Upon arriving in Fairbanks in late April Bill started volunteering to find a new program where recently released prison inmates were doing community service at the soup kitchen. Because I've been involved with jail ministry on every level including going on Death Row in Huntsville, but Penny has never walked such a path so it was an amazing time throughout the summer at Stone Soup.
One of the many blessings about staying in Fairbanks is our five day a week volunteering at the food bank. We love being part of the food bank family, plus knowing they would hire us if we chose to spend a year like we contemplate each summer. We're offered positions with a much higher rate of pay, but as far as friendships and quality of life at your place of employment, it doesn't get much better than the Fairbanks Food Bank.
For 15 years we were not sure not only what village God would call us to, but where we would be living. The first seven years we did turn down housing so we knew we would be living in our tent. Penny and I totally dislike tent camping, but do what we're called to do by our Heavenly Father. Now, spending the summers in Fairbanks we needed to spend big money for living quarters . This quiet lovely street we called home for three summers and really enjoyed living in the backyard of our landlord, with very good neighbors.
Abby is just the perfect person to be leading daily meals and loving up on the homeless and hurting in Fairbanks. She also leads all the volunteers that show up to help out.
Abby also helps out with fundraising wherever she is able. Abby is a member of the Fairbanks Roller Derby Team, so when they were offered an opportunity to play to benefit the soup kitchen " STABBY" fly's into action. The event raised thousands for the homeless and hurting while we were able to see a new side of Abby in her hot little shorts!!
Our denomination has had a site opened for several months and it's such a blessing to finally be here. Spending our time working with Habitat for Humanity is amazing, having our living quarters in their warehouse is soooo cool.
As usual, the time passes far too quickly as I worked finalizing one house, then a block away doing rough framing. I love rough framing.
The joy of not only this trip, but maybe this year was finding out the team led by Tim that leads volunteers with constructing each roof is in fact my VERY good friend Tim Sheafer. I've not seen Tim in about ten years since he left Brethren Disaster Ministries to look for a new ministry that took him to Habitat for Humanity. Just amazing that we were able to do the Lords work again!!!
