Final Week in Acutan

Well, the end of week two just blew by without me even taking notice, and we're into our final week here in Akita. It's been a busy time, with one day melting into another, each filled with sewing and good fellowship.

Our big excitement was when two more boxes of our quilting fabrics arrived midweek. After more days than I could remember.....Carol says it was 12...of clouds, wind and rain, the ceiling finally lifted enough for the plane to get in. The first time it arrived in late morning, we all put on our shoes, grabbed out coats and ran for the door, getting to the plane just as they had begun unloading the back. Box after huge box came out of the tail of the plane, filling first one tractor drawn cart which immediately headed for the Post Office with its load of mail. In minutes it was back and once again filled with all kinds of boxes and large yellow sacks of packages and mail. Then the pilot climbed along the plane to the front, and opened another hatch, and began pulling all the boxes and bags from there. This plane had come in with no passengers, just filled with the mail back-up. Soon it was headed out again, down the ramp into the water for a short taxi until it lifted out of the bay into the sky. We had not seen any of our boxes, but were told the plane would come in again that day, so we still had
hope. A couple of hours later the plane returned, and again we ran out to meet it. This time a friend of ours, Sonya, was also going out on the Goose, and we wanted to see her off. Again we watched the unloading of the stacks of packages and mail that had been held for over a week in Dutch Harbor because of the bad weather....but still no fabric boxes. I had really begun to worry about having enough fabric for the folks to finish their quilts. Already, some had to use brown fabric instead
of green in the rail fence blocks, because the choices were so limited in the greens, and they couldn't find their "light, medium and dark" for the rail fence. But we were still sewing, and the pilot assured us that he would make one more flight in, and would double check in Dutch Harbor for our boxes. The last plane in landed about 4pm. We watched from the church window, but didn't bother go meet it. About 5:30p we got a call from the Post Office. Kay told us she had some packages and mail for us, but since she was closing up, we asked her to set it outside the door, and Gary would pick it up with the van as soon as they returned from dinner. I can't tell you how happy we all were when we saw those boxes addressed to
Margo, in our hand writing!!! Thank you again, Penni, for all the fabric you shipped me from your stash in CA. They were just what we needed, and the women are enjoy adding them to the quilts.

So it's been "full steam ahead" in the sanctuary. Bernie, Margo, Bea, Marina, Maria and Dawn have all laid out their blocks. Margo is completely done with hers, Bernie has only the border left to do, and Bea will be ready to start on her border today. Three more women from the village began the quilt this week, and Margo will help them keep going on it once Carol and I
leave. There has been fish all week at Trident, so the workers have been kept busy with their shifts, and not had as much time to work on their quilts. But if they keep coming when they can, they too will complete the quilt. Since there are several who are almost finished, they can help the others.

We have also been working with the kids this week. Carol got them all started on knitting, and they are enjoying that. I was amazed to see how quickly some of them picked it up, but Carol is a good and patient teacher, and the kids loved how funny she is. They would all blow into the church like little wild things, and soon she would have them all sitting on the pew, with their needles clicking away. Two of the older girls decided they like sewing better, and I kept them busy with small projects that they could make quickly. Sometimes they would work on something for two sessions, but mostly they liked something
they could complete in one day. Yesterday the kids presented Carol and me with a HUGE patchwork thank you card they had made. Each child had made a drawing and they were all hung together on a large piece of poster board. I was so touched by their thoughtfulness. Carol and I will bring it home so all our quilting sisters in Friday Harbor can share it with us.

Gary and Margo's new van arrived by barge, and everyone is enjoying the ride to and from Trident, especially on cold,
dark, windy and rainy nights. They are so good to go and pick up people for church or sewing, and then taking them back again. It's not a long distance, but when the weather is soggy, it sure makes it nice.

We have had 4 more of the village ladies join in the sewing fun with the Trident workers which is so encouraging for Gary and Margo to see all parts of the community working together. Foreign languages, laughter, story telling, and sharing of family histories and culture. God has brought us into a beautiful and stunning microcosm of his world. Hallelujah! (Carol wrote this)

We are entering into our last week here and leaving our travel schedule in God's hands as weather permits. Pray for safe travels at the end of the week.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support. We couldn't do this without you!

Love and big hugs,
Kitty and Carol