First impressions & experiences in Savoonga

We landed on the beautiful island of St. Lawrence one week ago (Tuesday), and were greeted and welcomed by many excited people in Savoonga. If I (Lindsay) could describe the physical appearance of this place, it would definately include “WHITE.” On overcast days, it is hard to tell the snowy horizon apart from the sky. The ocean is frozen and covered with white snow. The only indication that it is ocean instead of land is the chunks of ice that build up. On the other side of the village, are the mountains. Looking toward them makes me feel like I am near the top of the world. Because the mountains are completely snow covered, the horizon is higher than where I expect it to be. It’s almost as if the mountain tops are just floating in the sky where the clouds should be. White snowmobile tracks indicate ‘roads.’ I quickly learned to stay on the road. The few times I have wandered off it, I found myself stuck in thigh deep snow. Buildings seem to provide the only color to the village. Most of them are simple houses. The church building we are staying in appears to be located on the older part of town. Although it seems the buildings here were once painted, most of the color has faded or chipped off and ‘plywood brown’ is the most common color. The newer houses located on the other side of town sport the pastel colored siding.

It’s hard to believe we have only been here one week, not because time is going slow but because so much happens every day. The Lord has truly blessed us with open doors. The kids are always looking for something to do and somewhere to hang out. They are all so precious and we want to love them and pour into them, but they seem to wear us out quickly. It has taken a week to establish simple discipline. The youth are so much fun!! It seems they know this is a safe place for them. They have been so open and vulnerable with the issues they struggle with and express a desire to change and find strength to overcome. Vanessa, a shy 15 year old girl, gave her heart to Jesus the other night, and it has been encouraging to see the joy that is now so evident. She has truly found new life–she just SHINES! Ahh...there is SO MUCH to write about.....

The elders. The elders of the church and community are very spiritual people. All those that we have met truly know and love the Lord. This past Sunday, during church, they sang two Yupik worship songs for us and God’s presence was felt in a powerful way. We learned that many of their Yupik songs were given to them through dreams. Most of them are simple translations to scriptures, some which came even before they knew scripture!

We have definitely received a taste of the culture already! We have eaten bearded seal (both raw and cooked). Matt compares the taste and texture to a cow feeding on salmon. We also tasted ‘mung tuk’ which is a slice of whale skin with blubber (again, both raw and cooked). We enjoyed them both! Currently, many of the men have gone to the whale camp on the south side of the island. The whaling season is a big part of the year’s provision of food. Before whaling season starts, the community meets and holds a church service. It is clear they see it as a provision from God. Last night we received word that they had killed a small (if there is such a thing) Bowhead whale. It is said that whenever a whale is killed, that a light fluffy snow falls. This indicates that the whale has given itself as a sacrifice for the life of the village. Sure enough, last night and this morning, the winds stopped blowing and a light, fluffy snow settled on the ground. Today, we are praising God for His faithfulness!

Saturday night, we joined the community in an ‘atuq’ (pronounced ah-toke), also called in English ‘Eskimo dance.’ It was INCREDIBLE!!! I got to wear my new cuspik–a traditional top for women. About 10 men sat in front with their drums made of seal or walrus stomach. They sang as they drummed, while others danced. Each song has a specific dance that tells a story. Although we certainly didn’t know the dances, we were invited to try. It was so much fun. The women’s dance is very stationary, moving mostly their upper body using very elegant hand motions. The men have much more freedom in movement. Both Matt and I enjoyed trying to follow along with their movements. Our team’s willingness to try seemed very much appreciated by those there.

We only have 2 more weeks here in Savoonga before we travel to the next village. Please continue to lift us and this community up in your prayers. Pray for Matt, as he is recovering from a cold. Pray for our team’s energy to meet the kids needs. Pray for more open doors and opportunities to share the love of Christ, especially in the adult (25-40 y/o) generation. Thanks!!!