Return to Tanana

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Our volunteers recently returned from the community of Tanana, Alaska. Tanana is a small community of about 400 people found at the confluence of the Tanana and Yukon rivers. The people living here attempt to make their livelihood on the barge and other traffic coming through. They also live from the land fishing, snagging logs for firewood and picking berries.

In Tanana there had not been a week-long VBS since 2005 according to what we heard from some, so the kids were getting something 'new'. Our volunteers are happy to report the following:

“The women from the community helped out with this year’s Vacation Bible School. We really appreciated the community support because they understood the unique personalities and personal issues the children and families were dealing with at home. The boys really contributed a lot to the lessons and skits. As a whole the children were very loving and affectionate, giving and receiving hugs when they met, and enjoying each other’s company. We shared some of the stories and songs the children had learned during the week during a Thursday community gathering at the church with lunch afterwards.

"Plans are already underway for next year. I think next year we will try to split out the younger children from the middle elementary and older. We would also like to try something with the teens on evenings that we don't do adult Bible Study. We will again request help from the community."

We ask for your prayers for the community of Tanana. We ask that the seeds of the Gospel that were planted will grow throughout the year.