Alaska MAPS Project update - Fairbanks

Even though we are back in the lower 48, the project in Fairbanks, Central Mission Assembly of God, continues.

These pictures are courtesy of LaQueta Brown.  Thanks LaQueta!!!

    Our last evening together.   Missionary Joe Filancia, Ron Brown, LaQueta Brown, Joyce Martin,

Glenda Pitt, Glenn Pitt, Al Martin and Pastor Dave.

Missionary Center - new building

Al stayed on a few more weeks to put up the sheetrock. Two rooms were finished when we left.

There was a lot of electrical wire to be strung for the three story building and Ron did a great job!!

Our last Sunday, Missionary Joe preached a wonderful message. 

    That vest is loaded with patches Joe !  We work for patches. Haha

 The ladies prepared a wonderful meal before we left to meet our plane.

We had to say good-bye to some wonderful friends, but hope to meet again at the U S MAPS Convention in  October.

Alaskan Adventure - August 13 - 16 - Central Mission Assembly of God Church, Fairbanks, AK

This is our last week here in Alaska and these are pictures from the last few days.  

   A ditch was dug for the water line to be hooked up to the city water.  

     The expensive copper tubbing is covered until the city hooks up the water.

Insulation. 

With a few pretty days, the siding was completed!!

    Last piece of siding cut to size.

  Very last piece installed.  That scissors lift was stretched as far as it would go.  The scissors lift had to be returned the very next day.  The guys finished with it just In time for Jesse and crew to finish with the roof.

Roof completed.

  Friday and Saturday the drywall was started.

    Two rooms drywalled. 

Tomorrow Glenn, Joyce and I leave Alaska. Arlen and Ginger had to go home early.  Arlen's 97 year old mother is now rejoicing in heaven. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

Al is staying a few extra weeks. 

The members here have been wonderful !!  We have had a good time and the men have worked hard.

The building will be used as a mission center. 

Glenn and I love this beautiful state of Alaska.   Maybe someday we will return.

Alaskan Adventure - August 11 - 12, Central Mission Assembly of God Church

On Thursday, Glenn was able to go on a long weekend trip with his brother, but he couldn't go until the plumbing was done with no leaks.

Also, on Thursday the siding was started.

 The weekend brought pretty weather and Al and the helpers from here decided to work.

They came a long way on Friday and Saturday. One side was completed and the other side of building and part of the ends of the building were almost complete. When there is beautiful weather, much can be accomplished.

Monday brought more sunshine and a trench digger.

 I think the rented trench digger didn't work so well...it was slow and cut off a lot. Troy had a time keeping it running.

Ron had his hands full of wires....

                                  .....glad he knows where they all go!!

The backhoe was brought in as well.

The fence had to come down one more time to smooth out the dug up earth.  Don't worry Pastor Dave, Glenn can put it back.  ;)

Monday evening Joyce and I went to our last gathering of the quilt making club.   Hey Ginger, your quilt has been "sandwiched", stippled and trimmed.

It turned out so cute.  Now the border and some sweet little child will love it.

Tuesday morning brought rain in the morning but by afternoon, the sun was shinning brightly.  Like they say here...."if you don't like the weather here in Fairbanks, wait a little while and it will change."

Alaskan Adventure - August 8-9, 2014 - Weekend Road Trip

As the week came to an end, Joyce and I planned a little road trip.  Glenn had gone camping with his brother, nephew and family.  That left Al, and he planned to work the weekend.

But first, on Thursday, being a sunny warm day we went to Pioneer Park here in Fairbanks.  We enjoyed looking at the old buildings making up the park, and strolling through the shops.  We had not ridden the train that goes around the park, so we climbed aboard.

We discovered a part of the town that we had not seen before aboard the train.  

We left early on Friday to drive to the quaint little town of Talkeetna.  We had visited on our four day trip, but did not get to spend much time looking around.  I admit it is a "tourist trap"  but we both wanted to go back so we took the weekend to visit.

When we reached Nenana, we got breakfast at the cafe Rough Woods Inn.

  We had a good breakfast then continued our journey.

There was some construction along the way and by the time we reached Healy, Alaska, we needed another break.  Healy is a short distance outside of Denali National Park and Preserve. 

The drive from Fairbanks to Healy is breathtaking.  I so love the mountains.

    We finally reached our destination and had a few hours to look around.

We ate at a family style restaurant.  "Just find a seat anywhere".  It looks like an old farmhouse with long kitchen tables.  

On our drive back we found lodging at the McKinley Princess Lodge.  It was beautiful, nestled in the mountainside.

Our accommodations were lovely.

The lodge was beautiful inside.

The large back porch overlooked the mountains toward Mt McKinley.  

   She showed us a little bit of her glory while we were there.  Look above the clouds to the brighter snow capped Mt. McKinley. It towers above her sister mountains.

This pic is zoomed in so that is why it is not very clear, but you can see in comparison how much the Great One stands above the other mountains.  Mt, McKinley stands 20,320 feet tall.

Our "cabin".  The room was very nice.  

And the flowers beautiful.

   Basket hanging outside the main lodge. 

The next morning we had a bagel and enjoyed the scenery on the porch a bit but we had a ways to go to reach Denali.  We knew we wanted to spend some time in the park and explore some more shops.

Joyce had not gotten to visit Denali Park (only to catch a train) so we decided to go to the dog sled demonstration.

The dog tack room.

 Enjoying the afternoon sun.

After the talk from the ranger, explaining how these are the only working dogs in the US park system and their importance, it was time to hook them up to the sled.  These dogs knew when it was time to show us their stuff and excited they became.  It was as if each one were saying "pick me, pick me"!  Barking and jumping, raring to run.

After they raced around a short track, the dogs were given a treat and we were all given a chance to check out the sled and for pictures.

We had a good trip and had a good time together.  I guess you could say this was our last "hoorah". We fly to the "lower 48" next Sunday.