Summer 2012

Serve in Alaska Summer 2012

__________________________________________________________________________

OPTION #1

 Serve at Tanalian Bible Camp

  In Beautiful Port Alsworth, Alaska

Minister to Native Alaskan Teens

For many of these kids this is the one time each year they get out of their villages and get fed the Gospel

You will have opportunities to serve in many ways - Counselor, Cook, Janitor, Recreation ...

Date: June 1-13, 2012

Cost: $1308 (airfare, taxi, camp food, lodging, background check, T-shirt/sweatshirt)

Itinerary:

June 1 ..... Fly Greenville, SC to Anchorage, AK

                       Overnight provided by Anchorage1st Baptist

June 2 ..... Fly Achorage to remote Port Alsworth

                       Transportation on MARC aircraft

June 3 ..... Camp orientation and training
June 4-11..Serve!!!
                      Be prepared to give 110% and impact these kids for eternity
June12 .... Fly to Anchorage
                       Transportation on MARC aircraft
                     Overnight provided by Anchorage1st Baptist
June 13 ... Fly to Greenville

Please REGISTER by January 15th, 2012

Send email to james.bodolosky@marcalaska.org

_______________________________________________________________________

OPTION #2

Serve at Missionary Aviation Repair Center (MARC)

In the Beautiful Fishing Town - Soldotna, Alaska

Serve for One Week in the Heart of MARC Operations

Main Project - Replace Flooring and Paint Walls in Public Areas

During this week you will also Interact with other Local Missionary Organizations (Samaritan's Purse, Arctic Barnabas ...), Visit Local Churches and Have the Opportunity to Fish for Wild Pacific Salmon on the Kenai River

Date: June 12-21, 2012

Cost: $1171 (airfare, van rental, gas, lodging, food. Fishing trip NOT included)

Itinerary:

June 12 ..... Fly Greenville, SC to Anchorage, AK
                        Overnight provided by Anchorage1st Baptist
June 13 ..... Drive Scenic Highway to Soldotna, AK
June 14-20 ..... Serve!!!
                        Accommodations provided by College Heights Baptist Church
June 20 .... Drive to Anchorage
                        Overnight provided by Anchorage1st Baptist
June 21 … Fly to Greenville

Please REGISTER by January 15th, 2012

Send email to james.bodolosky@marcalaska.org

 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

OPTION #3

Serve at Tanalian Bible Camp

In Beautiful Port Alsworth, Alaska

Minister to Native Alaskan Teens

AND

Serve at Missionary Aviation Repair Center (MARC)

In the Beautiful Fishing Town - Soldotna, Alaska

Serve for One Week in the Heart of MARC Operations

These service opportunities are back-to-back

 If you would like to participate in both

Date: June 1-21, 2012
Cost: $1680

 

Please REGISTER by January 15th, 2012

Send email to james.bodolosky@marcalaska.org

_______________________________________________________________________

Six Months of Deputation...

It is hard to believe we completed our Candidacy with MARC and started to raise support 6 short months ago.

8 Bodo Kids in Downtown Charlotte 

Our summer was very busy with Deputation and Air National Guard trips.  James spent most of the summer out of town with the Air Guard and when he was home we were busy speaking about Alaska.  We did get to spend most of August together as a family in Charlotte as James worked at the Air Guard. 

We sent an updated newsletter today.  Highlights...

• We had a successfully busy summer engaging different groups to tell them about the work God is doing in Alaska
• We have raised 40% of our Support
• 62% Outbound Budget / 33% Monthly Budget / 24% Prayer
• Currently all Monthly Support received is going to our Outbound Budget
• Our new target for relocation to Alaska is May 2012
• James will be deployed with the Air Force over the holidays
• Our home is still on the market and continues to show well

Our hearts are in Alaska and we cannot wait for the day we will be serving the people of Village Alaska.  The last 6 months have been exciting at times and difficult at times, but we can see God's fingerprint in all of it.

Please continue to lift our family up in prayer...

Slaughtered Oxen and Burnt Plows

After 18 years working for Michelin R&D, we have officially resigned to follow God's call to Alaska. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah (at God's instruction) annoints Elisha as the next prophet. Elisha was a farmer using his oxen & plow to make a living. In response to God's call, Elisha slaughters his oxen and burns his plow. At that point there was no turning back for Elisha!  As we read through 1 Kings we were inspired by Elisha's total obedience.  We have prayed to God to show us the proper time to resign and that time is now.  We have slaughtered our oxen and burned our plow and there is no turning back.

When are you leaving?
This is the most common question we are asked.  Our goal is to relocate to Alaska 
in mid-September.  When we learned for sure that I will deploy with the Air National Guard in November for four months, I began to think our desire to relocate this Fall would not happen. However, Jennifer's heart is to move forward with the relocation prior to my deployment.  She desires for the other nine Bodos to get established in Soldotna and begin their service. 
I LOVE MY WIFE'S HEART - what a gentle gift from God she is. 

So the answer to the question... "When are you leaving?" is... "When God provides the resources." We are ready and willing now. 

• God has provided 60% of our outbound costs and 17% of our monthly costs.  This is such a praise!
• The monthly support our partners have provided since May is being rolled into our outbound costs.
• In order to relocate we must have 100% support of our monthly costs committed to. 
• The monthly support you provide now will continue to build our outbound costs until we relocate

GOD's Provision!
God continues to sustain us as we continue to build our support team.  In Exodus 16, God provides manna for the Israelites as they are moving through the desert.  Manna was not what they were looking for - the Israelites remembered the pots of meat they had when they were in captivity in Egypt.  However, God, knowing what they needed, provided manna to sustain them.  Our family remembers the security we enjoyed prior to beginning this journey.   We had a steady paycheck and lots of family time together;  the kids were thriving in school and playing soccer for a local club.  Now God is providing for us through the Air National Guard and I must travel frequently.  It is not what we were looking for but it is perfect.  The paychecks are never guaranteed but they are always there.  The kids are not able to return to school this semester but they are learning that our family can be salt & light in the community everywhere we go.  The kids are not able to play for the soccer club.  However, they are bonding as brothers and sisters and learning to love each other. 

 AMEN!  God is providing!

Deputation UPDATE!!!

Since we returned from Candidacy in April we have been extremely busy with Deputation - coordinating, presenting, mailing, thanking, following up ...

God is teaching us many things!

Our faith continues to grow!

I have been flying full-time at the Air National Guard to meet our budget until our support is in place.  As I write this I am deployed to Albuquerque, NM with the N.C. Air National Guard to fly and drop fire retardant on the largest fire in New Mexico history.  This fire is growing so fast it has the potential to threaten the Los Alamos National Laboratory.



It is humbling to see the compassion in people's eyes when we tell them about Village Alaska - the alcohol abuse, drug abuse, sexual abuse and hopelessness of these Godless villages.  It is exciting to share how Missionary Aviation Repair Center and Samaritan's Purse are bringing the Hope of JESUS CHRIST to these villages.  There have been many incredible exchanges with people and new relationships developed as we have been given opportunities to tell people the good news about what God is doing in Alaska and give them the opportunity to partner with us. 

H I G H L I G H T S:

• PRESENTATIONS - 3 churches and 3 Sunday school classes.
• CHURCH PARTNERS - working with 2 Upstate churches and 3 Charlotte churches.
• MAILINGS - 200 Support Packages have gone out to individuals & families.
• MAJOR MILESTONE! - 54.5% of our outbound costs!!!  This is a huge praise!  These are not just promises but actual donations that have been received at MARC on our behalf.  AMEN!  Glory to God!
• THIS SUMMER - many exciting opportunities coming this summer to share how God's Grace and Mercy are changing lives in Village Alaska (Sunday school classes, church services, Global Impact Seminar ...). 

How Can YOU Help???

• MONTHLY FINANCIAL PARTNERS!  WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!  The time  is NOW!
• PRAY for our family as we share this exciting work.
• PRAY for new opportunities for us to make new relationships.

HOW TO GIVE???

 

There are other ways to give if you are not comfortable with the Internet.  Please contact us at:
james.bodolosky@marcalaska.org
(864) 350-5411

IN CHRIST
james & jen

Back from Candidacy

The kids had a great time playing in the snow with Mr. Jim during our last days in Alaska...

While we were in Soldotna our family lived in Kenai in the home of Mr Jim, as the kids lovingly called him.  He could have been simply a gracious host as he opened his home to a family of 10, but he was much much more than that.  In three short weeks Mr. Jim became our very good friend.    Sunday (April 3rd) we were privileged to be there when Jim celebrated his final day working for the Federal Aviation Administration and we had a little gathering at his house.  This is a picture of us all gathered around in Jim's living room playing Apples to Apples Bible edition. Jim is in the center of the picture standing up with a blue shirt on.

Tuesday (April 5th) was our last day in Soldotna.  We had to say goodbye to all of our dear friends at M.A.R.C.  It was difficult to leave but we know we will return as soon as the deputation process is complete.

M.A.R.C. lobby

Len holding Hannah

We drove up to Anchorage on Tuesday night and it was a beautiful drive.  On the way out of town we got one more cup of coffee from our favorite of the 10,000 coffee shacks in Soldotna/Kenai, the town where  the number of coffee shacks is equal to the population.  It snowed extremely hard as we crossed the pass between Soldotna and Anchorage. The snowflakes were as large as silver dollars and the scenery was God's gift. Tuesday night we were at Elmendorf Air Force Base.

Wednesday we had the privilege of eating lunch with Mike Procter, who is the Executive Director of SBC in Alaska.  We learned a lot from him about the work the Southern Baptist Convention is engaged in all around Alaska.  We also enjoyed some delicious Chinese food with him - we wish we had remembered to take some pictures.

Wednesday night we worshiped with the church family at Anchorage First Baptist church.  Wednesday afternoon we met with Ed Gregory, the pastor of this incredibly friendly church.  You would have to meet Pastor Gregory to understand how comforting he is.  We shared with him all the work that God has been doing in lives of the Bodolosky family.  At the end of our meeting he prayed with us.  A few hours later we went to the evening dinner and worship.  We felt so incredibly welcome.  When we walked through the door, Kathleen picked up Hannah and became her instant buddy.  I was teasing Kathleen and said, "We will get Hannah from you after dinner."  She said, "OK" and took Hannah to her table.  She fed Hannah and loved on her the rest of the evening.  Pastor Gregory introduced our family and our mission at dinner and did not get one single child's name wrong.  I could not have summarized the work of M.A.R.C. better than he did.  From the love of the members to the comfort of the pastor we loved our time at First Baptist Anchorage.

Well Thursday morning had to come and it was an early morning.  We got up at 2:30 a.m. and started the process of heading from Anchorage, Alaska to Minnesota to Atlanta to Greenville.  It was snowing and 30 degrees in Anchorage as I walked from the

van dropoff to the Delta terminal.  Nine bags to check-in and nine bags to carry - it worked like a well oiled machine.  We made it through security without a hitch and we did not lose a single child.  Praise God!  We took up 3 rows on the left side of the airplane.  We all wore our M.A.R.C. TShirts and got a bunch of questions about our mission with M.A.R.C.

We have arrived safely back in Greenville very hungry and very tired.  The only food we had during the day was Delta pretzels, cookies and peanuts.  Not to mention lots of coke and sprite.  Sixteen hours of junk food and the kids were still amazing.  I am so proud of how they behaved and showed the love of Jesus Christ the entire time.

We spent our first day home helping our sweet friends, the Weavers, move out of the home they just sold.  The Weavers have been such a blessing to us during this process.  They even kept our van for us while we were in Alaska, to avoid paying parking fees, and met us at the airport late at night when our plane landed to come home. What a blessing to have Christian friends like them.

When we finally arrived home late last night there were encouraging notes all around our home written by the Realtors that looked at our home during the Open House Tracy coordinated.  In addition there were breakfast muffins and a snack plate for the kids.  In the refrigerator was an amazing dinner prepared by Kendra from her and her sweet (and growing) family.

While we were in Alaska for Candidacy what a blessing our Taylors family was to us.  We knew many of you were praying for us daily and many of you also provided much needed support.  Dawn responded to our many emails with questions about addresses and contacts.  Beckie and Shannon covered the 7th grade Sunday School class in our absence.  Many provided words of encouragement via facebook, email and texts.  There is no way we could have successfully traveled with this large family to remote Southern Alaska to continue this journey God has called us to without the loving support of our Taylors FBC family.  This is truly the body of Christ - many members with many functions.

Now we are digging into the Deputation process but first we have to unpack our bags ...

Keep us in your prayers ...

Praise God!

We Have Been Invited to Join the M.A.R.C. Team!

Thank you for praying for our family over the past 4 months as God has been preparing us for this ministry.  We knew many were praying for us yesterday as Jennifer and I went before the Candidacy Committee. 

Caleb was so excited when he got the news that we are invited to join the M.A.R.C. team !!!

Jennifer and I arrived at M.A.R.C. early yesterday morning.  As the committee arrived, everyone was in a good mood and friendly.  When the committee began their final discussion before informing us if would be invited to join the MARC team Jen and I got a little nervous.  We knew God had led us to Alaska, and as doors have continued to open, it has become very clear that MARC is where God would have us to serve.  However, we also knew that God could close this door and we would have to be obedient to that.

The committee went into the room around 8:15 and Jennifer and I waited in David and Karin's office.  One of our good friends, Greg, talked to us to keep us distracted as the minutes ticked by.  Around 8:45 we started to wonder, "What is taking so long?"  "Are they discussing the clarity of our calling, the quality of our marriage, my flying abilities, the discipline of our children... ?"  So much had been poured into preparing for this one moment - God's calling in May, my mission with the Air Guard in September, our application in October, our visit to MARC in November, communication with the prayer team, invitation to candidate in March, preparation of our house for the market and flying a family of 10 to a remote town in Alaska ...  Now we were sitting in David and Karin's office knowing that God was about to reveal to us through this committee if MARC would be part of our journey.  Finally just before 9:00 the doors opened and Wendy came out - she had a big smile on here face.  However, I don't know if I've ever seen Wendy not smile - she's just a very sweet person and smiles a lot.  Then Drew came out and asked if we were ready.  Jen and I walked into the room and there was the committee around a table - Drew, Wendy, Travis, Mike and Bob.  They had placed two empty chairs in the front of the room for Jen and I to sit in.  There we were with the committee looking at us - no pressure of course.  Drew had some words to say about the discussion of the committee - mostly there were questions about the responsibilities I would have with the Air National Guard if I continue to fly for the Guard after relocating here.  This is a new scenario for MARC and they want to be sure it is good for the mission and good for our family.

Finally with a joyful smile on his face Drew announced:

"It is the committee's unanimous decision that we would like to invite the Bodolosky family to join the M.A.R.C. team" 

AMEN !!!  AMEN !!!  TO GOD BE THE GLORY !!!

Here are some pictures from our last few days here in Soldotna. 

Wednesday night we were at the home of David and Karin Reese.  They live across the Cook Inlet from Mount Redoubt - one of the volcanoes in the Aleutian Range. 

Redoubt is currently active as is evidenced by steam coming from the volcano.   This picture is taken from David and Karin's deck.  Mount Redoubt last erupted in 2009 and before that 1989.  In 1989 it spewed ash up to 45,000 feet and caught a Boeing 747 in the ash.  Fortunately the flight landed safely in Anchorage.

Here is a picture of the 1989 eruption (from google)



Last night we were having dinner with Tom and Wendy Turner and it started snowing.  The kids were outside jumping on the trampoline with the Turner's kids.  Grace has become an Alaskan already jumping in just a T-shirt and skirt.

James has not had a jacket on in over a week:

The boys also got to shoot guns with Mr. Turner:

What a shot!  Now we don't have to eat roadkill moose !!!

ok it's really a picture we downloaded from the Internet but it makes a good story.

Please continue to keep us in prayer as we go through this week.  We will be in training on Monday and Tuesday and then start our journey back toward S.C.  Tuesday night we are travelling back to Anchorage, Wednesday we have a few meetings in Anchorage and Thursday we fly home.

In Christ

The Bodos

Please Continue to Keep us in Your Prayers

This past weekend we took some time off as a family and went to a small town south of Soldotna named Homer.  Homer is a beautiful little fishing town that is just about as far south as you can drive on the Alaska road system.  From there if you want to explore further south (down toward the Aleutian Islands) you have to use the ferry system or aviation.  We had a great time exploring the beaches, looking for bald eagles (which are everywhere here) and eating halibut.

On Sunday we visited a church that we attended during our November 2010 visit - College Heights Baptist Church.  We feel very at home at College Heights and can see our family becoming involved in that church when we relocate here to serve at M.A.R.C.  There are kids at College Heights that match up to the ages of our kids and they all seemed to be comfortable in their classes.  Jen and I visited an adult class where we studied the balance between Truth and Grace.  The discussion was very encouraging.

After church we visited the beach.  It's not like the East Coast beaches.  The beaches are very rocky and they are still ice covered.  We took some great pictures of some of the kids on the beach (Jen, Ashleigh, Hanah and Caleb decided to view God's beauty from the warm car):



Some of the Bodo kids standing on a chunk of ice








Grace the Explorer (or a Princess on Ice)



Joshua the Explorer



Some of the Bodo kids standing in front of a sheet of ice that came in with the tide



Jacob the Conqueror



We have one week left for our time here at M.A.R.C. for candidacy.  Please continue to pray for us as we continue to seek God's face in this experience.  This Friday our Candidacy Committee will meet again to decide if they would like to invite us to join the organization.  We will meet with them at 8:30 local time on Friday (12:30 east coast).  We will be returning to Greenville on April 7th and will be back at Taylors on April 10th.  We look forward to seeing all of you and sharing our experiences and testimonies.

In Christ 

James & Jen (&Ashleigh, James, Sarah, Jacob, Joshua, Grace, Hanah and Caleb) 

How we Got Here

Snowy beach in Alaska

All is going very well here in Alaska for the Bodolosky family.  There are moments of homesickness for the kids but it seems to be getting better as the days pass.  Of course there is nowhere like Taylors First Baptist and our kids desperately missed DNOW!  Praise God for the work He did through that weekend.  What a powerful testimony for those that live Christ!

This was a week of evaluation for us.  Jennifer and I met with our Candidacy Committee on Monday morning.   The Committee knows our Testimony and how God has led us to this point.  There were some tough questions however about how we think it is possible to bring a family of 10 to one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S.  We can only give some of our ideas but our "final answer" was if God wants us here He will provide.  We can only continue to be faithful, walk through open doors and pray.  This week I was evaluated in 2 airplanes - a King Air A90 and a Cessna 172.  In addition I did an evaluation in the simulator flying through mountain passes in Alaska in bad weather.  I think this all went well.  I can thank the military for good training and God for preparing this path and allowing me to have the training.  Every night we have dinner with a different familly from the staff.  This has been fun but something like work for the kids.  Most homes are not used to hosting a family of 10 and our kids have to be on their best behavior.  WE HAVE BEEN SO PROUD OF THEM!!!  I have never seen them work together as well as they have here.  I cannot say that it has been perfect and without tense moments but I can say that God has been very gracious to us.

We were reflecting on the past 4 months and the amazing work God did to get our family to Candidacy at M.A.R.C. 

We made our budget needs known to get to get us here and it was not a small budget - approximately $11,000.  God met our needs with the money contributed, raised and saved.  The entire budget was completely met!  Many people made direct contributions - we do not know who you are or how much you contributed since it was done anonomously through the church.  We very much appreciate your hearts and desire to join us in ministering to the people in the villages of Alaska. 

There were fund raisers coordinated by Shannon Keating - Colonial America Days - and this raised a significant part of our budget.

There were many people that helped make this day a reality.  Thanks to all of you!

Another praise from the last 4 months was the listing of our home on the market.  We will be able to use the salel of our home to pay off our remaining bills as we move into support raising for the mission field.  In the last 4 months our home went from a 1970's NOT READY FOR the MARKET to an updated 2011 READY TO SELL house.  So many people contributed to this effort.  THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH!

Many pictures are missing here because in the absence of sleep I mostly forgot to take pictures.  Here are a few ...

Here are some pics from the finished product

We are humbled to see the  mountains God has moved to bring us to this point.  If you had told us last March that we would be in Alaska Candidating with a flying ministry in March 2011 we would have never believed it.  This was not our desire or our goal.  As God continues to lead we will continue to follow.  There are mighty mountains in the future and we will continue to pray and trust in the Lord.

Thank you for your prayers.  We Love you all dearly!!

In Christ

The Bodos