Made it home safely on Tuesday from Kodiak!

The last day there on Kodiak Island was spent cleaning up after ourselves, our rooms, the main refractory building, and doing laudry. Some of us who didn't get to the museums during the week spent some time there. Actually, that was one of my favorite parts. There was much histroy about Kodiak and Orthodoxy there and although, we saw no real bear, the one at the museum was a brown gigantic bear. They are known to be the largest! We also spent our time saying our goodbyes and taking pictures and at 3:00 we headed to the airport. Fr. Gregory, son Alex, Deacon Mark and Matushka Kelly, the teen mission group and the adult chaperons made it back home safely on Tuesday. The travel was long, but a small price to pay for the week we had in Kodiak. Except for the first day in and maybe one or two rain showers, the rest of the week was sunny and beautiful. I hope I am speaking for the whole group by saying thanks to everyone for making this trip a success!!! Everyone had a wonderful time, including myself. The girls and boys and people in Kodiak who came down with sickness, I hope all is on way to getting well. To all the wonderful people we met in Kodiak, thanks for making the trip memorable forever. We will surely miss our Orthodox family from Kodiak. The pilgrimage went off without a hitch. Hope all who participated including Metropolitan Jonah and Bishop Benjamin and all clergy had safe travels home as well. I cannot leave out St. Innocent's Academy, St. Herman's Seminary and Holy Resurrection and all that they did. The pilgrimage made front page of The Kodiak Daily Mirror paper. The things I take away from this mission trip are teamwork, leadership, responsibilities, "great cooks", prayer, fasting, vigil, "fun", gorgeous views, and hospitality. For all of us, the pilgrimage was a life changeing experience. The veneration of St. Herman's relics, actually having holy oil to take with us, and the walk on Monks Lagoon and Spruce Island all hightened our human senses and strengthened our Orthodox Faith. No doubt if I had the chance to go again, I would!! God Bless.

Love,
Christina