Alaska Journey special edition 101 smoked out!

Our last full day in Fairbanks was a finish it up and wrap it up day as the smoke so filled the sky. Even the sun only broke through at about 10 am and then disappeared for the day. Little did we know that on a scale of 5 warning levels of smoke danger, we were at the top and most hazardous level for air quality. We had a great last full day we took in the only restaurant in Two rivers for a milk shake. After packing we all got a good night(day) sleep before the long journey home.
This morning Wayne and I left earlier then the others to catch the fairbanks flight back home while the other 8 had a 8 hour drive to Anchorage to catch an evening flight.
On the way to the airport as we used the pastors car to get to the airport I told Wayne I hope our flight leaves on time for all The smoke in the air might relay or cancel. Wayne laughed and then within an hour we discovered
That our 9 am flight was now 3 pm only to miss all our connections.
So we called the other group just in time to have them unlock the car and we re booked a new series of flights tickets through a different airline that will not get us back until another 9 hours later than we originally planned.
So after re booking flights I told Wayne let's go explore since we got 5 hours to kill with access to a car.
It was off to the fairbanks area. We put some gas in the car, had a nice lunch in town and sharing Jesus with some folks at the visitor center. Then I tried to find my wife's cousin who lives in the area to realized Wayne would pass out for fear of missing his flight. So in turning around we stopped at the Alaska Pipeline station and gift shop for one more diversion.

Now we are finally within an hour of departure, but instead of Minnesota to orlando it is Seattle to Orlando on Alaska Air. Instead of sleeping in the airport we can sleep on the plane.
What an amazing journey it has been. We have meet and witnessed to people and meet folks here from all over the world.
We have worked, worshiped, toured, worked, ate big meals. Made new friends, worked, laughed and spent money on gifts for loved ones in the lower 48 as they say.

Alaska is big than 2 states the size of Texas yet the population in less that 500,000 people. We have seen mountains, rivers, wild life and miles of roads and experienced many bumps in the road. We have prayed, dug holes, swung mallets, pushed dirt, cut word, wired buildings and so much more. We have used. out houses, leaned about dog Mushers, visited dog musher teams. We saw Sarah Palin, ate wild game from moose to bear and lots of fresh fish. Alaska Nazarene's are blessed to live such and interesting way of life. Far enough away to feel like another country,, yet apart of the good old USA to still feel like home. We have seen a constant stream of military jets and not seem darkness in over 12 days. So hopefully soon Wayne and I as well as the rest of the team will all depart through the spoke filled skies to our homes in the lower 48.

Thanks be to God for such a great trip that was a pure joy to serve the needs of others.
This has been my 7th work and witness trip since 1989. From Russia to Africa, from Jamacia to the southwest and out to the far northeast It has been such a joy to serve with people as well as serve other people. Work and Witness is a faith promise in personal application. It has also been a joy to serve 6 of these 7 trips with my father in law. I hope God will allow me to continue the legacy of serving others as I have learned so well from others.

IF you have read these blog entries all hosted at www.migner.com and have been drawn to the idea of going yourself someday then please consider a trip in the near future.

Most people say "I cannot afford it". But I also remember hearing many folks say the same thing about having children. It's not about what you think you can afford , but about the desire to want to serve the Lord and stepping out in faith.

If you want to go on a work and wtiness trip then let your faith lead the way and not your wallet and see what the Lord Might do.

Next excting trip with openings is hosted by the Alaska district for 26 people going to Papa New Guinea in later January through early Feb 2010. Prehap you could go with Pastor Bob from the Two Rivers Community Nazarene church. The price that God will help you raise if you have the want too is approx 3400.00

Is God calling you to Work and Witness?

In God's Love

Pastor Peter Migner
( 30 minutes to departure) I hope!!!
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Alaska. Journey 101 day 8 with 3 to.Go

Today I over. sleep some and got up around. 630am. Many of us realized today, that we have not seen darkness for over 10 days now. One lady in the group said I think I miss the darkness. Imagine that!
People in Alaska truly race the clock and work all the hours of day they can. After a long day of finishing a lot of construction it felt good to deal with the last of 200 railroad ties that are now buried under 25 feet of earth to make a frost barrier from the. Church building. What a major project this has been and well beyond anything I expected we would or could do in the time allotted. Our group of 10 has truly worked hard and successfully together as we have meet some of the. Greatest Christian people up here in the Fairbanks area.
After a wonderful dinner provided we made our way to the Chena Hot Springs that are 40 miles beyond us and over 30 miles away from the power grid. It was a beautiful drive through the valley and streams to the lodging area and hot springs.

We went swimming in the natural hot springs where the. Tempature is 108 after being cooled off from its original 160 degrees as it comes up. All year round people come. From all over the world to these springs.

At the hot springs is the ice. Hotel. Weird thing for sure. Google it if you have time.

On the way back we went Moose hunting for pictures. We spotted about 7 during the whole trip back. At one spot along the road we found 3 grazing and stopped. Before we knew it there was 4 cars and a van load of peopLe all running to the spot next to our van to snap pictures. It was pretty funny! As we pulled out and a1ay leaving all those people there I blew my horn and spooked the 3 moose and probably the tourist too. Everyone is our van cracked up as we speed away. What a time we have had in Alaska.
The rest of our trip just involves 2 more days of work and one meal on the town together and finally to the airport. Unless something unusual happens I may make this my last blog entry regarding this amazing Alaska Journey. To see all my prior post just visit www.Mignercom for the pictures and stories. Thank you all for your love and prayers while I've been on this trip to serve God.
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Alaska Journey 101 days 6-7

What a great couples days we have had. Sunday was a day of worship and rest. No naps for this explorer, but a time of worship, fellowship and high adventure.
The first Part of our. Day was breakfast provided at the. Grange Hall #3 (that was a first) it was a fund raiser and someone pay for our team to eat their first thing Sunday morning. Great breakfast and another first for me in the old grange hall. Then off to sunday school. We has a class about angels. Then to worship. The church has a praise and worship band and the service last two hours. We sang, special work and witness presentation, kids sermon, more songs, sermon. And then closing communion. It was then followed by a dinner on the grounds outside. Truly a great day with lots of worship and. Friendship building times. One family brought little Alaskan pups to show off and everyone loved on them.

Then around 230 pm 6 of the 10 of us who wanted to witness the Governor transfer of Power between Sarah Palin and Sean Parnell headed into Fairbanks. God truly blessed out path. When we saw all the cars we thought there was no way. Then we pulled up to the front and got the # one spot closest to the entrance. After a very stirring farwell speech by Darah in front of a supportive crowd of 4000 I slipped away to find a good spot to take a closer pic and maybe meet Sarah first hand. Indeed I got within 6 to 10 feet of her car window and spoke a comment to her in passing with a reply back and a quick picture.
After the adventure we headed back to Two rivers and headed to a local church members home who is a Musher in the winter with his team of Dogs. We had more fellowship and enjoyed such a great time in the Lord.
Harley enjoyed riding the 2 twheeel Gator everywhere and me too when I got the chance to rIde.

The next day which is now over we worked all day on the frouns again. I was blessed with an invitation by the pastor in the early morning to join him and a few others to the New Governors prayer breakfast with the local Fairbanks area pastors. It was a pleasure to mee the new Governor and to hear his testimony of Christ and to see pastor Bob among others lay hands on the new leader for wisdom and strength to serve the people of Alaska.
Well after a very long day I finally went to bed around 1030 pm and awoke at 130 am to find myself writing this latest entry. It is still light out, but as dark as this midnight sun will get. You can still see the horizon and clouds and. Not one star is visable. What a great couple days in sharing, worshipping, exploring and. Working for the glory of God. Reports from back home are godd, but I do miss my family and church family. My youngest are off to their first ever summer camp and my oldest teens as camp counselors. What a full summer this has truly been.

To God be the glory for the great things he has done.
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Alaska Journey 101 day 6.

Well another day on mission is complete. Today we were up and in the ditch by 730am working in the dirt laying giant logs. ( A kids dream on adult scale) We worked until noon today as we were running out of materials. It looks like we under estimated the job expenses some and the church leaders have decided to spend its. savings for another 100 railroad ties to finish the job. It has to be done and the extra 1600.00 is needed to finish the job. Had this whole project been out sourced professionally it. Would have cost over 12000 but with the donated labor and materials from the team we helped this church move ahead for kingdom Work to reach souls and keep the building in better shape to serve more. People. If you wanted to help this church with a donation to help off set these unexpected donations you would bless them tremendously. This churches buildings were all originally built by work and witness teams and hopefully our team and its project power to build, repair and complete will bless them through a few more years. The pastor and his wife have a truly great spirit for sharing Christ and building up a people for God's glory here. They have blessed us as well so much in hosting us and feeding us as we work among them. A few needs that would really help this church would be a church van as well. They had one, but drove it to the last mile of use. So if you have an old van that still has life in it perhaps a drive to Alaska and a flight back could be a double blessing for all parties. Of the 26 churches of the Nazarene in Alaska most are very needy of assistance still. The. First Alaskan Nazarene church started in the Fairbanks area back in the late 20's and some 80 plus years. Later only 26 churches are in the whole. State. The pastors who come here are called here and make hugh changes in lifestyle to serve here.

After our half of work we went into town to visit 3 places. First was the gold mine where we took a tour and actually paned for Gold. Every in the group got gold in value ranges from 6 to 45 dollars worth. My father in law purchased a pan to mine gold back east. I bought a book about Sarah Palin with the hopes of her signature tomorow afternoon at her regination party at the Gold Days Governor fair. We also saw the Alaskan pipeline today and a visit to downtown Fairbanks among the local vendors. It was 73 degrees and dry today. The skys are still smoke filled from the forest fires and. Ash still is falling at times all around us. Alaska is still truly a frontier state. No permits are needed for any building out here. If you can dream then just go build it. What an amazing day. We ened the day with another home cooked meal including Elk meat with Bear meat on the menu for the luncheon after Church. So much love and hospitality shown here. What a great God we serve all over this ever shrinking globe. Tomorrow is a day of rest and worship and a hopeful personal encounter with Sarah Palin in the mid afternoon.

To see previous blog post visit www.migner.com

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