Alaska is waking up!

Dear Laurie,

Well, it's May and Alaska is beginning to wake up!  The snow is melting down below (the mountains still have a TON of snow).  The trees are beginning to bud out, the grass is turning green, and flowers are starting to poke their heads through the ground.

Recently, I've shared a lot of prayer requests with you.  Here are some praises!

• Our Bible study is going really well.  We have a strong core group forming.  We've moved the day of the week (for those of you who pray for us about this) from Monday evening to Sunday evening.  This makes a little more sense for everyone's schedules.  We are half way through the Gospel of Mark.  Sometime around the middle of the summer we'll have to determine where we go next!  We had a cookout this past Sunday night and several new people showed up.  They seemed excited and interested.  We'll see what happens this upcoming Sunday.  Thank you for praying!
• Thank you to everyone who has helped us by supporting our summer staff.  We have four college students who will be working with Chugach Resort Ministries this summer.  These young people are giving up a summer (that they could be working jobs and earning money) to come to Girdwood Alaska to learn how to live and minister in this type of community.  Please pray for these young

• people as they prepare for the summer.  We are about two weeks from their arrival date!  If you still want to help with our staff  needs, you can follow this link or send checks to: Chugach Resort Ministries.  P.O. Box 1054 Girdwood, AK 99587.
• Housing in Girdwood can be very difficult to find.  When we worked in Gatlinburg, we had the use of a beautiful old building on the property of a camp ground.  We never realized what a great resource that was until moving here!  Early on, we had some difficulty in finding housing for our summer staff.  Some wonderful friends here in Girdwood have volunteered to allow two of our staff to live in their house and travel trailer.  Then the other two staff will be living in our condo.  It will be tight, but it will be fine.  God has really provided for our need!
• One of the ways we minister here in Alaska is by connecting with people through the great outdoors.  God has opened a lot of opportunities for me to go hiking or fishing with people and to build relatioships through these experiences.
• The Woman's Missionary Union has provided two backpacking water filters for us to use.  This may not seem like much to many of you, but this enables us to be in the backcountry doing ministry knowing that the water we drink is safe and sanitary!
• God has opened the door to a lot of ministry conversations for Jenn through her work at the hotel.  Please continue to pray for her that she will be authentic and vulnerable around these people!
• Finally, I wanted to share a quote from a friend of ours here in Girdwood (she said we could share this with you).  This gives you a sense for how relational ministry works.  Our friend says, "For what it's worth, if I ever come back to Christianity, it will be at least in part because people like you & Jenn gave me the space to do so in my own time. And *despite* the people who would push me to do so in their "right now or else" time frame.  Not saying I'm coming back, but if...."

So, thank you for all of your prayers for Chugach Resort Ministries.  Thank you for going on this journey with us!

Sincerely,

Scott Capshaw

Chugach Resort Ministries

P.O. Box 1054

Girdwood, Alaska 99587

Chugach Resort Ministries

907-783-0606

www.chugachresortministries.org

www.scottandjenn.wordpress.com