"You are the light of the world."

This is our second summer to be out hosting the lunch program at Arctic-Benson Park. At the beginning of last summer, the park was overrun with homeless (street) people and it was dirty, dark, and dangerous for children to be at. Throughout the summer, we made it out goal to make the park a safe and enjoyable place for the children to get out and play during the summer; at the end of the summer, we had many people from the surrounding community tell us that they saw in us "a light" that made the park a safer place for the children. That "light" is the love of Christ working though us in Anchorage.

Returning to Arctic-Benson Park this summer has been very encoraging. We have many kids returning from last summer and some new kids, which is great! But the most encouraging thing to see this summer is the continued impact on the community as a whole from last summer. We see so many more people come through the park and much fewer street people come through. Seeing God work in the lives of the kids is awesome, but also getting to see Christ's love changing the community around the park is so encouraging!

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

-Matthew 5:14-16

God has been revealing to me that the harvest is plentiful and in huge need of workers in the city of Anchorage and to the ends of Alaska. We are lights to the darkness of Alaska and the light that we shine is the love of that Jesus Christ shows us.