Comments (23)

Christie, thanks so much for the article! You're too kind for 'jumping at the opportunity' of kindness that was directed to you from Bessie Titus! I am a Koyukon Athabascan Indian from a small village down the Yukon River and I myself have been to Minto a few times for a basketball trip and my fellow teammates and I were impressed with the hospitality, especially of one nice young boy(at the time) Brandon Charlie! He hollared at us from way down the road(it was windy and could barely hear him) to thank us for being there and to introduce himself! He is still a cheerful, happy-go-lucky guy today! As are several others from Minto! Could be their 'spiritual glow' that gives an instant smile.
As to God's word being spread, I'm especially excited about spreading the 'good news'! I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for God saving me! I have a personal love relationship with God and am raising my children close to His people(Baptist church)! I am thankful for that everyday!
MP and Spider-man, please be forgiving to one another(as God forgives you! For how can He forgive you in the 'judgement seat' if you don't forgive others) and look at the positive side of the story instead of the only two negative sentences in there. God bless one and all!

I am an Eskimo who has been to Minto many times. They have people there who know how to touch God. The Minto people have many kind and powerful leaders. Very few place will bring two denominations into one. This only takes a people who believe that God wants Unity and love. Good comes out a heart that has Good in it, like the people in Minto. I am sorry for those who have bad in their heart, and writing stuff here that reveal what is in their heart.

God bless America! Bee

TJ,
I appreciate your feedback and will be praying for you. One day I hope you have a relationship with Christ so that you may understand why so many people have followed his teachings for centuries, and will continue to do so.

There is nothing you or others like you can say to sway me from my beliefs. My relationship with Christ is not a fad or subject to be debated. You either will accept it or you won't.

I pray that one day you accept Christ and share your experience with others.

Stay blessed and encouraged always.

MP

I've been to Alaska, spent 5 months in Denali working as a mechanic at one of those summer adventure places. I felt myself closer to God while I was climbing 9,000 and 11,000 foot mountains than I ever did in any church. I drove up there too. I wish there was a way for inner city kids to be able to take a bus up the ALCAN and see Denali for themselves, they might stop shooting each other over the Xbox 360. Life is beautiful, God blessed us with a beautiful Earth - our time here is short. Carpe Diem.

I thank "Washington Post" for posting this publicly. What a way to get up in the morning way out here in Seattle on vacation and grab a cup of coffee then sit down to check the e-mails. I am blessed to read and see this. I have been to Minto myself, the words that are shared by the people of Minto on this post and video are the true testamonies of the loving hearts of the people of Minto,a true hunger for the words and ways of God.

This is an story about my friend God Alimighty and faith in him ,and his son Jesus. The one talked about in the book written of him. My friend God said one day that he will pour out his spirit upon all flesh. He also said that "He so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believed in him shall not perish but have everlasting life". In other words if you believe in his son not only will you have life after death,but some will experience a new life on earth. My friend always keeps his word. You'll see! try him! Start with the book of Romans chapter 10 and verses 9, or just read the whole chapter. you'll see and believe! May God Bless you!

MP writes: "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen..."

Faith may well be the substance of things hoped for, but the evidence of things not seen? That's just silly. Faith is only necessary when evidence is absent.

and continues: "Like a paycheck that your boss promises you every two weeks. You have faith that you will receive one every two weeks, month, or year, but it is not guaranteed. You just have faith that you will receive one. That doesn't make you closed minded or gullible."

If you look at your paycheck that way it doesn't mean you are closed-minded or gullible. It means you aren't very smart and are probably a sad-face statistic in our current economical woes.

Let's use an example that makes sense instead. We all have faith that the sun will rise, more or less, in the east and set, more or less, in the west. We have an incontrovertible body of evidence that supports that faith.

Your Christian faith is quite a different kind of faith. There is not an incontrovertible body of evidence that supports your faith.

Do you understand the difference between these two types of 'faith'? If not, consult a dictionary.

and closes: "That's just one of many life principles."

No. That's not a life principle. That's playing semantics with bumper sticker philosophy.

Gorillas in the mist and polar bears on the tundra. All can be found in heaven, Spiderman2.
You have absolutely no idea where you're going, do you?? You need a new Travel Agent.

You unhappy critical guys are a hoot!! What a boring world it would be w/o you tho. RAIL ON DUDES!!

As someone who has actually been to Minto, and has been blessed by their hospitality, it was incredible to currently be 5000 miles away and find this article coming at me out of the blue. If any of you guys are reading this, think Talkeetna... Randy and Edie currently in Texas at GOZI.

Personally, I'd love to sit in a corner of a room while those unhappy guys unload on the elders there, Bergman, Dick, and the others not mentioned. Now THAT would be priceless.

I'm thinking of the scene in "Never Cry Wolf" where the scientist guy is pontificating and explaining all of his plans and experiments, scientific tests, and so on at length to the old Inuit elder. After the translation by the young man, the elder stares at him for a while, and says "Good Idea..."

Christy, thanks for an incredible story. I'm also sending it to friends around the world. To all of the people in Minto we miss so much and can't wait to see again, Shalom! and from GOZ...

Xristosi banuytashtch'ey!

Wow, that's a great story. I feel hopeful reading it. I'd like to visit there some day soon, and hear the story in person and encourage others as well as be encouraged.

I'm sorry there are people in the world who are skeptical, sad, and unable to be happy for others.

I've been to Minto and love the people and their friendships; you will never be cold, hungry, or not without friendship when visiting.

I recommend those who are skeptical, sad, and unable to be happy for others a visit right away!

Travel Agent wrote : "I've been to heaven too, and there are gorillas there. They are beautiful and magnificent in their spirit. "

You have it mixed up. It's called jungle, not heaven. And even in the jungle, gorillas don't want you there. How much more in heaven? What do you think?

I've been everywhere, that's why I'm the Travel Agent. I've been to heaven too, and there are gorillas there. They are beautiful and magnificent in their spirit.

Fortunately in heaven they are no longer victims to their own slaughter at the hands of various Christian maniacs that are washed in the blood - yes, the blood of insanity.

You may think you know where you're going - but I doubt it. You're not a reasonable person, Mr. Spiderman2. Hopefully for your sake you won't be re-born in the Belgian Congo - but it's very possible.

Travel agent wrote: "We apologize for spiderman2 "

So you're a "Christian" who believes you came from an ancestry that has gorilla genes?

If you claim to be a Christian then forget it. There are no gorillas in heaven. Believe me.

If Catholicism believes in evolution it's because it's a fake Christianity. Watch out folks.

TO MP:

Christianity is not some kind of life insurance policy so that one may have eternal life.

Christianity is to follow Jesus and die for others so that they can have eternal life.

Take care, be ready, see you and the rest of humanity in the Kingdom [the new heavens and the new earth].

Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

I am never amazed at how closed minded people can be with their constant anti-Christ views.

When I hear someone say that others are closed minded for believing in God, I laugh because they are the ones who are closed minded for making such a statement about someone's belief system. The last time I check, we live in the land of the free and home of the brave. In America, people are 'free' to believe as they like, and although I may disagree with that belief, it doesn't give me the right to call them closed minded or any other name.

Yes, I am a Christian who often defends my beliefs, but I don't do it by putting others down. Whether a person has the same beliefs as I do or not, it doesn't make a difference to me. While I would like for people to see Christ as I do, the harsh reality is that they won't, and I am okay with that.

I look at things this way... If I am wrong about Christ, then the opposing person loses nothing, but if I am right about Christ, then life will be hell for the opposer (pun intended). My point is that I would rather invest in my Christian faith and have the assurance that I am covered than to not believe i Christ and take the chance of spending eternity in suffering (according to my Christian belief).

There is nothing anyone or myself can do to save anyone. It has to come from within that person through faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen...Like a paycheck that your boss promises you every two weeks. You have faith that you will receive one every two weeks, month, or year, but it is not guaranteed. You just have faith that you will receive one. That doesn't make you closed minded or gullible. That's just one of many life principles.

Now I know why everyone I meet from Minto (lots of folks come for a visit to Fairbanks) is so joyful. The Spirt is on the move indeed!!

Observer writes: "Skeptic is a polite word for closed minded."

And faith is a polite word for gullibility.

We apologize for spiderman2 - he is our resident fundamentalist anthropologist and doubles as a creationist in his spare time. We're wondering if they have any openings for a person with these credentials in Minto??

PS.... Thanks for the article Christy.

Skeptic is a polite word for closed minded. Those are behind the sorry state of world affairs. When a man reported seeing a ghost the so-called skeptics accused him of hallucination. When the whole town saw that same ghost they described the event as mass hysteria. When scientists from a nearby university took infrared, light and thermal photographs of that entity they kept quiet. When asked point blank they were not convinced. We should not be surprised because what else do we expect from a closed minded people?

Christy McKerney:

Such mergings of streams are happening in many places as God's Spirit flows. The River is felt on a regular basis at my church in Fairfax, Virginia.

Church of the Apostles (Fairfax, Virginia) embraces three distinct Christian traditions in our worship. We use the concept “Three Streams, One River” to help explain how we worship together, particularly on our weekend Worship Services. Our heart is to worship God and to lead others into the joy of God's transforming presence. These three streams flow together into a river that takes us to God’s throne.

Catholic: We recognize God as awesome and worthy of our respect, honor, and worship. Our worship is thus liturgical and we maintain a connection with the ancient traditions of the Christian church. The liturgical, or catholic, stream is seen every week as we gather at the Lord’s Table to partake of the Eucharist.

Evangelical: We are a Bible-based congregation. The evangelical stream is visible as we minister the Word of God through Scripture reading and Bible teaching, affirming Scripture as the authority and guide both for our worship and our daily lives.

Pentecostal: We are a Spirit-led congregation. We believe that Jesus sent the Comforter, his Holy Spirit, to be with us. The charismatic, or Pentecostal, stream is seen as we sing songs of love and praise to God with passion and intimacy. In worship, the power of the Holy Spirit is released in tangible ways. We look for and delight in manifestations of the Spirit, including physical and emotional healing and the edification of prophecy.

scslat wrote ; " They have little chance of ever escaping and thinking for themselves."

Does believing that monkeys are your relatives mean thinking for yourself?

Common ancestor? Have you thought for yourself who's the ancestor of that common ancestor?

Try solving it and you would end up with the conclusion that it has a human father and a gorilla mother.

Stupid theory and stupid followers.

Classic case of mass hysteria. I feel sorry for any kid born into that town. They have little chance of ever escaping and thinking for themselves.