Hard to Say Goodbye

The last day at the worksite is always the hardest. As we look around at the home, we can't believe that this will be the last chance to physically make a change to it. So many goals on Monday morning of what we wanted to accomplish are coming to an end. We also know that the relationships we have created are also coming to an end. As people work there is a different sense of urgency and pace. There are no more tomorrows. This year was a little different than most. The jobs promised weren't the ones we focused on. No roofing, only about 5 sheets of drywall, and no painting. Instead we created an outdoor space for the family to spend their time in that is inviting, colorful, and full of love. Since it is so hot here and electricity so expensive for people in the village, they spend almost most of their time outside. So much creativity went into the space. We painted trees, rocks, and their makeshift fence made out of pallets. We made a rock lined path leading them to a prayer garden that was filled with scripture verses. A group made two picnic tables for them to sit safely and comfortably. One of the coolest things we did was build a tire swing for one of the trees in the back. Very cool. Miss Vienna really wanted us to see the community to fully understand the people and lifestyle that is present here. The kids took a walk to her craft store, the local bakery, their beach, and other places nearby. It was great for us to bond so much with the little village of Russell Town. But like all good things, this week must come to an end. Trying to get the team on the bus is like trying to herd a litter of kittens. Every time you think. You've got them all, one slips away and gets out to hug another village child. Tears were flowing from both us and them, both of sadness and of joy. Sad that we are leaving, but joyful that we could make such a difference in their lives, and them in ours, in so short a time.

The Next Steps

All good things must come to an end and this trip is no exception. So many wonderful things took place this week - 35 people chosen by God found a purpose on this island. They found work to do, kids to play with, and other ways to help people. But now that we are heading home soon, the kids need to find a purpose back in the states. Many of them are wondering how will they know what God wants them to do. And that's a tough question because even us adults don't know what God wants them to do. Sometimes it seems as soon as you think you have it figured out, He throws you a curveball. The focus of our week was getting to know the Holy Spirit and accepting Him into our lives. We must focus our hearts to listen to what He is telling us and allowing Him to guide us. While we are here, there are no distractions - phones, TV, friends, jobs, school, sports. It's easy to put all of your attention on God. You can't not see His work at all times. The people we meet here have so little and are so grateful for it. There is poverty, economic decline, terrible living conditions, yet they praise Him for what they do have, not curse Him for what they don't. This is a great lesson for us to take home. We live in the land of plenty, yet are constantly looking for more. When obstacles get in our way, we blame God and say "How can He do this to us?" Our eyes have been opened to His power, not through the things He gives us, but through the people that He surrounds us with. Thank you for al of your support and prayers this week. We felt them and they kept us going. Continue to pray for these young people each and every day.

Rain Rain Go Away

It was a good thing that we were a little more prepared in the morning to work today because the afternoon was a wash - literally. The oppressive heat and sun were pushed aside for an afternoon thunderstorm. At first it was a huge relief for the cool air and rain to to arrive, but it just didn't want to leave. Fortunately we had the empty house we are working on to gather and keep dry, but it stifled the work that was being done in the house. Speaking of that, the inside work is a little more complicated than anticipated. The house we are working on has been a project for about 10 years. The way houses are built is a little different in the Bahamas. Each time they get some money, they build. And then they wait for more money, then they build. They don't hire contractors to build in the village, they do it themselves. This can lead to some problems for Americans who come down expecting the house is being built to code. There is no code, no inspections, no permits, nothing. So when we started installing drywall, we finally noticed that it looks like a spiderweb of studs with just scraps of 2x4's. There was no consistent measurement being done. Some were 21 inches apart, some 24, others 16. There were parts of the ceiling had no cross beams so we had no where to secure some ends of the drywall. It was like putting a puzzle together. Our skill set hasn't prepared us for this type of work. We were able to build another picnic table, finish the electrical work, and continue the art work surrounding the house. We closed our night by welcoming the Holy Spirit in a moving beach service. Two brave team members gave testimonies about their journey, we spent quiet time on the beach in prayer, and worshipped Jesus in song. Many people were worried that we would get rained on because is was still sprinkling and thundering with about 15 minutes before we were to start. But as always God delivered. The sky cleared and it was a perfect night to become aware of His presence in this place. We have one more work day to go. Miss Vienna is going to take a group on an island tour to see her shop, the beach, the post office, and other parts of the community in Eight Mile Rock. We end our night with shopping at the port tonight. Please pray for health and safety. Also pray that these young people truly accept the Holy Spirit into their lives.

Another hot one!

We know it's going to be hot when you come down here. I try to prepare everyone the best I can with the numbers, but you can't truly understand it until you step off the plane. It's just different down here. The sun burns a little more, the humidity is a little thicker. It's just plain hot. So when all of the locals - Raoul and Karen, the people at the hotel, our friends in the village - tell us that is hasn't been this hot in over 15 years, you don't feel so bad complaining about it. We started our day early to try to beat the heat and get the site, but like I mentioned yesterday, things move slowly. We had to stop at store for some electrical supplies, it took over an hour to get the help and some of the things we needed, so we still had to go to another store for the wire. Instead of arriving at 10 am, it was closer to 11. Miss Vienna still wouldn't let us on the roof because of the heat. Bummer. But there was a group of about 10 kids waiting for us to come teach the bandana doll craft and they were so excited. What a success! The kids loved it and Vienna wants to use the idea to create more for the kids at craft camp. We also brought the wiffle balls and beach balls to play with. The arts and craft team when crazy painting trees and redesigning the land to make seating areas. A few kids decided to clear out some space to create a prayer garden. A bunch of kids continued to machete the brush to create more space for the kids. And finally a group made our first picnic table for the house so they can hang out and eat outside. We talked today about how people pick and choose when they seek the Holy Spirit, and how there are many Christians by name only. Once you can identify the barriers that are keeping Him from working in us, the sooner you can live Spirit-filled life. As a team we are focused on bringing the kids closer to knowing the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to work in our lives. As I type this on Wednesday morning, I know what a great day this will be. We will see a lot of progress on the site - we are finally ready to put up the drywall - and we end the day with my favorite part of the trip - the beach service. Praying that all goes well today and everyone on the trip can see how the Holy Spirit can work in our lives.

Bahama Time

For us northeasterners, it's a big adjustment coming down to the Bahamas. We are used to the moving at a different pace. We are always on the move and in a hurry it seems. Well that all changes when you come down here. We quickly get introduced to "Bahama time." The importance of time is viewed very differently on the island. You get there when you get there. That doesn't bode well when you only have so much time during our week, so we seem to get trapped in the scenario of "hurrying up to wait." That was basically our day Monday. After breakfast, we got the bus ready with all our supplies. Lists were created and double checked, water bottles were filled, and all the sunscreen was applied. But there was one thing missing - Raoul. He was called away for a video meeting with the directors of Samaritan's Purse, so after rushing to get ready, we waited. So after a little wait, we finally arrived at the worksite. Because Sunday was Bahamian Independence Day, stores were closed on Monday in observance of the holiday. Last week when I spoke with Raoul and Karen about trip details, they decided to order some things we would need for the job - shingles and Sheetrock - in advance to be delivered on Saturday who when we arrived today it would be there. One problem, we need to run the electric in the house before putting up the Sheetrock and we had no electrical supplies. No worries, right? We can put some kids on the roof to help with the shingles. Well, the homeowners would not let any of the kids on the roof because of the intense heat. The island is in one of the hottest stretches since 2002, and they feared that we wouldn't be able to handle it. There are two other building projects to work on, but since the stores were closed we couldn't get the supplies necessary to start. So we needed a way to keep busy and productive. Instead of moping and complaining, the kids found so many ways to occupy themselves. We visited the site from last year, which was just around the corner. Miss Vienna took some kids on a tour of the area so we could meet the people we will be serving food to on Friday. Colleen gathered some kids to work on the beautification team - painting trees, fences, collecting garbage items to be artistically recycled. We were macheteing (not a word) some space to build the tables. Even though the work was not what we planned since we were all excited to hurry up and get to the site, the waiting didn't put a damper on our day. We began the important task of building relationships with the people of Eight Mile Rock. Like Raoul has told us so many times, the houses will eventually fall into disrepair again. It's relationships are what will last for eternity. Sometimes we need to slow down and see what's truly important about this trip. ]\aAq

Don't Worry, Be Happy

The days leading up the this trip can be mighty stressful. I not only have to worry about getting myself ready, I need to make sure that 34 other people get everything prepared. One of the worst times is Saturday morning. We are at the mercy of the airlines and TSA, so getting held up at the airport and missing the flight is one of my biggest fears. While I was eating my breakfast Saturday morning, I opened up the devotion for July 9th's 'Jesus Calling.' You know how sometimes you think, "Was that a God thing?" When I read the title, there was no doubt - "Stop Worrying Long Enough to Hear My Voice." Just what I needed. I had done my part to get the team to this point. It was time to let go and let God take over the trip. From there out, everything went smoother than any trip we'd ever had. The team got there on time, the bus left on time, we arrived with no issues, the lines at the airport were no problem, we departed on time, had a smooth flight, landed 10 minutes early, checked in at the hotel with minimum problems. The kids were great all day. They were playing cards, laughing, helping each other with luggage, swimming, splashing. I kind of was waiting for something to happen, and then it finally did. Around 9 o'clock, as 28 people were crammed into one room playing Empire, and I was about to jump in the shower, the power went out. I kind of chuckled thinking about how God has a way of humbling people when they got it under control. It was only out a couple minutes, but long enough for me to get the message. Today was another incredible day. It was great to see the reactions to the service. Not only do they last for about 2 and a half hours, the message is usually filled with politics and government issues as well. Definitely something different from what we are used to. The message was given by one of the church's elders, Elder Smith. She was FIRED UP! She was using a microphone, but she did not need one. Her message was a simple one - you were born with a purpose. You don't know what it is, but it is there. And God has assigned a time to complete your purpose. She also touched on what God has given us to keep us from deviating from that purpose - the Holy Spirit. If you're not aware of the devotion verse for the week, it's from Galations 5:25 "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Each day we will be focusing on different aspects of the Holy Spirit and how to listen to Him. It seems that every year the message at our church service is connected to what we are studying in small groups. Just a little wink from God saying, "Don't worry, I got this!" Please pray for out team as we begin our work in the village of Eight Mile Rock.

The Final Countdown

With only days to go until the trip, the final countdown has begun! (How many of you are playing the keyboard in your heads and singing right now? Sorry - hehe) As our departure day gets closer, this trip becomes more real. No more, "I'll take care of that later." It's right around the corner now. For me, the last minute preparations are not a big deal. Since this is year 12, I can pretty much pack my things in a few minutes. I just take out the bag of mission trip clothes from my closet that I haven't worn since last summer! Because of this, I sometimes take for granted just how nerve-wrecking it can be for all of the new members. I was speaking to a few kids (and adults) at church Sunday about how nervous they were. They were seeking work clothes advice (Are these shorts too short?), room assignments (We have to share a bed?), leader devotion preparation (I've already read the first three days!), and the itinerary for departure (Do we really need to be at church by 5:30? YES!). These questions and conversations brought me back to year 1 of the trip way back in 2005. If you've heard the story before, you can scroll to the end, but I'm telling it again anyway. Way back in the fall of 2004, Ken Parker came to me and asked if I'd be willing to chaperone a trip to the Bahamas with the Senior High. I had only been a youth group leader for a few months and still felt like the new kid on the block. I was very hesitant, but with a push from my wife I decided to give it go. As I arrived at church to get on the bus to the airport, I was more nervous than ever. Not only about the trip, but how was I going to fit in. Seems silly, right? A 32 year old should not be afraid of what high school kids think of him, should he? Well I did. And since no one had been on this trip before, we didn't know anything about what would happen: the schedule, the hotel, the worksite, the food! Every moment was a brand new experience for all of us. It didn't take long for us to get into the routine and fall in love with the island. And by the end of the week, our random group of 16 had become a family. So much so that one of the trip members is one of my best friends now. (yes that's you Rob) And that is what is so awesome about having 21 new people on the trip this summer. I will get to be a part of that feeling all over again - watching them grow from strangers on that bus to a new family on that last night at our closing service. And hopefully along the way you create some friendships that will last a lifetime. God Bless this trip!!