The Call to Serve - Nick Bruckner

Nick Bruckner graduated from North Park in May of 2007 with no intention of using his degree in Politics. He serves with the Arigaa College Ministry at U of Alaska Anchorage, spearheads recruitment, and strongly dislikes writing in the third person.

Raising thousands of dollars to do mission work in Alaska was not at the forefront of my mind as I sought an adventure to pursue after graduating college from North Park.  I considered nonprofit business, the Peace Corps, Americorps, graduate school, and myriad other adventures. Over the course of my senior year, I narrowed my search with five criteria: 1) Service in the name of Christ in a place my gifts were needed. 2) Proximity to the wilderness (preferably mountains, ocean) 3) Cross-cultural/experience outside normal American life/culture. 4) Connected to a Christian community so my faith would grow (with potential for continuity of relationship) 5) Challenge.

I knew of CYAK because my uncle had always been involved (an understatement). I was praying as I ran alone in the woods at the moment I felt the question posed to me, “Why aren’t you moving to Alaska to work with CYAK?” I felt a conviction that God had spoken to me quite directly, and I needed to share this with someone. As I ran home, I spotted an elderly woman who was waiting for the crosswalk man to turn white. I jogged up to her and said, “Excuse me, Ma’am, I just felt I ought to share with you that I think God just called me to do mission work in Alaska.”

She looked up at me with a moment of pause, likely wondering what I was selling in soccer shorts on the corner of Foster and Pulaski in the middle of December, before she replied, “Well, then you should probably listen.”

This has been a time of growth for me. I have been challenged and blessed in my time up here. Working with a small ministry with a big mission is an adventure. There is much to do. I was busy throughout college in so many areas of my life. The pursuit of a singular mission day after day has been refreshing-whether hiking or singing, or mailing or organizing, or leading a Bible study. The effectiveness of our work is contingent upon constantly seeking the will and face of God and equipping people to share hope with the hopeless. I have been blessed to serve alongside the people here and have better come to know who I was made to be through some of the friendships I have formed. I am glad that I took the advice of the elderly woman before the man turned white.