Visit Circle, Alaska

May 1 Bill flew to Fairbanks in route to his first trip to Circle. What a trip starting from a four lane highway to a lane  the last fifty miles of a one hundred sixty mile trip to nowhere Alaska. The five foot of snow at Eagle Summit was an eye opener. Winding through such beautiful forests on moutian tops will make you feel so insegnifecant and small. What a wonderful village with such loving people. They wanted to know "where's Penny", I heard this over and over. Mary had planned for us to stay all Summer. For Penny to teach Summer School not only in Circle, but Arctic Village also. As a village we planned for next year while we had such a good time. Soon photos of Mary's class will be posted.

Disaster Response:Bill

Church of the Brethren now has three disaster response site opened nation wide.The most recent opened in Arab, Alabama.Storms ripped this area apart last April while I was in Ashland City, Tenn. volunteering We opened the Tenn. site after the storms in May of 2010. Before leaving for Arab,Al. in Dec. 2011, I learned from directors at PleasantDale that we had a site in Arab in 1996. That the folks in Arab were so welcoming and friendly, and a converted church was a wonderful and comfortable place to stay. Upon arriving in Arab I found that we were using the same church cost free. It is a large and comfortable place for each group to call home while doing the Lords work.
There was so many positives to speak about during this time that will get posted but what really jumps out is meeting and working on the home of the cousin of Taylor Swift's. To find what humble beginnings this Pop/Country star came from. I know I walked away joyful to have been used as a tool to help others, plus receiving a true life lesson by hearing why Miss Ham took on the name Swift. I am so amazed at how I return from mission trips feeling like I'm the one who benefited from the experience. I will again travel to Arab in March as part of a group from PleasantDale.