August 4, 2012 - Seattle Airport

Hi everyone!


We are currently sitting in the Seattle airport waiting for our flight to Denver.  kids were terrific with getting all our luggage and checking in again.  All are looking forward to getting hot showers and sleeping in their beds - but even more so being able to share about their amazing time.  GOD is good and brought us to a place that not only need us BUT we needed them!  Thanks be to Jesus!  We will see you soon! - Christy

Day 9 August 3, 2012

This is our last day – filled with tearful good-byesto our friends in Metlakatla; a misty ferry ride to Ketchikan; last minute shopping; and Communion.  Lives have been changed and touched in ways we never even thought possible.  Students are eager to share.  They’ve done MVPC more than proud!!  Would appreciate prayers as am not sure if I am suffering from Vertigo or something else. Thanks- Christy

  Normally I would start with a “Today was____!” But today I can’t decide how to feel… It’s a toss up between sadness from leaving the absolutely amazing people I’ve met (And the super nice dogs) or happiness from finally having my bed and a long, hot shower. I guess I hadn’t fully realized how nice the people had been there… we all just took it in stride how everyone waved and smiled and greeted each other everywhere be it a stop sign or walking on the streets. But then, we got back to Ketchikan. Even in such a small town, it was crazy how impersonal everyone was… I automatically waved at people walking around the downtown area and they would just look at the ground until they got past me. They probably thought I was crazy. We went to the Pioneers restaurant for dinner and my table (Jim, Adam, Makenzie, Patrick, Raelynn and I) waited nearly an hour for our food. Everyone else was done eating by the time we got ours. Fun, fun! Everyone’s prayers be with Christy tonight! ~ Jill

Well this week has been an amazing week filled with work, love, laughter, and joy!! The kids we met during VBS changed during the week and they changed me! How loving and accepting they can be to strangers and how easily it was to fall in love with those kids!! Then there was the work we did for the community and how every time they saw us working they would honk at us; stop and talk with us; or even share their life story with us. We even had a group invite us to watch them practice their dances and not many are invited. The group we watched even had us dance to three songs with them and they taught us them. Finally, after a long week it was very sad to leave after meeting some amazing people and those that we taught; those that taught us and shared with us; but also those that accepted us and wanted to hang out with us!!! Can’t wait to get back to the heat of Colorado, but I’m still going to miss the coolness of Alaska and also the people here!!!!!  ~Hannah

I am definitely at a loss for words about this trip! The kids that attended VBS definitely changed me! They were all so sweet and welcoming to us! At first they were all quiet and shy but by the end of the week, we had seen their true colors and they had seen ours. At first I felt like we hadn’t done much, but then the week “really” started. Throughout the whole week we laughed, cried, sang, worshiped, prayed, and just had some good old fun! The people in Metlakatla had better attitudes about everything. They would smile at us in the grocery store, wave to us through their car windows, and welcomed us to dance with them at the dance practice. Today we had VBS, packed up, and got on the ferry and are now in Ketchikan. We ate dinner at The Pioneer’s Café and I had a serious laughing attack. I laughed for like 10 minutes and actually started crying because I was laughing so hard. I am definitely ready to go home, take a long, hot shower, and to sleep in my own bed. Please let everybody’s prayers be with Christy tonight! See you tomorrow Mom, Dad, and Cass! ~ Makenzie F.

This was a great week and a half out here in Alaska.  Lots of time with God, friends, and amazing leaders.  It is pretty much impossible to explain how amazing this trip has been and how thankful I am to have been able to be given this chance to come on this trip, because it has been a life changing trip that I will never forget. – Patrick

Day 8 August 2, 2012

We had a marvelous day today.  More children showed up for VBS and we held a parents presentation with singing, bible promises, and bible verse.  The children did a fantastic job and you would be proud of our students!  We also helped to wash off moss from a house for it to be painted and had fun with team building games.  Had an incredible man from the congregation, Conrad, come and share his testimony with us.  This touched many a hearts!  Be sure to ask the students about it! - Christy

Today was fantastic! Definitely the best way to end our time here on Metlakatla. First today was VBS, but then we did some team building activities and a true American hero came to the church to tell us his testimony. I haven’t cried like that since I don’t even know when. He didn’t go into much detail, but you could tell from the emotion in his eyes and voice that what he was saying was really serious. Coming from a military family, when Conrad was talking about his time serving, it was really rough for me. Especially when he said that the Green Berets rescued him from the POW camp in Vietnam. My big brother is about to graduate special forces training, and hearing that just made me that much more proud of him and my other two military brothers. This man’s words will stick with me forever, and he has definitely changed my life. After Conrad left and I stopped crying, Ben, Patrick, Darcey, MaKenzie, Jilli and I jumped off the dock into the ocean. It was SOOOO cold, but SOOO worth it! I will never forget today! We have had the opportunities of a lifetime here this week! ~Karli K

Pretty sweet day. Another swell day of VBS and work, which today consisted of washing a wall to prepare it to be painted.  This evening was awesome too, getting to go to these docks and jump into the warm 51 degree water something like 10 or 11 times.  It’s a bummer that today was our last full day here. – Patrick

WOW! Today was by far the best day of this whole entire trip…. Full of laughter, tears, and freezing body temps! We started off the day with VBS. They had their performance today that they sang songs for their parents at. Then we got to wash a ladies’ house, Adam, Raelynn, Patrick and I went for a walk, and came back and ate dinner. After dinner we had a special guest visit us. His name was Conrad, a Vietnam war veteran and a prisoner of war. He told us his testimony and I felt so honored that he trusted us with that, that I started crying. He talked about how he was the only of 12 men to make it home alive, and how he would have nightmares that his wife was being taken away from him. Definitely changed my perspective on life! I really felt that God spoke to me then. After Conrad left, Dominic, a guy we’ve been hanging with this whole trip, told us about a “special” dock. We went jumping off of a dock into the OCEAN! It was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity so I jumped. It was definitely the coldest water that I have ever felt and it took your breath away. The showers tonight were actually warmer than usual and it felt good. Can’t believe that we only have 2 days left of this amazing trip! I’ve loved every second of it and feel that God really sent us to somewhere more than special. See you soon everyone! ~ Makenzie F.

Perfect way to spend the last full day on the island! I’m so sad its almost over! VBS today was fun… The kids did their recital for their parents and we had even more kids. Then we helped out getting a wall clean for painting. I gave away my pin the church gave us today to a guy named Conrad. And personally I don’t think it could be to a better person. He came and visited us today to tell us his testimony… I cried starting from about 5 seconds in. It truly was incredible. Then one of the islanders, Dominick, somehow convinced Christy to let us jump off the dock!! Only a few of us went, Makenzie, Karli, Darcey, Ben, Patrick and I. The water was freeeeeeezing cold! But it was really the cherry on top of the trip… Once in a lifetime. Oh, and now I will no longer complain about the temperature of our showers. ~ Jill

Day 8 Pics

Practicing for our performance for parents

Nicole & Makenzie - new found friends!

Part of our Preschool thru 2nd grade class

Brave souls jumping into the ocean!

Day 7 Pics

Group at the top of hill in Metlakatla

Exploring Sand Dollar Beach

Campfire @ Sand Dollar

Ready to sing for VBS

Day 7 August 1, 2012

Today was a great day.  More kids coming to VBS, some kids really getting worn down so we had a visit to the amazing clinic here (no strep throat - thank God!), fixing up the church for the 125 year celebration, and ending our day at Sand Dollar Beach.  It has been so life changing for these students - the people, the places, and more have really made a mark on their hearts!  Continue to pray for us! - Christy

5 more kids for vbs today! The k-2^nd grade section now has about 21 kids. Its crazy all the time but I love them all! I’m pretty shocked at myself that I can remember all of their names. Our work project today was leveling out some ground around the grave of the founder of the church, Mr. Marsden. Then we took about a million trips to the beach by the graveyard to get gravel and made a path around the grave. No need to do a crossfit workout, hauling our 14 buckets up and down the hill to the car was plenty for me. And don’t worry, popsicle, I’m wearing my boots for the work projects that don’t involve paint. Raelynn, Hannah and I also took some woodchips and got the dirt out of the headstone. The grave looks amazing now! ~Jill K.

Today was definitely a CRAZY day! We had Christy and Katie take Raelynn, Hannah, Hope, Meaghan, Adam, Ben, and Ian to the island’s clinic because they were all sick. They either had sore throats or stomachaches. Most were sore throats. None of them tested positive for strep throat which is good, but we’re still taking extra precautions. And I’m feeling fine so that’s good! :) Besides taking a trip to the clinic, we’ve had VBS today! It was a good turn out again and the kids really seem like they’re having fun! Tomorrow they will perform the songs that they’ve learned so far! I’ve become very close with a girl named Nicole. She’s in 7^th grade and I gave her my friendship pin today. We ate lunch, and started on some projects. Jill, Karli K., I and some others started on getting gravel from the beach across the street from the graveyard, and we level the grave of the founder of the church. Jim joked with us saying that if we walked on the graveyard side of the street, we would have to throw our shoes in the ocean. For a while I believed him, but I’ve learned on this trip not to believe ANYTHING Jim says (except for when he preaches!) We came back, ate dinner, and are about to go to the Sand Dollar Beach. We’re all tired and worn out but we have to give it all we got for the people of the island. Can’t wait to see you Mom, Dad, and Cass! ~Makenzie F.

Today I just wanted to sleep in and skip breakfast, but I couldn’t. So, we had VBS and CHORES!!!!!!!!!!! We cleaned up the church grounds, and the founder’s grave. Everyone who wasn’t at the clinic went to a beach to get rocks to put around the grave. We finally got the work done, and had tacos for dinner, now we are about to go out for a 45 minute hike to a sand-dollar beach. Ready for bed, my own bed. And my Carmel puppy. –Karli O.

Yay Alaska! But seriously it’s pretty sick here. I got a bad migraine today, but it got better so that was good. We went on a pretty cool hike thing down to a beach with a pretty view of the ocean and stuff! I’m enjoying it here! Ben

Pretty great day today, with the exception that almost half of everyone here is getting sick.  Good work time today getting to paint, mow, and weedwack, then a fun time down by the ocean, finding these sweet kelp, whip things (also look like dragon tails) and finding all these different colored starfish in the tide pools. Pretty sweet day in general. – Patrick