Monday, February 26

Home, Sweet Home

Our mission team returned home Saturday evening, tired from a long week (and a long bus ride). But everyone was also proud of the work we'd all accomplished - more specifically, the work God had accomplished through us.

In the next week or so, we'll post some final pictures of the work that was done on the house. The transformation is incredible. Also, the team members should be writing some reflections on the trip and we'll also be preparing to go to our home churches to share about our experiences. We'll announce the dates of those presentations here and invite you to join us to hear in person the many stories of how God has worked through teenagers to shine His light on the people of the Bahamas.

Friday, February 23

Back In the USA

We made it back to Ft.Lauderdale and are staying in the same hotel we stayed at in the beginning of our trip. It's late and we're tired so it's off to bed (after a short trip to the next door Waffle House!).

We're pulling out at 6am in the morning and will call parents as we get close enough to better estimate our arrival time. Should be late afternoon/early evening.

Youth Interviews: Kyle, Audrey, Kate, Josh

This was an interview with teenagers Kyle Purnell (Buck Creek UMC), Audrey Mallard (Statesboro FUMC), Kate Brunson (Statesboro FUMC) and Josh Lee (Sylvania UMC).

Q: What are your most significant memories of the trip and our work this week?

Josh: I was really looking forward to the construction, but I think working with the kids was the best. It was really touching. They all look up to you and it was just fun playing ball with them.

Audrey: For me, it was so many things I can't pick just one. All the kids, they trust you all of a sudden. They just see you and latch on to you.

Kate: At our Bible schools at home, the kids are so shy and don't talk the first day or so, but not here. These kids are always laughing and smiling...

Kyle: And grabbing you!

Audrey: Singing with Celestina and her neighbor was a memorable experience.

Kyle: We sang Amazing Grace like five times.

Josh: Church last night was wild! Long, but it was interesting.

Kate: The songs and the music and the shouting for the preacher... it was so different. It would just go on and on.

Audrey: The songs were so simple. Just a couple words.

Josh: Yeah, and we'd sing it for like thirty minutes.

Audrey: It was neat how they were not concerned about the instrumentation.

Kyle: At my church people just stand for one or two of the songs. Here they would stand for anything... and almost everything.

Kate: And the people would just throw in phrases with the preacher in the sermon.

Audrey: Going into the schools for Bible school was neat. We could just go in and nobody really cared. And they would see us and be excited and shout "white girls"!

Kyle: It was weird how we come over here and we're from a different country and ethnic group and all that and if somebody came to us and did that, we would be suspicious. They were all so welcoming.

Kate: If people came into our town to do something like that for us, it would seem kind of different.

Josh: We've got that where we live and don't think about it.

Kyle: Like our regular Sunday isn't their every Sunday. Plus, I'll also remember Jorel.

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Jorel is a young man from Haiti who works with Raoul. Jorel has gone through the long process to legally be allowed out of that country. He has a wife and child still in Haiti. They are currently working through the process to join him. They still talk by phone everyday and look forward to being together again. He was around all week helping serve our dinners and doing much of the "behind the scenes" work.

Friday and Heading Home

We're here near the end of our trip. It's Friday afternoon, and we've just returned from our sight-seeing tour and from snorkeling at the coral reef. INCREDIBLE! There were fish and giant sting rays and large coral plants. It was so amazing.

We're about to load the bus and go to the ship. We'll take the cruise ship back to Ft.Lauderdale this afternoon. It's supposed to depart at 4:30 which would put us into Florida around 9:30 or 10. We'll try to update the site tonight to say we're back in the states. We're looking forward to sleeping in our own beds again.

Thursday, February 22

Youth Interviews: Blair, Christy, Olivia

This was an interview with teenagers Blair Adams (Statesboro FUMC), Christy Starling (Brooklet UMC), and Olivia Chester (Statesboro FUMC).

Q: What will be some of your biggest memories of all you've done for God this week?

Blair: Definitely helping with the kids.

Christy: Yeah!

Blair: They were so excited about everything we did with them. And we were all excited too.

Olivia: I met this little girl and spent some time with her and was helping her. When we were about to leave she came up to me and said, "Thank you. I had a good time that you were here." That really touched my heart because she meant it.

Christy: I think one of my biggest memories will be this one little boy at Bible school. He was a real wild child, all over the place the whole time. Then when we were closing for the day, he volunteered to say a prayer, and it was so special the things he said. Like he really did get something out of it.

Blair: It was from the heart.

Olivia: I'll remember talking to the lady whose house we've worked on. She was showing us pictures of her kids and grand-kids and would tel us their names and where they lived. She seemed happy just to have someone to talk too and someone who would listen to her.

Christy: And the church service we went to in the Bahamas. It was so loud... and long!

Blair: It was something different than usual. And the little boy playing the drums. He was thirteen and couldn't even see over the drums.

Olivia: I won't forget them.

Blair: And all the pastors the sat on the stage cheering on the preacher. It was neat.

Tuesday, February 20

Letters Home: Colby Cromley

Hey everybody! Just wanted to let ya'll know we are doing great! Today we painted... got a little messy, but very fun! The woman we are helping out is very nice. She is very spiritual in the Lord. We all have some sunburn. I really can feel the temperature change. The beach is beautiful and colorful. The bahamian kids are very wild and fun. Last night we went to the grocery store...the cereal cost $10 to $11 dollars!...little choclates were like $6. All in all we are having fun helping this lady, and growing closer to the lord. Love you mam and dad! (and Haley!)
-COLBY CROMLEY

Letters Home: Erin Haskins

I knew before I came that God had someone in store for me to meet. I met him yesterday. His name is Jacobian, he is disabled, he was older than the other kids, but his mentality was on the level of the things we were doing. He came in and sat down by himself, and was apprehensive at first, but warmed up. I helped him color, sing, dance, play, and become part of the group. Jacobian was truly a blessing to me. I believe that Jacobian was the one God intended for me to meet. I miss my dad and brother, but I know I will miss the people of the Bahamas just as much when I leave.
-Erin Haskins

Letters Home: Ann Haskins

I could never imagine how much the Lord is blessing me and Erin here in the Bahamas. I fought this trip - God has shown Himself (once again). He always meets our needs. We are meeting many new friends. We miss Ray and Hayden (love you both very much). Don't want to leave this place, but at the same time can't wait to see you soon. We love you all!
-Ann Haskins

Letters Home: Kyle Purnell

Although we had a rough trip over here its been great. Everyone is doing great and we can really feel the spirit through the lady who we are fixing this house for. She is real spiritual and she was singing amazing grace this morning. The kids are a little wild but we are handling them pretty well. But other than that its really hot. I hope yall are doing good and I love you mama and daddy.
-Kyle Purnell

Youth Interviews: Alice, Colby, Emily

This was an interview with teenagers Alice Morgan (Sylvania UMC), Colby Cromley (Brooklet UMC), and Emily Burk (Middle Ground Bapt.).

Q: So far, what memories of this trip will stand out for you? What have you been impressed by?

Alice: I'll remember when we first got off the boat and the water was so clear and it was breezy. The sun cracked through the clouds after it was rainy on the boat ride. It was all so different. It really hit you that you weren't in Kansas anymore.

Emily: I liked going down to the school to play with the kids and invite them to Bible school. They wanted to play rock-paper-scissors and sing like American Idol. It was fun that they were so excited just to hang out and talk to and get to know. Like the two little boys, Nathan and Robert Ray - they were so sweet!

Colby: And we went by the grocery store last night to get some snacks, and they had this little can of EasyCheese and, dude, it was like six dollars. And boxes of cereal for nine and ten dollars a box! And yesterday while we were painting the house, this lady's neighbor came over to help us paint the house, and she was wanting to sing hymns with us - but it was Bahamian style.

Emily: Yeah, she was putting some soul into it!

Alice: Monday night's devotion on the beach was really neat. It was kind of surreal. It was like you were at church with out being at church; like God's creation was our sancturary.

Emily: With the stars. And the sound of waves.

Colby: Yeah, that was great.

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Brooke Brookins and Audrey Mallard led us in our devotion time Monday night. We met on the beach behind our hotel after supper. They talked about how sometimes God speaks through burning bushes or scripture that's directly about your situation, but other times his speaking comes through a small whilsper or from unexpected places. They urged us to be listening for God to speak to us and be looking for where God is at work around us this week.