More Desired Than Gold

Adventurous Frank Waskey was 22 when he sailed to Alaska in 1898 in search of gold and struck it rich several times in the Nome area, while enduring many hardships, disappointments and risks. I met Frank on my first trip to Alaska when we and our wives flew from Seattle with a bush pilot. I would learn some then and much more later about his adventures and events during those interesting times. Congress passed an act in 1906 authorizing election of a Delegate from the District of Alaska. Frank was a very active person to person campaigner, and became known as the Prince of Mushers who, with a dog team or on foot with a miner's pack on back, would pass across snow topped mountains and glacial streams, stopping at roadhouses, mine camps, sluice boxes and mess tents. He was elected by a landslide. Frank believed our spiritual path should be like the morning sun, shining ever brighter until the full light of day. Proverbs 4:18 NIV. So his successful search for gold also included a very personal search that led on a very stormy night to a treasure he would say was more to be desired than gold. Frank was completely lost in a blizzard that night, but then he saw an unexpected glow through the blowing snow, and directed his dog team out over dangerous sea ice and toward that light. This rescued him from certain tragedy, while leading to a spiritual light that would soon shine brighter and brighter in the hearts of many throughout Alaska.