The Kevin Smith Family
Kevin and his family are visiting family in this area for a coupe of months.
My name is Kevin Smith, my family and I are missionaries to the people of St. Lawrence Island,
Alaska: more specifically, at this point, to the village of Savoonga. This island is located about 80
miles off the coast of Alaska, with Savoonga being located some 120 miles from our nearest mainland
town of Nome, and Gambell being some 40 miles further west. Savoonga has a population of about
800 comprised of about 97% Siberian Yupik Eskimo’s. These people have a culture that differs in
some ways than anywhere else in the world. Their native language is still intact and is only spoken
on the island and a few villages in Siberia, Russia. This island is known to have been inhabited for
some 3000 years and has seen many changes, challenges and hardships. It is said that around 200
years ago that there were possibly eight to ten thousand people living on this island in various
villages and tribes around the island. As “Yankee” whalers began to come and kill the
whales and other game, trade alcohol for ivory, and a famine for food; the people here were nearly
wiped out completely. The new diseases brought many deaths; the alcohol caused apathy to hunting
and resulted in more violence. The famine caused even more deaths and violence. As a result the
population was reduced to one main village of Gambell with very few living elsewhere. About 1900
a missionary brought in a reindeer heard and introduced it to the island to help relieve the hunger
situation. As a result of this the village of Savoonga was formed by the herders due to the location
that the reindeer stayed on the island. Savoonga Presbyterian Church was formed in the 40’s and
the building built in the 50’s. Through the years, especially recent years it has been without a pastor
for long periods of time. I came to the Island on a missions trip in August of 2007 and then I
returned with my wife and pastor in February 2008. After my second trip I was assured through
prayer and God’s word that this was where he wanted our family to labor. So after making
preparations and much prayer we asked the community if we could establish a Baptist church.
They welcomed us to come and with the Lord’s help we moved here from NC in August 2009.
My wife and I have been married 14 years and have been blessed to adopt 4 children before coming
to Savoonga. Last year the Lord blessed us with our first child of our own, a baby girl. In the two
years since moving there have been many struggles and victories. We have seen the Lord work in
many ways and lives changed. We also face the destruction of satan every day. Suicide is the number
one cause of death of those ages 15 to 30. Life here is very difficult as the cost of living is extremely
high and there are almost no jobs available. Many earned money by selling their ivory carvings but
the struggling economy has made it very difficult to sell the carvings now. We are laboring to bring
the light of Christ to this people once again and help tear down the strongholds that satan has
built here. We also are working to feed the hungry and see economic growth here in our community.
Thank you so much for your interest in and your prayers for our ministry. If you are interested in
helping us financially donations and support can be directed to our mission’s board in our name.
If would like to find out other ways you can help please contact me directly.
Missionary pastor, Kevin Smith
Kevin, Natara, Destiny, Joshua,
Caleb, Copper, and Charis Smith
P O Box 203
Savoonga, AK 99769
907-984-6003
Kevinssmith01@yahoo.com
