Ministry Family Retreat

For the second year our church has sent us to a wonderful retreat at Port Alsworth, Alaska, hosted by our friends at Arctic Barnabas Ministries during the last week of September. The Family Ministry Retreat provides much needed R &R for Alaska Bush pastors, missionaries and their families. We feel privileged to have attended.


This is the breathtaking view of Lake Clark from the huge picture window of the lodge at Tanalian Bible Camp.


A three mile hike to Tenalian Falls with some missionary friends from the Yukon River area. I look like Moses striking the rock with his rod. (The first time!)


One of the evening meals at MFR is a Prime Rib Banquet where we were served by our dear friend Marylil Spady of Arctic Barnabas.

We enjoyed a sweet reunion with precious friends from Kako, George and Eunice Landlord and their three children. Kevin (pictured here), Melanie and Isaiah. George is now pastoring the church in Marshall.

We spent the weekend following MFR in Anchorage where we met up with our friends the Boettchers.

Mike and Cayla were our neighbors and friends at Kako. They are now missionaries with Missionary Aviation Repair Center in Kenai where Mike is an aviation mechanic and pilot.


While we were in Anchorage we looked up our friend Henry Landlord whom we had worked with at Kako. We attended First Native Baptist Church with him and then went to lunch at the Cattle Company. What a blessing to re-connect with old friends.

Quilt Show 2011

We were blessed to have our friend Kitty Sorgen from Friday Harbor Washington returned again for the month of September to teach us two more quilt patterns. There were a total of 26 quilts displayed at the Quilt Show at the end of September, the night before Kitty left.

She taught us her original God's Eye design (center) which reminded us that God is always with us and He will never leave us.

A group of ladies who came to view our quilts. They are women who would have liked to join the class but were unable because of demanding work shifts. They appreciated all the work that had been put into the quilts.

Bea Jackson and Kitty posing in front of a Jelly Roll Quilt. This design appealed to many of us because it was simple and took only a few hours to complete. The Jelly Rolls and fabric were donated by Kitty's network of quilters in Friday Harbor and other places in the Lower 48.


Our workers put in a minimum 12 hour day 7 days a week processing fish. Because of their limited time Max and Maria teamed up to make one of each of the quilt designs. Maria did the sewing and Max did the cutting and pressing.

Bea made this beautiful "Cars" racing quilt and bedroom set for her lucky nephew in California. It's displayed on our baptistery in the front of the church!

Vera made two quilts, her Akutan Eagle Quilt on the left and her Jelly Roll Quilt on the right. Nice job Vera!

Lupe, a brand new quilter, made this Jelly Roll Quilt with complete with machine quilting and hand binding.

Sarah, one of Akutan's teenagers and a first time quilter chose beautiful pastel fabric for her Jelly Roll Quilt.
Jenny completed her Akutan Eagle Quilt and a small table topper for her husband Andy. We are proud of you Jenny!

Yolanda works the night shift and she would come in the morning after working 12 hours to work on her beautiful God's Eye Quilt. Besides being a single mother supporting a family back home, she is a masseuse and rewarded Kitty's expert teaching with healing massages.

Our classes were not group sessions but mostly one-on-one instruction whenever the quilters had time to stop by. Kitty made herself available from 9:00am until 9:30 every night.

The donated fabrics and materials made it possible for many people not only to learn how to quilt but to experience a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in creating something beautiful.

Margo's Trip to Washington

In July Margo flew to Seattle for some repair surgery on her wrist that had been fused because of arthritis three years ago. She stayed with her niece Carol and her family in Redmond during her pre-op appointments. Carol's husband Toby generously loaned his truck for her travels for the next two weeks.

Carol and Toby's daughter Emma invited Margo to a Tea Party at her play house, (built by her and Grandpa Lon).


Brother Jake, Carol and Jessie attended the tea party as well where we played games and had refreshments prepared by Emma.

Bryan's family came to celebrate Matthew's 7th birthday in Mt. Vernon. We stayed in a motel with a swimming pool where Dylan, Nathan and Matthew spent the day swimming.


The boys resting in the motel room with Allison before the big birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's

Spending time with grandson Matthew and son Jeremy in Bellingham was very special. Jeremy and Margo worked together to re-model Matthew's bedroom. It was fun to surprise him with a new bed.

Margo made curtains with wild Alaskan animals and Jeremy repaired and painted a used dresser we found at the Good Will.


Next stop was Friday Harbor where Margo spent a week with son Bryan and his family. On a hike to Jackel's Lagoon on the south end of San Juan Island Dylan and Nathan did some tide pooling. Margo enjoyed the warm weather and sunshine as well as a special day with her grandsons.

Reading to the "boys" in her special Grandma Room in their lovely home. What a delightful way to recover from surgery!


Dylan and Nathan attempted to teach Grandma how to play Golf on their Wii game. They were very patient but eventually returned to their more sophisticated games!



A fun bike ride around Lake Padden in Bellingham with Jeremy and Matthew. Actually, Grandma walked and this was the scene as I came around a bend where the boys were waiting for me to catch up with them.

Sunday School

We began a Sunday School this summer for the kids from Trident and Akutan Village. We enjoyed enthusiastic participation from the kids as well as their parents.


With the help of some donations from several individuals in the Lower 48, we had lots of craft supplies.



As part of the Sunday School program Gary incorporated an AWANA type game time and the kids loved it!


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Basketball Camp

Chuck and Diane Bundrant, Trident Seafoods, PenAir and APICDA sponsored a basketball camp at the Safe Harbor Church Gym on July 25-26. They brought with them a team consisting of Ryan Appleby, former player from the University of Washington, Jon Brockman from the Milwaukee Bucks and sisters Kara and Thea Hanato-Smith from the Hawaii State High School Girls Varsity Championships. PenAir flew over 50 kids and chaperons to Akutan for the event.

Jon and Ryan led the kids and some young adults in a series of drills designed for building basketball skills.

But more importantly they took the time to build relationships and to teach character and team building principals based on the Bible verse:"I can do everything through Him who give me strength." (Philippians 4:13) Here is JR, Akutan's Village Police Officer shaking hands with Ryan Appleby.

Each participant received a gift packet consisting of a sports bag, tee shirt, and a souvenir basketball. Here is Janene from Akutan getting her basketball autographed by Jon Brockman.

Even the young ones were included in special drills and workshops designed to instill some simple skills and a love for the game.

Jon, who towered above the kids at 6'7" led them in stretching drills but also stretched them to consider their commitment to living the 5 Ps. "Plan, Purpose, Perspective, Perseverance and Passion". He and Ryan shared from their own life experiences the importance of having a right relationship with Jesus Christ and living out these concepts.

Gary, Margo and Lon enjoying the activities and taking a break from transporting and serving food to over 50 people.

All of the kids and chaperons were housed in the church. The "Girls' Dorm" was the stage in the church sanctuary. The boys slept on air mattresses on the gym floor. We aren't sure just how much sleeping took place, but they all had a place to do it!

Jon, signing a picture for an admiring fan and taking time to pass on some words of encouragement.

Our friends Aida and Bea who showed up to help working hard in the kitchen, food serving line and even participating in some of the fun.

Trident's plant manager, Dave Abbaisan and Jon Brockman's dad, who traveled with the team as did Ryan Applyby's dad.

Diane Bundrant and volunteers preparing the individual awards for the closing ceremony later in the afternoon
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Akutan's own Anthony receiving a special award from Jon and Ryan for his hard work and consistency during the camp.

The tired but happy participants from Akutan picture here with the team at the end of a very busy two days.

Lon's Visit

Gary's brother Lon came to help out with preparations for our Basketball Camp and to help with maintenance around our building. We loved having him around and appreciate all of his help.

Although Lon had recently had knee replacement surgery, he and Gary refinished the gym floor.

You might think they are working out in the weight room but they are really repairing some of the equipment

Trident brought over 50 kids from other islands to a basketball camp hosted in our gym. Lon was a big help getting ready. He helped transport all of the meals for the campers from Trident's galley to the church. Thank you Lon for your gift of service!

As you can see, it wasn't all work! The guys went out fishing almost every afternoon and caught over 30 halibut in the three weeks he was here!