Skagway/Anchorage - Week 8

Good Morning,

I hope this reaches you all doing well and happy in your service to Our Father Jehovah wherever you may be.

As you may notice from the title of the post today, I'm writing you from Anchorage, Alaska this morning. Why you ask? Well, thanks to the love, generosity and kindness of AK-1 (Alaska Circuit 1) all 10 of the brothers assigned to the remote areas here, had the privilege of being with them and attending their circuit assembly yesterday. What a joy it was!

After a rather normal week in Skagway in the ministry, and 2 planes later, we flew in to Anchorage late on Thursday evening. We were greeted by some of the local friends who immediately I made a connection with. Why? Well I had been corresponding with them prior so it was nice to put a real face with the voice and names as you can imagine.

We went to the wonderful accommodations that the friends had generously provided and got some rest after catching up with the other brothers that were also sharing the house with us.

We woke the next day (Friday) and had a few things we wanted to take care of before our plans for the evening. These "things" were in actuality, A Haircut (lol). If you know me well you know that I cut hair and have been for quite some time now. Still, I haven't been able to get an actual good "Barbershop" haircut in over 2 months...so I and the other brothers of African American descent (do you like how I cleaned that phrase up rather than just saying Black? Lol) Jumped at the opportunity to get a really good haircut in a city that has some rather nice Barbershops in it.

After that we came home, and got ready to leave for a evening gathering with a family and some other of the friends from the circuit as well as the C.O. his wife and the circuit guest speaker and his wife from Brooklyn Bethel. Ironically it was the 1st time all 10 of us would be in one room together. It was also the 1st time we would get to meet brother Daniel Cukar and His wife Monica who are serving in the Traveling work here in Alaska Circuit 1. (2nd Picture attached) We had a great time with them. There were also 2 Special Pioneer couples that are graduates of BSCC serving in Bethel, AK that were there with us as well. As you can imagine it was very encouraging to be a part of for us all.

This weekend the circuit had the privilege of having Brother David Schafer and his wife Krista with them from Brooklyn Bethel. (1st picture) He serves as a Helper to the Teaching Committee of the Governing Body. Ironically, he had know me and my family from a time when I was quite younger and they hadn't seen me since that time. So it was really nice to see them again and spend this time together.

I must tell you the friends in this circuit are so very loving and kind. Their generosity and appreciation for our efforts is remarkable and heart warming. I have already been "adopted" as a son by some already (Picture 3) They send christian love and greetings to you all.

I too join them in sending you warm love and best wishes from this vast and distant land.

M. J. Penfield

Alaska Fact of the Day: Anchorage (Since I'm writing this here in Anchorage) is the largest city by area in the country. It stretches for some 1,961 square miles or the size of the state of Delaware. In fact, the 4 largest U.S. cities by land area are all in Alaska: Sitka, Juneau, Wrangell and Anchorage.