Update on Construction Fund:
Minimum required: $7,000
Donated to date: $6,089
Communication with our contacts in Mexico has been slow however we wanted to update you with the information we have to date. We will have a short meeting after potluck this coming Sabbath (August 29th) to present this information again and to answer any questions you may have.
Travel Dates: Monday, December 28, 2009 – Monday, January 11, 2010
1. Please begin research for airfare to Villahermosa, Mexico which is to be our
team meeting destination.
a. Continental is the only U.S. airline that flies into this city, but another
option is flying into Mexico City or Cancun on another U.S. airline and then
take a national flight to Villahermosa.
b. James and I do have 30 seats held (until September 27th) on Continental at
approximately $1215.00 round-trip per person from Anchorage to Villahermosa and back.
c. We can travel as a team or you can meet us in Villahermosa.
d. DO NOT BUY ANY TICKETS until we have notified you that
housing and transportation has been secured!!!!!!!!!
2. We will be staying at the Airport Hilton in Villahermosa at the beginning and end of our mission trip.
a. You will appreciate this hotel as it has the same modern amenities as our
U.S. hotels.
b. It is a short distance from the airport and a shuttle is available.
3. We will stay at an Adventist Elementary School for the working portion of our trip. This is pending confirmation from the pastor that the school will not be in session while we are there.
a. It is located about 15 minutes from our work site in Penitas.
b. Our basic needs will be met: a roof over our heads, separate toilets for
men/women, portable outdoor showers, and electricity.
c. Sleeping accommodations will be communal with 5-6 people per classroom and mattresses on the concrete floor. The classrooms have a door, but the
windows are without panes or screens. You will need to bring bedding or a
sleeping bag (night time lows will be about 60F).
d. A makeshift kitchen and dining/meeting area will be assembled in one of the classrooms.
4. An optional excursion will be available.
a. Housing will be at the Villa Mercedes in Palenque and you will greatly
appreciate this elegant hotel after a week of hard work.
b. The excursion will be to the Palenque Archaeological Zone where we can tour Mayan ruins (with English speaking guides).
5. There will be an outreach opportunity.
a. The local pastor has mentioned that a Bible Worker (or two) prior to our
coming would be of great benefit. This is something that we would, if
desired, support separately from the One-Day Church construction fund.
b. The pastor also requested medical and/or health outreach as this is the
greatest need in the area at this time.
Participant Fee: $650-$700 per person (excludes: excursion, t-shirt, and airfare).
Optional Excursion: $100 per person
Optional Maranatha Mexico T-shirt
Please make your commitment by September 9th: to reserve your spot on the team fill out an application and submit a $200 per person deposit.
Applications are available from James or Lynda.
Deposits are made out to Hillside-O'Malley Church with "Participant Fee" in the memo line.
September 10th we will be changing our status to an open team and will accept participants from any locality.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Work In Progress!
Wherever God is at work...so is Satan! Those willing to serve God in Mexico are starting to feel the fiery darts come their way. Satan needs to be made aware that neither cancer nor near death in the Alaska woods while shake our faith!
At the recent church camp-out two members had a harrowing adventure, but were kept safe in the arms of God. We praise God for his unending love and care!
One person involved in the accident was Melva Evans. Here is a recent email from her: "Lynda - During the hike I kept thinking that the Mexico church must be really important!!! Go God!!! Yes, you may post the story on the blog. And I hope that all who intend to participate take strength and courage in our stories, and that we keep each other lifted up in faith."
Weekend Canoe Adventure 8/01/09:
Went on a church camp-out to Trail Lakes Campgrounds, down by Seward. The campground is on the eastern shore of Kenai Lake, about 24 1/2 miles north of Seward. We had perfect weather - sunny during the days and cool enough in the evenings to keep mosquitoes away. I loved sitting around the campfire with good friends, singing songs and listening to Scott Baker's study on Romans.
On Saturday afternoon, one of the guys (Tony Aalvik) and I took a canoe out on the lake. We went around a point to smooth water and nearly to the other side. Decided not to go to shore, as it appeared there were campers there; so, didn't want to intrude. We headed back to camp, and were about 2 miles from our launch site when the canoe capsized. Not a good thing, on a deep, cold water lake. We got the canoe righted, but couldn't get it emptied out - which, I think, is due to poor design. Getting in the canoe only made it sink below water level; so, there was no way to bail it out. There was only one thing to do, and that was, start swimming and head for shore.
We tried towing the canoe, then realized that we weren't getting anywhere fast enough; so, we abandoned the canoe and kept going. They say that the maximum survival time in our waters is 45 minutes. I'm here to tell you that, with prayer and a trust in God, we survived more than an hour. Once we reached shore, we realized just what a life or death situation we were in. It took a couple of efforts to pull ourselves out of the water. My legs just didn't want to stand up. We found a little recess that got us out of the wind, but was sunny. We lay there in the weeds, shivering violently. My medic training made me recognize that we were hypothermic. Again, God was looking out for us by keeping clouds away and the sun shining to provide the little bit of warmth that, I know - without a doubt - saved our lives.
After ten or fifteen minutes of shivering, we knew that we had to try to get back to camp. We were, by my guesstimate, about a four miles hike back. The area we were in had no traverse-able route down by the water. It was an area that had been burned in a forest fire four or five years ago. There were many downed dead trees and bushes to scramble over and through. Another major problem for me was that I was wearing flip flops when we launched, and had had to kick them off in order to swim. I had no choice but to start hiking barefoot. It was painfully slow going, up over cliffs, over and under logs. At one point I fell off a log - right into a patch of devil's club bushes, which truly are an invention of the devil. Not only the stems, but the leaves are covered in hundreds of short, fine thorns. They're attractive bushes, especially in the fall when the leaves turn bright yellow and the berries ripen to a deep red. But they are the most miserable thing to tangle with, as I found out. I'd always known to avoid them; but, never knew exactly what would happen if I got scratched by one. It took a few hours for me to find out, after crawling inside the sleeping bag, when the most intense itching and burning started. It is awful!
We had been hiking for nearly 3 hours when we got to the point where, if someone was looking, they might see us. By this time, they had to have known that we must have run into trouble, as we'd been gone over five hours. Tony took off his life-vest and waved it around. From that distance, he would have looked like an ant. Luckily, someone was looking up (not down at the water) and, because the sun was behind us, was able to see the silhouetted movement. We didn't know that, of course, but kept on bushwhacking and slogging our way forward - sometimes down, sometimes up, often falling into holes obscured by bushes. It truly was the hike from hell. The absolutely amazing thing, though, is that we weren't cold. By all accounts, we should have either died in the water, or shortly thereafter, of hypothermia. I just know this: I kept going with a prayer on my lips, an unwavering faith and trust in God, and a determination to keep moving forward until we reached camp.
We were about a mile from the launch area when a little skiff came puttering out from the bend. Our guys had seen Tony's life vest movement, and set out to find us. We made our way down to the water where a log was jutting out to where the skiff could come in to pick us up. They had a tiny little motor and a pair of oars. It was enough to get us back to camp, though it took about 20 minutes to cover the mile. You can bet that there was rejoicing and prayers of thankfulness when we hauled in. I was ever so grateful for the loan of a friend's over-sized shoes.
Amazingly, after expending all that energy and experiencing the initial cold, we returned to camp warm and not the least bit hungry. And eternally grateful to be alive. The next day, the canoe owner and another camper took a boat out to the approximate area where we swam ashore. They found the canoe and one paddle sitting calmly in the waters against the shore. Amazing!
Whatever your belief system is or isn't, all I can say to you is that my trust in God was strengthened this weekend; and, you are reading this as the result of a miracle. There is no other explanation for our surviving that hour in a freezing cold lake; or, for the fact that I was able to walk as far as I did in spite of not having shoes. Yes, I did get a few cuts and stickers in my feet, and I do have to deal with the aftermath of the close encounter with devil's club; but, God promises a safe landing - not a calm passage. The little pain and the itch only serves to remind me that I am alive to feel them because God cares.
My daughter stopped by this evening and removed a thorn from my left foot. It's so much easier to walk now :-) There still are a couple more to get out, but it hurt too much to continue probing; so I'll try again in a couple of days.
All in all, it was a fabulous weekend! Seriously! A fabulously spiritual experience with God, and friends who love Him.
What else is there to say? Our God is truly an awesome God! Please continue to pray for the Mexico mission trip and for those who He calls to participate. Please lift up the Penitas congregation in prayer as well.
Excited to serve,
Lynda
At the recent church camp-out two members had a harrowing adventure, but were kept safe in the arms of God. We praise God for his unending love and care!
One person involved in the accident was Melva Evans. Here is a recent email from her: "Lynda - During the hike I kept thinking that the Mexico church must be really important!!! Go God!!! Yes, you may post the story on the blog. And I hope that all who intend to participate take strength and courage in our stories, and that we keep each other lifted up in faith."
Weekend Canoe Adventure 8/01/09:
Went on a church camp-out to Trail Lakes Campgrounds, down by Seward. The campground is on the eastern shore of Kenai Lake, about 24 1/2 miles north of Seward. We had perfect weather - sunny during the days and cool enough in the evenings to keep mosquitoes away. I loved sitting around the campfire with good friends, singing songs and listening to Scott Baker's study on Romans.
On Saturday afternoon, one of the guys (Tony Aalvik) and I took a canoe out on the lake. We went around a point to smooth water and nearly to the other side. Decided not to go to shore, as it appeared there were campers there; so, didn't want to intrude. We headed back to camp, and were about 2 miles from our launch site when the canoe capsized. Not a good thing, on a deep, cold water lake. We got the canoe righted, but couldn't get it emptied out - which, I think, is due to poor design. Getting in the canoe only made it sink below water level; so, there was no way to bail it out. There was only one thing to do, and that was, start swimming and head for shore.
We tried towing the canoe, then realized that we weren't getting anywhere fast enough; so, we abandoned the canoe and kept going. They say that the maximum survival time in our waters is 45 minutes. I'm here to tell you that, with prayer and a trust in God, we survived more than an hour. Once we reached shore, we realized just what a life or death situation we were in. It took a couple of efforts to pull ourselves out of the water. My legs just didn't want to stand up. We found a little recess that got us out of the wind, but was sunny. We lay there in the weeds, shivering violently. My medic training made me recognize that we were hypothermic. Again, God was looking out for us by keeping clouds away and the sun shining to provide the little bit of warmth that, I know - without a doubt - saved our lives.
After ten or fifteen minutes of shivering, we knew that we had to try to get back to camp. We were, by my guesstimate, about a four miles hike back. The area we were in had no traverse-able route down by the water. It was an area that had been burned in a forest fire four or five years ago. There were many downed dead trees and bushes to scramble over and through. Another major problem for me was that I was wearing flip flops when we launched, and had had to kick them off in order to swim. I had no choice but to start hiking barefoot. It was painfully slow going, up over cliffs, over and under logs. At one point I fell off a log - right into a patch of devil's club bushes, which truly are an invention of the devil. Not only the stems, but the leaves are covered in hundreds of short, fine thorns. They're attractive bushes, especially in the fall when the leaves turn bright yellow and the berries ripen to a deep red. But they are the most miserable thing to tangle with, as I found out. I'd always known to avoid them; but, never knew exactly what would happen if I got scratched by one. It took a few hours for me to find out, after crawling inside the sleeping bag, when the most intense itching and burning started. It is awful!
We had been hiking for nearly 3 hours when we got to the point where, if someone was looking, they might see us. By this time, they had to have known that we must have run into trouble, as we'd been gone over five hours. Tony took off his life-vest and waved it around. From that distance, he would have looked like an ant. Luckily, someone was looking up (not down at the water) and, because the sun was behind us, was able to see the silhouetted movement. We didn't know that, of course, but kept on bushwhacking and slogging our way forward - sometimes down, sometimes up, often falling into holes obscured by bushes. It truly was the hike from hell. The absolutely amazing thing, though, is that we weren't cold. By all accounts, we should have either died in the water, or shortly thereafter, of hypothermia. I just know this: I kept going with a prayer on my lips, an unwavering faith and trust in God, and a determination to keep moving forward until we reached camp.
We were about a mile from the launch area when a little skiff came puttering out from the bend. Our guys had seen Tony's life vest movement, and set out to find us. We made our way down to the water where a log was jutting out to where the skiff could come in to pick us up. They had a tiny little motor and a pair of oars. It was enough to get us back to camp, though it took about 20 minutes to cover the mile. You can bet that there was rejoicing and prayers of thankfulness when we hauled in. I was ever so grateful for the loan of a friend's over-sized shoes.
Amazingly, after expending all that energy and experiencing the initial cold, we returned to camp warm and not the least bit hungry. And eternally grateful to be alive. The next day, the canoe owner and another camper took a boat out to the approximate area where we swam ashore. They found the canoe and one paddle sitting calmly in the waters against the shore. Amazing!
Whatever your belief system is or isn't, all I can say to you is that my trust in God was strengthened this weekend; and, you are reading this as the result of a miracle. There is no other explanation for our surviving that hour in a freezing cold lake; or, for the fact that I was able to walk as far as I did in spite of not having shoes. Yes, I did get a few cuts and stickers in my feet, and I do have to deal with the aftermath of the close encounter with devil's club; but, God promises a safe landing - not a calm passage. The little pain and the itch only serves to remind me that I am alive to feel them because God cares.
My daughter stopped by this evening and removed a thorn from my left foot. It's so much easier to walk now :-) There still are a couple more to get out, but it hurt too much to continue probing; so I'll try again in a couple of days.
All in all, it was a fabulous weekend! Seriously! A fabulously spiritual experience with God, and friends who love Him.
What else is there to say? Our God is truly an awesome God! Please continue to pray for the Mexico mission trip and for those who He calls to participate. Please lift up the Penitas congregation in prayer as well.
Excited to serve,
Lynda
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