Christmas in Kalskag Project

Calvary Mission’s big project this year is to provide a Christmas gift for every child/student in the villages ages 0-18.  Christmas gifts are hard for parents to get due to finances and having to order everything online.  Many children receive no gifts.  With the help of Larry Hobbs in Louisiana and many people across the states the children of Kalskag will have a Christmas gift this year!

If you or your church would like to participate in our Christmas project please contact me by email:
ToughAlaskaChick@gmail.com and I can send you some information.  You can adopt a child, family or children in a particular school. 

Thank you for helping us make 220 children in Kalskag very happy and blessed this Christmas.  For those who will be buying a gift feel free to write a little note to the child or the parents.

Quyanna!  Thank you!

 

 

Calvary Missions, Kalskag, Alaska

Calvary Missions, located in Upper Downtown Kalskag directly on the edge of the Kuskokwim River, is an interdenominational church. It was established in 1959 by missionaries, Martin and Audrey Ausdahl.  Today, their son, Mark Ausdahl pastors the church. The two story building was built in 1986.   The church is a landmark on the Kuskokwim River as it has a yellow lighted large cross on the top of the building providing a beacon of spiritual light to people passing Kalskag by boat, snowmachine or plane.  Preaching is straight from the Word of God.  The congregation spends time in worship with hymns and choruses and in prayer.  A fellowship dinner follows each Sunday Service.  This church building can hold about 35 people.  It serves people from both villages since this is the only Protestant church in the area.

 

The Lord has given me the honor and brought me out to Kalskag from Wasilla, Alaska in the summer of 2012 to work along side Mark and minister in this church and village.

What Calvary Missions does to help

In 2012 businesses, schools and churches in Wasilla, Alaska launched a “Coats for Kalskag” Drive.  They collected over 100 coats and mailed them out to us that we gave away on Halloween.  In Kalskag we called it “Coats and Candy.”  The coats were gone within the first hour.  Weeks later people were still asking for a coat. We attempted to get these people a coat.


In January a girl scout group collected clothing and boots  and we handed those items out at one of the schools. The kids were so happy and grateful for their new clothes, toothbrushes and books.  Prom dresses were mailed out and we were able to bless teenage girls with a beautiful dress for Prom in May.



People from the lower 48 have mailed up new socks, shoes, hats, scarves, and other clothing items for the children in Kalskag.  We have distributed them with "no strings attached."

 

Dinner is served to the children once a week during “Kids Club”, a weekly Bible Study for children/teens in the village. Last spring, 23 children were saved through our Kids Club. We encourage the children to respect and honor the elders and teachers by picking up trash in the village and around the schools, baking cookies and giving them away and other service helps with needy elders.  Besides Kids Club, Vacation Bible School is a ministry we do during the summer between fishing and berry picking season. 

 

 

 

For adults we offer a Bible Study called "Coffee with Jesus."  The people are so hungry for the Word of God that one night a week was not enough and they asked to meet two evenings a week. We offer soup or light dinner for the participants.  The meals are provided by people who want to donate and mail us food, such as dry soups, breads, pasta & pasta sauce, and crackers to help feed the adults and children. Many of these items are just not available in the village and if they are the items are quite expensive. Bibles are also sent out to Kalskag by people wanting to donate to the church.  We can hardly keep the Bibles stocked that are sent.  There is always someone who would like one.

 

Women's Brunch was a popular outreach I did twice last year. Several ladies looked forward to gathering together for community fellowship and a variety of yummy brunch items.

 

THIS YEAR'S MINISTRIES

This year we plan to have a dinner for the elders of the Villages.  We will serve native food and have it in our church building. In the Spring we plan to have a teacher appreciation dinner for the teachers of the schools. 

 

Our Big Project is the Kalskag Christmas Project...coming up next!

 

 

What do people do in Kalskag for recreation?

Depending on the season there are many different activities both inside and outside. 

During the long daylight hours of summer/fall, the Eskimos pick berries, hunt and fish, swim in the river and camp in the wilderness or at their fish camps.  They harvest beavers, bears, moose, salmon, birds and other animals to provide food during the winter and skins to keep warm by making mukluks (boots) or molokai’s (hats) or gloves.  Coats are made out of seal skin, beaver fur or other animals such as rabbit, lynx, fox, or martins.  A foot race known as "Rip the Ridge" is an annual event in September and participants run about 5 miles up a mountain, across the ridge and down to the finish line.  Many people participate by running or volunteering at check points.

 

 

During the winter/spring the Eskimos ice fish, go on snow machine rides out of the village, make fires and have cook outs roasting moose meat, hot dogs & marshmallows over the open flame.  They will pull the children up hills on sleds and slide down the mountain. There is fiddle dancing and native dancing in the village.  People gather together for potlucks, community picnics or feeds.  There are cross country skiing trails which is a favorite way for people to get exercise during our very short daylight in the winter. The Kuskokwim 300 Dog Sled Race comes through Kalskag in mid-January.  This fun event brings out people to volunteer or just to cheer on the mushers.  Sports games are very popular and games or tournaments take place every weekend November through April.

 

 

Unfortunately alcohol is a problem in the village.  People will buy a bottle of liquor for $100 instead of provide their children with necessary adequate clothing or even food.  The drunks can be violent and because there is no police in the village, people fend for themselves and take the law in their own hands.  Children need adequate clothing, shoes, boots, warm coats and a safe place to go when feeling threatened or in danger.  Bingo is another set back with families.  Parents abandoned their children to play bingo.  They lose a lot of money then they drink and the cycle continues. 

Kalskag Conveniences

Schools

The children from both villages are combined into the 3 schools:  Elementary School grades Preschool through 3^rd, an Intermediate School Grades 4-6 and the High School Grades 7-12.  There is a school bus that runs the children from their bus stops to the three different schools.  Kalskag is in the Kuspuk School District (located in Aniak).  Since the poverty level is low every child has free breakfast and lunch at school.  For many children, these are their only meals of the day.

Conveniences

The two main stores, Ausdahl Mercantile in Kalskag and Anica in Lower Kalskag, carry groceries and some hardware items.  The items can cost triple what they are in the lower 48. due to shipping costs to the Bush. For example, a half gallon of milk is $8, a pound of hamburger is $8, and a gallon of ice cream is $35.  There are no restaurants, hotels, banks, coffee shops, video stores, theaters, clothing stores or even thrift shops.  We do not have a Village Police Office (VPO) or Fire Department.

Medical Facilities
There is a medical clinic in each village with Health Aids running the clinics.  Any major medical emergency will be flown out to Bethel to the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corp.  Expectant Mothers are flown out to Bethel or Anchorage one month before they are due to have their baby in a hospital.  Physicians, optometrists  & dentists from other areas such as Anchorage or Bethel will travel to the village once or twice a year to do well child check ups, dental check ups and eye appointments. 

Travel

The main mode of transportation around the villages is a 4 wheeler or snow machine.  A few people have cars or trucks.  The school bus will pick up people walking if they flag down the bus. There is a gas pump between the two villages. Unleaded gas is $6.70 per gallon.  Many people walk!  I live about 1/2 mile from school and I walk everyday.

 

Homecoming

I returned to Kalskag in late August with an exuberant welcome from the people in the village.  Kids are running up to me screaming, “Shelly!” I brace for impact as the mob is rushing toward me.  Vehicles stop, filled with passengers that are greeting me saying, “welcome back!” Hugs all around. Friends are jumping off their four wheelers giving me big bear hugs that won't quit. (Help! I can’t breathe!) Other acquaintances that are driving by will stop to pick me up and drive me to my destination.  I am so thankful for the rides.  Several friends (big & little) have stopped by my cabin to visit.  We drink coffee, tea or hot chocolate and eat popcorn.

Last weekend two of my friends came over to my cabin to cut up six salmon that another person in the village caught drift netting. We put down paper on the floor and got our ulu’s and knives.  I learned how to “cut fish.”  I cooked one of the salmon for our church fellowship time after the Sunday Service.  It must have been delicious for it all disappeared.

 

It's good to be home.
 

Where in the World is Kalskag?

Kalskag is a remote Bush Village in the interior of Alaska (meaning there are no roads to Kalskag). One must fly into Aniak (larger village) and take a second 15 minute flight or a 60 minute boat ride (snow machine in the winter) down the Kuskokwim River to reach the village.

Location

Kalskag is west of Anchorage about 500 miles.  It is located 100 miles northeast of the “hub village” of Bethel and about 40 miles west of Aniak.  It is located on the Kuskokwim River that runs east/west through the middle of Alaska.  The village is nestled on the edge of the hills and has trees and mountains.  The vast Alaskan tundra (open flat land with many lakes/rivers) is west toward Bethel.  Kalskag is in a beautiful setting.

The Two Villages

There are two different villages.  Kalskag and Lower Kalskag are 3 miles apart and connected by a dirt road.  Each is a different Yup’ik tribe, having separate tribal councils (leaders), post offices, and religions.  Kalskag is mainly Catholic and Lower Kalskag is Russian Orthodox.  Both Villages speak Yup’ik and English.

Population

Kalskag = 231   90% Yupik Eskimo
Lower Kalskag = 281   90% Yupik Eskimo
Apx 500 in both villages.  About 220 are children/students under 18.