HUMAN

Name: Naomi Messer Smith

Age: 66

Residence: Kansas city, Missouri area

Occupation: Retired teacher.

Years involved with the Iditarod: Just this one.

Iditarod Role:  We’re here with our church group, part of Alaska Missions, just volunteering, helping with Alaska Mission projects, and Iditarod projects.

Current Location: Nome, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 17, 2022

Temperature: 1F Outdoors

What, who or how and when did you first get involved with the Iditarod?

I got involved with Iditarod because through my church, I got involved with Alaska Missions and actually have done their beach salmon frenzy ministry in the summer. A person at our church, Frank, got involved with coming to the Iditarod cooking for the mission teams. He kind of talked it up, and I decided to come this year for that.

What is your Why? Why are you here TODAY and involved with the Iditarod?

I’m here today and involved with Iditarod because I love Jesus. As I said, I got involved with Alaska Missions and I believe in the way that they’re trying to work with the Natives and just share the hope that we have in Christ.

Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences.

I think one of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was getting to work with children of the area, through a kids’ club. Just getting to know some of their story too, at the children’s home. And also just experiencing this far north, Nome, and the extremely thick ice all over everything has been memorable, definitely.

What in life do you know for sure?

What I know for sure in life is God loves me. Jesus loves me, He has a plan. I’m just happy to be here participating.