All over the Far North winter is in full swing, and that means working to stay warm. In some areas, people who are lucky can use the cheaper resource of wood stoves to heat their homes. If you never had to chop wood before, you are missing out on an amazing workout. It takes a lot of effort in the summer to store up enough wood to get through one winter. However, this cost cutting measure is not available to everyone.
Many locations are covered in tundra and do not have trees. Those homes are heated exclusively by heating fuel that is very costly. Due to its volume and weight heating fuel can be a challenge to acquire. In some parts of Alaska, it can be barged in using nearby rivers for villages off of the road system. If severe winter weather hits early, it can spell disaster. The whole community could freeze to death. In as recent as 2011 the world watched with bated breath as amazing efforts were made to bring in the winter heating fuel supply for the people of Nome, Alaska. Thank God they survived that winter!
In Northern Canada, the village of Inuvik must have fuel trucked in since its natural gas well dried up. The only road into town crosses two big rivers, which mean the trucks have to go on the ferry or the ice bridge. In the fall as the river freezes, neither option works. There is no strong ice bridge yet, and the ferry has to break a canal through the ice.
Last fall the first time they built an ice channel, the ferry got stuck in the middle of the river. They couldn't open the corridor for close to a month. This brought big difficulties to the town as the winter started, and they did not have enough fuel. It also skyrocketed the price, and they had to pay twice the usual amount.
Old Crow, the only village of Yukon Territory that is not on the road system, flies in the fuel and gas. Fuel tanks bring it up the Dempster Highway to McPherson. From there it is pumped into mobile tanks and loaded onto converted passenger planes. It is then flown across the mountains to Old Crow where it is pumped out into their tanks. This plane flies two to four times a day during the "fuel run" time. There are four "Fuel Runs" a year. In the summer, they can fly longer as the daylight is 24 hours.
So as you enjoy your warm home, say a prayer for the people in the Far North. Pray hearts will be warmed to the Gospel during these frigid months.
If you would like to learn more about life and ministry this far north, follow SEND North on social media: Facebook Twitter Google Plus LinkedIn Pinterest You can also download the free report, God's Extreme Love; Life and Ministry in the Far North.
