"Our only regret is not seeing a moose," Rafael said. The team's optimism was high, however, as they prepared to drive to Anchorage Friday morning to catch their flight back to Omaha, with a side trip to Seward.

Rafael credited Cathy Knott, of Homer, with the idea of planting vegetables to benefit the Food Pantry. Knott is the former North American director for Heifer International, a worldwide organization whose mission is to "end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth."

"Cathy has worked for months on the landscape layout and design of the labyrinth," said Judy Millikin of Homer. "She has been the main spearhead for this effort."

Jim Henkelman of Homer and his brother, Joel, provided the necessary effort to level the ground and prepare it for the volunteers from Omaha.

Last year a visiting youth team from Signal Mountain Baptist Church near Chattanooga, Tenn., installed siding on the small church with the red door. A recent financial donation from an individual in the Lower 48 helped complete some trim work and other projects. That individual learned about St. Augustine's through Rev. Bob Cooper or New Orleans, La., who, with wife Sallie, has spent seven summers traveling to Homer to serve the small congregation.

One of the Omaha team's last activities Thursday was arranging large beach rocks and newly planted flowers inside St. Augustine's. The Rev. Judith Lethin recorded the activity with her camera. Lethin lives in Seldovia, but flies to Homer every Sunday to hold services at St. Augustine's.

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibbenjackinsky.@homernews.com.