Arigaa is a ministry specifically for college students and young adults from Western Alaska who are living in Anchorage for whatever reason (college, work, fun, whatever).  It is not exclusively for Alaska Natives only or young people from the village, but that is who it is designed for and we are highly committed to traditional rural values.  

Arigaa is truly a partnership between CYAK and First Covenant Church and we strongly believe that maintaining a connectedness to the local church is integral to our success.  Families from the church faithfully provide our meals and we use the church van to pick up and drop off people for church on Sundays too.  We meet every Thursday night at First Covenant at 7 PM for a shared meal, Bible Study, Games, Singing and Prayer... and once a month - we have Fun Night where we just have dinner and then do something fun (like go bowling, see a movie, make frybread, scavenger hunts, and more).  More often than not, we end up going home around 10 or 11 PM because it is just so fun to be together!

Probably the most compelling thing about Arigaa in Anchorage is the community.  We love each other, we love God and we love being together!  We provide teaching and direction a lot during the Fall semester and during the Spring semester, we encourage our students and young adults to take turns teaching and leading as a part of their own development.  Our goal is to care for and equip these students who are "on-loan" to us from their home churches and send then home better prepared to enter into leadership and life in the church regardless of what city, town or village they call home.