We’re here!!! And we had an amazing first 24 hours in Sutton! Before we even landed in Alaska, we were blessed to see amazing changes in the landscape from the airplane windows. We saw mountains, glaciers, and even Canadian wildfires.
Then as we drove to Eaglecrest from the airport the response was one of awe with mountain ranges and rolling waters. Maggie even stated, “It feels like I’m living in a Bob Ross painting!” Oh, and we saw a moose!
We started out this morning joining in worship at Sutton Bible Church. It was a wonderful experience to meet with the local community in an atmosphere that felt very fresh and inviting. It was just a 5-minute walk down the road.
Sutton Bible Church was packed. We enjoyed some lively worship and heard a fantastic about message about “living the good life” based out of Ecclesiastes 2:1-11. AJ mentioned that he enjoyed how the pastor used different examples from history and tied them back to King Solomon.
After lunch we were taken on an excursion by the Eaglecrest team to Hatcher Pass. This mountain area is at 3500 feet above sea level and higher. The students could choose to climb up to a mountain fed lake or visit an old, abandoned gold mine, or both! Each mini-excursion was a great experience. The mountain-fed lake was still 80% frozen, which is something we Wisconsinites definitely weren’t expecting. And the gold mine had some very interesting features including a water tunnel and an abandoned mine cart track that looked like it belonged in an Indiana Jones movie. Our leader Heather even found a gold flake!
Hatcher’s Pass
Hatcher’s Pass Hikers
Hatcher’s Pass Lake
Gold mine
At the end of the evening we were all able to connect with the Eaglecrest team around a campfire. This will be an evening ritual during the week as we connect and recap each day with the Eaglecrest team. Our daily devotional was about being Servant-Hearted. Several of the students spoke up with how they can put other first. It was wonderful to see the students connect with each other around the campfire as we connected with Eaglecrest. One observation that the leaders noticed was how quickly our students are gelling together.
Next up: Monday and the start of the Day Camp!
Praying for your team and the start of day camp. Such a cool opportunity to meet students who live a different way. I am praying that your hearts and minds stay aware of what God is doing in you and through you. Praying that each of you will take a step outside your comfort zone and have a chance to see what God will do with that. Soak in the very long days and the beauty that surrounds you.
AMEN, we are praying for each and everyone there!
Yahoo!! By the time y’all hear this comment, Day 1 of Day Camp will be in the books. Great work today, friends. Y’all are part of something bigger than yourselves – years of teams from Blackhawk & other churches coming alongside Eaglecrest to help them build Day Camp into the party that it is today. God is faithful.
Praying for you all today from verse Psalm 100:5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations.
As Ben mentioned the community that has been created in Alaska through Eaglecrest for a generation, we are able to experience this through the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness. I pray the team just loves on the community during day camp as the reflection of Christ created in the Lord, building a community as you are reaching this community in Sutton, Alaska!
Look at all those smiles!!
Maggie I’m so proud that you are bringing out the fun and throwing in a Bob Ross comment. Can’t wait to hear more about this fun hike when you get home.