WINTER BIKE RIDE - Ft. Pierce to West Palm Beach, FL

The wind never stopped in the night and it greeted us early in the morning. After breakfast and breaking down camp we got back out to the road along the inlet. The wind coming off the water made the ride very challenging. As we entered Jensen Beach I was glad to spot a Starbucks. We needed a coffee break. We got our iced coffees and sat outside. We talked about the challenge of the morning and what was before us the rest of the day as we rode toward Ft. Lauderdale.

We rode through Stuart, Hobe Sound, Jupiter Beach and on to North Palm Beach. Jupiter Beach was really nice. Some locals shared with us that Tiger Woods was having a house built in Jupiter Beach so we were able to eyeball the construction. After JB Ben began having bike troubles again so we decided to to limp our way to North Palm Beach and call it a ride. The wind conditions and bike troubles made that an easy call. We met Jen and the boys at the CVS and we ate in the parking lot. After lunch we changed in the bathrooms, restocked our fluids, loaded up and began the journey back to Gainesville.

The drive home was good. I dropped Jen and the boys off at Texas Roadhouse so they could meet up with friends and I dropped Ben off at his apt. Then I went home to see my girl, clean up and get some rest.

The second Winter Bike Trip was a great success. We rode 325 miles in 4 days and got to see quite a bit of Florida's east coast. God took care of us the whole way as did Jen and the boys. Ben and I were humbled and blessed.

I am looking forward to Winter Bike Trip 3 this December. We will ride from Marco Island to Gainesville. Jen and boys are on board to serve as our Support Crew once again so we are very thankful for that. WBT3 will take place December 19-22. If you are interested in riding one or more days with us let me know.

Blessings! bob g.

WINTER BIKE RIDE - Titusville to Ft. Pierce,FL

It was cold this morning when we woke up. After two days in regular riding gear it was time to put on the cold weather gear. We did so after breakfast. I was hungry this morning. I consumed many packets of oatmeal and various other breakfast items. No coffee though so I was looking forward to using our Starbucks card in Cocoa Beach.

After praying we rode back out to US 1 and turned south. We took that down to where we could cut over to A1A. That stretch of road had several bridges so it was up and down and up and down. The cross wind made this stretch a good challenge. After the final bridge we got some protection from the wind as we entered Cocoa Beach. We found the Starbucks at the Cocoa Beach Surf Company so we parked our bikes and enjoyed an iced coffee and a cookie or pastry.

Ben's bike troubles started back up so we met Jen and the boys at Bob's Bike Shop in Eau Gallie. Ben got some work done to his bike and we ate lunch in the parking lot. There was no charge for the bike work so we were grateful and praising the Lord. After lunch Ben tested his bike out and it was better. Not great but better.

The rest of the day he dealt with bike issues but thanks to a strong tailwind we were able to put in over a hundred miles and make it to the campground in Ft. Pierce just after nightfall. We had out headlamps and taillights so it wasn't a problem. Because of the strong winds Jen was only able to set up one tent. When we got there I determined that it was too windy to start up the gas stove so we went to McDonald's. It was nice to get some chicken wraps, iced coffee and ice cream.

We got back to the campsite and set up our tent. The wind was still blowing strong so we worked together to get it set up. After doing so we settled in for a time of reading before drifting off to sleep. The strong wind whipped our tent in such a way that I was reminded of a couple of nights on my GTD ride and my time in the bush in Tanzania. I sleep well in those conditions and a good night's sleep was needed after a long day of riding.

WINTER BIKE RIDE - St. Augustine to Titusville, FL

Today started early! We awoke just after 5am so we could get cleaned up, eat breakfast and start pedaling by 6:30am. The reason we wanted to leave early was so we could stop at the Beachside Church in Ormond Beach for their 10am service. We just made it. We actually met Jen, the boys and Maria Jones at the Starbucks just before Beachside. Thanks to Maria's mom we were able to get a large iced coffee, she gave us a Gift card to use for our trip PTL!

The service at Beachside was great and it was great to see good friends Robbie and Greg. After service we went to lunch at Ruby Tuesdays. Ben's girlfriend and family came to see us, it was awesome to finally meet Caroline and her family.

As much as we enjoyed visiting we knew we had to start pedaling again so we could make it to the KOA in Titusville. Ben had some bike issues along the way but we finally arrived late afternoon. By the time we got there Jen had the tents up so all we had to do was clean up, eat dinner and settle in for the night. As we settled in we were prepared for the cooler temperatures that would greet us in the morning. It had been a great day despite Ben's bike issues. God continues to take care of us.

WINTER BIKE RIDE - Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine,FL

I was glad we were not in a rush to start the ride. We woke up to cold, rain and wind. We took out time to eat breakfast and get our gear together. After doing so the weather had improved. We unloaded our bikes, took care of final riding matters, prayed and departed. It was great to get riding!

Jen and the boys went on ahead. They would keep us posted as to what was a head. The ride down A1A was pretty as we passed Big and Little Talbot State Parks. We met up with Jen and the boys at the Ferry that would take us to Mayport. It was a nice and relaxing break.

After Mayport we began to deal with the traffic of the Jacksonville area. No problems PTL! We met up with Jen and the boys at Ponte Vedra Beach so we could eat lunch. Having a support van and crew is great. After lunch we began our put to Anastasia Island State Park.

Once we arrived in Villano Beach we knew it was just a matter of time till we reached camp. We crossed the bridge to St. Augustine and then enjoyed the sites along the way. We rode by the Fort and into town. The traffic moves slowly so it is easy to navigate downtown.

After seeing downtown we knew that it was time to get to camp. Jen and the boys had camp all set up so all we had to do was clean up and enjoy dinner. We cooked up some hamburgers, hotdogs and baked beans. It was awesome!

Day 1 went well. We knew that day 2's ride to Titusville would be longer and more of a challenge. We were looking forward to that.

VACATION: Silverman, The Ups and Downs of the Journey.11/06-14/2008

The Silverman full distance triathlon is my favorite. It is located outside of Las Vegas, NV in Henderson. The 2.4 swim is in beautiful Lake Mead. The 112 mile bike ride goes along Lake Mead until it turns out into the desert and then backtracks through the desert to Henderson. The marathon is on a 2 loop course in Henderson. The setting and the people make this the best full distance triathlon in the country. The course makes it one of the most difficult in the country.

Celeste and I arrived on Thursday afternoon. After the airport we got settled in at the host hotel and enjoyed some dinner. After that we crashed. The three hour time difference caught up to us.

I woke up really early the next morning (Friday) so I went out for a 4:30am run. After that I went to Wal Mart to pick up some supplies and breakfast at McDonalds. After breakfast Celeste and I went out to Lake Mead so I could check out the water and get in one last swim. After that I went to pick up my race packet and take some time to walk around the race expo. Then it was off to pick up my bike at the Bike Shop. I spent time reassembling it and then test riding it. I bought a few items that I needed for the race. The day had been long and busy so I returned to the hotel to chill for a bit before the Pasta Dinner. After dinner it was time for bed!

The next day (Saturday) began with a Pancake Breakfast and then a trip out to the lake to drop off my bike and transition bags. The day was beautiful! There was much talk about the weather forecast for race day. It was to change drastically. It was to go from beautiful to beastly. Cold, wind, rain.... Standing there at the lake under a blue sky, bright sun and warm temperature I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Two years earlier the race day had been cold and windy. Not again I thought, and prayed.

Saturday night we went to Central Christian Church before heading to bed early...

Sunday AM: The forecast was right on. We woke up to cold and wind. There wasn't any rain at 4:30am, that was to come. We arrived at the lake and got checked in. We had time to get our special needs bags turned in and do a last minute check of our bike and bike transition bag. Then it was time to get ready for the start of the swim. It didn't look too bad out on the lake PTL. \o/

We gathered at the waters edge for the national anthem. Then Frank, the race director, talked with us a moment before starting the race. The first two legs of the swim went well despite the heavens opening up during the second leg and the lake becoming a bit more choppy. Then all heck broke loose as we started the third leg back into the wind. The chop turned into waves. I saw white caps, I saw rain, I saw the wind create spray, I saw swimmers struggling to make their way along the course. Fortunately for me, there was another swimmer near me so we were able to chat from time to time to make sure we were heading in the right direction. When we made the final turn to head back to shore we got to a spot where the lake settled down. Oh happy day! The swim in was good until my left calf muscle decided to start cramping. I swam through the cramp and made it to shore. It felt so good to be on land.

I was helped out of my wetsuit and then given my swim to bike transition bag. I quickly changed and then made my way to my bike. I walked it out of the transition area and then began the mile climb from the lake to Lakeshore Dr. It was cold and windy! I ate a Trailmix bar as I rode up the hill, it tasted so good. Once on Lakeshore Dr. I picked up the pace. It felt good to be going fast. This didn't last long because Lakeshore Dr. has lots of ups and downs. The strong wind was a bit scary on the fast downgrades. Before turning to head out into the desert the rain started again. I was so cold. At one point the rain felt like the sleet I had encountered in Colorado during my GTD ride. I dismissed that thought but later found out from other racers that it actually was sleet. I pressed on and finally made the right turn to head out in the desert. I could see lightning off in the distance. It was far away so no worries.

The ride out was mostly good. I was passing more riders than were passing me. I even passed 3 on one uphill section! At that point I knew all the mountains I crossed over during my GTD ride had payed off. About 10 miles before the turnaround the wind was in our face and the road was a bit rough. I was looking forward to turning back and then stopping at the half way feed zone. At the feed zone I was so hungry that I ate 2 trail mix bars, 1 cliff bar, a banana. I washed this all down with lots of Gatorade. I felt renewed so I mounted my bike to begin the last half of the ride. I felt a bit tired but I was riding consistent with the group around me. Then just before the 60 mile aide station I felt a wobble.

No, not again. I looked down and back at my rear wheel and I could see the wobble. My heart sank and I began to pray. As I approached the aide station I called out for a spoke wrench. Nobody had one. What about the mobile mechanic? I asked. Nobody knew where he was. I decided to go on. The wobble became worse over the next 10 miles. At the 70 mile aide station I asked the same questions. No wrench, no mechanic. At that point I knew I couldn't cover the next 42 miles with my wheel as it was. It was hard, but I decided to abandon the race at that point. The workers were awesome. They made sure I got food and fluids and stayed warm.

I sat there for over an hour waiting on sag vehicle. There was no phone service out there so I couldn't let Celeste know what was going on until I was in the sag vehicle and we were getting closer to town. She was relieved to hear that everything, except my rear wheel, was fine. The sag wagon took me and another racer who had to abandon the race to a vehicle that would transport us to the bike to run transition. There I was able to gather all of my stuff and return to the hotel.

The race was a disappointment, especially since I had a better race going than I did in 2006. I couldn't complain though because that was my first mechanical failure ever during a race. I had been blessed to be free of race day mechanical failure for 27 years. Not bad. Now that the race was behind us we could look forward to the week of vacation to come.

Celeste and I had a good time despite being on the run. We ate dinner with Lt. Col. Dan, Sue and Caleb Runyon, who had attended UFCCH years before we arrived.

We enjoyed some time seeing The Valley of Fire north of Las Vegas. We took time one day to see some of the different hotels and watch the fountain at the Billagio. One evening we went down to Fairmont St. for dinner and then the light show. It was a good week. Now it was time to return home for the rest of this semester and Gator football!

We have a heart for NV ! \o/

"Christianville" in HAITI Oct 29th - Nov 3rd

My long awaited return to Haiti was finally here. It had been a year since I had been there. I was heading down to a Christianville Board Meeting and then spending some time at a couple of churches and an orphanage in the mountains. Finally, I was going to preach at the La Salle church on Sunday.

This trip, this country, this mission is special to me because this is where God changed the direction of my life as a sophomore in college. I went with a group from Milligan College to work at Christianville over our Christmas break. I remember Port au Prince being hot, busy and dirty. As we got out to Christianville it was still hot but much more beautiful then the city. We had a great 10 days of work and ministry. At the time I didn't realize that it would take me 20 plus years to return.

Several years ago God opened the door for me to join the Board of Directors for Christianville. My first Board meeting was at Christianville. It was so different when I finally returned. Health clinics, elementary, high school and college kids, a guest house, a growing farm that included fish ponds.... My how things had changed.

This was my third Board meeting at Christianville. The economic situation in the states had affected Christianville as much as other missions around the world and in our own country. This was going to be a challenging meeting but a good time to be with those on site who serve there day after day after day.

We arrived on Wednesday afternoon. The duration of the trip from Port to Gressier took us toward dinner time. We finally arrived at Christianville and joined up with other Board members who had arrived earlier in the day. Our evening was spent in fellowship and sharing about issues that faced Christianville. Then it was time for bed. It's a challenge to sleep away from home, especially in third world countries. Dogs bark throughout the night and then the roosters begin crowing way before daylight.

The next morning after breakfast we began our Board Meeting. The morning was spent with some folks who were a part of the history of Christianville. They helped us understand more about the past as we were getting ready to address the future. After lunch we began hear reports from the various ministries that make up Christianville. This continued into the next morning then after lunch we had to tackle some tough issues and make some tough decisions. We went into the night so we could finish up. The two days had been long and tough but productive. We closed our meeting time with prayer.

Early Saturday several of the Board members packed up and headed home. Those of us who were staying a few more days walked to the village just beyond Christianville. Two boys took us to their home to meet their family. It was good to see where they lived and to meet their mom, dad, brothers, sisters.... After our walk about we returned to Christianville for lunch.
That afternoon we loaded up in the truck and headed up into the mountains. We visited two churches. The first church is basically an open air church. The pastor is legally blind. His assistant brought him out to meet with us. We shared for a bit and then had prayer with him. The second church is further up in the mountains. The bottom floor is complete but the second floor is still under construction. They build as they have the money to do so. One of the church leaders and his kids showed us around. We concluded our time with them in prayer as well. After the church visits we returned to Christianville for dinner. As usual, the food was delicious.
The next morning I had the opportunity to preach at the La Salle church which is right next to Christianville. After a great time of worship I shared with them from Acts 2.

That afternoon we decided to visit an orphanage up in the mountains. The way there was quite bumpy and at times we were not sure we were on the right path. Recent storms made it a bit of a challenge to navigate the landscape. We arrived at the orphanage as the light of day of dimming. We brought with us a sack of rice and a sack of beans. Amy and Doug had gotten word that the orphanage was running out of food. Everyone was excited to see us and see that we brought food along. They showed us all around the orphanage and the church. We had a great time. Now it was dark and time to return to Christianville. It was hard to believe that this was my last night at Christianville.

The next morning after breakfast we left Christianville for the airport. Our trip to the airport went well so we were there a bit early. After getting checked in we were able to go upstairs to relax and grab a bite to eat. We visited for a bit and then headed downstairs to board the plane. The flights to Miami and Jacksonville were good. The layover in Miami was long so we had plenty of time to eat dinner, drink coffee and talk more about Christianville and the challenges that face it.

My late arrival in Jacksonville meant a very late arrival in Gainesville. I was glad the drive home was uneventful and that I was able to crawl into my own bed. I slept great. No dogs barking. No roosters crowing. It was good to be home.

The plan is to return to Christianville next October to meet again. I am praying that we will see good fruit growing as a result of decisions that were made. Please keep Christianville, Haiti and the kids in your prayers.

SCOTT

Several weeks ago on a training ride I stopped to get a drink and snack at a store in Worthington Springs, FL. I picked out what I wanted to drink and then began my snack hunt. As I was looking a voice asked, "how far you riding?" I told him I was going to ride 60 miles that day.

He said to be careful and then he added, " God bless you."

"You are a Christian" I said to him. "Yes" he replied. He told me he was helping to put a roof on the church down the street but he lived in and went to church in Lake City, FL. I told him about CCH and my recent Go the Distance bike ride. He was excited. Then he shared with me some of the ministries that his church was involved in. I said "PTL!" \o/

I share this because this was a great time of spiritual refreshing in the middle of a warm, long bike ride. I was thankful for the cold drink and snack but I was more thankful for my time with Scott. "As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another." My conversation with Scott took me right back to the conversations I would have day after day during my GTD ride.

As I rode from the store I thanked God for Scott and prayed for his safety as he continued to put the roof on the church. I also thanked God once again for everyone he introduced to me along the way that blessed me and brought me a time of refreshing. I now want to be that time of refreshing for someone else. I hope you desire is to join me in this quest.

For the sake of the call,
bob g.

583

583 !

It's only 583 days till I begin pedaling from Cedar City, UT to Santa Barbara, CA.

The maps have been ordered and both Jeff and Nike and Jim and Bren have confirmed that they are excited I am coming. Jim has already ridden the pieces of the Western Express route and Pacific Coast route that I will be riding so he is going to be a great resource. He and Bren want to meet me somewhere along the coast and ride toward Santa Barbara or Los Angeles with me.

It is go cool that God introduced me to Jeff and Nike and Jim and Bren. You never know what will come of those meetings along the way.

This past Go the Distance Campaign was successful, but I believe that the total given for the first ride can be doubled.

Please pray that we will put together a more effective campaign for Go the Distance...Again.

Thanks and God bless you!

bob g.

Go the Distance AGAIN in 2010

GO THE DISTANCE...AGAIN

My recent Go the Distance bike ride from Flagstaff, AZ to Gainesville, FL covered most of the United States from east to west but not all. Therefore, in May 2010 I will fly to Cedar City, UT and pedal to San Francisco, CA to complete the Western Express route.

Then, after visiting friends and seeing San Francisco for a day I will ride down the Pacific Coast to Santa Barbara, CA. This is just one of the sections of the Pacific Coast route that begins in Canada and ends in San Diego. I will cover 1,158 miles in 14 days! That will give me an average of 82 miles a day. Several friends are talking about riding one of the weeks with me. I hope to have at least one person riding with me each week.

Once again I will be seeking partners for my ride. UFCCH took a huge leap of faith to purchase the current Christian Campus House and I am excited about helping to "pay down our loan" by doing something that I love to do. If you would like to partner with me for my ride per mile or with a donation let me know.

A highlight of the trip will be seeing friends I met out on the road. I met Jeff and Nike on a training ride to St. Augustine. They live in San Francisco. They took 6 months to ride the perimeter of the United States and Canada. They rode over 11 thousand miles! They said I have a place to stay when I come to San Francisco.

I met Stacy from Seattle here in Gainesville at the Millhopper Starbucks. She was riding the Southern Tier route by herself (she made it to Houston, TX then had to fly home to take care of her husband who became ill). She was an awesome resource for me as I planned my trip. We still communicate via e-mail. When she found out about my upcoming ride she immediately let me know that her parents live in San Luis Obispo, CA and they want to host me when I pass through.

I met Bren as I pedaled toward Escalante, UT. She drove past me and stopped up ahead. I stopped and we talked. She let me know her husband was pedaling behind me. A bit later after a long climb I met her husband Jim. We got to spend time together on and off the road over the next two days. Jim and Bren live in Los Angeles and want to host me before I fly home.

This is going to be an awesome journey. I can't even imagine the sights I will see and the people I will meet but I know God has some cool stuff in store for me...again.

The bike maps are in the mail. Please pray for me as I prepare for this journey, recruit sponsors and recruit riders. I will keep you posted throughout my preparations and ride.

For the sake of the call!
bob g.

AK Days 8 - 13: Reflections

Days 8 - 13 -

CAMP!

Camp has been over for awhile but I wanted to finish out with highlights from the week.

WHAT IS GOING ON?

That is what some of our staff wondered as they encountered some challenging kids. We met together the first night and talked about the different situations and we turned it over to God. It was awesome to see God work through camp and the staff to touch hearts. Kids that looked to be a challenge became a blessing. We were fortunate to have a balance. Though there were some kids that looked to be a challenge, there were many others that were excited to be there and excited about the week to come.

PROGRESS

As we gathered at the end of the first full day of camp staff frustration had turned to hope. Progress had been made throughout the day during family time, group games, hang time, worship sessions...that brought hope to the staff who had been so disheartened the night before. God was answering our prayers.

BREAKTHROUGHS

Days 2 through 4 brought about many breakthroughs in regards to relationships with kids, kids trust with the counselors, kids attitudes about camp, each other and spiritual matters. This became very evident in the Worship and Family Group times. No longer were they like pulling teeth. They were now vibrant and enjoyable. This was exciting and we know it was a direct result of lots of prayer and lots of counselor investment in the lives of the kids. We were giving praise to God for these breakthroughs!

IN CONCLUSION

The whole trip was amazing. God heard our prayers and provided us all with an amazing time at camp. Steve and Leslie poured their hearts into this week. Being local they invested so much of their time and money into the camp and we were the beneficiaries of their investments. They didn't do it so that they might be recognized for it (and I am sure they are uneasy as they read this), they did it because they have big, big hearts for kids and they desire to give them the opportunity to encounter Jesus who can rock their worlds.

THANKS

To the team that stepped out in faith to plan, prepare, pray over and lead a week of camp for kids that most of them didn't know. To Brooke and Jacob who went the extra mile to lay a firm camp foundation here so that we could build upon it there. To Steve and Leslie for all that I mentioned above and more. To God who made it all possible and did more than we ever could have imagined.

RIGHT NOW

It's September 24th and we have been home for almost two months. Some dialog has been going on between the campers and counselors, pray that God will use this dialog to keep each other focused on him daily.

THE FUTURE

Brooke, Jacob and Ben will be putting a team together to return next June, 2009. Between now and then there will be lots of prayer, communication, encouragement, advertising.... Please join me in prayer as this team comes together and prepares to impact the lives of kids again at Orton Ranch.

To God be the glory!

bob g. and team alaska

AK Day 7: "CAMPERS ARRIVE"

Day 7 - Blue sky and sunshine! What a way to start the day that would later turn into the official start of camp for 15-20 high school and middle school kids as well as the crew from UFCCH. After breakfast we had time to take care of last minute stuff before we began our hike to the dock at 11:30am.

With great anticipation for the number of campers we would meet at the dock we began our hike. The pace was much quicker than the day before because "berry stops" were less frequent. We got to the dock a bit early. It was a crowded dock so we wondered where the "fast boat" from Salmon Falls would dock. After talking some and meeting some of the other folks who were docked there we heard the roar of a boat coming our way. It was a Salmon Falls boat and it whizzed right past us and kept going. People waved to us so I guessed that the boat was heading down toward the Naha River just to give everyone a glimpse and after the glimpse it would return and dock. Others weren't as sure. A few minutes later the boat did come back toward us and found a place to dock on the inside of the dock.

We were excited to see Leslie and Elenor (Steve & Leslie's foster child) and one, two, three, four...eighteen campers! Karen, we met last year, is from Titusville, FL and was part of last year's camp team that put on VBS at Metlakatla and then did a camp for elementary school aged kids. Trevan was a camper last year, it was so awesome to see him return this year. He decided to come at the last minute and brought a couple of friends with him. Leslie, Jacob, Ben and God all worked to get Trevan to come so we were so excited to see that he did decide to come at the 11th hour. There were a couple of girls who were with us at camp last year as well. Four were familiar and fourteen were new to us.

Once all the campers, their luggage and supplies were unloaded we began the hike over "the hump" to the other dock where the small boat was waiting to take the luggage. Everyone loaded their luggage and then we began the hike to camp. Along the way was a great time to visit with those we knew and get to know those who were new to us. It was a fun hike that went by fast due to the conversation along the way.

It's always fun to get that first glimpse of Orton Ranch. Inevitably someone yells out, "I see it!" I was toward the back so I don't know if Ben did his ceremoniously run across the field a second time. We all gathered at the Pavilion and received our first set of instructions. Moments later the campers were moving in and setting up their bunk and the space around it. There was lots of excitement in the boy's dorm. I could tell we had some interesting characters. After awhile it was time to begin the camp program which included get to know you games, formation of family groups, worship, a message, campfire, hangout time and bed time. This time of beginning camp and getting to know each other was interesting and challenging.

By the time bed time rolled around (the campers had to be in by 11:30pm and quiet by midnight) it became obvious as to who the rowdy campers were. I was bunked by Izzak, Donovan and Austin. All very cool guys. The guys across the way from me were part of the Rowdy Bunch. Trevan, Jarrett, Hugh and eventually Kaleb. They were lively but respectful. When midnight came they quieted immediately and went to sleep. I was shocked but praising the Lord! \o/ I knew if they did that all week we would be fine and get enough sleep to push through each long and exhausting day of camp.

All in all we survived the first day. I am sure there will be some things to address at the morning Staff Meeting so we can be ready for the first full day of camp and more time getting to know the campers who are new to us.

God answered the prayer re: more campers, I know it is just the beginning of his work among us this week.

PTL!

bob g & the AK mission team

AK Day 6: "CAMP TRANSPORTATION"

Day 6 - The night before we prayed selfishly to see some sunshine the next day. This morning we woke up to sunshine! We gave praise to the Lord. It was short lived though. As Ben, Jacob and I arrived at the dock to help load supplies on the boat the heavens let loose again.

As I walked to find the dock where Steve and Leslie were I heard one of the guys scream "STOP RAINING." It didn't right then but 3-4 minutes later the rain stopped. This made loading the supplies so much easier. We had a steep ramp to go down to get to the dock that led to the boat we were taking to camp. As the guys helped Steve and Leslie load the boat I made several trips back to the church to get the rest of the group and their luggage. Earl helped with the final trip so we got everyone and their luggage to the dock in a timely manner. The boat needed to sail by 11:30am.

The 3 hour ride to where we would unload was great. We took in the sights, took pictures, snacked on great cookies, talked, read, slept.... Once we got to our unloading spot we got all of us, our luggage and our supplies off the boat. We then had to hike it all over "The Hump" to a much smaller boat that would transport only our luggage and supplies up the river to the Orton Ranch Camp.

Allison rode in the boat to camp. This meant she would be helping unload all the luggage and supplies once they docked at camp.The TWO MILE HIKE to camp wasn't bad. There is a boardwalk off and on along the way. There are a few places where the boardwalk is in need of repair so we had to get off and step on rocks or a beam or the ground to make our way to the next part of the boardwalk. There were also parts of the hike that were on a muddy trail up and over rocks and trees and tree roots. Also along the way are berries! The hike to camp took longer than usual due to all the berry stops. How cool is that!

We arrived at Orton Ranch and Ben made his ceremoniously run across the ranch to the T-House proclaiming that we had arrived. We located our luggage and moved into our dorms. After that we helped unload kitchen supplies and gather supplies to stock the bathroom in our dorm. Once all the work was done we got to take some time to be introduced or reintroduced to Orton Ranch Camp and it's beautiful setting on the Naha River.

Steve fixed dinner and we ate! We only snacked along the way to camp so everyone was hungry. On Saturday prior to leaving for camp on Monday we did a bit of group building because many on the Team were new to each other. It helped some but there was more to be done. This became evident to me at camp and at dinner. I decided that after dinner we would have a team meeting and work on coming together so that the week ahead we could minister to the middle and high school kids as a group united and not divided.

Our meeting was great and God led.

We had some open and honest discussion that helped us clear the air and come together. No stone was left unturned. I truly felt that we made huge progress in unifying as a group. After our unity discussion we talked about Camp. We wanted to make sure we were all on the same page as we got ready to start camp the next afternoon. We were excited about the possibility of 20 campers coming to join us. Just three weeks earlier only 1-2 campers had signed up for camp so we were stoked that the number of potential campers had risen significantly.

After our time of meeting everyone took time to hang out and have fun before the generator went out at 11pm. Tomorrow will include hiking to the dock to meet Leslie and the campers, hiking the campers to Orton Ranch and then getting Camp started. It's going to be exciting!

As always, thanks for your prayers!

bob g & the AK mission team

AK Day 5: "LORDS DAY"

Day 5: "LORDS DAY" Deer Mountain in Ketchikan, Alaska

Today was a long day! We had to wake up, pack up, clean up and move our stuff out "before" Sunday School and church. We got that all done then Abby shared a devotion with us before Sunday School. We went to the youth class. Pastor Doug shared about the message to the church at Ephesus found in Revelation. Worship was really good. Ben Edwards, Doug's son, led us in a great time of praise then Pastor Doug shared with us how we could live holy in an unholy world. The service and people were super. We also got to meet more youth and encourage them to come to camp. Several said they would.

We ate sandwiches and then loaded up to go hike Deer Mountain. The rain had let up until we got to the trailhead. We headed up knowing that it would take a couple of hours to get to snow and the first overlook. The trail was covered at times so that kept the rain off us some. Because of the massive amounts of snow that fell this winter there was a lot of water coming down the mountain as it melted.

Therefore, our feet got soaked along with the rest of our body. There were some great picture stops along the way as well as places to take a break. The group divided into two due to pace. Both groups made it up to the snow and down in good time. It felt so good to get to the Overlook, what an accomplishment! It then felt great to get back to the van and then to church so we could warm up in the shower and put on dry clothes.

At 6pm we met with the youth group. Several were coming to camp so it was great to get to know them beforehand.

At 7:30pm our dinner showed up. Vee ordered Chinese from our new friend Lee. We hAd a great variety which included Sweet and Sour Halibut. After dinner two groups went to the Ginter's to help bake cookies and do laundry. A third group went to Wal*Mart one last time before camp. The Wal Mart group finished shopping and joined everyone else at the Ginter's. We ate cookies, talked, watched tv, listened to music, finished up the cookies and some of the laundry. By this time it was nearing 11 pm. Many were tired from the hike so we went back to church and thanked the Lord for a great day. Then it was off to sleep.

Tomorrow we again have pack and clean up so we can head to camp! We have to load all the food and our stuff on the boat. Then we have a three hour boat ride to the two mile trail we have to hike into camp. We will do all that we need to do to get settled and ready for camp. We will hike back to the dock on Tuesday at noon to meet the campers and hike in with them. Camp will begin Tuesday afternoon.

Everything is going great, keep the prayers coming!

bob g

& the Alaska Team

AK Day 4: "ZIP LINE"

Day 4: "ZIP LINE" in Ketchikan, Alaska

Yesterday was all about the whole group coming together. Today was about small groups working together.

After breakfast everyone jumped into their morning devotions, reading and/or journaling. Some even took some time to shower. We have one shower for twelve people so it takes team work to get every one through. At 9:20am Ben Anderson shared a devotion with the group before we set out. He reminded us about the importance and significance of service.

After our morning devotion we loaded up in vans and headed to the Rainforest Sanctuary. Mike Rigas arranged for us to go on the zip line but it had to be done in two groups at different times. We dropped the 10am group off and loaded the 12:30pm group up so they could go help Steve with a work project at the bunk house.

Steve & Leslie bought this house to live in the future and lodge mission teams. The 12:30pm group got busy unloading a trailer of wood. Of course it was raining so it was awesome to see them tackle the task no matter the conditions. While they unloaded the wood I took Brooke to the Randall's house to help Leslie with lunch. Good thing because Leslie got a call and had to head out (she's a flight nurse). Brooke was going to get everything ready for the work group to eat at 11:45am so they could be at the zip line at 12:30pm. When the 10am zip line group was finished they would go up to the house for lunch and then head to work at the bunk house. Most of the trailer got unloaded, lunch was awesome and the first group loved the zip line.

I was in the second zip line group. We met up with Mike, signed our Waiver and headed out. We were transported up to the start of the zip line in a big people moving truck that could go up steep hills easy. Once up top Mike introduced us to Chris who would be assisting him. They got us in our equipment and instructed us on how to zip correctly. We practiced on a short zip line, everyone did well. Now it was on to the first of seven zip lines that ranged anywhere from 150 feet to over 700 feet. The total zip line experience was awesome and it was good for the small groups as they got to know each other better, work together and have some fun.

We stopped by the bunk house to see how much the 10am group got done on the deck and how they were doing. When we arrived we saw that they did great work and found out they had returned to the church to get cleaned up. We went on to the church to meet up with them and decide on afternoon plans. By this time it was raining even harder so everyone got cleaned up, warm and dry. We decided to just relax until we went out to meet Steve to snag some King Salmon. It was nice to relax for a bit in the warm.

At 5:30pm we left to meet Steve. Brooke, Allison and Beth stayed at the church. They would have dinner ready for us at 8:30pm. Snagging was fun. Steve and Jacob caught one each and everyone else got to try it for a bit. A couple of bears put on a show for us across the Cove and the eagles showed up in mass. It was amazing.

We returned to church to a great dinner of Shake-n-Bake chicken, mashed potatoes and creamed corn. Alisha is the M&M Queen so we never have a shortage of sweets. After dinner we had a time of worship, debriefing and discussion of the day to come.

It was a good, challenging and fun day filled with blessings. Thanks for your prayers, keep them coming!

bob g

& the Alaska Team

AK Day 3: "GROUP BUILDING"

Day 3 - "GROUP BUILDING" in Ketchikan, Alaska

Our first full day in Ketchikan was about group building and having some fun together. After everyone spent time reading, journaling, doing their devotions we circled up in the fellowship hall and began some group building. The first activity was Family, Favs and Faith. Everyone took turns sharing about these three areas of their life. This went on for an hour or so so after we were finished we took a short break.

The next activity was the Tennis Ball Game. In their circle they had to toss a tennis ball around to each person to form a pattern. After the pattern is formed the tennis ball is passed from person to person according to the pattern. It gets tricky as a second, third, fourth...more tennis balls are added to the pattern. It is a great activity for communication, working together and problem solving.

We used passages from "Bulletproof" and I Corinthians to add to our discussion and debriefing.

Our final group building activity for the morning was grocery shopping. We walked to Safeway and discussed what we would need for our meals at the church. We split into groups and headed out to find our assigned items. We all came back together to see what we had and see if we forgot any thing. We noticed a thing or two we forgot so different team members set off to get them. We paid for all our stuff and then each one grabbed a bag and we headed back to church.

After lunch we went downtown to get introduced to Ketchikan. A few groups walked the mile and a half and others rode. As you get downtown you see large cruise ships and lots of tourists and places for tourists to shop and see. After seeing, shopping, taking care of internet stuff we returned to church for dinner. The dinner crew prepared us a great dinner and the clean up crew did a great job washing dishes, pots, pans.... Once everything was cleaned up we went out to meet Steve at the Rainforest Sanctuary.

He led us on a bear walk. We went down the boardwalk and trail, no bears. We retraced our tracks and as we walked I selfishly prayed that God would show his children some bears (they were so anticipating seeing one). Ten seconds later I heard Steve say, "there's one!" After that we got to see several, it was so awesome PTL!

After the walk we returned to the church to worship and work on camp a bit. It was a great day and we closed our time by giving thanks to God for an amazing day. Tomorrow we have a group work project and we get to do the zip line! Mike Rigas got this arranged for us, we are looking forward to this exciting experience.

As always, your prayers are appreciated!

bob g

& the Alaska Team