Last Full Day At Camp

I just did something I have never done. I was swatting at a mosquito and caught my glasses and threw them across the room. Pretty impressive! These mosquitoes are bad. We are sleeping under nets at night. I felt like I was the meal at an all you can eat buffet last night. I could hear and see them hovering all around just waiting to pounce! They have gotten really bad in the house. Roger had the shop vac after them earlier. Carter has gotten really good at spotting them. We swat it and he shouts, “Yeah! Yeah!” and waves his hands in the air. It’s good entertainment.

Aside from the skeeters, we have been trying to help get camp ready for the next work crew  that flies in Saturday. I unloaded a whole bunch of pantry items and helped reorganize in the kitchen yesterday. There was quite a bit to do. Today I cleaned up the spices area in the middle of the kitchen. Later, when Carter wakes up, I need to go clean a few of the cabins where couples will be staying next week.

David filled the water tank up today with creek water. It’s finally clear enough for use. Next week the crew will have to fix pipes and get water running all over camp. They also have some electrical and building projects to complete. Always something to do. David has been working on the runway today and yesterday trying to fix the cracks left from the snow melt.

Roger flew out earlier today to speak at a conference for future missionaries seeking to work in Alaska and with the local villages. He is considered a native elder and holds a high position of respect. He is sharing his heart for making sure to speak the whole gospel and not just a watered down version. He shared with us yesterday that the gospel should bring hope but it also brings offense. It is not all roses and sunshine. We have to repent and turn our back on sin and old ways of life. And we are not promised a good life without bad stuff. Hard times come no matter what. He said that so often people bring a feel good gospel to people, especially the children, and it’s got to stop. They need the truth and by that Truth, they will be set free. Pray for Roger as he shares his heart today.

We fly out sometime tomorrow and will spend the next few days in Fairbanks helping Roger and Carole do big grocery shopping for the camp, run errands, and build shipping boxes for the food to be shipped on the barge once the ice completely clears. We fly home late Friday out of Fairbanks.

The ice is getting jammed and causing flooding in several of the villages. Until the river is completely free of ice, the barge cannot deliver to the people on the river. Many of them, including Roger and Carole, order a year’s supply of fuel at one time. Right now camp is in great need of the fuel as well as other people on the river. Usually the ice is already broken and the barge is ready to run by now, but this year everything is behind.

I am going back to swatting skeeters and the other chores that need doing. I hate to leave camp. I could get used to it. Beautiful, serene, peaceful and holy. Well, I don’t know how holy the mosquitoes are…

Until next time…