Over Mountains
Standing in the frigid wind on Thompson Pass at sunset was a spectacular site. Hendra Pontomudis, principal of Hohidiai School and Danny Galbraith, a volunteer teacher at the school, could only marvel at the breathtaking beauty before them. They had just left an amazing group of people in the coastal Alaskan hamlet of Valdez. Valdez is known for the rich history of being a staging area for the early gold prospectors and today it is the terminus of another kind of gold—black gold.
The jaw dropping beauty was not missed by Hendra and Danny. On the final day in Valdez the sky was a crisp blue with the snow-capped mountains surrounding the town. What they did find is that the people of Valdez were as spectacular as any of the stunning mountains standing majestically above the town. They had been so supportive of the vision of the school back in 2009, when Hendra came to share his vision of starting a school.
Hendra and Danny had just shared an update on the school. There was applause when Hendra told them the school began in 2011 with 26 students and today it has 87 students. The friends in Valdez were rejoicing with the progress of the school and were making plans to go and help. I know they can see the pure gold of investing in the future of the children in Hohidiai School.
On the drive through two Alaskan mountain ranges from Valdez to Fairbanks, the Northern Lights were dancing across the night sky. We could only marvel at the handiwork and blessings that come from above.