|
Since our last newsletter update two months ago, the weather has shifted its course significantly here on the Kenai Peninsula. We've had so much beautiful sunshine for the last two months that on some days we actually forgot it was winter! Well, maybe not quite, but it has been so wonderful here lately. The snow has virtually faded from our yard over the last couple of warm weeks as the temps frequently peaked in the upper 40s and lower 50s. We're bound to get another snow or two still, but we're certainly enjoying it while we can.
Along with the warmer temps came "break up" here in our part of the peninsula. The ice on the Kenai River has now disappeared, the mud & muck in the parking lots has grown deeper, the cars have become dirtier, the studded snow tires have been changed out, the rocks on the road are aiming more consistently at our windshield, and the moose are getting harder to see as they are now blending into the brown roadside tundra. Of course, the mountains are still covered with snow, and the morning temps are still brisk, but the shift of the sun's path is very visible here, so we know the end of winter is just around the corner. We already have 15 1/2 hours of daylight and have entered that time of year when the line between dusk & dawn begins its quick fade into summer oblivion.
Along with the changing pattern of the sun, our schedules have also gradually been adjusting to our new "routine" here with MARC. Time has been flying by lately! We had to go back through our photos of the last two months to remind ourselves of all the activity that's happened, but it's been a "blur" in the best sense of the word, and we're really enjoying "the ride."
Just after our last update, we had the opportunity to represent MARC at Mission ConneXion 2011, an annual ministry conference/expo in Fairbanks. We had a great time meeting new contacts and getting to know some of the other missionaries & ministry workers that also attended the event. While we were in town, the International Ice Art Championship was also being held, so we got to appreciate some really amazing ice sculptures beautifully lit up on one of the nights after the conference banquet. We lasted about an hour in the sub-zero weather walking around admiring the works of art--boy was it chilly that night! Oh yes, those of you who know us well know how much we love good food, so we have to also say how much we enjoyed the Thai restaurant we found on our first night in town. What a nice surprise to find there were actually quite a few good Thai restaurants in Fairbanks--who knew?!
Speaking of food, we entertained a lot over the past month! In addition to trying to invite all of our MARC families to our home for dinner (we still have a few to go!), we had several families here visiting MARC who were considering joining our mission team. We had a great time hosting Nate & Heidi Hinton, Johann & Tatjana Friesen, Jonathan & Rachel McCracken, and James & Jennifer Bodolosky for many meals with lots of great fellowship & conversation. Taspinar, Duchess, and especially Mo endeared themselves to many of our guests. Johann & Tatjana, a German couple visiting Alaska for the first time, stayed with us for their two-week visit, and we had such a great time getting to know them. By the end of the visit, Mo had them both wrapped around her little paw and fully convinced that we were starving her. Poor "little" cat.
On top of the socializing, we had a pretty full two months "at the hangar" too. We got the MARC website fully revamped (check it out here!), and we also prepared and submitted the required entry documentation for our first efforts at obtaining foundation & trust grants. We've also been prepping to represent MARC at the state's big aviation trade show this coming weekend in Anchorage and are already making plans for an air fair being held in early June here in Soldotna and Kenai, for which we'll be hosting the fair's kickoff breakfast in one of our MARC hangars. Oh yes, and somewhere during all that activity, we also fit in a MARC board of directors meeting where David got to share with the board the upcoming development objectives and action plan.
We've also been honcho'ing MARC's bi-monthly newsletters (for which we're in the process of shifting over to email instead of "snail mail" where possible in order to save money for MARC), and David has been maintaining MARC's new Facebook page also. If you haven't already, please "like" the new page, as it's an easy way to stay in touch with what's going on here at MARC.
We so appreciate your faithful prayers, support, and encouragement. Your involvement makes our service possible here in Alaska, and we're very thankful.
Blessings in Christ,
David & Karin |
