Alaska Rocks!

(A view of the mountain behind Dan and Barb's house)

After sitting in the living room tonight we can both say that we have felt our first ever earthquake!!  Wes and I looked at each other trying to figure out who might be jumping on the house to make it move at 11:00 PM.  Then we realized it must have been an earthquake!!  Barb confirmed it online.  Apparently it was a 3.6 almost 100 miles away! Therefore Alaska rocks!

So...we have arrived safely in Alaska!! Some Air Force friends of ours from England met us at the airport and welcomed us to the area. We have been told by almost everyone we've spoken to that summer skipped Anchorage this year. It has been pretty cold and overcast since we got here. (The first day was a good one though, they said it was the best day all "summer") But today looks like a good one. We should be able to see and enjoy the vast beauty around us!!

That's enough about the weather. We have been staying at the Mountain Chapel Hospitality House- that's Dan & Barb Evans' ministry. We have met some of the airmen involved here and I (Elaine) even got to spend lots of quality time this weekend at a women's retreat weekend. I am looking forward to growing more relationships with the people here.

We plan to meet this week with some of the chaplains (both Army and Air Force) to introduce our selves and our hopes for ministry. We are also in the midst of house-hunting and shopping for a good reliable car.

Thanks for all of your prayers and financial support. Among our regular prayer requests we would like to ask you to pray for the AF community here. Yesterday we found out that General Tinsley the Wing commander at Elmendorf died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home. We don't know anything more, but that his wife and college-aged daughter were home. Keep this family in your prayers, as well as the people who served with and under him.

We are really excited to be here, and will keep you posted on our work!

Thanks,
Elaine and Wes

*A few notes on wildlife.  I (Elaine) have seen a moose!  It was just wandering around on base, complete with some small antlers!  Second, I've not researched this but have been told that this is a unique area in that Black bears and Brown (grizzly) bears live together.  Not just within a few miles of each other, but they share the same territory.  I can handle the black ones, but the idea of grizzlies scares me a bit! 

We almost fell over

(from the Archives-- but this is how excited we are!!)

Let's cut to the chase... We're going to Alaska!!!  Yesiree after several weeks of talking with friends, family, and churches, phone calls and spreadsheet-swapping with Cadence HQ we have officially been "released to the field" and are headed to Anchorage next Thursday (the 24th- happy birthday Ben).

It has been a long month since we left Chicago and began "blazin' the support rasin' trail" but it's only been a month and God has provided in great (big and small) ways often unexpectedly. Thank you all (or ya'll) for being the hands, feet, and checkbooks of God, really.   We are not yet at 100% support but Cadence has deemed that we have enough to go and be sustained for a while, the rest we will continue to raise.  We still have about $800 of monthly support to go until we're at 100%.

Wes and I are obviously excited to go.  We have enjoyed the opportunity to visit family and dear friends along this journey, but we are also ready to be in our own place serving with Cadence!  Some ways you can pray for us:

• Good transition to Alaska- safe travel, staying with the Evans family, and house hunting.
• Finding a home adequate for our ministry (in size, functionality, cost and location).
• For Wes and I to have patience with each other, and to communicate well.
• The sale of my dear truck "Buster" and my emotional ties to him (ok this one's not quite so serious.)

More updates to come.

God Bless,

Elaine (& Wes)

p.s. We've had several questions regarding Ft. Richardson and Elmendorf AFB, as we're not yet there this info from Wikipedia is the best I can do.  Enjoy!

The Lone Star State

Greetings from sunny and warm Texas! We arrived here safely after four days of travel (In our little truck, which was not quite as full as the first leg).
We really enjoyed the opportunity to stop and see friends along the way, crashing on couches and air mattresses, and eating various and copious amounts of good food too!

Thanks to everyone who has hosted us, and to everyone who gave us even a few minutes to share our hearts and our future ministry. The more we talk about our work with Cadence the more we are reminded of how well it has served us, and how excited we are to get back into it!

A point of clarification:
Our assignment to Alaska is for one-year. We're blessed to have the opportunity to work with the Evans family (Cadence Veterans-- but not veterans in the sense that we're veterans). We plan on being involved in their ministry to Elmendorf AFB, as well as having an outreach and presence of our own at Ft Richardson.
At the end of this year, we'll take a look at the needs of Cadence and hopefully head back to Europe (where we were "born" into Cadence).

As you can see below we are taking the long way around to get from Chicago to Alaska. Many of you have asked, "When do you go to Alaska?" And the answer is still undecided. I will remind you that it all depends on our support raising. Cadence won't send us to AK until we have enough money (and 'moral support') raised to sustain our selves and our ministry. I have been continually astounded by the generosity of people, and their willingness to see the work of God carried out, thank you!

We are over half way there. I think we need about $1,500.00 more in monthly contributions, and we have come a long way in the past few weeks!
If you've considered giving in the past, now would be the time. and if you are still working out a giving plan, please let us know what you plan to give as soon as possible. Cadence being the good-hearted people that they are take your word as good as your green, aka we'll get to Alaska sooner on your word than nothing.

We love you all, and have felt very loved by you in the past few weeks of travel!

Elaine (& Wes)