Orientation

After passing through customs, we were met by our host, Raoul Armbrister, Bahamas Director for Island Encounters. We loaded all of our luggage onto a truck and boarded a bus for the Xanadu Hotel and Beach Resort. The Xanadu hotel is very nice. We had a few hours to settle in at the hotel, and then gathered at the Island Encounters headquarters for pizza! (Several folks were in no mood for lunch on the boat, so, now feeling much better, the pizza was just right!)



Once we finished dinner, our music team led us in worship and Raoul issued a challenge and a few words of encouragement to our team. "Come not with expectations, but do come expantant of God's working in this trip." He pointed out that trips like this and this type of work tends to require flexibility, and that there will be things that don't go just as planned. "Don't be put off by these 'interruptions', for it is in these times that God will have something great for us."

Raoul also led our orientation, outlining our projects and schedule for the week.

The community youth center we had planned to work on was recently completed by another group, so we'll actually be working on another project. There is a young lady with mental handicaps who lives in a nearby village. A group will be doing some construction work on her home. She doesn't have running water, but hopefully will soon. We'll be putting in some plumbing, building a kitchen cabinet, and putting in a kitchen sink.

We will also be leading Bible school everyday this week for a different group of children each day. Monday and Tuesday we will be working with children in the nearby village. Wednesday and Thursday we will be working with children at a local school near here in the city. We could have nearly a hundred children each day! We've planned games and activities, Bible stories, and some music. The miracle may be if we can manage all of these kids!

Raoul has a strong passion to see this country impacted for Christ, and he sees that happening as individuals' hearts are touched by God's love. "The power of short term missions," he said, "is that you are here for just a few days to give all that you have been given by God. To some he allows you to plant. To some he allows you to water. God even allows to some the wonderful privilege of seeing the harvest. But whatever you do this week, you will be a part of God's working in the lives of the people of the Bahamas."

We'll see more clearly what that part of God's working looks like for us as we begin our work in the morning.