Off to camp I go...

Tomorrow morning, I'll be getting on a plane headed for (a still quite chilly) Unalakleet, AK for Bible Camp! I am really looking forward to spending the next 5+ weeks in a place that has come to feel like my 'second home' in Alaska. This will only be my fifth time to Unalakleet, but each visit I feel a bit more excited to go, and everything feels a bit more familiar.

This visit will be for Bible Camp, where I will be counseling the first three weeks (Leadership Camp, High School Camp, and Junior High Camp). I'll then be doing either travel planning, or any other role that needs to be filled. The last week of my time in Unalakleet will be spent in town (camp is 9 miles upriver from the village of Unalakleet) working on various CYAK tasks, and enjoying spending time with friends over the 4th of July.

It is so exciting to be heading to camp knowing what Bible Camp in rural Alaska looks like. Its truly such a unique and special place, and I count it a blessing to have the opportunity to be involved in such a needed and awesome ministry again this summer!

During my time at camp, I will have zero phone service, and little to no internet access, so if you would like to send me snail mail, you can address your envelope like this:

Lauren Ernst
Covenant Bible Camp
PO Box 202
Unalakleet, AK 99684

If you write me, I'll write you back! Let's be pen pals!

A few of my Jr. High Campers last year. Looking forward to seeing them again this year!

Every week, we take a hike on the tundra. This pic is from High School week last year.

Looking North from Unalakleet right out of town. Unalakleet truly is gorgeous. 

There went April...and most of May too!

The last couple of months have absolutely flown by. That means: it's update time!

A few of the happenings from the last month and a half:

• Arrival of Jenni Jobe, a friend from college and new CYAK worker
• Moved back to my lovely apartment after two+ months
• Running lots to prepare for a 1/2 marathon coming up on Saturday
• Bonfires with friends
• BBQs for birthdays and surprises
• Tea Parties (ok, maybe just one - happy birthday, Robyn!)
• Final Arigaa Scavenger Hunt
• Final soccer game - another undefeated season!
• Hiking with the NPU Bible Camp team on their way through Anchorage
• Arrival of Kara Bladel (and her good friend Eric for a few days) to Wasilla!
• Lots of green buds and warmer temps (We hit 67 yesterday = HOT)
• Late-night light that keeps staying longer and longer
• Busy busy busy at work - lots of prep for Bible Camp
• Heading out for Unalakleet on Tuesday until July 7!

So, there you have it. It's been busy to say the least, but I am continually thankful for all of the fun and exciting experiences I've been blessed to have. More later on camp - but for now, consider yourself (at least somewhat) updated!

Late-night sunshine.

Amy's Birthday BBQ: Me, Julie, Amy, Jenni and Robyn

Most incredible tea party EVER.

There were 126 and I guessed 124, which means I'll be drinking tea for a looooong time. :)

Mmmm loose leaf.

Robyn, the birthday girl!

Such a fun afternoon!

NPUers and Arigaaers on a hike up Bird Creek in Anchorage.

I've been able to spend some time with sweet baby Levi (Jamie and Erica Rose's babe) the past couple of weeks!

At the Anchorage Market. Hooray Alaska.

GREEN! Oh, how I love the color green.

Flowers popping up slowly but surely!

Julie Dierck's thank you party.

Hello stickies and to-do lists!

March = FUN!

March was a great month! Not only did several friends come through the valley, but I had the opportunity to travel out to Unalakleet for the ECCAK (Evangelical Covenant Church of Alaska)'s annual meeting. There I was able to see and spend time with friends and fellow CYAK workers from across the state - not something that happens every day in this huge state! I had a GREAT time, and so instead of writing much more, I'll just share some pictures :)

Kara and David and I took a little trip to the Palmer Hayflats.

And sat in the snow for a while. ha!

David and I went skiing at Alyeska - this was at the end of day two as the clouds cleared up - so great.

Up to Unalakleet! Unalakleet Covenant Church at sunrise.

We were given the job of digging through a snowbank to find some caribou meat that was stashed there earlier this winter. Ribs anyone? Only in Alaska :)

It was chilly -15 or so. Sue's ready for work!

A group of us snowmachined up to Bible Camp - David and Matthew hanging out after the ride.

Mary heading into the welcome cabin - you could say there was a bit of snow.

On the way back to town.

We got to stop at the dog lot where Mary works - and snuggled with this little guy for a bit.

Lots of games of ERK!

Laurel and Amy! Such a fun visit!

The Northern Lights

One of the many perks of living in Alaska is the opportunity to see the Northern Lights. In my experience, there is simply nothing like it. I have been fortunate enough to see these dancing beauties a total of five times now - once in Sweden, and four times since I've been in the great state of Alaska.

While seeing them for the first time was (at least to me) absolutely incredible, each time still leaves me in awe. They're just stunning. The first time I saw them was in Sweden, and I posted some pictures form that night here:  http://www.laureninsweden.blogspot.com/2009/03/northern-lights.html. I've seen some beautiful shows since being in Alaska, and I am sure I'll be seeing more before I leave!

My best memory of seeing the lights here was last fall in the village of Elim. I was there for the weekend at a CYAK High School Retreat called Fall Blast. On Saturday night, we were playing a game called Mission Impossible - running through the village with our teams collecting clues and trying not to get caught by the ever-sneaky flashlight holders - all the while watching the northern lights dance in all of their glory above us. They were beautiful. And bright. And plain awesome in the truest sense of the word. I didn't have my camera with me, but I definitely took plenty of mental pics that I won't be forgetting any time soon.

Fortunately for you, last week my friend Robyn texted and called me in the middle of the night telling me, "THE NORTHERN LIGHTS ARE OUT!" I quickly (or as quickly as I could considering I was pretty sleepy still) ran to the window, and sure enough, there they were. I piled on my snow gear, grabbed my camera and a bucket (who needs a tripod?) and headed out on the back porch. I got a few pics - but mostly just enjoyed sitting outside and soaking it in. After 30 minutes it was getting pretty chilly and so I headed back in. But I went to sleep once again filled with amazement at God's creation and feeling so blessed to be able to experience it in such a cool way yet again.

Such a bright green streak - I didn't do a great job of focusing the trees at first, but alas, the lights are still bright!

All throughout the sky.

Arigaa!!

Iditarod

Last Sunday was the official re-start for the Iditarod - the Last Great Race. Every year, mushers from all over the country - and the world - head out with their team of dogs to make the 1,000 mile trek through the frozen Alaskan wilderness from Willow to Nome. I went to the restart last year, and it was really fun to be able to experience such an Alaskan event! But this year gave me even more reason to be excited about being there.

My friend, Mary Helwig, has been living in Unalakleet this past year working as a dog handler at Siku Kennels. This means that she was at the start, helping Pat Moon (Siku Kennel's Iditarod musher) with everything that goes into getting a dog team ready for such a big race! Despite crazy traffic and parking difficulties, my friend Robyn and I got to the chute just in time to see Mary running the dogs up to the start. So exciting - and awesome to see my friend living her dream! It's pretty fun to track the different mushers as they make their way to Nome. You can follow the action here: http://iditarod.com/ Enjoy a few pics!

Who is that running with those dogs up to the start line?!

It's MARY HELWIG!!!

And Pat Moon!

At the start :)

And hello Fur-man.

Jake Berkowitz from Big Lake, AK

Kristy Berington from Kasilof, AK.

Mary's official Musher Handler 2012 Badge. It's legit.

So fun to see and cheer Mary on!

CYAK Young Adult Retreat

Every year, CYAK holds two young adult retreats - one in September, and one in February. Our February retreat was last weekend, and I have to say that it was hands down my favorite of the four I've been to since I've been working with CYAK. For those of you who don't know, students who come to this retreat are either involved with CYAK's Arigaa ministries in Anchorage and Fairbanks, or are students at two of CYAK's partner ministry schools, Alaska Christian College and Amundsen Educational Center. Every retreat we have great speakers, awesome worship, play lots of fun games, laugh a lot, ride snow machines, and just spent time in community together. As our Arigaa students would say, its Arigaasome!

This year, we had a speaker team of Curtis and Kristi Ivanoff, who talked about finding our identity in Christ, the joy of our journey with the Lord, and how to understand our part in God's vision for the world. Their messages were encouraging to both the students as well as the staff. I know for me personally it was so refreshing to be reminded that we all play a role in God's vision for the world -  a unique role - and we don't have to have it all figured out. We are called to seek after the Lord, and He will guide our path. A reassuring message for someone like me who is trying to figure out what my next step is in life! Needless to say, it was such a blessing to have them there.

We also had lots of fresh snow, which made snow machining, skiing, skeet shooting, and just hanging out outside all the more fun. It's at retreats like this that I think, "Is this really my job?!" I am one blessed girl. Enjoy some of the pictures from the retreat! You can see more pictures from the weekend on the CYAK website here: http://www.cyak.org/young-adult-retreat---feb-2012.html

We had about 60 people total - and the CYAK Board of Directors was able to join us on Saturday!

Beautiful girls. Chloe and Julie.

Willow and Kiki snowmachining! (Before the got stuck...they were still very happy. Ha!)

Kara and Robyn are such goofs. The best kind, of course.

Skeet shooting instructions!

And bam!

Lots of games.

Max and Jon-o rockin' away.

Heather and Brenda!

Worship led by the one and only Tom Mute all the way from Nome!