How important are mission volunteers to our American Baptist mission effort? They travel to a mission site, work projects and then return home. The experience may change their own lives, but do they accomplish any lasting good at the mission site as compared with long-term mission staff?
For Howard and Edythe Berglund of McPherson, Kan., the answer to this question is: “Yes!” Mission volunteers do make a lasting difference.
Their involvement as mission volunteers began in 1981, while Howard was serving as pastor of the First Baptist Church of McPherson. The church had granted him a two-month sabbatical and so, at age 61, and his wife Edythe, at age 55, chose to spend that time as mission volunteers at Camp Woody, a ministry of Kodiak Baptist Mission, Kodiak, Alaska. This began for the two of them a 25-year involvement with the Kodiak mission.
Their first year at Camp Woody, Howard served as a boys’ counselor at the junior high camp, with Edythe serving as cook. At that time, the mission focused on serving children and youth who had been neglected or abused. In addition to the camp, the mission itself offered a residential program for children in need. Many of the children had behavioral problems, as the Berglunds discovered. From the beginning, several crises situations arose and one boy had to be sent home after three days.
Another arrived at camp carrying a club, which reflected his hostile attitude toward anyone in authority. Howard notes that they took the matter to God in prayer and, as he said, “God’s spirit took control of the situation. By the end of the week, the boy with the hostile attitude gave his heart and life to Jesus and exchanged his club for a sand candle he made, symbolic of Jesus, the light of the world.” The whole staff rejoiced in this and other transformed lives that week and in weeks to come.
Experiences like this, as they saw God meet the deep needs of children and youth, motivated the Berglunds to return to Camp Woody and the Kodiak Baptist Mission year after year. As Edythe put it, “We kept coming back because of the needs of the children of Alaska and because we wanted to serve the Lord in this way.”
In 1998, the Kodiak Baptist Mission faced a crisis. The state of Alaska, which had been funding their residential program for troubled children and youth, gave them an ultimatum: “Continue your ministry, but leave Jesus out of the picture” or face loss of funding. The mission chose to give up the funding, rather than Jesus. They were not sure they could survive.
Former director, Evan Jones Sr., however, had a new vision for the mission. Rather than provide a residential setting, they would focus on prevention, seeking to nurture healthy children in the community and doing whatever they could to support family life. The mission survived and, as director Trevor Jones has noted: “The Mission has flourished since moving away from government funding, which inhibited us in sharing the Gospel. The Lord has blessed us for it.” |
 |
| Pouring the cement floor marked the beginning of the pavilion’s transformation to an enclosed meeting room in 1998. |
 |
| Inside the pavilion in 2005, ideas for ministry emerge as Jordan Sammer (l) discusses with Director Trevor Jones and his wife Becka the possibility of being a camp counselor the following summer. |
 |
| Remodeling the garage into a thrift store and food bank nurtures the mission’s vision for serving its community in 1998. |
 |
| L to r: Edythe Berglund experiences with Dolores Penberger and Mildred Booth — all volunteers from Kansas — joy in the fruit of consistent service while helping at the thrift store in 2005 |
|
|
Volunteers helped, including the Berglunds. They were not alone, for over the years they enlisted help from other churches, including three from California and two from Kansas. In 1998, 35 volunteers from several different churches arrived to help refurbish buildings and rooms for the mission.
The Berglunds visited the mission in 2005 and marveled at how much progress had been made, largely due to volunteer mission work, not just by them, but by many other teams that have served. Buildings have been renovated, including the addition of offices in the administration building, Stone Cottage freshly painted, a new dining hall added to the lodge at camp, a building power washed, playground equipment purchased and much “sweeping for Jesus.” Volunteers have helped at the day camp, preschool, food bank and thrift shop. A volunteer from Nebraska raised funds to purchase a mini van for the mission and then drove it up to Alaska himself.
The Berglunds, now in their 80s, continue their interest in Camp Woody and the Kodiak Baptist Mission. At every opportunity, they talk about the mission and urge people of all ages to serve as volunteers, to donate their time, work and skills to benefit the children and youth in Kodiak. They know the joy of serving Jesus as mission volunteers who do indeed make a difference.
Eric Nelson is pastor of the Washington Street Baptist Church, Lynn, Mass. He is also editor of The Vine, the regional newsletter of The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts. He comes from an American Baptist missionary family and has had a lifelong interest in national and international missions. |
