We have been wanting to share with you some of the exciting things that the Dillingham church is doing in the surrounding villages, especially Aleknagik, Togiak, Manakotak, and Ekwok, but we wanted to get our stories straight from those who are involved. Here is our first from Judi Thompson that we received last week.
Blessings,
Judi
Hi folks,
This morning (Sabbath) we checked the weather on the computer, and when I saw that it still looked pretty windy and rough between here and Togiak I prepared to stay here today, and enjoy fellowship lunch for the second week in a row, here in Dillingham :) But Gavin (Thompson) did a little more digging, and Dave (Williams) said he thought the weather was good enough to make a run for it, so after church, we came home, and I changed clothes and we headed for the airport. (The church here has decided to change the services around, to try and get more of us "village people" to be able to participate here too. This week was the first week of the new program, and they started with church at 9am, and then Sabbath School, finishing the entire service by 11, when Rod and Brenda (Rau) usually head to Ekwok. We still have to leave a little earlier, but I think overall, it's going to be a good change.) We were pretty fully loaded (we took the Cherokee, as it was Manakotak's turn for the Hawk).
But it went well, and I got to practice a short, soft field landing with a 20 mph wind! There weren't very many people today, about five adults and three children, but we had some really good discussions with the ones who were there, so I think it was good that we went. One young man, who is almost completely deaf, has a sister with several young children, who was arrested recently for drinking, and is now in jail in Anchorage. So he now has the responsibility of caring for her three children while she is gone. He lives with his father and sister, but he says they are not a lot of help, and he ends up looking after them too most of the time. Sometimes he gets so fed up with them all that he comes over here to Dillingham, to get away from it, and spends the whole time here drinking! Today, we talked to him for a long time, and had special prayer for him before we left. I asked if he'd like us to dedicate the children and him next Sabbath, and have special prayer for them as a "family", and he said he'd really like that. So we'll be having a dedication next Sabbath :). I really wish that the Lord would provide a couple who could not only be spiritual leaders there, but could also volunteer to open an Adventist school there too. If they could volunteer their time, the parents wouldn't have to pay huge school fees, and some of these wonderful kids could be in a Christian school!
But it went well, and I got to practice a short, soft field landing with a 20 mph wind! There weren't very many people today, about five adults and three children, but we had some really good discussions with the ones who were there, so I think it was good that we went. One young man, who is almost completely deaf, has a sister with several young children, who was arrested recently for drinking, and is now in jail in Anchorage. So he now has the responsibility of caring for her three children while she is gone. He lives with his father and sister, but he says they are not a lot of help, and he ends up looking after them too most of the time. Sometimes he gets so fed up with them all that he comes over here to Dillingham, to get away from it, and spends the whole time here drinking! Today, we talked to him for a long time, and had special prayer for him before we left. I asked if he'd like us to dedicate the children and him next Sabbath, and have special prayer for them as a "family", and he said he'd really like that. So we'll be having a dedication next Sabbath :). I really wish that the Lord would provide a couple who could not only be spiritual leaders there, but could also volunteer to open an Adventist school there too. If they could volunteer their time, the parents wouldn't have to pay huge school fees, and some of these wonderful kids could be in a Christian school!
Blessings,
