A moose ran out in front of our RV…

The Popp family has a homestead in rural Alaska and we were blessed to be their first Candle in the Window visitors. We parked our RV on their property and they hosted us for dinner and breakfast the next day. As we prepared to drive off, Nick’s parting words were, “Call us if you need anything.” A few hours later a moose ran out in front of the RV and the collision brought our travel that day to a halt. (The moose did not survive but we thank God the 4 of us were ok!)

We didn’t have phone coverage, but managed to give Nick’s number to a passing good samaritan who let Nick know about our situation. He promptly came with his boys and they transported us back to their house and put us up for the night! The moose encounter was unfortunate, but the extra time with the Popp family and attending church with them the next morning was a blessing while we waited for our replacement RV to come from the rental company.

We were also blessed to stay with Chris and Denise in Soldotna. They welcomed us into their beautiful home and treated us to a delicious dinner of salmon which their family had harvested. We appreciated learning more about life in Alaska through their experiences. 
The Williamsons serve with MARC, an aviation ministry, and it was so interesting to hear about their ministry. They gave us a tour of the MARC offices/hangar which was fun. 
Thank you, Chris and Denise for sharing your home and hearts with us!

Next, James and Shannon Miller allowed us to park and stay in our RV on their property near Fairbanks. We had a lovely visit with the family and it was great to talk about shared ministry interests. Staying with a family with long-term experience in the state provided us with an increased understanding of the challenges of life in rural Alaska. Thank you Miller Family for the warm welcome!

In planning our vacation/holiday in Alaska, we decided to visit Homer where we were blessed to stay in a flat owned by Sky and Jodi. While the flat is on the AirBnB site, the family makes it available for A Candle in the Window members as they are able. The small apartment/flat under their house is well equipped with kitchen, washer/dryer and comfortable beds.
The convenient location near Homer made it easy to drive into Homer and the surrounding areas to enjoy various activities and beautiful scenery. Sky and Jodi were happy to provide with us with suggested outings and places to eat, which was a great help. 
We throughly enjoyed interacting with this couple and their friendly kids who made us feel very much at home. It was a blessing to meet this lovely family! Thanks Sky and Jodi for help get our Alaska adventure off to a great start!

Martha, Solomon Islands (September 2025)