KODIAK BAPTIST MISSION UPDATE!
SERVICE TRIP TO KODIAK, ALASKA
JULY 5 - 17, 2009
What a wonderful first couple days. After that long travel day on Sunday, We hit the road running. We start every morning with breakfast of course followed by a very personal morning service that begins with a candle lighting and personal passing of a blessing. My first project as you can see in the picture was to apply a new coat of stain on the deck of the daycare. We had a little fun time on Tuesday and were able to take the Mission boat out and do some Halibut fishing. We caught 15 and kept 10, a good trip.
A few of us also decided to climb a mountain in the evening. Looking forward to getting much more work done and enjoying this beautiful place that our Lord has made. Thank you all for helping make this trip possible.
Wes Stewart
Four things I am thinking about...
Kodiak Baptist Mission:
One of the things that impresses me about the ministry of Kodiak Baptist is that the organization run by people who love God, love kids and are striving to do whatever it takes to plant Christ in the hearts and minds of others. The ministry of Kodiak Baptist is constantly changing and expanding an the effort to see their God given dream come to life. There are many college age kids that come to Kodiak to serve kids during the summer. What a great opportunity for a person who desires to make an impact.
God...
I took a break during lunch to sit on a bench outside the cabin we are staying in. I took my Bible and enjoyed a few minutes to consider the greatness of God. The incredible view I saw while reading was a constant reminder of the presence of an all-powerful God.
Staying Sharp...
There are a few houses on the grounds that are used for people who come to Kodiak to serve. One of my task today was to scrap a wooden floor. The floor was worn out and and in need of attention. The tool I was working with needed to be sharpened on a regular basis to remain effective. God impressed on me the simple question, Dusty what are you doing, on a regular basis, to help you remain sharp and effective for God? Its a good question and one I will need to ponder over the next few days. We all need a spiritual growth plan and the discipline to carry out the plan.
Thanks:
I am grateful for my wife for her willingness to serve in Hutchinson, so I can serve in Kodiak.
Dusty
What have I been up to? Let's see... A little weed whacking, loads of fun with laundry and tons of fun in the kitchen cooking. That is what you will find me doing as I serve in Kodiak. It is simply amazing here! As you can see in the picture above, I also got to enjoy lunch on the Mission boat with some Halibut. We had a productive day fishing at Sea. We have been pondering in our nightly Bible study time why it is important to serve. I am called to serve and that is exactly what I will do. I took the focus off of myself, and am being supplied many blessings from God. This time here in Kodiak is renewing my spirit and making an impact on me that will not be soon forgotten. I will leave you with a verse that has meant much to me so far this week.
Psalm 138:2 I will bow down facing your holy Temple, and I will thank you for your love and loyalty. You have made your name and your word greater than anything.
There is nothing greater than HIM!
Shanan :)
Thoughts from Caleb...
Wow! What a week so far. The first day that we were here Chris and I did a lot and I mean a lot of mowing. There is a large hilly yard behind and beside our house that we mowed. That pretty much took care of our first day. The next day we began a re-staining project! The deck in front of the preschool needed to be re-stained and so we did that. That evening we took a drive to th other end of the island to go "whale watching". We didn't really see much except for a couple of blow holes! It was still very beautiful. On Wednesday we began a painting project. We painted the fire escape stair case on the slide of the house and also the porch on the back of the house. That project took a while and we finally finished Thursday evening. I think my favorite thing that I have done this week was fishing. We went out on the mission boat and I caught three halibut and two cod. So far we have accomplished a lot but had a lot of fun too.
Chris Miertschin...
So far, this trip has been absolutely amazing! I started out the week mowing with Caleb. There is a lot of grass here! Then we progressed to painting. I must say that I like painting decks and stair cases much more than mowing. We've also had some fun times here. Monday, we went looking for whales (we only saw one). Tuesday and Wednesday we went fishing, which was very exciting! I caught three halibut and two cod, and somehow I managed not to touch a single fish In addition to fishing on Tuesday, I went hiking with Wes and Dusty... let's just say that I now know why I was warned about hiking with Dusty! Although, the view on top of Mt. Barometer was amazing. Then, Thursday, we drove to the top of Pillar Mountain, where I touched one of the wind mills (go solar) , and we had a great view of the whole town! I'm looking forward to this next week of service up here in Alaska, beginning tomorrow with (if the vehicles are here) some minivan maintenance. Chris Miertschin!
SATURDAY PLAY DAY!
We ended the week with a trip to Fort Abercrombie. We took a small hike and had a picnic lunch and made Smores over the camp fire. Spent some time in Gods word with a brief study from Matthew 28: 19-20. We have enjoyed spending time together this first week as well as getting plenty accomplished for the mission. The weather continues to be beautiful with a little fog today. We will attend church service in the morning followed by a delicious lunch prepared by Terri. It is hard to believe that our first week is over, but there is plenty more to do. We are so glad there is two weeks to this trip.
Your Kodiak Baptist Mission Team
