North Pole, Alaska - Recorded for Posterity

Thank you for those of you who followed along with Burrito's mission trip to North Pole, Alaska - especially if you prayed for him and the team.  It was a wonderful trip and we still have many stories and pictures to share with you.

In the mean time, I'm moving the updates I had posted on my sidebar to this post - for posterity.  And, because I can't archive the stuff on my sidebar like I can posts.

So, if you've already read them you can just skip the rest of this post!

*********************************************
Saturday, July 24, 2010
2:29 AM: Made it to the airport. Checking our bags now. Praise HIM for a safe drive!
5:04 AM: Good morning parents! We are boarding the (first) plane. Hoping for some sleep!
8:37 AM: Touch down in Seattle. 4 hour layover. Too tired to say something clever.
1:21 PM: Getting settled on our last flight! Looking forward to real beds and showers. Airport floors are not conducive for healthy sleep.

Friday, July 23, 2010
9:16 AM: Just a couple of hours of work then we begin the 24 hours of travel to home - beginning at 5 PM Texas time with a 7 hour drive to Anchorage.
4:34 PM: Beginning the 24 hour journey home right now. Pray. Hard. The first leg is the 7 hour drive to Anchorage.
11:58 PM: Food stop about 45 minuts outside of Anchorage. Almost done with the drive.

Thursday, July 22, 2010
12:46 PM: Dinner cruise on the river last night was great and the last full day of work is going very well. Pray that we finish strong!
7:39 PM: Finishing out the day by visiting Santa's house before worship. Even Mr. Story got to sit on his lap.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010
11:18 AM: Day 2 of work is rolling! Pray that the rain doesn't interfere with work and community outreach.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010
9:45 AM: Done with a great breakfast and now we're getting ready to head out for our first work day. Pray for chances to share our faith!
7:35 PM: Getting reports of a great first day of work. Cleaning up for dinner and worship. Pray that God moves our hearts tonight.

Monday, July 19, 2010
10:08 AM: Rolling out to North Pole. Hope to see some mooses, er, meese... Hope we see a moose. 3:24 PM: Pit stop in the middle of Denali National Park. Most of us have never used the bathroom in a more beautiful place.
7:18 PM: Finally to North Pole. Talk about Christmas in July... Lots of Santa pics but no Jesus. Good thing we're here to be the image of Christ.
11:59 PM: Ate dinner, met our crews, and worshipped Jesus. Great first night at World Changers.

Sunday, July 18, 2010
11:04 AM: Up and eating breakfast. It's raining but we're still excited!
12:47 PM: Sunday funday in Alaska. First stop: Eskimo shopping.
4:56 PM: Hiking on a glacier. Awesome!
6:01 PM: Glacier cruise. A three hour cruise... Ok, it isn't really 3 hours but it is going to be sweet.
9:11 PM: Finishing off the day with a meal at Red Robin. Then devotion time, showers, and bed. By the way it's very cold.

Saturday, July 17, 2010
7:06 AM: Only issue through security was some suspicious hot wheels. Waiting to board!
7:39 AM: Everyone is boarded and phones are going off. Pray for a safe flight!
11:31 AM: Brief stop in San Jose, CA. On to Portland next. Only issue in flight was the flat Coke Zero. Lame.
2:04 PM: Layover in Portland begins right now. In the air again in 5 hours.
7:03 PM: We're all boarded. Waiting for take off. Alaska in 3'ish hours.
11:00 PM: Safely on the ground in Alaska and our bodies don't have a clue what time it is. It looks like 4 pm, feels like 11 pm. It's 8 pm.

Happy Birthday, BFA&F!

Remember her?

One year has passed and her day has arrived again...

Steph isn't blogging these days... but maybe she'll pick it up again if all of you stop by her blog and wish her a happy birthday!

Be blessed, my sweet, sweet friend!

HE'S HOME!!!

Details soon!

This Is It!

Today is the last day Burrito and the mission team will be in North Pole, Alaska.  They will continue working through this morning and wrap things up in time to have lunch before starting the 24 hour, long journey back to Texas.  They will retrace their steps with a seven hour drive back to Anchorage to catch the first of their flights.  They are scheduled to arrive back in Austin at 5 PM on Saturday evening.

We're anxious to hear about all the fun, adventures, and God stories that have to tell.  We already know that at least one 7-year-old girl accepted Christ while they were in North Pole! This alone made the week successful.

So, please pray:

• That much is accomplished this final day and that projects are successfully wrapped up by before the three teams leave North Pole.
• For the people of First Baptist Church in North Pole as they continue the ministry that was started this week.
• For safe travels for our team and the other two teams (from Alabama and North Carolina) as they travel to their homes.
• For the health of all the team members - it's been an exhausting week.
• That the spiritual growth the team members experienced will continue once they return to their everyday lives.

I will continue to post any Twitter updates I receive on the side bar.  Hopefully, Burrito took lots of pictures and we'll post these later this weekend.

Finally, here's a photo of the entire North Pole mission team (all three churches) that was made before their worship service last night:

Do you see Burrito? Look at the fourth row from the front (the first "long" row), fourth person from the right.

Weather: Texas vs. Alaska

Right now in central Texas, the sun is blazing and it feels like 100 degrees.

Right now in North Pole, AK, it's cloudy and feels like 59 degrees.

Where would you rather be???

News From The First Work Day in North Pole

From an updated received last night:

"The day started off bright and early, breakfast at 6am sharp! We sent the crews off to their work sites for the first time this morning, but first started off with The Great Send Off! All participants gathered in a large circle where we rallied and got pumped up for the work the rest of this week. We had a large group prayer and everyone all rushed off for their work sites.

Participants worked hard all day long.. roofing, painting, backyard bible clubs, give away, you name it, we did it!

Participants ended the night with the Concert of Prayer. This is a special time of worship where students spend one on one time with God praying and worshipping. Students were challenged to give up something this week that hindered their life from the Lord. Each student was given a rough rock that represented the distraction or sin that hindered them, when they were ready to give it up they placed it at the foot of the cross, and picked up a new smooth clean rock. This week should be good, we are excited, pumped and ready to serve the Lord!"

Please keep praying for the team members in North Pole.  They are working long hours at hard jobs they may have never performed before this week.  Pray that they will retain both their energy and enthusiasm and that they will be constantly aware of opportunities to share their faith in Christ. 

Oh, and that weather? It's still being a little pesky, too.

Pictures from North Pole

The team from our church. Burrito is in the second row from the bottom, fourth from the right.

This will be their "home base" while in North Pole.

They will eat, sleep and worship here.

Look at those heavy clouds in the sky. Keep praying the rain away!