RV'n 4 Jesus: Weeks 3 and 4 in Alaska!

Another two weeks have flown by up here in Alaska. But WOW has it been a fun, busy, crazy, and unknown two weeks. So thankful I learned really early in my walk with God in ministry that you have to not only be flexible on mission trips, but most of the time you really have to be fluid and go with the flow because plans can change in the blink of an eye.

As I said in the last post, we jumped right in at Schrock helping with the snacks for the kids on Wednesday nights and working on the painting. This week we also found some old flower pots, got some new flowers and brought them back around to the front. It's so awesome what a few flowers can do... 'bout as good as a fresh coat of paint. Daddy was busy making a new bench and doing his favorite past time....yard work. He even got Momma and I out there.

We finally scheduled in a down day to go see some sights, so we chose Hatcher's Pass to check out. Zackary showed us some pictures from their trip out there and we immediately added it to our list of "Must See" while in Alaska. I really wish the pictures would show just how beautiful it is up here. Don't get me wrong, the pictures turned out great, but it is even better in real life. Hatcher's Pass also had some old gold mines that are still there, well... the living quarters and the entryway's of the mines that can be toured. Talk about some hard working men. They would have to hike 1/2 mile up the mountain to get to the entrance and then another 1/4 mile into the mine to work all day, then do it all again to go back to their bunk houses at the end of the day. There was a beautiful waterfall through the middle of the camp and they still find gold flakes in the flat river area. As a matter of fact the day before we got there they had someone panning and found some flakes. Once Momma heard that, she was set. Ever since we arrived in Alaska, she has been looking for an opportunity to pan for gold, and now she had that chance. The ranger at the desk got her all set up with pans, instructions and some really high hopes. Daddy looked at us like we were crazy and went on walking and checking out the mines.

So Momma and I found a place to start panning, she took the set and began while I read the instructions out-loud for her, "circular motion so the water, and light stuff is to come out of the pan, heavy stuff falls to the bottom, keep doing this until you are left with the debris in the little crevasse of the pan." That was the instructions......Let's just say, we probably would have done much better with an actual instructor. Momma kept at it, giving it her best shot, it was a good 15/20 minutes, scooping, swirling, emptying, sifting....and then she was done...Now it was my turn, and umm ok, it was a lot harder than it looked, I only lasted maybe 5 minutes...So to say the least, we DIDN'T strike it rich. Momma did however find some really cool stones while panning. SO again, we give the old miners from back in the day total props, that was some tedious hard work....Thank you God for not making me a miner!

After our panning for gold, we went on up to Summit Lake up on a mountain in that same area. Talk about seriously cold water, as Zackary described the water there, instantly numb, cold is NOT cold down in the lower 48, cold is the water in that lake. Since it is made from the snow and ice that melts, it should be cold. You won't catch me swimming in any of the water up here that's for sure. We even found an area by the lake that still had snow on it and of course had to get pictures there too.

Now, as far as the plans changing. We were to do VBS at FBC Willow the week of the 22-26th but a couple of days before we were to move, a fire broke out in WIllow. A huge 7,000 acre wildfire. All of Willow was evacuated and VBS postponed. Our hearts and prayers were with all of those in the area, over 45 structures were destroyed. Some lost everything, and then across the street, no damage at all. Fire is definitely a monster and the winds up here that come off the mountains can blow it out of control in a matter of minutes.

Because of the change of plans, the evacuation of Willow and all that entailed, the summer missionaries ended up coming out to Schrock and stayed with us. What a true blessing that was. Those kids, oh excuse me, those young adults are AWESOME! What a joy and privilege it was to get to know the girls that Zackary is serving with and of course it was great to get to spend the week with him too. They got a week off of VBS, but they were troopers and jumped right in and helped us at the church with painting and cleaning, but boy did we have fun while we did it. We were even able to go to see the puppies at the Iditarod Headquarters and we can't forget cooking and the games after dinner too.

We then received a call from Gary saying they needed help with fire clean up at someones house who lost everything. Come to find out she was a musher from the iditarod, She was able to get her dogs out before the fire went through, but her house was completely gone, most of the dog houses were gone and all the out buildings were gone, all except one, which was called the Ponderosa, that is where her handler lived. We were asked to come help in the process to sift through the ash and debris that was her house to try to find any of her belongings. Our group was also helping with building and re-building the dog houses, cleaning out the Pondersona and getting it ready for another group to come clean the walls down to get rid of the smoke and to paint it all so they can move in. The dog houses were priority since she had to evacuate them, it isn't like your pet dog, this was I think I heard someone say close to 50 dogs. When we drove in that day, seeing the path of destruction that the fire left was unbelievable. Trees, houses, buildings, cars, completely destroyed - turned to ash, gone! Then in some spots, the house beside them would not

have any damage at all.

It was such an eye opening experience. I have never seen this kind of disaster before. I found myself as I sifted through the ash of her home thinking, all of her life belongings, everything all in a pile of ash, gone in an instant. I can't imagine how that feels. Just made me think back to where the Bible says, all the things we cling to in this world will burn up one day, it will all be gone. I completely made that verse come alive in that moment. Made me want to loosen my grip of the things I hold dear, of the things that really have no importance to His Kingdom and reminded me that there is NOTHING I NEED more than JESUS. If there is no eternal significance, then there is no eternal importance! (.....Now to keep that mindset. I know that is easier said then done, look at the fit I just had from being without wifi for a few weeks, I have a long way to go, but I praise God for showing me, I had a few things of importance a little off base there) Please keep all of the families and volunteers in your prayers as they begin to piece back together their lives after this disaster.

Our crew was only able to help that one day, but the other Campers on Mission, John and Linda were and still are very involved with the cleanup, they have been there I believe for the last two weeks. Again, we are to be fluid, to be used whenever and where ever God leads. I am so thankful to be working with a group of people that have a heart and passion to serve God by serving others.

Those two weeks were nothing that we planned, I mean literally it felt like things were changing daily at one point, but it is so comforting to know, we serve the one true God that NEVER changes and holds us up in His righteous right hand.

Hope you enjoy the pictures, it was a great two weeks. We are currently doing VBS, 4-6th graders, at FBC Willow so our next post will be lots of fun and great times. Hope you check back and hear all about our latest adventures.....

Love and miss you all!!!!!

Kristi

Bob and Carol

Galatians 6:9-10

Hatcher's Pass and the Mines