Summer flight to Grayling & worship in Holikachuk

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It’s been a minute or two since we photojournaled, but as we flew to Grayling in June, I was thinking of all our new friends from our just-completed 3-month trip to the lower 48 and how different this experience is from theirs. Wanted to give a little glimpse into a summer flight (very bumpy with thermals/clouds, and no winter gear!!). Also reflecting in our shrinking family size: only Timothy came on this trip as Christa and Jared had work.

The highlight of this trip was the in-the-moment introduction of Holikachuk (Native language of Grayling) into worship! Don’t miss the linked picture below to hear God praised in a language that He created.

Life! Next to the final ground stop at the pilot lounge (bathroom!).
Flying *around* the clouds producing precipitation
Low clouds = bumpy ride. Beautiful scenery we cover on our 400-mile flight.
Click through for a couple videos
The village of Flat at the bottom of the picture
After more than an hour of holding the controls through the roughness, this co-pilot zonked. Also, there’s some fun-looking water down there.

Over the plain that is our last 45 minutes of flight
Site of the original village of Holikachuk, on the Innoko River. Visible are the standing remains of the store, on the point.
Approaching Grayling through the rain
Touchdown
River (Yukon) is high still from spring melt-off and rain
Feasted at a birthday party
View from our porch toward the village store
First use of Holikachuk language worshiping God – LISTEN HERE
Had to laugh at the humor of our friend who runs a B&B for hunters and such
Took off with another low ceiling to fly tucked between the cloud bottoms and hill tops
Clouds got higher the closer we got to Fairbanks
One of the many wildfires burning around Fairbanks
Primary home runway in sight

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