Landed safely in JAX

All are safe and on the ground in Florida. 

On the way home

High noon, on the ground a little late with a tire schedule. Pray for our connection. 

Planes, trains and auto..... buses

Last day in Alaska. We are packed and have a few hours before planes, trains and automobiles. Leaving the lodge at 3:15pm Monday Alaska time, 7:15pm in Valdosta. We take a bus one hour to Talkeetna and take a train to Anchorage which will be 4 beautiful hours in the Alaska countryside arriving in Anchorage about 8:40pm Alaska time or 12:40am Tuesday Valdosta time. The plane leaves at 12:30am Alaska time, 4:30am Valdosta time. We arrive in Houston around noon Tuesday Houston time or 1pm Valdosta time, and 10am Alaska time. A layover of an hour and a half them to Jacksonville arriving around 4:15 now Valdosta time or 12:15 in Alaska. Then a 2 hour bus ride back to Titletown arriving around 7:30pm Valdosta or 3:30pm in Alaska. I am trying to figure how long between showers but it is making me sick.

Leaving Anchorage

What a week! Last night was tough leaving the kids at the park. It is amazing how deep a relationship we build in such a short time. It has been amazing to see children with such love and trust while some live without so much. This week we have presented the hope of Jesus Christ in their lives. We have told them about how Jesus lives and forgives. 

This morning we are up at dawn haha well let's go with 5:30. Going to Talkeetna to view McKinley and Denali. A little relaxation before the long ride home. 

Another great day

We are seeing fruit from our week and the previous groups that have been here. At the end of the Summer there is a camp for some of the children that are selected. Sponsorships are needed at $200 ea. If anyone back home feels led a check to the church tagged Graceworks camp will help out. Thanks for you support and love, more pictures on facebook from today's activities will be posted soon. 

Heartbreaking to know this is our last day.  😢

The days are getting longer!

It seems that every day we go, go, go but then at the end of the day you want to see, explore etc. the problem is that anything we do takes a while because of distance or logistics of 21 people involved. The end result, a third night of bed after 11pm and being up before 7am. I am too old for this!

Today we have service projects in our neighborhoods. Construction and clean up right after breakfast, then chapel, then back to parks, supper and then park parties we host tonight, another long day. The days are fruitful though as yesterday Jeremiah our friend at our park asked how to be one a bible guy? He is a 17 year old who has a big heart and some learning and/or social disabilities. He understands Jesus, forgiveness and love however and wants that. Just a few weeks ago Jeremiah was not open to anyone, what inroads have been made through Graceworks Alaska. Tonight in one of the parks a child is being baptized, what a victory! We are teaching about the kingdom of darkness and kingdom of light, chalk these two and many more up to the kingdom of light, praise The Lord.

On Monday one of the staffers with Graceworks from, Albany Georgia, came up to the park they were working on and saw a fire in an apartment building. He was able to rescue all before a propane tank erupted and the apartment was totally consumed by the flames. These families are being ministered to and Christ is being lived out in front of them. 

I ache all over but rise with excitement for the parks, for the beauty of God's creation all around us and for the privilege to labor with all of the beautiful members of our Park Ave. team..

Keep up the prayers, we will keep working hard, see you all soon!

Hale

Day 3

Hey church here is an update about Alaska and Graceworks so far. 

So far everything has been so wonderful. We have been working three separate locations to share faith and time with children and adults in Anchorage. We learned that this is a diverse city. There are over 90 different languages spoken by students in the public schools. Our

Group was originally divided in two but another group was unable to show and at the last minute we were asked and able to step up and help out. I am very proud of the group and how they have worked together 

The work is rewarding because fruit is abundant. Over the Summer, Grace works feeds over 1000 meals a week to children in Alaska. These camps and park events go on for 10 weeks. We are week 7 so equity from previous weeks work passes on to us and gives us credibility with the families we see and work with. 

A day looks something like this for us-

Wake and eat by 7:45

Preparation for activities and lessons for the different sites 8:30

Some mornings for those not working to make lunches or running into town for needed supplies we go on hikes and have time set aside on these hikes to pray for our teams, our mission and the people and missions of Alaska. Of interest, the suicide rate here is larger by percentage than anywhere else in the US. This is in large part because so many see no hope because they don't know Jesus. (Back to the schedule )

11:00 is our chapel time to worship and pray before heading into the parks 

The afternoon is spent in ministry all over Anchorage, feeding children, sharing faith, and even finding service projects to complete while we are here. 

Supper is between 5:30-6:30 and the volunteer staff here at Graceworks feeds us well. 

In the evenings we head back to the community parks for activities and more ministry. 

By this time we are pretty tired but it is Alaska so the sun is still bright. We have been able to make a run to Bird Point at 11:30 PM. So unreal that you can see so much at this hour. Pictures of these excursions are many because it is natural to want to capture the handiwork of God. The frustration is that it is futile. Yesterday  God spoke to me saying that as frustrating to behold nature but not be able to capture it all so too must it be frustrating to God to see our potential not reached for him. 

Last night after leading clinics in the parks we were able to go moosing. A funny term for riding around in earthquake park looking at the amazing sites and hoping to see a moose. We saw several and even some babies. There are moose everywhere here though even walking through the neighborhood where we stay at Calvary Baptist Church. A few hearty souls took a dip in the glacier fed lake. Your Sr. Pastor is smarter than that. Again home by 11pm but broad daylight still. You have to force yourself to sleep or you will fall out. 

Great times, hard work, fruit for the kingdom. More to come as the week progresses. 

Hale

Meetings and worship

Landing shortly in Anchorage

On flight photos of flight info

Alaska mission trip