beautiful with the mountains and animals right along the road. Having a snowball fight on the first day of summer doesn’t happen too often in Missouri, Iowa, or Mexico!

    The only ways to get to Dillingham are by air or boat. We fly. Fishing was in full swing when we arrived. Going to the beach to pull fish from the nets was a new experience for the whole team. We also went cliff jumping on the beach. Our home for the week was in the Dillingham Adventist Elementary School. Daily we traveled the 20 miles to Aleknagik, obtaining a ride across the lake to the small Adventist church with old friends. We carried our crafts, lessons, costumes, and snacks each day. A few of the families that attended in years past had moved, so I wondered if any children would be there when we arrived. We were thrilled to have 22 children each afternoon. We crossed the lake back to Dillingham every afternoon to be in time for the evening VBS, where we had over 60 children. Some of the youth went back to Dillingham with us so they could attend VBS twice a day.  

Every day the volunteers boarded a boat for the trip to the village of Aleknagik.

   Our theme this year was “Race to the Victory with Jesus.” We had health lessons each day on taking care of our bodies and winning that race. Team members in Bible era costumes made the book of Esther come alive each day with a continued skit. Each day the story stopped in an exciting spot, and the children had to come back the following day to find out how Esther would win the race with Jesus. One of the youth from Aleknagik volunteered to help and be in the skits a few days. Other activities included a nature nugget, Bible memory verse activities, and crafts. The main crafts were derby cars. The final races were held on Friday with everyone being a winner with Jesus. The theme song was, “God in Heaven Made Many Kids.” The words continue with, “He made our bodies to grow up healthy and this is what I’ll do.” Each day the children would add a verse to the song about what they would do to take care of their bodies. VBS always ended with singing the theme song again at the time when parents would be coming to pick up the children. Instead of just waiting at the door, they would come in and sit with the children, doing the actions, singing, and having just as much fun with Jesus as the children. The excitement in the children’s eyes, their eagerness to participate, and the respect they have for God when the prayers are said, makes it a mission trip worth going on each year.

The children were so excited about the recreation of Vashti’s party that they made their own crowns.

    This was our fifth year coming to Alaska. In the past, our daughter, Misty, had been on our VBS team. Last year she was asked to serve as a task force teacher in the Dillingham Adventist Elementary School. She has completed her year but loves Alaska so much that now she has decided God wants her to stay in Dillingham and finish her education there. She helped arrange wonderful meals from church members for the VBS team and did the advertising for VBS. God made the scenery beautiful in Alaska, but He also made the beautiful friends, both young and old, whom we have met there.