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Beach Reach Alaskan Style

8/26/2016

Hotdogs, Fishing, and Jesus... A Perfect Frenzy Combination!

With thousands of Alaskans dip-netting sockeye salmon as an annual family event, it makes sense that Salmon Frenzy is the largest project annually for Alaska Missions. It truly is Salmon FRENZY!

Over a three-week period in July, about 300 mission volunteers converged to saturate the beaches of the Kenai Peninsula with servant evangelism. We hosted service projects for Alaskan residents camping out on the Cook Inlet beaches at the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers, as well as met needs in tangible, personal ways through efforts such as kids clubs, bounce houses, trash pick-up, and traffic control. In addition, we served free hot dogs, water, and hot cocoa. This summer, 17,000 hotdogs were served!! On Sundays chapel services were held at each Salmon Frenzy station.

Salmon Frenzy is a perfect example of how meeting someone right where they are—in their waders on the beach—and sharing Christ in personal, relational ways can change hearts and lives forever. Our summer volunteer leader Gary Hawley, from Tyler, Texas, estimated that 35 salvations took place on the beaches this summer, along with numerous great conversations and seed planting for the Gospel.

Testimony: Meeting a Need for Families

Arla Phelps, from Troup, Texas, a repeat Salmon Frenzy volunteer shares a story from her time on mission in Alaska that testifies to the power of meeting needs:

"When we got to the airport to leave Alaska, the lady that directs you to what line to get in saw my Alaska Mission Jacket, and she stopped to thank us for what we do in Kenia, Alaska. She is a single mother of four and could not dip net if we did not help her by giving her kids something to eat and drink and a safe place to play and learn about Jesus. Conformation for sure. Thank you, Brenda Crim, for your vision from God!"