Region Project Mission Tour
Kodiak Baptist Mission
June 19 - 29, 2007
Go to the Kodiak Baptist Mission Project Webpages
Go to the AB Women's Ministries Home WebPage
Message: June 29, 2007
In the morning, there were 4 or 5 of us who finished up the cabin stairs (11 steps, 3-5/8" thick) by sanding the stringer, adding wooden plugs (made on the lathe), and 3 steel bars for re-inforcement. We also finished up the 2-step landing, about 3' square for the base; and then in the evening Azarias, and about 7 other brothers, installed the stairs in the cabin. It's a beautiful sight! Ray Sobocinski
In the afternoon we were able to go on board the mission's boat, "The Diakonas" for a trip to Woody Island to visit Camp Woody where Kodiak Baptist Mission began. Trevor was the captain and his wife Rebecca was 1st mate and 2 month old baby Evangelina, 2nd mate. Rebecca was born and grew up on Kodiak so she is very skilled at tying up the boat to the dock as it comes into or leaves the dock. It was just a wonderful time, hearing about the history and seeing renovations being made, and preparations for the camp for the summer. God is really at work, reaching children for Christ at Kodiak Baptist Mission. Peggy Curtis
Please pray for safe travel home for all the Mission Tour participants. Also, please remember J.D., one of KBM's counselors, in prayer as he had achilles tendon surgery Friday morning.
Messages: June 28, 2007
It is hard to believe that today is our last work day. It's amazing how much 20 people with the Lord's strength and determination can accomplish in two weeks!
It has been a privilege to meet, become friends with, and offer our labor in love to the members of Kodiak Baptist Mission. Trevor Jones, the executive director of KBM, and every staff member work extremely hard to serve the children and community of Kodiak. They truly share the love of Jesus in all they do. Please pray for guidance as they work each day. Beth Sobocinski
Wow! What an opportunity I have had. To see and hear the appreciation of the workers here at the mission. The team workers have accomplished a few of the many project needs here. The leaders and teachers of the children (ranging in age from babies to teens) have such a Christian attitutde of Love for their work. The scenery here is an awesome work of God. May He continue to Bless each and everyone. Peggy Maines, First Baptist Church, Tioga, PA.
Message: June 27, 2007
Today was another awesome day in Alaska. It started out cool and cloudy, but by the end of the day it was warm and sunny.
The work teams spread out and worked on several projects. A team worked on the renovation of the work shed which will become a two bedroom home.
Today they milled the lumber to be used for steps and risers to the second floor.
The painting team finished painting the ARK Room and also steam cleaned the carpets. The rooms are bright, clean, and smell wonderful.
Another painting team went to the marina in the afternoon to clean and paint the KBM boat. Hopefully, it will be ready to go Wednesday afternoon.
Lucy, Sandy and I worked on more gardening chores. We dug out jointweed and grass from around a large Spruce tree. The joint weed is an invasive species that must be dug up from the root. I found it amusing that I love doing somthing here in Alaska that I do not particularly care to do at home. There's something fun about working with other Christians together for a common goal.
Nancy continues to rest while her husband Charlie attends to her needs. We pray for a speedy recovery and a good outcome when she sees her own doctor.
Mark and Bob went salmon fishing Monday night and successfully caught 6 salmon. Mark also went out fishing tonight here at Mission Bay after dinner and caught 3 Dolly Varden Char. Tastes like trout!
In Christian Love, Mary Buler
Messages: June 25 & 26, 2007:
Day 7...JUNE 25TH from Kodiak Akaska...
The children at the Adventure Summer Camp here are such a joy to watch moving about the campus. Today, their director, Heather Norton, taught them about 'heroes', policemen, firemen, members of the coast guard, etc.and volunteers at Kodiak Mission. This meant we were very briefly interviewed being asked where we were from and what we have been doing.
Such a variety of work activities continue to go on as one of our number, Nancy Bossert, Kennett Square Baptist Church, Central Union, will be on the mend. Nancy fell from a ladder, while painting, breaking and dislocating her wrist.
Keep Nancy in your prayers!
In His Love, Lois Yeagle, White Deer Valley Baptist Church, Allenwood, NBA.
June 26: Greetings from Kodiak Baptist Mission, Mark. This is Janet Cowan delivering the message today. We would like to offer a prayer request for Nancy Bossert, a member of our mission team, who fell off the ladder as she was painting and fractured her right wrist. She is resting comfortably now and got a good nights sleep. Please continue to offer your prayers for the entire mission team here at KBM as we continue to do our work in gardening, painting, construction, food bank, thrift store, cleaning and any other jobs that need to be done. We ask that you continue to pray also for the children (cute, huggable, and loveable) and the staff here at the mission.
We are usually on the work site at 8:45 A.M. I can't say that we have a typical day at the Thrift Store. We do whatever needs to be done. An example of yesterday's work was sizing, folding and pricing bedding items as well as clothing, books, and toys before putting them on attractive display for sale. This continued through the day until 2:00 P.M. when it was time for the food bank to begin operation. Some of our team work at registering people for the food bank and some helped in the distribution of the food. During the time that the food bank was in operation some of us helped with the sales, assisted the shoppers with their purchases, and worked in the back room processing more items to be put out for sale in the Thrift Store. The rewards we receive are reaped from helping someone who really appreciates our assistance in the store and food bank and the fact that the KBM also benefits. The food bank was scheduled to close at 4:00 P.M. but we finally left the work site at 4:25 P.M. very tired but very happy to have been able to make a difference for our brothers and sisters here in Kodiak, Alaska. Janet Cowan
Mark, Wanted to thank you and Kim Crispin, one of the trip participants, for helping us to get our website up and running to share the information and pictures for the AB Women and Men Mission trip to Kodiak. Diana Shutt
Messages: June 25, 2007:
Woody Curtis writes:
A team of five PA/DE volunteers have worked toward transforming a storage building into a home for Azerias, Stacy and Matthasis. This last week we have provided effort on two major tasks. We placed stone, pipe, engineering fabric in a drainage system around and away from the cabin. We removed wood, pipe, fence and fence posts around the building. This week we anticipate assisting with the installation of floor joists and interior partitions.
Bob Swan writes:
Sunday, we attended church at Community Baptist Church, an ABC church.
Enjoyed their fellowship. Had a lunch at a seaside restaurant. Some of us travelled to fossil beach - approx. 50 miles south along the coast. We also saw heads of bison near the beach, then back to the Mission for evening dinner and fellowship.
Messages: June 23, 2007
Wanted to let everyone know that we finally have the first three days of the mission pictures on the ABCOPAD website. Click on the AB Women's Ministries Page, then the ABWM Region Mission Project Tour link to check it out. Diana Shutt
From Mark Buler: Whooee! A day off! On this day some of us went hiking, and all of us went exploring and shopping downtown. At the end of the day, we had a barbeque featuring freshly caught red salmon. We then viewed a presentation about the history of the mission. KBM made a courageous stand for religious freedom in 1996 and is truly worthy of your continued support.
From Bob Swan: Hello from Bob Swan and the 4 other AB Men here at Kodiak Mission.
Yesterday, Saturday was a great day to relax and see this beautiful island.
Touring the town and sites of interest. We concluded the day with an Alaskan Bar-BQ of freshly caught salmon, steak and chicken and a celebration of God's glory. Sunday, we will be at worship then a lunch on the road to Fossil Beach to learn the history of the island in stone and see more of the Lord's breathtaking views. In his love and spirit. Bob Swan
Messages: June 22, 2007:
The K.B.M. has a Day Care Ministry for children 1st thru 8th grades. They are very inquisitive about what we were doing in their flower beds. One girl asked us to plant daisies, she liked to pick them. As we were getting ready to begin pulling more weeds, we saw the children picking the yellow daisies we were trying to save. They walk right past the flowers on their way to chapel twice a day. They made comments on how nice the flowers looked and they stopped to smell each one of the petunias. -Sandra Peterman
The painting crew continued painting a large room to be used for the children's art room. As we worked, there were 5 little faces pressed against the glass door panes. When they realized we saw them, they giggled and left. When I asked one of them if I could help paint her fish, she said, "No, you keep painting our room" The room was two offices and recently the dividing wall was removed, the offices relocated and now the children will have the room they need to do their art classes. -Linda Houseknecht
As we returned from dinner, some of the K.B.M. staff invited us to see the fish they caught. They had 12 or 15 big red salmon and they graciously offered us some. We're already anticipating this mouthwatering treat for dinner tonight. Please pray for our grill master. -Lucy Temple
Greetings in the name of our awesome God.
Today is June 21st and another glorious day here in Alaska, We again experienced God's handiwork in another day filled with sunshine. We put in a full day with our work projects. After a delightful dinner seven brave team members ventured our in Kayacks, into the ocean with Heather Norton, the director of the Children's program at KBM, After some safety instructions we set sail. What a glorious experience seeing up close the handiwork of our awesome God. Our participents were Peggy Curtis, Kim Crispin, Bob & Lynn Swan, Nancy & Charlie Bossert and Mark Buler.
We also celebrated an neat exoerience, that only happens once in a year, the summer stolstice, the longest day of the year. We drove out to Ft Abercrombie for vesper service at 11:00PM We experienced a sun set at 11:42 PM There was only 4 hours of darkness this whole day. Nineteen hours and 21 minutes of day light. Joshua 10:13-14 Lynn Swan,Team Leader
Message: June 21, 2007
We started the day with breakfast at 7:00 and devotions at 8:15. Then it was off to work at our various jobs. We have been broken up into three teams: one working on a house and french drain, one doing gardening and the third is painting. We are making good progress on all of our projects. After dinner last night, we all went to Pillar Mountain (what a view) and Fort Abercrombie (where we saw a whale, sea lion and eagle). We thank you for all of your prayers. While coming down Pillar Mountain, we receive a phone call that the lost suitcase had finally arrived. Please continue to pray for us as we do God's work here. Kim Crispin
Message: June 20, 2007
Mark, We wanted to share a few words about the Kodiak Baptist Mission trip. The men and women are working on 4 projects: Building a log cabin, gardening, painting, and helping at the Thrift Store. We have all arrived, but are missing one very important suitcase. Please pray for us as we adjust to the heat wave - there is a record of temperature's in the 70's today. Diana
Message: June 16, 2007
I ask prayer for the 20 men and women travelling to Kodiak Baptist Mission during the next couple of days. Also prayer that their time at Kodiak will be a blessing to the Mission Center. Diana
American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware
106 Revere Lane, Coatesville, PA 19320