April 2015 Regional Update
Regional Staff Weekend in Girdwood:
50 of us from 14 different communities gathered in Girdwood (Ski community 45 minutes south of
Anchorage) for an incredible weekend of fun, fellowship, encouragement, and equipping. Don and
Renee Worcester from Phoenix, AZ led our incredible time. A few quotes from the weekend...
"That seriously was the best weekend of my life".
"Oh gosh I love these weekends. These weekends are the highlight of my year".
"This weekend was so good for me and my relationship with Christ. It's exactly what I needed".
"I LOVE Alaska Young Life".
"Thank you Don and Renee Worcester for allowing the Lord to speak through you. INCREDIBLE".
ENCLOSED PICTURE #1 Picture of ALASKA YL STAFF and spouses. Yes...families come to our
weekends!!!
It was so great to have folks from Fairbanks, Galena, Denver, Phoenix, Mat-su Valley, Palmer, Eagle
River, JBER, Anchorage, Seward, Kenai, Kodiak, Tuntutuliak, Juneau, Sitka, Regional Board, and
Ketchikan!!! Sand Point we missed you :)
Boston Marathon here we come & a Special Reunion...
3 of us (All Young Life leaders from Sitka) are headed east to run the BOSTON MARATHON on Monday
April 20th. Jack Davis, Aaron Routon, and myself all qualified for BOSTON in the last year. All of our
spouses are coming too. This will be our first trip back since our incredible experience in 2013. The
bombing of 2013 was a tragic incident for thousands of people and for the city of Boston; three people
lost their lives and hundreds were injured. It will be good to go back and redeem "Marathon Monday"
with the people of Massachusetts. I am going to be running with my phone this year and taking selfies
with the awesome Boston fans every single mile. It should be incredible.
One of the things Karin and I are looking forward to most is connecting with old friends. Thursday night
Karin and I are having dinner with Mallory and Jon Kidd. Mallory was a work crew kid of mine at
Washington Family Ranch in 2004. It will be so great to see her and Jon. Mallory and I have stayed in
touch since 2004
On Friday Karin and I get to have lunch with Laura Wellington and her fiance Bryan
O'neil. Yes...this is THE LAURA Wellington who Karin and I encountered about 90 minutes after the
explosions. I got to see Laura a few days after the marathon in 2013 when ABC "20/20" flew me back
for the "reunion". It will be Karin's first time to really be with Laura. We are PUMPED. Karin and I also
get to have dinner Tuesday night at Laura's parents house. I got to meet Parker and Diane Wellington
back in 2013 on the evening of the 20/20 stuff; it will be our first time to be at their house. REUNIONS
are the greatest. Karin and I are also going back to Boston in early June for Laura and Bryan's
wedding. The Wellington's are such a blessing to us.
Many folks have asked about the 20/20 episode. So, if you are interested here is a link to the ABC 20/20
piece that was done after the race featuring Laura and myself. The stuff with Laura starts about 3
minutes in...
LINK TO BOSTON MARATHON 20/20 Video: (Right below)
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/boston-marathon-bombing-evil-win-19006669
ENCLOSED PICTURE #2 Karin and I in 2013. This picture was taken about 30 minutes after the
race.
ENCLOSED PICTURE #3 Laura Wellington and myself. This picture was taken after dinner with
Laura and her family (after 20/20 interview).
Prayer while Running the Boston Marathon...
I've also developed a habit/routine of praying for people whenever I exercise. The Boston Marathon is
no different. Praying while exercising helps me experience God Himself; it actually is one of the reasons
I enjoy exercising so much. Here's the prayer breakdown. I'm praying for communities that have
YL. During each mile I'll be praying for all the people I know in that community.
Mile 1: Fairbanks
Mile 2: North Pole
Mile 2: Galena
Mile 3: Wasilla-Palmer
Mile 4: Eagle River
Mile 5: JBER (YL Ministry on base)
Mile 6: Anchorage Young Lives
Mile 7: Anchorage Young Life
Mile 8: Anchorage College
Mile 9: Seward
Mile 10: Kenai and Kenai Young Lives/ Soldotna
Mile 11: Kodiak
Mile 12: Sand Point
Mile 13: Tuntutuliak
Mile 14: Chevak
Mile 15: Savoonga
Mile 16: Juneau
Mile 17: Sitka YL and Wyldlife
Mile 18: Sitka (Mt Edgecumbe Native Ministry)
Mile 19: Ketchikan
Mile 20: Alaska YL Regional Board
Mile 21: 1 Million in Revenue $$$ to build Alaska YL like crazy :)
Mile 22: (SE Alaska): Haines,Petersburg, Prince of Wales, Metlakatla, Wrangell (Want YL here)
Mile 23: (NW Arctic): Barrow, Atqasuk, Nuiqsuit, Kotzebue, Kianna, Nome, Koyuk, Shaktoolik (Want YL
here)
Mile 24: (YK-Kuskokwim Delta): Villages on the Yukon and Kuskokwim River, Bethel
Mile 25: (Aleutian Islands): Villages scattered out the Aleutian Chain. False Pass, Adak
Mile 26: (Interior and S Central): Galena, Ruby, Tanana, Homer
Running BOSTON for $ for Alaska kids to go to Young Life
Camp
This year I'd love to run Boston for the YL kids of Alaska. My goal is to simply raise
$26,200 to help
areas send kids to camp. All I need is 26.2 sponsors at 1K apiece. This will be simple. Give to the Alaska
Region (AF80): Camp. I will then give to areas as needed. If you want the $ to go to a specific area
please email me with directions on what area you would like the $ to help. I will then do a simple
transfer. The areas are listed above in the prayer list (mile by mile).
Here is a link to make it simple.... (Giving to AF80 Alaska Region: Camp)
https://giving.younglife.org/Views/dp/donate/controller.cfm?fundcodearea=AF80&ministry=area&class
codearea=Campership&appealcode=&isrecurring=0&fundcodeareadesc=Young Life Alaska Region
Thanks for you love and support of Alaska Young Life. Our heart is for EVERY kid.... in EVERY community
in Alaska. All 254 of them!
Blessings in Christ,
Brent Cunningham
Alaska Young Life Regional Director
Alaska Region Area # AF80
907-738-1686 (Mobile)
[email protected] (email)
PO Box 2046 Sitka, AK 99835