So, Ryan and Patrick apply as commercial salmon boat fishermen in the Kenai peninsula in Alaska this summer, and they get the job. (Ryan still holds the title for acquiring the most college jobs!). Skills, you ask?  Zero.  Boat experience, you may wonder?  None.  Not a problem. They sign the contracts, apply for their fishing licenses, and get their flights  -  all about 14 days before they leave.

The first day, Ryan (who is not a complainer) calls and says he’s going to have trouble respecting this boat captain.  About the sixth day, Patrick (who also is not a complainer) calls and says the boats are considerably smaller than he expected (virtually a 10 foot metal dingy), and they turn almost completely on their sides when bringing in a haul, all while combatting 6-7 foot swells.  Patrick decides about two days later that he doesn’t feel this is where he is suppose to be.  We talk about that if it is just fear that he needs to confront, then he should push through it. However, if he feels the Spirit is telling him to move along, then he needs to do that. He says the Spirit is definitely moving him along. A day later, Ryan calls back and says he too is going to leave, after not being able to hold his lunch down from the boat rides.  Additionally, one of the boat captain’s motivational tools to get them to work harder is to frequently tell every crew member that he’s going to either fire them or dock them. Every hour or so, they get the same motivation. Ryan says he kind of runs it like a battered boys camp. All grown up now, thank you. So, they sit and think, while watching eagles soar 40 feet over head and moose walk by, with their young calves following closely behind.  They are told there are jobs at canneries all over the place.  They quit the fishing boat, and go to find one of these cannery jobs.  Ha, ha. Joke is on them. No cannery jobs.

They leave Kenai and go on an 8 hour ferry ride to Kodiak Island.  No jobs there either. But some cool mountains to climb and a great place to hike around.  Rachel, in the unemployment office, looks for jobs for them, and holds onto their gear while they explore. They realize they have considerably less money than they thought they had, which seems to be a recurring theme in their lives.  (They didn’t really count on paying for overnight stays as their food and lodging were covered back at the fishing camp.)  So the first night, they aren’t willing to spend any of their remaining dollars on a cheap motel (no hostels to be found on Kodiak), and tell us the next morning that they found a perfectly warm and cozy open semi-trailer to sleep in. Well, maybe it was cold and hard, but at least off of the open grounds where the bears apparently make dinner plans. They kind of get a little frustrated due to the lack of employment, but they have found out that this is an extremely slow fishing season – probably now won’t be high season until August. What to do, what to do.

By now, these two scruffy (their beards grow quicker than any man alive), stinky (they smell like sweat and fish – they say it was really bad), unemployed, almost fishermen decide to go back over to either Homer or Seward. The ferry doesn’t leave until 10pm that night. They go pick their stuff up from Rachel at the unemployment office, where they find out that the ferry is delayed, and won’t be leaving until the next night. Great. . . . . . .  back to the semi-trailer. Rachel (who is in her late 50’s lest you wonder) says she has a good feeling about them. She invites them to come stay at her house for the night, washes all their clothes, makes them a huge dinner, and they spend the whole evening talking about God. . . . . . God – who knows when and how to refresh His children. She has a second night job and leaves them to sleep in her house while she trots off to work until noon the next day. They beg her to let them do some fix-up jobs around the house, but she only will let them take out the trash. That’s the way to travel – connecting with the local folks. The local folks who are willing to share their lives. Thank you, Rachel, for feeding and housing two weary, but very appreciative young Texan travelers.

As of today, they have scored a new job in Seward – they are going to be processors.  When the boats come in, they will unload the fish, clean them, and get them ready for filleting. Pays $7.50 an hour, and they’ll work 12 hour days for 7 days a week. Plus, they get room and board. Wonder what lessons God has in store for them there.  Rachel told them to really push about becoming filleters, because they can then make $16.00 an hour.  I can tell you right now, 12 hours a day handling fish right out of the water – mmm, they’re going to be popular with the girls :o ) .  This is the funny part – Patrick hates fish.  Bet ‘cha this will increase his passion for them!

But, all in all, they say it’s going to be a good summer. They’re going to do some more Alaska exploration. . . . . .  after a couple of weeks of schlepping fish and acquiring the necessary funds. This is the best part. . . . .when we talk to them, they both keep saying very peacefully, “I wish you could see what I’m seeing.”  Beautiful.  So grateful they are appreciating Creation, the land, and a completely different lifestyle. Also grateful to a little Alaskan woman with a generous heart. I hope I can be Rachel for someone else’s child who needs temporary refuge.

Love,Kim