MTM - Interview with Corey Schmidlkoffer Part Two

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A plane touches down in Bethel and everything changes. What began as a single trip becomes a years-long commitment to Alaska’s remote villages, shaped not by big events but by small tables, shared stories, and the courage to listen. We open up about what we learned from Native communities—family first, care for elders, and the quiet strength of sharing—and how that humility reshaped our mission from “bringing answers” to honoring God’s image in culture and walking with people through real pain.

We talk frankly about the hard realities: high suicide rates, addiction, and isolation in roadless communities with limited access to care. We also face a difficult missionary legacy in Alaska and why we chose a different posture—repentant, relational, and patient. That led us to focus on two places, Kivalina and Good News Bay, where we now spend seven to ten days each month. No stages, no hurry, just presence. In Good News Bay, a dusty binder listed hundreds of infant baptisms but only two adult baptisms since the 1970s. This year, seven people chose baptism—some in a bathtub—alongside first steps of sobriety, reconciled marriages, and a fresh desire to build stable homes.

Along the way, we share the heartbeat behind the work: peace and joy that do not depend on changing circumstances but on the One who meets us in them. We outline the scope—roughly 100 villages with no gospel presence—and the practicals, from small teams to bush plane logistics and why one transformed life is worth every mile. If the story of Kivalina and Good News Bay stirs you, consider praying, sharing, or partnering so more villages across Alaska can experience lasting hope.

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