2 Weeks In

FAMILY

It's been a good first 2 weeks. The people here have been very friendly and everyone is settling in. The kids have been able to be involved in the local church youth group and enjoy it. This is a good place to ride bikes and they have been able to do that almost daily. Karie Pepe, a PA that is also new here and grew up in France as a missionary kid, has been spending a lot of time with us and that has been fun. The house has been good. We're still looking for a bunk bed for the boys' room. We've been up to Alaska Bible College with Luke to look at classes for this fall. We're considering Old Testament, Speech, and Principles of Inductive Bible Study, which we hear is excellent.

Yesterday was Ansley's birthday, and besides a bike wreck, she had a good day. Today, as a continuation, we went to Valdez for the day. The trip is very pretty, through the mountains. We stopped to see the Worthington glacier and were able to hike to the face and touch the glacier. It is a really neat place. Then we went on to Valdez and took Ansley out to lunch overlooking the harbor. We were able to see some seals in the water. Right now the silver (coho) salmon are spawning and they were everywhere. We decided to try some fishing. I had brought some old rods I found in the garage here that looked pretty big and an ugly stick with 12 pound test. I hooked into a fish the first 2 casts I made! The problem was that the fish immediately started to take out drag on the old rods! We kept trying and eventually landed 3 fish (Case lost 2 right at the shore). If we had had a net with us, we probably could have had 5 more. I really wasn't expecting that, I'll be prepared next time!

MEDICAL

I've been working quite a bit in the first 2 weeks, but I do have this weekend off. I've already flown 2 people to Anchorage, and sent one by car for a shoulder fracture after rolling an ATV . We have a total of 3 new providers starting this month, myself, a PA and a nurse practitioner. We had another PA coming, but it looks like it will be next May. We just got a new pharmacist who is from the Phillipines and she seems very good. I've been doing some sports physicals and seeing general patients, as well as some prenatal and emergency visits. For you sports fans the school sports here are interesting. For away games they frequently go away for the weekend and stay overnight. One place is an 8 hour boat ride away and for another school, they have to drive to Fairbanks and then fly! And we thought travel soccer was bad!

MINISTRY

We are going to wait awhile to decide which church to join, but will probably end up at the community chapel because of the proximity to work when I am on call. They seem to be very mission minded, last week a missionary to Ireland that grew up here spoke. Sue is involved in a women's Bible study. The boys went this week and helped the pastor at a local village work on the baseball field. We are still working at the clinic on many issues, including how to incorporate our faith as we treat people medically. We do have 2 chaplains that work at the clinic.

PRAYER REQUESTS

For Sue's knee to get better, she twisted it earlier this week and is limping around

For the ministry at the clinic and a good team with a mission focus as we blend many new people

We still need a lab tech , 2 nurses and 2 medical assistants

For leadership for our family in direction concerning the local ministries in which our family should be involved

We Miss Everyone!

Thanks for all the prayers!

Russ