For God so loved the world
When in Whittier, Alaska, about the only thing you can predict is the weather—a generous serving of precipitation with a dollop of fog. Historically, the town’s claim to fame has ranged from a Gold Rush pit stop to a Cold War military stronghold. It’s a living collage of half-buried history, awkwardly-named fishing boats, and weird smells (not to mention people). These days, Whittier entertains more tourists than anything else, thanks to Princess Cruises. As part of the team of volunteers at the Seward Seaman’s Mission this summer, I have the privilege of traveling to Whittier to service the crew members of the cruise ships that dock there from May to September. Two days a week, we down some coffee, pile in a mission van, and wind through the Chugach mountains for 88 miles to arrive at Whittier. I almost forgot—after we pay a toll and inch our way through a damp 2.5-mile tunnel through a mountain—we arrive at Whittier. You’ll find the Whittier Seaman’s Mission tucked in a ...