Wayland students serve as fishers of men among Alaskan fishermen

KENAI, Alaska—While Texas suffered this summer from the most severe drought since the 1950s, salmon still were running in the streams of Alaska, where Wayland Baptist Student Ministries Director Donnie Brown led a mission team.

The group participated in an annual outreach event coordinated by Brenda Crim, a native Texan serving as a missionary with the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board.

Wayland Baptist University student Jennifer Rowell of Plainview plays the guitar as the Wayland mission team, including Hannah Brown (right) leads a song for children during their mission trip to Kenai, Alaska. (PHOTO/Wayland Baptist University)

Wayland's eight-member team worked with other teams from various states, meeting the needs of people fishing for salmon on the Kenai Peninsula.

"Each July, for three weeks, the salmon are running," Brown said. "People are allowed to come out to the peninsula and catch their quota of fish for the year."

Only Alaskans are allowed to fish in the area, Brown explained. The head of each household is allotted 25 fish, plus 10 for each dependent. Fishermen lower large nets—about four feet in diameter—into the water, catch some fish, drag them on shore, club them and either go back for more or clean the fish on the spot, tossing them in a cooler. Game wardens strictly monitor the process to make sure Alaska residents are the only people fishing the area during the run.

"We couldn't handle anything that had anything to do with fishing," Brown said. "We couldn't even help them carry their coolers."

So, the mission team met families' needs by serving hot dogs and hot chocolate, providing hand sanitizer, cleaning the beach, directing traffic and leading afternoon worship groups for children who otherwise had nothing to do while waiting for their parents to catch fish.

"It was servant evangelism," Brown said. "We wanted to demonstrate God's love. We were there to serve them, meet some needs and through that show Christ.

"If we had the opportunity to share verbally, we would," he said. "But we just wanted to show that there are people out there who do care. It was a powerful testimony to them."

One man simply couldn't believe the group was there to serve without asking for anything in return, Brown recalled. He continued to talk with people associated with the group and at one point made mention of the Alaska missions hat that Brown's son, Joshua, was wearing. Josh gave him the hat—an act that touched the man's heart.

"That was a seed that was planted. I don't think he will forget what was done for him," Brown said. "Before we went on the trip, the eight of us prayed that God would let us serve and plant seeds."

The trip not only gave the group an opportunity to serve others, but also made an impact on Wayland students, he noted.

"How can we transfer this back to campus?" Brown said. "How can we meet the needs of our fellow students, roommates and classmates? We want to look for those needs and demonstrate the love of Christ to those around us."

NOTE– This article has been revised to correct the salmon fishing limit in Alaska.  The correct amount allotted is 25.