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
