Back to Alaska
It has been three years since we have been able to have the IFC Family Gathering. This year the IFC Board of Directors decided to try to have our partners gathering in Fairbanks. The date of February 18 in the midst of the Alaska winter was set. The honored guests were Peter and Esther Scarborough, Hohidiai Directors, who traveled from Indonesia.
February 18 was a cold day in the minus side of the Fahrenheit scale. There was a snow storm beginning in the morning and the venue was on hill with a steep road just to get to the parking lot. The snow kept coming until a total of seven inches had fallen. I was wondering if anyone was going to come after my first try up the hill ended with my car stuck in the snow. I got the car out and made it to the venue. I was then informed that there was no snow removal and there were no guarantees anyone would be plowing the snow on the hill. I tried to get up the steep hill two other times with the same results—I made it short of the top of the hill and had to back down a very icy road. It would be a challenge for people to get to the venue–with icy roads, seven inches of fresh snow and no one to plow the roads. I was even more sure no one would be able to get up the hill to the IFC Family Gathering that evening.
That afternoon the volunteers started arriving–they all had four-wheel drive trucks. The tables and chairs were set up and I heard a snowplow truck outside. He plowed the parking lot. Someone had mercy on us, and the steep hill even got plowed. It was still difficult to get up the hill but to my surprise around 100 people came to the event. In the past years we would have about 300 attending the Family Gathering. We have all faced the last two years of restrictions, masks and social distancing so I was happy to see so many of our partners. I even got to talk to two true Alaskan ladies who were in their 80’s and told me this weather would not stop them from coming.
Esther Scarborough, our guest speaker, shared an update on the work of Hohidiai, She brought us stories about the positive changes in the lives of some of the children in Hohidiai care. Dan Holmgren did a great job of showing the progress of the Hohidiai School construction. The construction crew is working on the fourth structure and two more buildings will be ordered.
In spite of the challenges with the weather we had a great event. We hope to do this again in 2024–maybe I will not get my car stuck trying to make the top of the hill.