Fourth of July we woke back in our segregated rooms in the 1st Covenant Church of Anchorage. A sea of sleeping bags, bed rolls and suit cases. Boys in one room, 7 girls in the nursery (the quiet/clean) and the rest of the girls across the hall (the rowdy/not so clean). After met Wesley, our daily host, new friend, partner in crime and brother Christ - we ate what became our morning ritual breakfast. Wesley is an 18-year old student on a month long mission trip serving at 1st Covenant Church. Next he heads to Ecuador before starting his studies at Prescott Arizona. Expect to meet him at North Coast in the next year.
Each morning we wake, do morning devotional, quiet time, chores, then begin the day.
CHANGE OF GEARS: from work projects to VBS. We dove into the team planning of each VBS sessions and verified supplies and readiness, then decked out in our USA/Fourth of July finery we headed to the carnival in the town square of Anchorage. Anchorage has a population of just over 300,000. For perspective, if you overlay the state on Texas on top of Alaska, Texas is dwarfed. Yet 300,000 live in Anchorage which is 1/2 the population of all of Alaska .... Crazy! Anyway, it was a huge turnout. Food vendors, bounce houses and rides, bands and displays. Salmon Quesadillas, Alaska Fry Bread and Aguduk (Eskimo Ice Cream - Crisco, berries, sugar, fish)
The students were set loose, flyers in hand to invite parents to Kids Camp the following 3-days. For some this was an easy task, for some very difficult. They went in teams of 3-4, kept it short and friendly. As leaders, we watched and helped guide them when stuck. They each distributed all their flyers and came back to "base-camp" enthusiastic and pumped about the days ahead!
The afternoon entailed more planning as Papa Mick fired up the BBQ to start grilling 4th of July dogs in the church parking lot. Across the street in the baseball field, we set up a tent and started playing games, face painting, handing out candy and began fellowship ping and learning about the neighborhood kids inviting each the the upcoming VBS. It had begun and it was a blast! By 11pm, it was time for fireworks, some of us hung in the church parking lot, some on the baseball field but we watched Fourth of July fireworks in the Alaska sky where the sun never sets.
As we planned the trip to Alaska, we talked of the Kids Kitchen thinking this was where VBS would be. Then things shifted and it changed to being held at 1st Covenant Church. Then as we planned we envisioned 5th, 6th and maybe even 7th grade kids that we'd be working with.
Saturday/Sunday/Monday was a blur of activity with VBS - they came. Where we expected kids we could hold conversation with and engage with, they ranged from 3 to 8, with a lot being on the younger side. It quickly shifted for. Fellowship to feeling like babysitting - ok God this is quite a twist! What's up? Where we envisioned Kid's Kitchen, it was at 1st Covenant. Where we envisioned, 50-100 kids, first day it was 15, second 35, third 32. But with the young numbers, we needed the ratios. Ok God, what? Ok working on servant attitudes. Working on not being disappointed. Working on flexing our programs. Got it - no problem! go! Day 2!
And in between ....
Saturday morning, Hilma (accordion playing Hilma from the hospital), asked if someone could help mow her lawn. Mick, Jake M and Justin went over and, of course, went so far and above, two trips to the dump, mowed, weed whacked, planted flowered, edged grass with a pocket knife (Justin) and then upon finding out their refrigerator had just gone out, went to Lowers and purchased a new fridge and had it delivered! Ways to go, guys! That's North Coast Community Service style - all the way!
Saturday night (remember it's daylight), we drove just outside of Anchorage to Flattop Mountain and took the 3-mile arduous hike to flat top which resulting in a spectacular view of the city and the setting sun.
Sunday started with church service, communion, a potluck with the church folks and more VBS prep. A quick trip for souvenirs to the Street Fair proved to be fun as a mid-day adventure.
Sunday evening Hilma came by the thank us for the wonderful work Mick, Jake and Justin did and to show everyone how to make Eskimo Ice Cream. Then two hours of forced down row, while the leadership team prepared dinner for the students.
Just after 9pm the students were led back to a waiting candlelight dinner of appetizers, salad, reindeer salami, smoked salmon, pilaf, homemade Alaska gumbo, Alaska rub Tri tip and Moose-Drop dessert. It was a fun surprise!
Monday morning was cleaning and repair around the church, final VBS AT 1st Covenant and a team headed to Kids Kitchen to hold a VBS there.
The night concluded at a park recapping the trip, sharing stories, doing an affirmation circle, worship with CJ on guitar. A powerful time!
I will post one final blog with recap thoughts, but I also wanted to post one remaining piece on our night....
As we finished our affirmation circle and TJ says we are going to do worship, one of the students mentions the restroom - at which time 3/4 of the students say they are so distracted by needing to go, the can't concentrate. Mind you there are no restrooms in sight. But TJ says go, they scatter like the wind, it should have been on video. Tall reeds, thick and deep lined the edges of the lake and all along the heads of our guys, farther up the path running like bunnies the girls scamper for cover. As the students return TJ slips into the reeds but of course having no mercy you now see his red beanie being chased by a flock of students.
Once settled back we sang two worship songs. As we began the third, we hear cries for help from an overturned kayak. Jake, Jon and Justin take off running to see if they can help. Although in itself this is not funny, the fact that Justin had a ring of wildflowers in his hair gave us a smile .... "I will save you, I am Captain Floral". :-). Anyway....all was fine, they were pre-saved.
Then we decided to take a group photo. TJ asked a nearby older woman. She said her name was Helen, as in Helen of Troy. Said it was her birthday and she had just turned 84. Liza set up the camera, we got in position and, and, and .... oh wait let me show you again how to snap it, oh ok again again, oh again? Ok, push, here, oh it's your birthday? Cool! Push this button ok? Yes everyone's in the picture, push here? Oh show you ok. Push here. No here. Ok push here. Oh you clicked. Ok. Give us the camera. No we have to go really, let go of it, we have to go now. No we can't go to your house. Let go of Mick, time to go, gotta go, really, let go of Mick, really, goota go, bye. See you, gotta go, bye Helen of Troy.
And off to Walmart we go for final souvenirs - yes it's midnight - yes we leave tomorrow - yes its daylight. And then there was Gary. Long story for another blog ... asked for prayer from the guys. This ramped into a 30-minute adventure.
For the land of the midnight sun, sure feels like a full moon! Bed time.
Cleaning, packing, airport ..... home!
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