Local man works to make a difference in the Mat-Su

Those who have walked around at the Alaska State Fair may have interacted with Tom Roberson as he worked alongside fellow members of The Gideons International handing out copies of the Bible or New Testament.

In association with the local Gideons International camp in Wasilla, local churches and local prison systems, Roberson has given his time to make a difference in the Valley through sharing the word of Christ and reaching out a helping hand. And he does it all with a smile on his face.

“It’s fun helping people,” Roberson said. “It’s just a lot of fun”

Roberson serves as a chaplain for The Gideons International, a worldwide evangelical organization that works to spread the message of Christ through sharing free Bibles and New Testaments with the public, in hotels, prisons and hospitals. Roberson said they distribute roughly 6000 bibles every year with the organization.

Each Thanksgiving, Real Life Church provides a dinner for families throughout the Mat-Su. Boxes full of dinner ingredients, to include a turkey, vegetables, mashed potatoes, stuffing and a pan to cook it all in, are distributed to families in need and donated from a variety of businesses across the Valley. The event is coordinated with the Salvation Army and this year they successfully handed out about 400 meals.

As families prepare to leave with the Thanksgiving meal, Roberson is there to wish them happy holidays and offer a pocket-sized copy of the New Testament. He said many people graciously accept the gift.

This year, Roberson has been happy to hand out copies of the New Testament boasting a camouflage cover. As a retired serviceman himself, Roberson said that the camouflage helps to attract veterans. His goal this year was to eliminate the number of suicides within the veteran community and he’s given out 100 of the camouflaged copies so far.

Some servicemen and women carry the pocket-sized copies in their breast pockets, Roberson explained. He said that he’s heard of stories where shrapnel has hit the Bible or a New Testament in their pocket and prevented it from inflicting damage on the person carrying it. Even if the person doesn’t read it, some have a testimony of the power and protection the Bible holds for them.

Roberson’s desire to give back to his community also stems from his time serving on the Nikiski Fire Department and the experiences he had there. He recalled instances of feeling totally helpless in a situation and how giving out Bibles is his way of showing a glimmer of hope to those in a time of need.

“I honestly don’t know if it saves one person’s life or 10 people’s lives,” Roberson said. “But if it just saves one person’s life, it’s well worth it.”

Roberson has worked in prison ministry for 40 years and has been involved with the church community at the Palmer Correctional Center. He’s been working to share the word of Christ with inmates and help them to come together to work through their internal and external conflicts.

“Over the years I’ve learned, the [inmates] that come to prison ministry, it takes the edge off,” Roberson said. “When you can talk about your problems or you made a mistake… when guys finally come around and say, ‘ya, I screwed up again,’ it takes the edge off of things. They’re more realistic and they’re less likely to do it again if they can admit they were wrong and admit they need help and I need to change.”

And the work that Roberson has done within that community has been making a change. He said that after church services, the correctional officers can tell when the atmosphere is more relaxed and peaceful.

“If we can help somebody there, hopefully when they return [to society], they’ll be better when they get home,” Roberson said.

Sharing copies of the Bible and New Testament within his community has helped Roberson to make a difference for others and within himself. He conducts his service with honor and acknowledges how much of a privilege it is to serve others. He believes his efforts stretch far further than the people he interacts with directly and hopes to continue that service into the future.

“It’s rewarding to think that I’m probably saving a life somewhere,” Roberson said. “Maybe not this week, maybe it’s not this year. Maybe that New Testament will get passed around for 10 years and somebody will pick it up and go with it, run with it.”