2001
When my wife, Denise and I arrived at the airport at Longyearbyen it was 2:24 in the morning on August the first and there was bright sunshine! This town has a population of about 1,500 people.
This is an island in the Arctic circle and less than a thousand miles from the North Pole.
We got a hotel room and then began to walk with the cross.
This area is an almost autonomous nation but under the control of Norway.
You must have an armed guide or have a gun to travel out of the town. I rented a rifle and off we went to face the snow and ice and possible polar bears! Praise God we only found people. Ha
We went outside the town to a radar site in the rental car that Denise drove. I carried the cross back then went past the town the other direction.
One day we took a boat to Barentsburg. This is a Russian town several hours away by boat. We carried the cross there and had several wonderful conversations with the Russian people.
During our time there it was cold and windy, but of course not as cold and windy as in the winter.
I spoke at the local church and we made wonderful friends.
Several prayed with us to receive Jesus.
We also did an interview with the local newspaper.
God bless the people of Svalbard.
Pilgrim followers of Jesus,
Arthur and Denise Blessitt
Luke 18:1