WHY #2 – Alaska?

Just the thought of going to Alaska makes my spine tingle with excitement! It is a place of pure, untouched, natural beauty, and more of it than one could possibly imagine. It is as far away as you can go and still be in America. It is a place with a culture (dare I say it…) probably more unique than Texas even. People from around the world come here to see its beauty, to stop in its harbors, to see things few other places in the world offer. And yet there are other places in Alaska that cannot be reached by car, Inuit villages that have been seen by fewer people than Bigfoot. It is touristy, it is remote, it is oceany, mountainy, tundra-ey, hot, freezing, all rolled up into one. The biggest state in America. The most sparse population. People struggling to survive in harsh environments. People raking in $5000 a week simply catching fish. Alaska. Huge. Vast. Beautiful. Breathtaking. Unique. Alaska. I get excited just thinking about the possibility of being there someday, of being a part of some of that. And I am pretty sure I will be next summer!

But Why? If you want to go somewhere, why pick Alaska? If you want camping, mountains, beauty, etc., why not Colorado? – it is awesome and a lot closer/cheaper. If you want to do a mission trip, why not either someplace closer and cheaper, or overseas, where missions are “really needed”? If you want to make money, why not stay close and work a whole lot? Why Alaska? And why drive there? Isn’t that a waste of time, gas, money, etc.? Why are you so set on going there if you don’t even know what for yet? Why, Eric – WHY ALASKA??!

To put it simply, I feel called to go. Why I feel called, I’m not sure yet. But that is why I am going.

To be honest, this trip has been in the making for probably over 10 years. A long time ago, in a house far, far away, I decided it would be awesome to go to Alaska someday. That was it. Just a thought – it sounded cool when I was a kid. Last summer, I talked to a guy who had always wanted to go, and thought he might finally have a chance soon. This fall, I started thinking about whether a trip to Alaska was legitimately possible. Could I do that next summer? What would I/we do? And how? My interest was sparked. Once again, I had the “going to Alaska would be awesome!” mindset.

I truly believe God gives us dreams, hopes, and desires that he turns into callings in our lives. I believe that is what He is doing for me with Alaska. But how did that happen?

As I started looking into details about a potential summer trip there next year, a few friends helped come up with the idea to work our way up there, helping churches, Aggie clubs, etc. with random one day jobs in exchange for funding to get to Alaska. Then we decided that would be more realistic if we had a greater purpose for going there. Thus began the search for ministries, missions, volunteer opportunities, whatever sounded like a good thing to do up there. We found a few mission groups and started considering how we could serve God on our trip. Since stumbling across those groups’ websites, I have found and been in touch with at least 7 different mission or ministry people in Alaska, all very eager to have us serve Christ with them there. I was expecting to have trouble finding anything. But the response I have gotten has blown me away, and made me more confident that God is indeed calling me there. Missions in Alaska is a very high possibility this next summer for me. But I have also considered other options.
Working on a fishing boat could bring me 1-5 thousand bucks per week. That is a whole lot of money… more than I have ever had or imagined making, and could easily pay for my last semester of college and pay off some of my loans.
Working as cruise ship staff would be a more enjoyable and sociable job, and would still pay well, and would allow me the opportunity to see some of Alaska’s most breathtaking land and meet interesting people.
Camping in Alaska is definitely something I want to do. To see some of the most beautiful country God has created on this earth in its natural state is something I have always dreamed of. I have heard that Denali and Kenai Fjords National Parks are some of the most awe-inspiring places in the world.
Working in a National Park is another possibility that would really allow me to see the beauty of God’s creation all around me every day, as well as interact with tons of people passing through.
There is so much to do in Alaska, and though I don’t know for sure yet what I’ll do, I know that it’s gonna be amazing.

As for driving, it may seem pointless/stupid/wasteful to you, but this is something I see as being one of the greatest impacts on my entire life. Driving to Alaska gives me the opportunity to see and experience parts of the entire western United States and Canada. There are amazing sights, such as the Grand Canyon, the Canadian Rockies, the Pacific Ocean, Yosemite NP, and many more. And there are amazing people out there with all kinds of different cultures and beliefs and perspectives on life. And God loves every one of them. It is exciting to think that I have the chance to experience that. I hope the roadtrip works out, but even if it doesn’t, I will find a way to get to Alaska.
What it all really comes down to is that I believe God put in me a sense of adventure. A desire to see this world he created. And by seeing it, I hope to come to a greater understanding of how tiny little “me” fits into this freakin ginormous world, and what God and Jesus and faith and love and all that good stuff has to do with it.

So WHY ALASKA?
I truly believe that God never planned for me to stay put in Texas. I love it here, love the people here… it really is home for me, and I am a Texan at heart, always will be. But there is a world out there, and I am going into it. St. Augustine once said, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” I want to read as much of it as I can! Some call me crazy, others call me a dreamer, some simply say I am foolish and will get stuck in Canada and have a miserable time. If that’s what happens, so be it. But God is calling me and I will go. ALASKA, here I come!