It’s never been an easy feat to construct a large building on Nunivak Island, Alaska. It still isn’t. That’s why this year’s work on the new Mekoryuk Covenant Church—which will be completed by Samaritan’s Purse volunteers over four months—is such a milestone for the Native Alaskan community. Before planes, the Bering Sea’s shallow and shifting currents surrounding the island proved daunting to larger oceangoing vessels. Nunivak’s first trading post was established quite late in its … [Read more...]

Freezing and thawing had torn apart the church building’s foundation. Part of the ceiling was collapsing. There were gaps in the floor. It took at least a day—usually longer—to heat the building, at significant cost, so midweek events were held elsewhere. On winter Sundays, even with the heat on, it was sometimes still so cold inside you could see your breath. “Well, we didn’t feel good at all about it,” said Don Cross, pastor of the Covenant Church in remote Koyuk, Alaska. “It wasn’t safe. … [Read more...]