The airplanes stood as sentinels wing to wing along the side of the wide grass runway, guardians of the teens and counselors playing tag ball not far away. We flew low overhead, in a full circle, giving them plenty of time to clear the runway for our arrival. They waved at us and moved away, but as soon as the prop stopped, many of them ran toward us with laughter and warm greetings. We had arrived at Brooks Range Bible Camp on Friday afternoon of teen week. Some of the teens carried towels and were headed for tubing on a nearby river. Others opted for trying out the new swimming hole in Crevice Creek, a clear, bubbling stream filled with icy Arctic water. Property owners Matt and Tim Fickus had dug the swimming hole a couple of weeks before and it was a big hit with the kids. Matt and Tim were home with family enjoying the weeks of camp this year—our enthusiastic camp sponsors who bring a great blessing each year to us at Kingdom Air Corps and to the kids and teens who attend.
Our Kingdom Air Corps pilots-in-training, those who have advanced ratings, or sometimes a newer pilot accompanied by a flight instructor, fly into these villages—Allakaket, Alatna, Anaktuvuk Pass, Hughes, Wiseman, Coldfoot, and Arctic Village—to pick up and then return campers for their week of camp. There are no roads to most of these villages, but there are runways in all of them! This gives kids some fun and fast transportation, and it gives our missionary pilots some hands-on experience in bush flying and village ministry.
How was camp? Fantastic! First of all, our few days there were sunny and breezy; T- shirt weather with enough breeze to keep the mosquitoes away! Heaven might have some places like it, surrounded by gorgeous mountains chiseled against the blue sky. But the highlight of camp isn’t the location; it’s the campers, themselves. Camp is the pinnacle of summer for many of them, a safe place to play, swim, and hear about Jesus. Many, perhaps most, of the teens with us had been to camp before, and the Bible teaching throughout the week built on previous years, focusing on God’s plan of salvation throughout Biblical history, from the promise of a redeemer just after Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3:15), throughout the Old Testament, from Noah to Abraham to Moses to Isaiah and so many more. Tim Cook, our camp director and gifted teacher, highlighted the Age of Grace in which all of us who are alive today live. We can be forgiven for our sins and saved by faith into God’s family through the blood of Christ. The prophets of old believed this by faith, though Jesus was only a promise to them, having not yet come. But when this promised Savior, Jesus, came to live on earth, he taught us about his Father and his Kingdom. Then he gave his life as a ransom for all who believe in him and accept him as Savior and Lord. This Age of Grace will end when the world as we know it is destroyed in the end times. At the great white throne judgment, God the Father will judge the life of every individual, and it is there that the Book of Life will be opened. Anyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:22-25). Even those who did great and wonderful things during their lifetimes, but their names are not found in the Book of Life, will not enter heaven but endure the lake of fire forever. It was with these sobering thoughts from the Word of God that at least six of the 38 teens professed either first-time repentance and faith in Jesus or rededicated their lives to serve him.
Camp is followed by weekly online bible studies for girls and guys that run all year long.It’s an effective way to maintain both fellowship and faith through the long winter months. Please pray for these kids—that their faith would grow based on the Word of God. Some of these villages have no church, no missionary, no Christian leader. Pray that God will raise up godly leaders among those who live there to be light and salt to
their people.
