iCandybyWangC

Calvin’s Alaska Mission Effort 2025

June 25-July 9

[4 MIN READ]

With the summer travel season upon us, we Wangs have turned our mind and energies to one constant: traveling to Alaska. For most of you friends and family members, you know this is practically standard-operating procedure, given that we’ve gone so many years over the last decade ([Wife], 6x; Calvin, 8x; [Daughter] & [Son], 1x each). One difference this year is that I (Calvin) am the sole family representative traveling. This is primarily a function of the new job Barbara started with Children First at the end of last year.

Thank you all for the ways you’ve supported Barbara and me. Over the last decade, you’ve provided emotional and spiritual support that is in keeping with God’s “doing”—immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine (EPH 3:20-21 [Biblia.com]).

One of my struggles supporting people around me is minding details. At this stage of life, knowing the gist is generally enough. But it’s an amazing encouragement when you all remember details that go beyond gist. To help you do that (and for you new people on this friends and family list who are in the learning process), here are some of those details.

This short-term mission effort is a ministry of our Chinese Christian Church & Center in Chinatown, Philadelphia, spearheaded by our indefatigable mission elf [Helen]. Our primary effort is leading the youth program of the native-Alaskan Wrangell Mountain Bible Conference in the state’s Copper River Basin. WMBC always takes place the full week surrounding Independence Day. We arrive a week early to buy provisions in Anchorage and connect with former conference teens in that area. I will be traveling 06’25’W and returning 07’09’W.

Read more: When

In Alaska, we partner with SEND North from whom we rent housing in Anchorage and a vehicle for driving to the interior. In Glennallen (a 4-hour drive east northeast on the Glenn Highway), where we are based in the Copper basin, we rent housing from Cross Road Medical Center, a local Christian medical organization. From there we commute 13 miles one way daily to the town of Copper Center, the location of the rustic conference facility.

Read more: Partners

The people we’ve gotten to know are the teens of surrounding native villages and their grandparents. Many parents are missing from family life because of alcohol abuse. That alcohol abuse also means that a substantial number of the teens are affected by fetal alcohol syndrome which impacts their intellectual and behavioral development to varying degrees.

Read more: Who

This year, our team comprises Helen, young adults Edson (Philly) and Gaby (TX), and me. It’s the first time in AK for Edson and Gaby. Our theme is “Break Free, Trust in Christ.”

Along with the emotional and spiritual support, various ones of you have also provided financial support. It’s always been a blessing as you’ve partnered with us that way. Historically, our own family’s financial contribution has been to cover the full airfare. That is also the plan this year, an amount that’s approximately $800.

Financially, we individual team members have overall expenses of $2,000/person (inclusive of the airfare). We are fortunate that the various Alaska organizations have helped us to keep costs extremely modest every year and that many of you emotional and spiritual supporters have also helped us to meet that expense. If you are among those family members and friends this year, THANK YOU! Your contributions are an added blessing. Contributions may take place directly to me or via “Missions Giving” at CCCNC.org/give ([secure application] with notification of amount to me for accounting purposes).

With our trip starting in just a few weeks, here are a few prayer requests.

• Sensitivity as the team learns our respective gifting, strengths, and weaknesses;
• Compassion for the needs of those we’re serving;
• Receptiveness to the Holy Spirit among both the team and the people we’ll be serving;
• Mercy as Barbara’s mother’s life draws to a close and wisdom surrounding the impact on my travel, including the possibility I may have to abbreviate or cancel my involvement;
• Strength for Barbara as she supports her family members, including father, and peace for herself.
• Physical, emotional, and spiritual endurance (particularly for me because I can be grumpy: THUD [iCandybyWangC]).

Let me recap by observing that your emotional and spiritual support is what we all treasure the most. Thank you for your persisting (and developing, as may be the case) interest and encouragement.

God is So good!

Calvin Wang (for Barbara and the active team members)