WEEK 8, 2012: Six wounded Army heroes and their spouses spent time at Samaritan Lodge Alaska enjoying outdoor activities surrounded by the majestic beauty of the Alaska wilderness. The couples enjoyed a time of relaxation and rejuvenation, while focusing on each other and strengthening their marriages. During the week, an amputee and his wife climbed a mountain peak, a wounded Army sergeant was baptized in Lake Clark, and all the couples enjoyed a time of bonding and sharing stories around the fire pit at night.
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Stu and Linda Kuehl, Mitchell and Amanda Seekman, and Nadia and Daniel “Scooter” Gatsch visit Dick Proenneke’s historic cabin site. Proenneke was an Alaskan mountain man who hand-built the cabin in the 1960s.
Linda Kuehl had to become her husband Stu’s legal care-giver after his medical retirement from the Army.
A black bear pays a visit to couples taking an excursion to the shores of Twin Lakes.
Stu Kuehl suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), the loss of sight in his right eye, nerve pain and muscle pain from a shattered jaw, a shattered arm and leg, and other injuries after being hit by an IED while serving in Afghanistan in 2006.
Scooter and Nadia Gatsch visit Dick Proenneke’s cabin.
Samaritan Lodge Alaska is located deep in the wilderness, accessible only by plane.
A float plane takes the couples to remote lakes.
Chaplain Jim Fisher leads a marriage enrichment class. In this lesson, the couples learned how to communicate their love for each other.
Janice and Tim Gustafson pray together during one of the marriage enrichment sessions. “This has been a great opportunity for us to discuss what we want the next year to look like in our marriage and some of the day-to-day practical applications of taking time to focus on each other,” Janice said.
Operation Heal Our Patriots exists to share God’s healing love with wounded and injured military personnel and their spouses.
Nadia reels in a fish with the help of her husband, Scooter. The couples can enjoy fishing from the camp’s specially-equipped boat, or to fly fish while standing in the pristine waters of Alaskan lakes.
Mitchell Seekman was injured by a mortar blast in May 2011 while serving in Iraq. He has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a Traumatic Brain Injury, hearing loss,and shrapnel in his shoulder and head.
Monica and Shawn Aiken prepare to fish off the dock at the lodge. Shawn is an Army medic who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was exposed to nine blasts, and was wounded in both deployments. Shawn suffers from TBI, PTSD, and orthopedic issues.
The week-long retreat is designed to give the couples a chance to get away from the stress of everyday life.
Chaplain Fisher with Shawn and Monica. Monica is expecting the couple’s first child.
Tanalian Mountain towers over Samaritan Lodge Alaska. It is a challenging hike to the top, but worth it for the views of Lake Clark and the surrounding terrain.
Tim Gustafson was on patrol in Iraq when his Humvee hit an IED. He was medevaced by helicopter to Bilad, where his foot was amputated. Doctors later had to amputate his leg up to the knee.
Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham has spent much of his time this summer at Samaritan Lodge Alaska, encouraging and ministering to the couples.
The food for the couples is prepared by an executive chef. The menu this day included salmon burgers. “I went in thinking they’ll have a mess hall, but then it was gourmet meals!” Nadia said.
At the end of the week, Shawn told Chaplain Fisher that he had come to faith in Jesus a few weeks earlier. On the final day at Samaritan Lodge Alaska, he was baptized in the waters of Lake Clark. “This is a guy who has gone through it all, and he realizes that Christ is the healer, the only one who can touch his body and his soul,” Fisher said.
“It was cold, but I felt cleansed,” Shawn said. “I just felt some of that heaviness on my heart and shoulders had been lifted. It gave me strength to continue.”
Lodge staff and some of the other couples prayed for Shawn after agreeing to support him on his journey of faith.
