David and Augustine Matthews

My wife, Augustine, and I are called to serve the Inupiaq people in the extreme conditions of the Arctic. We pastor the most northern church in the USA in Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska which is located above the Arctic Circle. The sun goes down before Thanksgiving and does not come back up until around January 22nd. Mission work is so needed here.

Augustine is an Inupiaq from Kotzebue, Alaska. My parents and family moved to Kotzebue when I was 13 in order to serve as missionaries. I lived there for about 27 years and met Augustine there. We have been married over 32 years and have 6 children and 3 grandchildren.

Our goal is to reach out to the hurting and proclaim the Good News of the Gospel in word and deed. Even though the Inupiaq culture is rich with beautiful people, they have one of the highest suicide rates per capita. This is partly due to alcohol and drugs which cause many problems that are passed down from one generation to the next. With God’s help and yours, we want to break this cycle.

We have 7 smaller villages ranging in population from around 248-711. Many of these small villages have no pastors. Just these past few months, I have traveled to Kaktovik, Nuiqsut, Atqasuk, Point Lay, Point Hope, and Wainwright. The people are so hungry for God’s Word and are always so thankful that someone comes to share songs and scripture with them. We see God working within our region, and we are grateful that we can be a part of the healing.

Since we are off the road system, traveling to these remote villages is very expensive. We are willing to go but are in need of assistance. It’s a very harsh environment, but God supplies the strength and grace one day at a time. My wife and I not only know the culture but we are a part of it. We both grew up in the villages of Alaska so God has blessed us to reach our people. Quyanaqpak! (“Thank you very much” in the Inupiaq language.)