Sunday

We absolutely LOVE our church here......our pastor and his wife are such humble, Godly people who serve endlessly for Christ. I admire them greatly.....when I sleep in and have no children to worry about.....they are up every morning at like 5:30am going to bed late every night..ALWAYS having people staying with them....drunk people banging on their doors in the middle of the night. They never complain........when exhuasted, faithfully doing their prision ministry.... they have been so kind to us. I am ashamed at the way I used to think. There are missionary teams that come up here at different times during the summer to "help out in bush Alaska"....they say "We gave up our 1 week vacation to help up here"...and what all they plan to do.....which is wonderful! But our dear pastor lives this life everyday!! I remember thinking....when I was told not only did I have to pay for my own air fair but my OWN food for a missionary trip.....while I was serving them???...why did I have to pay for my own food...that is the LEAST they can do!! I am so ashamed of that thinking!!! Our pastor and his wife have so very little but yet they give everything.....they are such REAL people!! I was thinking....our pastor NEVER asked all these missionaries to come......nor do they by any means have the money to pay for their food! (which the missionaries that have come do not expect that like I did, thank goodness). Please, don't get me wrong....the missionaries that come are wonderful but sometimes I see my "old self" in them....and why wouldn't they think that....they don't know just like I didn't know. I have learned so much here. If I have to leave tomorrow to go back "home" my whole life and way of thinking will have been changed...ingrained in my heart forever the experience I have had thus far.