Trip Presentation at Jacksboro UMC Tonight at 7PM

Rev. John Crabtree will give a presentation on the Alaska mission trip. It happens tonight, Friday July 31, 2009 at 7:00 pm. Included will be a slide show of photos, maps and information about missions.

Light refreshments will be served. The public is invited.

Changed Lives

People are still asking me about the trip. I'm still talking about it. It amazes me that God could take a group of near-strangers and form the bonds of friendships that were created.

That's one of the things that happens on a mission trip. It's beautiful. Next month my daughter is traveling to DC to view a college. We are planning to meet up with one of the (ironically enough) local members of the mission team. It turns out that she'll be in DC during the same time we'll be there.

We'll see more of her on trips than we have here locally. She's only been here a few months. Already, our friendship feels like it's been forever.

I feel blessed to have been a part of such a team and to have gotten to know such terrific people. If anyone asks me now about going on a trip I'm telling them to go, Now!

Gayle

Reflections on our Mission Trip to Alaska

After driving over 11,000 miles my daughter, Hubby and I are finally home. (More on our return trip is on my personal blog at www.youvebeenreviewed.net) The rest of the team returned via air. They've been home for a couple of weeks now.

As I type this I am sitting in my living room. A glass of unsweetened iced tea sits by the computer. My daughter's dog is peering in the window begging to be allowed inside. From my daughter's room the quiet tones of flute practice dance in the air. The sun is setting. Soon it will be dark. The effect is a little surreal.

On the mission trip ice was often not included with drinks. While we could get unsweetened tea most of the time, the sweet variety (known as the house wine of the South) was as nonexistent as the stars in the sky.

That's right. Stars. This time of year there is no real darkness in Alaska. The sky goes from the pinks and oranges of a spectacular sunset to the medium blue of twilight. The sky quickly lights up again with the pink hues of sunrise. It simply didn't get dark enough for stars - or the moon that I can recall.

It is the experience itself that will always stay with me. There were a few defining moments. These included the look on my daughter's face when the ground shook beneath her feet for the fist time. It was her first earthquake.

Then, there was the moment when she was complimented for her caulking skills. She had never held a caulking gun before. That was another first. The trip held several more firsts for her as well.

But mostly, the missions trip gave her (and us) a chance to learn about ourselves. It is one thing to proclaim that you love Christ enough to follow him. It is another thing to actually do it. Mission trips move you from comfortability to reliability so that you can more fully depend on God.

You become a mission team member so that you can help others. In the process of helping you find yourself coming to terms with who you are in Christ and why you should help others. You gain new understandings and new visions of what God can do and is doing.

And that, my friends, is why you should experience a mission trip. You can hear about a trip but until you participate, you are only receiving half of the blessing. And oh, how sweet that other half is!

In Him,

Gayle Crabtree

More trip receipts

Here is the screenshot of my Pay Pal account. I have managed to misplace our car repair receipt and the motel room receipt at the moment. This will give you an idea of what some of the extra expenditures have been. 

In addition to the car repair, extra meals and extra motel expenses in Fargo, ND there is the room in Brandon, Canada. The journey has been incredible so far. 

It only seems fair to give the accounting since we've used the quickie fundraising help from Jacksboro to cover these costs. Allie and I have appreciated the help tremendously. Without it we'd have been back at home weeks ago. This is an incredible trip so far! I can't wait to tell you about it.

Take care

Gayle

Moose Quest Completed

Moose quest completed. On the 11 hour Denali National Park tour yesterday the entire team finally saw a moose. Look closely at the photograph below. The dark spot is the moose. It was confirmed through the binoculars of our tour guide.

I almost had the chance for a better shot. But you know how the big ones always get away.

At least the entire team got to see a moose.

We also saw a golden eagle, snowshoe rabbits, grizzlies, a swan and duck, caribou, wolves eating (it was a bad day for the caribou) more moose and a toad. Not bad for a day's drive through the park.

The team has now split up to go in different directions. Three of us are staying to enjoy Denali another day. Some are going to Fairbanks. Others are going back to Tennessee. The missions portion of the trip is officially completed.

Keep viewing this blog for updates on planning other mission trips. To view my blog and follow my family through other Alaska experiences before heading home click this link.

Saying Goodbye

The team said goodbye to Willow United Methodist Church today. For the past week we have called their fellowship hall home. Our part of the homebuilding has been completed on schedule. This is an accomplishment of which we are all proud.

The next leg of our adventure happens at Denali National Park. On Sunday, the team will take a bus tour of the park before splitting up to head our separate ways.

Very well organized and put together the mission trip has been a good experience.

3.2 Alaska Earthquake Not Felt by Team

A 3.2 magnitude earthquake struck Alaska today. The epicenter was 50 miles from the team. None of the team members reported feeling the ground shake. Everyone is safe. There were no injuries and no damage.

Read more on the USGS website.

It's the First Mission Trip for This Team Member

It's the first mission trip for this team member. Hear her talk about it by clicking the link above.

LaFollette Team Says Alaska Mission Accomplished!

Today the Lafollette United Methodist Church declared "mission accomplished". The last of the windows and doors were installed, the vapor proof barrier is in place and the insulation is ready to go.

Another mission team is coming to hang dry wall. The Willow United Methodist Church hopes to have the parsonage ready in time for their new pastor to arrive in June of 2010.

Many mission team members are calling the experience and once in a lifetime event. More photos are available on the Picasa album online. Some are shown here.

After the final day the team is relaxing with a barbeque dinner of pork chops, chicken and Alaska salmon.

LaFollette Team Says Alaska Mission Accomplished!

The LaFollette United Methodist Church team says "mission accomplished". In