Month: July 2014

Today Noah Rockmore led us in group devotions talking about using the gifts of the Holy Spirit to benefit those God calls us to serve. We then headed off for our final day of service at the church. Our team did a great job running the program and loving on the children. It was sad to part ways, but we are thankful for a wonderful church in the community that will continue to invest in their lives. We finished pouring the cement floor and our painting yesterday, so today we mixed concrete and poured a sidewalk. More hard work but it was awesome seeing everyone working hard with great attitudes. After we finished, we cleaned up, then prayed over the church and Pastor Exante. What a joy to partner with him in a small way this week. After returning to camp, 6 of our girls and I went to the canal and enjoyed a swim and some cliff diving. It was so beautiful and very fun. Today is the Bahamian Independence Day, so there were many more people swimming in the canal than when we were there on Monday. Tomorrow is our free day, so we will be going to the market and spending the afternoon at the beach. Thank you for your continued prayers. We have felt their impact!

 

This morning we were led in devotions by Claudia Mahaffy who shared from James chapter 1 about remembering the things God is teaching us here on the trip and applying those things to our lives when we return home. We headed back to our ministry site and did our VBS with the kids and spent the afternoon doing more painting and mixing cement. At 2:30pm through the doors at the airport walked … Scarlet! She was the young lady whose passport did not come in before our departure. It came in the mail yesterday and she was able to get on the flight down today. We are very excited to have her with us for the remainder of our trip. This evening we are going over to tour the Adventure Learning Centre connected to the camp we are staying at and experience their planetarium – the only one in the Caribbean.

 

This morning we went through our usual routine of breakfast, quiet time, and group devotions. Today Steven Benz led the devotional and did a great job talking about the Holy Spirit. We then took a group picture with the other team that is here at the camp with us from Pennsylvania, then we headed off to our ministry sites. We had a good 50 plus children show up for VBS today. After lunch we got to work. Some of our group painted, priming two large walls in the church. The rest of the team mixed and poured cement. We got about a quarter of the floor that we are working on done today. It was hot, sweaty, and hard work, but our team is continuing to serve with gladness and joy. We appreciate your prayers.

From Rachel’s dad Rick:

We have heard from Rachel. The doctors performed the CT-Scan this morning instead of afternoon. Everything is CLEAR!!! Legally, the doctors cannot release her from the hospital, but per Rachel “a couple of doctors” suggested she could check herself out and would be flying home “at her own risk.” BUT GOD!!!!!! They will be flying home on angels’ wings!!!! Please continue to pray her shunt will not malfunction. We are still believing for a total and complete healing per my original post several days ago!!! I am waiting on a call from Rachel and hope to have more info after talking to her. I will be on the road, but will post what I can from my phone. PLEASE continue praying!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS, LOVE, COMPASSION AND PRAYERS!!! No words exist that can express our gratefulness for the outpouring from all over the world on Rachel’s and our family’s behalf!!!!!!!!!!

I received this update last night. It’s the latest I have heard through her aunt:

Got update on Rachel from her dad, Rick. The doctors were able to flush and have drained her shunt and relieved the pressure on her brain, she is feeling better. There are many people in Brazil trying to make arrangements to get her on a flight home tomorrow. She was scheduled to fly home Wednesday; she is being held in the hospital for observation, so all will depend on her shunt being able to stay free flowing. God is hearing and answering all your prayers for Rachel, they need to continue PLEASE! Thank you all so much for your love, support and prayers!

This morning after breakfast and devotions we loaded up and headed to our ministry site for the week – a Baptist church in a mostly Haitian section of town. We sorted out our supplies and set up for VBS. When we started we had about 10 children there. By the time we ended we had 35 kids. We had songs, a Bible lesson, crafts, snacks, and games. After the kids left we had lunch then spent a couple of hours shoveling and wheelbarrowing fill into the church in preparation for the cement floor that we are planning to pour this week. The team worked hard and it was a great day. When we returned to camp, about half of our team headed to a canal for some swimming. The other half stayed at camp to shower. We have all now cleaned up and are heading in for dinner and chapel. Thanks for continuing to pray for us!

This morning we arrived at the airport and everything went smoothly with the exception of an hour delay as we waited for our plane to arrive. The flight was uneventful and we landed and made it through immigration and customs without incident. We arrived at the Adventure Learning Centre and Camp about 4pm. Got settled in, unpacked, had dinner and now having our evening chapel. Tomorrow we begin our work running a VBS and pouring a cement floor at a church. Thanks for praying for us.

On Tuesday night we had the fun of going to the Yankees game as a family. The Yanks lost, but being together for a shared experience was great.