I recently passed my first year here in Nome. It's hard to imagine that
one whole year has passed since I moved here to be in ministry with the
people in Nome. It was a year filled with firsts for not only me, but
the people in Nome also.
From the coast guard cutter helping to bring oil, the coldest
January in Nome's recorded history to my first time out on a snow
machine and my first time ice fishing. All these stories have had
impacts on me while being in communication and building relationships
here with the Alaskan Natives and People.
The people here love the land, and care about their way of
subsistence living, they love the quietness of the tundra, and the
freedom to explore and be within God's Creation. Surely also, each day
is a new adventure.
I also have grown more in my spiritual understanding of God and
His work through the many Bible studies i've partaken here along with
the countless conversations i've had with people about what it is like
to live in Nome and the social issues the residents of Alaska face.
Indeed, every person has a complex history and problems do not
get solved with just a blink of an eye. I have had to develop the
understanding that I may not see tremendous change in my time here, despite my interactions with the Youth Court and the kids and
adults of this community. It is one thing to want the change I want to
see, but a greater thing to help change the things people of this
community want changed.
As missionaries, no matter what community people are in, it's
their job to work with the community to accomplish the change that the
community wants to see, but it is also a good idea to help work this
change while remaining wise. A dear friend once told me this prayer:
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the
difference."
I'm truly thankful that she told me this, because it truly has had
an effect on me, God was truly speaking through this person. I have to
remind myself everyday that I can't solve the worlds problems with the
blink of an eye, things take time, and help also.
This is where you come in. Truly, God can speak through you, work
through you, raise you to heights you've never imagined, if you let
Him. God uses all things for Him, and can put really bad things into an
equation that will help equal a really good thing (corny math reference,
but it works, and I don't even like math).
Temper service with wisdom
And always walk in the steps of God.
+PeAcE+
