Going to Alaska was a great experience.

Going to Alaska was a great experience. When we arrived everyone was exhausted from the plane ride so we went to our home for the week. The next morning when we woke up we received our stations and went there. I was assigned to the Boys and Girls Club and met amazing people and fun kids. Other groups went to the bus stops, letter room, and food pantry. The other groups helped around the places and preached about the bible. We played in the snow a lot when ever we could. After our stations everyday we usually went to parks and played with kids. We met lots of neat kids and some I will never forget. We went sledding one day and some people got hurt. The hike was very fun. We went to Blue Berry Hill and hiked to the very top and got lots of good pictures! On the last day we had a carnival at the Boys and Girls Club and then said goodbye to all the kids and the went souvenir shopping. We got lots of cool stuff. After that we went back to the church packed up and headed home. What I learned is that to have patience, because God works in mysterious ways also I learned to walk slow on ice.

-Justin Tekell

As I am back home

As I am back home, in my own bed & home and normal clothes & car and all the things I take for granted, I am reflecting back on our time in Alaska. We met so many people who do not have any of these things. No home or bed, no gloves or hats for cold weather, no transportation or money for it. What I saw in the people of Alaska was sadness, discouragement, anger & depression. They are mostly a people who are very unhappy & unfriendly. The numbers of un-churched, un-reached lost people are staggering.
But as we worked at the Boys & Girls Club and the largest food bank in Anchorage, as we handed out free coffee & muffins at the bus stop, we noticed over a period of time that if we worked with a smile and love and joy, they softened a little. They opened up a little and shared with us, or expressed thankfulness for our work and generosity. They want to have hope, they want to have love and be loved, but they are very skeptical and cautious to whom they open up to.
My prayer for these people that we got to meet and share time with and share the love of God with is that the seeds we planted while we were there begin to take root. That there will be those that come after us that will water these seedlings. That something we said or did will stay with them and that they will begin to search out the source of what we shared with them this past week, Christ's love and compassion.
I am very thankful to all of those who prayed for us as we traveled and as we ministered. I ask that you continue to pray for the people of Alaska and GraceWorks as they share the love of Christ.


Michelle

This was such an experience that I will never forget

This was such an experience that I will never forget. I have gotten closer to God and this amazing church group through the crazy airports, volunteer projects, endless card game, and services to Anchorage. Every morning from Tuesday to Thursday I helped lead a 4year old to 7 year old class in vbs at the Anchorage boys and girls club. Some of the children were hesitant at first, but after getting to know each one of them, they grew to love our group of 5 that was assigned there. By Thursday 5 children in my class accepted Christ and became Christians. Many others were given their first bibles that they excitedly opened and shared with their families. I was able to see God truly work through us and into these children. Wednesday, I was able to share God's love with children from ages 4 to 17 at Chester park. I was told stories about how churches had been rude to a boy who lived there and how it affected his idea of Christianity. I was able to show him how God's plan has so much more to offer him. God allowed him to be truly accepting and understanding of my faith and Christianity after speaking. I gave a bracelet to a young girl that represented a Christian's walk with Christ through colored beads that she adored and shared with all of her friends. The happy and welcoming attitude of the children at this park was more than enough for us to beg to change our plans and come back the next day to these children. I never would have imagined how fast I could become attached to so many individuals at such a high personal and spiritual level so quickly. On our last day, we held a carnival for the children at the boys and girls club. About 100 boys and girls of all ages came. We encouraged the boys and girls to recite a bible verse from memory for a big sticker if they could. Being from east Texas, I mistakenly  assumed most all children knew one verse or at least knew who Christ was. After talking to each child that came to me for face painting, I had them memorize and understand John 3:16. I could really tell they strived for a true love, and I felt that God had placed them all there to hear how much he loved each one of them through his word. If it was up to me, I would never leave Alaska or the children at the boys and girls club and chester park, but I know how God worked though all of us on this trip and that he has such a larger plan for all of us and the children we all adored this week. We have grown closer all together and more connected to Christ through this journey. I have learned more about myself and my creator's power. I want to thank everyone who gave to this mission because I know that this was an experience that touched so many lives and expanded the kingdom of heaven. Please pray for the people of Alaska and that God continues to bless them.

- Kelsey Long

Wednesday/ Mikaela

Alaska has been amazing, more than I could ever imagine. Before I came I prepared myself for what I was expecting to do, see, and experience. I was super excited to come and work with the kids, to be part of God changing theirs lives. Doug knows how much working with kids means to me and how much I love doing that, but since my first youth camp missions I have yet to do so. I'm assigned different task doing different things. Even here, I haven't worked with kids yet, I haven't physically interacted with people at all. I'll be honest, at first I was super upset finding out that I wasn't going to be at the boys and girls club but I realize now that God has bigger plans for me than that. I have no reason at all to be upset when I know that He is in charge. &no matter where I am He is going to put the right people in my path. People that will change my life and theirs as well. I don't have much to say about what I've done, but I can say God is changing my life and showing me more and more each day that I'm called to serve for the rest of my life.
                                                                               --- Mikaela

Wednesday/Carley Goode

I have had the most amazing experience in Alaska!! The view is amazing! God's creation is like nothing you have ever seen! I feel so small in this big world He has created. Today I worked with Jacee, Austin Davis, Kelly, and Megan at the CCS food bank!! We bagged a lot of different things and organized. Seeing all of the people who needed food there really mad me sad. It made me feel like I'm so selfish an needy. They had to go and wait to take their turn to shop. A helper has to go around and shop with them. They can only get a certain amount of food for their family. When I go to the grocery I get whatever I want! When we were waiting for our ride to get there I just saw all of these people walking in and out. One was a father and a child and it was so sad. There were people with limps that were homeless. The lady who worked with us today, her name was Linda. She has to have such a big heart and know Jesus to have such a successful business. People from different places send in things they didn't sell and orders that mess up to them for free. It's so amazing! After that we went to lunch, then to a park to play with kids. I met this little girl there and her name was Olivia, and she was sassy!! She is not shy! We had a lot of fun! It was sad seeing these kids with shorts and t-shirts on, or no gloves and pants! I walked out there all bundled up. While we were there a women's mom had got lost so we had to search the whole neighborhood for her! She was 95. We eventually found her with the help of God!! After that we ate dinner then we were on our way to hike a mountain!! On the way there, we saw this group of people who did not look happy! I didn't know what was going on but it looked like they needed some prayers, so I was going to pray for them tonight! Once we got to the mountain we were climbing we started right away! It was really hard. The snow was powdery and slippery. My gloves weren't working and I couldn't feel my hands! I started to have a panic attack. But thanks to Brooks I got to the top of the mountain! He came back and helped through! He talked to me the whole way up! I feel God sent him to help me see the beautiful view at the top. It was the prettiest thing ever! God's creation is amazing!! Going down was the best part! We slid all of the way down. Most fun time ever!! I have had a good time here and still have 2 more days left!!

-Carley Goode

Wednesday/Jacee

    Today I helped with the food pantry at Catholic Food Services. It was pretty fun. I worked with Carley, Austin and Kelly. We bagged food like potatoes, cookies and deserts etc. During the day I realized about how bad my attitude has been throughout the week and the last couple or past weeks at home toward my family and my friends. This trip helped me realizes my attitude big time. It’s really helped. I’m gonna start changing my attitude and my actions. Next, we had lunch and it was yummy, we had sandwiches. Around 2, we headed to the park and helped with the families and mostly the little children. There was this one little boy named dante’ he was the sweetest little thing ever. He was the most loving most caring little boy ever. He had a little sister that was 6 and her name was Livi, he just had his birthday and he was so happy about it too he had it a chuckie cheeses. He spent about 15 mins telling me all about it. Later on in the day we went on a little hike it was a blast. Favorite thing i have defiantly done all week, so far. That was the 2nd mountain that i have climbed. I’ll be honest that the 2nd one was defiantly way funner and WAY easier..  But it’s amazing that we have only been here for 2 full days and i can already feel God working through me and my life. But, today has been awesome and i’m looking forward to the days i have left. love y'all.

-Jacee Callens

Wednesday/Austin

today me and my homies including jacee, kelly, and carley went to the Catholic food bank deal. We did a lot of stuff including washing potatoes, stacking pastries, and loading fish into the refrigerator.  We did that for about 2 and half hours and then we went back to the church for lunch. After lunch we went to a complex with a park. We played with about 20 kids that lived there for hours! I think they really enjoyed us being there, I also think we helped them bond with each other because I was hearing many conversations between them. I thought we had a very productive day! We soon ate dinner and shortly after drove to blueberry hill and hiked up the side of a very steep mountain/hill/deathrock and updated our facebook profile pictures! We then took a long cold slide down the mountain! It was extremely fun! Then we traveled back to the church and I took a long shower than headed down stairs and I ate some queso and chips, and now im am finishing my blog.

-Austin Davis