When Service Trumps Convenience

BY: BRIAN PIPKIN

MDS projects are known by volunteers for their hospitality, good food, and great accommodations. However, this time is different.

Long working hours, unpredictable weather, sleeping with a group of 20 under a tent, cold showers, washing clothes by hand, no cell phone service, limited electricity, no e-mail or internet service and a willingness to eat anything placed before you, are what a group of skilled MDS volunteers quickly agreed to in order to help members of a Native American community in Eagle, Alaska return to their homes.

“It is exciting to see how flexible and service minded people are when we ask for assistance on such a unique project,” said Cathie Kearsley, MDS Director of Human Resources. “The interest level in this project has been phenomenal.”

During April and May of 2009, Alaska experienced a series of natural disasters in which a very large ice jam gave way on Alaska’s Yukon River sending massive ice chunks into many of the Native American settlements of Eagle Village.

Bill McCoy, MDS Region IV Director, who recently visited Eagle from Portland, Oregon, describes what he saw. “Homes had been pushed as far as a half mile from their original positions, bunching them together up against trees.”

McCoy, who was one of the first MDS leaders to arrive in Eagle, developed a productive and cooperative relationship with the Tribal Chief, Joyce Roberts. He explains that Roberts goal is to build “updated homes and not to settle for anything less.”

MDS has committed experienced volunteers from Canada and the United States who are willing to serve at least two weeks. Groups of 15, rotating every two weeks, will be flying to Eagle until September 12, 2009, the date of completion. The goal is to build 10 log homes within a nine-week period.

The phones have been exceptionally busy at MDS. 

“The quick response from our constituents in answering this request for volunteers shows once again the desire to serve. In five business days, nearly 75 volunteers have been recruited, and over 200 phone calls came into the office expressing interest,” said Kevin King, MDS Executive Director.

Time is very important for Eagle residents and MDS volunteers.

There are only three months of summer, during which time all of their supplies for the winter must be gathered. Winter typically begins in September. If homeowners spend the three summer months building their homes, they will have no food for winter. The time to build is between July and September, and if not completed then, they will need to wait another year to rebuild.

MDS volunteers typically work 8 hour days, five days a week. However, this time they are committed to working 10 to 12 hour days, six days a week in order to meet demanding time constraints.

MDS is not alone in this project, however. Volunteers are working with Samaritans Purse and various agencies. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has also agreed to pay the travel costs for volunteers in the recovery effort as it can be expensive flying so many volunteers to Eagle, six people to a plane. 

Volunteers learned an interesting facet about the Native American community.

Andy Bassich, member of the Eagle Rebuilding and Construction Team (ERCT), explained to volunteers that most people living in Eagle choose a subsistence lifestyle by choice. “They choose to hunt, fish, pick berries, cut wood, dry fish, can and freeze meat and train their dogs to be their transportation in the winter.”

Rev. Michael Oleska adds that, “Without subsistence [living] Alaska native people will die spiritually, emotionally, and will eventually die physically.”

Scott Sundberg, MDS Director of Communications said, “Perhaps what is most surprising is that we have far more people wanting to volunteer than we could ever place, even though this project is expected to be one where volunteers will rough it, maybe in tents without running water. Volunteers committed to being the hands and feet of Jesus understand that service is more important than convenience.”   

In addition to the Eagle project, MDS continues to work this summer on other projects in California and the Gulf area.