September 10-14: What a picture-perfect week to be completely unplugged as a community in the bush! We arrived in Grayling on Saturday, September 8; enjoyed a church service in town on Sunday; then headed out to the true bush with an eventual total of 85 people for the rest of the week.
Landing in Grayling after a beautiful flight
Taxi ride into town from the airport
Getting out on the Yukon, headed to culture camp off the Innoko River – about 70 miles away by river
Elder and younger settle in for naps
Elders reminisce about living in Holikachuk, the village from which Grayling was populated in 1962-3. The standing building used to house the post office and a residence.
Great place to pitch a tent!
Breakfast time!
Elders enjoy the sun outside their cabin
Kids take on fishing responsibilities
There’s a pike for nothdlod! (Indian ice cream)
Catching fish makes for hungry boys
Happy blueberry picking grounds, 7 mile, Innoko River
Blueberry picking crew, 20-mile Innoko River
Lots of berries for nothdlod
Expert elder makes the best nothdlod!
And this is how a birthday is celebrated: nothdlod, gaunkhlet (berry sauce), and fry bread.
View from a seat around the fire ring
Approach to camp
Parking lot is almost full
Elder visiting his childhood home at Holikachuk, built by his father
First time sitting at the family table since 1949
A gift pike – more nothdlod!
Gift moose means a full freezer
Auntie Edna and Christa clean the boys’ grouse
“Nindal, nindal, ditzen’…” (duck duck goose in Holikachuk)
Visit to the Holikachuk graveyard for a service
Son of InterAct missionaries Gale and Jean Van Diest
Placing a memorial plaque at the grave of Luis Deacon, last traditional chief of Grayling
Potlatch following service: ribs on the fire – pork and moose!
Let the feasting begin!
Campfire scenes. If only we’d gotten a picture of the auroras reflected in the creek.
Elder ladies’ wall tent
Millers in Alaska 
Nice pictures. Tenting looks interesting plus picking blue berries, fishing, and the elk. Now you need some veggies to go with it.
Thanks for the updates. You all look healthy.
Prayer partners,
Bert & Melvina
Wow! Very different culture, yet fun to see. Think of you all and pray for you often. How is Dani? 🙂 Love to all!
On Tue, Sep 25, 2018 at 10:27 PM Millers in Alaska wrote:
> James and Shannon Miller posted: “September 10-14: What a picture-perfect > week to be completely unplugged as a community in the bush! We arrived in > Grayling on Saturday, September 8; enjoyed a church service in town on > Sunday; then headed out to the true bush with an eventual total of 8” >
Glad to share it with you, Selah! Thanks for asking: we have been overwhelmed with how God is directing and blessing Dani. She’s thriving in the music community of the school and has a great job. Please continue to pray for her health as she fine tunes keeping up with her schedule and needing to prepare good food. Love to you all, too! ~Shannon