Alaska -  Newhalen Youth Camp Orthodox Mission Team

“It was a special camp this year with your presence that brought a renewal to our camp and community. It was joyous for us to have you and we are really blessed.” – Tatiana, ’19 Alaska Team host

NEWHALEN, Alaska – Are you interested in helping the Orthodox community of Holy Transfiguration of our Lord Church strengthen its youth ministry efforts by participating in the annual St. Juvenaly Summer Youth Camp? This camp has been making a difference in the lives of the youth from the Iliamna Lake region since 1984.

Work side by side with community elders and adults assisting in camp set up and camp lessons and activities. A camp goal is to empower the youth to live as Orthodox Christians in these socially challenging times. There will be time to develop relationships, to teach about the Faith and living as Orthodox Christians, and time for crafts, learning the hymns of the Church and sports. The camp provides safe and family friendly activities interspersed with prayer and lessons. Local elders, health care providers and law enforcement will also contribute to the camp.

A gravel road connects the villages of Newhalen and Iliamna; they share an airstrip, post office, Church and school. Newhalen is on the north shore of Iliamna Lake, about 5 miles from Iliamna and 230 miles southwest of Anchorage. The 1890 census listed the village of "Noghelingamiut” with 16 residents of Yup'ik, Alutiiq and Athabascan heritage (Newhalen is the anglicized version of the village). Iliamna was originally the name of an Athabaskan village located where the Iliamna River flows into the lake. Most residents practice a subsistence lifestyle in this region known for the bountiful fish and game.

It has been over two hundred years since the Orthodox Christian Faith was proclaimed on the shores of Alaska, and for this reason, it is often considered America’s Holy Land. The presence of Orthodoxy in these villages can be traced back to early Russian missionaries whose witness contributed to establishing the faith which is central to many of the native Alaskan cultures. Alaskan Native people often find themselves walking in two worlds - one with grandparents, ancient languages, fishing, hunting and close-knit subsistence villages and the other with an emphasis on formal education, internet technology and an evolving world economy. Teams bring a sense of family and connection as they share their faith with those whose home land is the ‘holy land’ of North America. The Church in Alaska faces many challenges as She continues to maintain an Orthodox witness and proclaim Christ while equipping a new generation of future believers and leaders to know and live their faith. OCMC Mission Teams work with the OCA Diocese of Alaska to provide catechism and youth ministry to the faithful to help foster growth and involvement in the Church.

All members should be prepared to share and teach the Orthodox Faith. Team Members will be sleeping in tents for the 5-day camp. Family participation is welcome. Youth workers, church school teachers and camp counselors are encouraged to apply!

Dates:  August 6 – August 17, 2022 (exact dates to be determined)

Cost:  $1,165.00 (+airfares)

Travel – Members will fly (round-trip) to Anchorage, Alaska; then via Iliamna Air Taxi to Newhalen. Members need to arrive to Alaska by early afternoon on Friday August 6 and depart for home on Tuesday August 17. Airfares are not included in participation cost.

Fund raising – Each Team Member is responsible for the participant cost and airfares associated with this Team. Team Members are encouraged to invite others to participate in this effort through prayer and tax-deductible donations. Participant cost includes room and board, local transportation, orientation costs, ministry expenses, excursion and materials.

Share in a journey of faith… Orthodox Mission Team members are challenged to view the world with God's eyes and seek how He wants to use them to fulfill His plans. This cross-cultural experience, combined with outreach, offers participants a life-changing learning experience. This experience is about people, culture and missions. It is also about prayer, for you and others; it is about God, those you serve, and about yourself, as you serve Him.