Things so far

So it seems that I have neglected to update my blog in a while...sorry about that! The past few weeks have been crazy, and I just haven't been able to find the time to sit down and write. Despite all the busyness, however, this summer has been incredible! The road trip up to Alaska from Shreveport, LA went well, and we didn't have any (major) difficulties, other than some car trouble in Jasper, BC that got worked out. We also didn't hit an elk in my jeep this time around, which was a relief! Driving conditions were perfect, and we definitely got our fill of beautiful scenery along the way. Probably the coolest stretch of road was through Banff National Park in British Columbia. Overall, the trip up wasn't too draining, and our caravan of 4 cars managed to make pretty decent time. After 5 days and 3,900 miles, we finally arrived in Juneau, AK on the 19th.

As for project, things have been going great. We are finally getting settled into our regular schedule now that most of the students have secured jobs, which has made things a lot less chaotic. The majority of the staff's time has been devoted to planning for our evening meetings on Monday and Tuesday, leading Bible studies for our apartments on Thursday nights, and organizing service projects for Fridays. Wednesdays are called our "staff adventure day," which usually entails hiking one of the many mountains in Juneau, and is a great time for the staff to bond. I'm not going to lie, we have an amazing group of men and women for staff, and they've all been a joy to work with!

Our first weekend after our orientation, we took all the guys to a place at the end of the road called Echo Ranch, where we spent two days serving, playing ultimate frisbee, and getting to know each other. At the end of the weekend we had already become so much closer as a group, which has continued to be the story since then. It's admittedly a lot different being on the other side of things this year though. As the project director, my role has definitely changed since last year, and I'm still getting used to it. I think things have gone well though. All of the staff have been really encouraging.

As far as ministry goes, it's been awesome to see the steps of faith that students on project are taking. We've gone sharing in downtown Juneau, put on a couple outreaches such as an open mic night, and are gearing up for more outreaches like a lock-in that we are hosting this coming weekend. We also have several "ministry teams" that are currently led by staff, by they'll be handed off to a guy or girl on project and also a local student from the University of Alaska Southeast. These teams consist of a prayer team, evangelism team, a Wednesday night team that organizes the Cru meeting during the summer, and a Native American outreach team. We are praying that by handing off these teams to locals about half way through the summer, they will be equipped to carry them on after Project is over, and hopefully continue throughout the school year.

We have also been able to engage in a number of service opportunities already, and one in particular was pretty awesome. Friday and Saturday of this past week we were asked to volunteer at a Native American festival called "Celebration," which only occurs every 2 years, and is located in the convention center/downtown area of Juneau. Native groups from all over the Pacific Northwest come to Juneau for a few days of cultural dance presentations, and celebrate their heritage as Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. It was such a privilege to experience their native traditions and learn more about their history.

These are just a few of the things we've done over the past week and a half. I'm so glad to be back in Alaska for the summer! Before I go, I want to give a big thanks to all of my supporters, without whom I would not be here! Thank you for playing such a crucial role in my ministry this summer! Hopefully I'll get time to update my blog more regularly, and check out my facebook if you want to see some pictures. Hope all is well!

Robert