1980s-1990s

1980

The Mission received its charter in Canada, and Arctic Missions of Canada was officially founded. While a distinct legal entity, Arctic Missions continued to function as one mission organization in both Alaska and Canada.

1984

Becoming increasingly aware of the large, unreached immigrant populations in the urban areas of western Canada, the Mission began to explore reaching out to Punjabi-speaking Sikhs from India.

1988

As the mission continued to spread across less "arctic" regions of western Canada, the name of the mission was changed to InterAct Ministries.

1989

As the Iron Curtain began to be dismantled in Eastern Europe, opportunities to visit Russia opened up. Going back to the Mission’s roots, when it was stated that “the entire Arctic region lies within the scope and prayers of the organization,” the Mission began to pray about reaching across the Bering Strait to the native peoples of Siberia.

Evangelical Christianity among the Sakha is very new. Yet they have experienced amazing growth and outreach. Now there are Sakha churches with Sakha pastors where a majority of the service, including preaching, singing and testimonies is in the Sakha language.”

Dave Henry

Missionary, Summer 1996

1991

InterAct General Director Gale Van Diest, along with several other missionaries flew to the city of Yakutsk, the capital of the Republic of Sakha. While there they connected with Russian pastors, spoke on several occasions, shared the gospel with people and witnessed a baptism. Upon visiting the nearby town of Olekminsk they were told that they were the first American missionaries ever to visit there.

1994

InterAct placed its first full-time missionaries in Russia. Dave and Kay Henry moved from Alaska to the Siberian city of Khabarovsk to study language and culture. The following year they moved to the city of Yakutsk.