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