Dear Friends:

At last, summer seems to have arrived in the northland.  It is still cooler than usual, but at least the flowers are blooming and the skeeters are a’buzzing.  The last several days we have enjoyed our annual visit by a disabled momma moose and her newborn calf.  The mother is indeed an amazing critter as all four of her hooves are elongated and deformed making walking very difficult and running impossible.  It is incredible that she survives the winters and then the spring predators that target vulnerable moose and their calves.  She is a very attentive mother and we got some pictures of the baby finding the faucets where the goodies come out and going after breakfast with gusto.  And, as always, it amazes me how an adult moose with its long drooping snout can produce such cute little red-headed babies. 

It has been several months since I have written and life has been full of adventures, some good and some not so hot.  I did two men’s retreats this spring, one in Ketchikan and one up north at Victory Bible Camp for the men of Lazy Mountain Bible Church.  They called that one the “lazy man’s retreat” but there were a whole group of active duty Air Force and Army guys who attended who were anything but lazy.  There is a huge mountain behind the camp and a group of those guys actually climbed clear to the top one afternoon and were back in time for supper looking like they had hardly broken a sweat.  I looked up at where they were at the summit and at that altitude, they looked like tiny specks!  Made me tired just watching them.

After those events I accompanied Marveen down to Colorado where she was headed to help her mom for a month.  The weather in the mountains around Denver was terrible.  We had to turn around and spend another night in Denver because it was snowing so hard!  One usually pictures that kind of weather in Alaska, not the lower ’48!  Before going to Steamboat we drove west to Grand Junction where we spent several days with our friends, Jim and Roni Hale…and where I preached in their church.  Jim is in the process of writing a book about some of his adventures as a guide taking folks up Mt. McKinley (Denali) and other dangerous peaks.  Believe me, when it gets into print, you will enjoy his stories.  It was a privilege for Marveen and me to get a sneak preview to read.  One afternoon we drove up into the Bookcliffs (I think that is what you call them) and saw a several bands of wild horses.  Marveen and Roni  walked down into the valley where they were to take photos while Jim and I stood at the top of the trail and talked while I got my head royally sunburned!  I expect the NASA satellite’s could pick up a red glow from the top of my head!  After a week, I headed back to Alaska and Marveen stayed on in Steamboat where they were experiencing flooding since the snow pack from the winter snows was 200% over average.  The Yampa and Elk Rivers are still flooding and causing havoc in the area around Steamboat Springs.

Sam and Angela
A few weeks ago I got a very sad phone call from a young lady for whom I had officiated her wedding a few years back.  Her parents, Sam and Angela, had recently retired and moved to Panama to a piece of tropical paradise.  They were driving in their pick-up to Panama City where they were to spend the night and then fly to Chicago where their daughter and family have been stationed so they could see their grandkids before they got deployed by the Navy to Japan.  On the trip to PC, a large wrecker had a flat tire and swerved into their lane and Sam and Angela were both killed instantly.  Oh, my  what a tragic loss for their family but also for their friends of which we were blessed to be in that number.  I met Angela about 25 years ago when she attended a seminar I taught in Mt. Vernon, WA.  We became good friends and during a break from my folks 50th anniversary party, I drove over to Oak Harbor to officiate at the wedding for Sam and Angela.  For many years they operated an adult assisted living home at their big house in Oak Harbor.  Angela especially had an incredible way with older folks that endeared her to so many of them.  One was my mom.  Though my mom never lived in Sam and Angela’s home, she got to know Angela well when Angela would drive to Seattle to the airport to pick me up and deliver me at my mom’s house for a visit.   When we’d arrive, Angela would come inside and she and my mom would talk for a long time before my mom and I would engage.  It was fun to watch.  Often, Marveen and  I would meet Angela at Denny’s in Mount Vernon for breakfast on our visits south and we had the joy of seeing their piece of rainy paradise in Marblemount, WA after they sold the adult care home.  It was like living in a dense rain forest.  When my mom died, Angela was able to come to her funeral and felt right at home in the family waiting room with the rest of us.  She felt like part of our family.

About a year ago, Sam retired from Boeing and they traded in their Skagit Valley rainy place for a beautiful place in the warm climate of Panama.  They were having a grand time making new friends and enjoying spending most of their time outside in a covered area that had all the amenities OUTSIDE.  It is sad that they are now gone and we didn’t even get to say goodbye.  I must say that for the last 20+ years, Sam and Angela were among the MOST faithful and generous supporters of CFM.  There were many, many months when their contributions, which came like clockwork, were what enabled me to keep my CFM offices open and functioning.  That continued right up until I got a contribution check from them the day after I learned of their death.  I emailed their daughter to see what I should do with the check and she said to use it for the ministry because that is what “mother and daddy” would have wanted.  In a way, it was sort of like a goodbye hug from them.  We are going to miss them in so many ways…Angela’s deep Georgia accent…Sam’s ready smile and sense of humor…along with their priceless friendship and encouragement over all these years.

Two weeks ago we had a special time here at North Kenai Chapel with representatives from Bridges for Peace being with us.  For Ed Smelser, this was his third visit and it was a first for Larry Dykes.  Great guys with a passion for the ministry of Bridges in being a blessing to Israel.  Our church is very committed to being a part of that and the folks gave to the cause very generously.  If you want to get blessed, look up their website.  They do a wonderful work.

Hilmer Kiser
Please continue to pray for my friend, Hilmer Kiser.  He is really struggling with the pain from arthritis that was triggered by the radiation on some tumors on his spine….along with the other cancers he is fighting.  He is still preaching in Seward very Sunday but spends most weekdays at his fish camp on the Kenai.  He isn’t supposed to drive his boat because of the meds he is taking…but, he has been out a few times with others at the helm chasing king salmon.  Also, please pray for CFM financial support.  Your prayers and support are more vital than ever.

The rest of the summer is going to be a grand time with visits from a number of friends and family.  I won’t list them all but my sister, Glenice, and her husband, Dave will be coming as will our daughter, Michele and her family.  Some of Marveen friends and former classmates will pay us a visit and hopefully, my brother Mark will be here in September to fish with us for a few days.

Tracie and her family came down here last weekend for Father’s Day and had the video of their daughter Jessica getting engaged to a fine young man named Billy!  Al and Barb Christy were here as well.  It was a bit crowded around the dinner table but we made it.  The guys all went on a halibut charter and had a great time….they were fairly small fish, but we all got our limit.  Nuthin’ quite like fresh caught halibut!!!

God bless you,

Wayne and Marveen