Alpha
Any reasonable man would be afraid of him. His presence is aggressive; he gets what he wants. Years of gang life show on his hardened face and tattoos. What he has seen and what he has done may define him forever. This is the way of those in jail.
But not Eric*. Here, in Alpha 2, he is not seen by his exterior condition, nor the gangster he once was, but as the man, he is now. Eric is a new believer housed in the Anchorage Jail, living in the new Faith Mod called Alpha 2. A Faith Mod is a designated living area for inmates who are serious about Christianity and seek a better life after their time served.
In Alpha 2, SEND North team members, who serve in the Diaspora Ministries**, lead Bible studies and facilitate a mentoring program for the inmates. Along with our primary member working within the jail, three mentor inmates also live in Alpha 2. These stronger Christians help the newer believers to keep them focused on the lord as well as answer their questions.
This mentorship program and Alpha 2 reflects two core objectives for SEND North. Foremost, it represents our vision statement to make northern disciple-makers. Our presence can strengthen those who are seeking with Truth and then share it with other inmates.
Second, we know that making disciples comes from integration and understanding of the people we seek to love. Our member serving in the Anchorage Jail has spent years building this trust. Further, the mentors within Alpha 2 come from the same background as the other inmates, and they know what battles the young believers may be facing.
As for Eric, he is passionately digging into the Word for more and more understanding. He admits he is ready, ready for the dying of the old self so he can don the new self-created by Christ. Eric is not the only who has received healing and new life through Alpha 2. Join me in praying for the growth of Alpha 2, currently housing 26 inmates, and for Eric, that he continues to pursue the Lord.
*Not his real name
**Next week’s article answers the questions, “What is Diaspora and why is it a Ministry?”
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
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