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.

Willow Alaska Church Hosts Mission Team Dinner

Tonight we were treated to a potluck dinner. Were we ever impressed! The dishes featured Alaskan favorites. Everything was delicious. There was moose meatloaf and meatballs, halibut pie, two different kinds of reindeer sausage (caribou), a salad featuring lettuce plucked from the parishoner's garden and lots more.

After the dinner, the missions leader and missionary presented the team with gifts. These included a pen and a lapel pin to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Alaska statehood and a t-shirt from the Willow Winter Festival here in Willow, Alaska.

We appreciated the gifts and truly enjoyed meeting the parishioners. Everyone here has gone out of their way to make us feel welcome. It has been a wonderful experience!

The House Progresses

Progress continued on the parsonage today. We're going to continue installing the vapor barrier tomorrow. It looks like we may get finished in time. This is good news and the team is excited.

Later tonight the church is going to be giving us an Alaskan potluck dinner. We'll be sure to post photos.

The Youngest Member of the LaFollette UMC Mission Team Speaks

At age 20, Allie is the youngest member of the LaFollette UMC missions team. The trip has greatly impacted her life. She says she would move to Alaska if she could. Click on the box to hear her talk about the trip in her own words.

Picasa Photo Album Link

Here's the link to an online photo album. Click here to view the latest photos. These are being updated at least daily.

You can really see how much progress the team has made on the house. It looks great!

Remarks from Rev. Crabtree on the Willow Alaska Mission Trip.

A few remarks from Rev. Crabtree, pastor of Jacksboro United Methodist Church. These were made during our first day of work on the parsonage in Willow, Alaska.

5.5 Alaska Earthquake Shakes Up Missions Team

Today an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 shook up the mission team. The epicenter was about 25 miles from Willow, Alaska. There was no damage and no injuries were reported. Some of the team reportedly did not feel the ground shake beneath them. They were too focused on the task at hand. For some, it was their first earthquake.

The ground shook for about a minute. This was followed by an aftershock less than a minute later. The aftershock also lasted for less than a minute.

Alaska leads the US in earthquake activity. Read the report from the USGS about the earthquake here.

Related links:
CBS News
MSNBC