As part of the annual Southcentral camp meeting in Palmer, Alaska, the impact of Arctic Mission Adventure was shared with members. Members and a network of volunteers support AMA and emulate the hands and feet of Jesus in Alaska villages.
The camp meeting theme was “Loving God” as directed in Deut. 6:5. With this idea in mind, AMA wanted to demonstrate this love and decided to have a back-to-school supply drive as part of the camp meeting experience. The goal was to fill 500 backpacks and send 100 each to the villages of Kotzebue, Nome, Dillingham, Bethel and Utqiagvik.
AMA backpacks were ordered and the supply drive was promoted across the state. There were two ways to participate: Supporters could bring donations to camp meeting or place orders online to be delivered to the conference. Along with standard supplies — crayons, markers, rulers — personal hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and feminine hygiene products were collected as well.
Members responded to the call and all that remained was filling the backpacks. Colette Reahl, former Bethel AMA worker, and her children took on the challenge of filling more than 300 backpacks for transport. In addition to the school supplies, extra backpacks and lunchboxes were also donated. When the backpacks were complete, more than 1,000 pounds of school supplies were ready to mail.
Tobin Dodge, AMA director, and family shipped the supplies to the villages of Bethel, Dillingham/Togiak and Utqiagvik. What an impact this simple act of kindness is making. Eric Fanene, Utqiagvik AMA worker, reported that the backpacks would be distributed in conjunction with a community outreach project with the Lyons Club.
Josephine Gosuk, Dillingham preschool teacher, shared that along with Gina Parker, co-teacher, and Aaron Dasher, AMA worker, they planned to distribute backpacks to schools in Dillingham — both the public and Adventist schools — as well as to students in the neighboring villages of Togiak and Manokotak. With each donation, whether a pack of pencils or a notebook, Alaska members' generosity made a big difference!
North Pacific Union has designated the Nov. 30, 2024 offering to support AMA. Thank you for your continued prayers and support of this donor-funded mission field in Alaska.
Colette Reahl and kids have fun while filling backpacks.
Colette Reahl and youth Finese Reahl, Brooklynn Paukan-Fisher, Sadie Boyscout and Hayzen Boyscout fill more than 300 backpacks for AMA.
Supplies fill the large meeting space at the Alaska Conference office.
Special AMA backpacks are ordered for the back-to-school outreach.
