“Amazing” was the word used most often to describe Arctic Barnabas Ministries’ 17th annual Ministry Family Retreat Oct. 1-5 at Victory Bible Camp near Sutton, Alaska.
The 16 pastors’ and missionaries’ families from the “Bush” of remote Alaska and Northern Canada gathered with a similar number from Arctic Barnabas for a week filled with rousing worship, insightful preaching, dental work, haircuts and a wide variety of age-level fun activities.
“Shell necklace or lei?” That question was asked of each of the guests entering the festively decorated Luau, each wearing Hawaiian attire, women with tropical flowers in their hair. Food: hors-d’oeuvres such as Hawaiian pot stickers, entrees of pulled pork and teriyaki chicken, accompanied by roasted sweet potato chunks, mango salsa and more, completed with desserts of sorbet served in the skin of various fruits,
The entire room erupted with ecstatic joy when the winners of the week’s main prize was drawn: Thanks to a generous donor, Bill and Brenda Johnson will be going to Hawaii for a week. The best takeaway of the week, several said, was the encouraging conversations with the Arctic Barnabas family, who understand bush life and the needs of those who serve God by serving the people He loves.
Watch this space over the next several weeks for stories of the people who serve God in remote Alaska and northern Canada.