Wasilla, ALASKA MISSION TRIP 8/6-13 2024

There were several things about this mission trip I learned and also had confirmed ……To take 22 people with different personalities and ages come together in a common goal and make it possible to accomplish His purposes makes for a bushel of blessings. The men worked very hard to build a pole barn to provide protection for David Gamble the missionary’s  vehicles and broke up a section of a concrete driveway  to put a drainage pipe to defer water from coming in to the garage. 

This was Maggie’s first organization of a mission trip and she with the help of her sidekick Avery did an amazing job in keeping us on task and leading Bible school. 

There were bumps in the road, a flat tire in the van on the way to the airport,Maggie’s trip to Quick Care for a sinus infection, Carey’s trip to ER after a fall, and no moose sighting. I write these things only as a reference to remind myself of how quickly they fade among all the wonderful things we experienced.  We heard and saw the kids enjoy and learn in Bible school, we shared lots of laughter with new friends, had a wonderful menu of food, there was a sweet church service at the Native Alaskan Church , a night that we fed the Faith Recovery Church. All brought such pleasure , that  I kept wondering if this trip was for us or for them. 

The  pastor at the Native church had many jokes like saying “ we are so happy to have our friends here from Louisiana and it reminds me of the scripture where it says ,”the fields were “WHITE “ with harvest”. That little church had so many needs and I hope we can go back to mark off the lengthy list in the future. 

The Faith Recovery church was on fire with testimonies of times of bondage to ones of thankful freedom. 

Sean and his wife Julie were so eager in their call and work starting their Fellowship Church in Wasilla. 

His message was on the armor of God. The size of the calling will determine the size of the enemy sent to destroy it. Pull your belt of truth tight and take back the land Satan has taken. 

Sweet God sightings were…

David bringing and sharing with his two grown daughters Jenny and Vanessa. 

This being David Tester vacation ( he called it) to WORK as a new Christian. 

The safety net God put on the men that were literally hanging on tall poles with chain saws. 

Singing HB for Gary’s wife who came on the trip and was not home for her birthday. 

Ken & Susie that brought their grandson Leland and seeing a young man with a sweet servants heart like his grandparents. 

Maggie and Avery who know and are using their leadership gifts. 

A hightlight for me was the phrase of the devotional by David Baker telling us that being retired is being AVAILABLE !

There also was the message from the Native Alaskan church that gave us an analogy about why there always be a a war between our new body and old body. 

When his dad was young he was sent to the Indian boarding school. It was there that he learned discipline. He never hugged him and never told him he loved him but he practiced the discipline he learned. When he did not do what his father expected he would have an overwhelming fear of the discipline to come. As his father grew older and developed a bad memory he asked him to go get a pen out of particular drawer. When he went to find the pen it was not there. The old fear from years ago drew him back even though there was no danger of discipline. 

So also , as long as we are in our old bodies in this world it will try to draw us back but we have Holy Spirit to deliver us to the new realization of the truth and the power in us.