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!