My first week back in Jamaica in July was incredible. Our team served in Mt. Peace, just a short drive outside of Montego Bay. We hosted their very first VBS at Mt. Peace New Testament Church of God. It was moving to see these young children hunger for God's Word and to learn more about Him. In the afternoons we attempted to help expand the church building to include office space for the pastor. I say attempted to because the rains came in full force. The team worked each afternoon soaked to the bone, and seemed to enjoy every raindrop. It was also terrific to see the way the church and community members came to work alongside our team. It was a tremendous picture of the body of Christ.
The second week was my biggest week leading teams. I had groups from six different churches, totaling almost 70 persons. We worked in three different groups across an area in the mountains of Jamaica called Balaclava. This week I truly learned to trust God because when you have that many people serving God in three different locations, anything can happen. But God showed His greatness that week in a way that was astounding. Many people surrendered their hearts to Christ, and lives were transformed in the community and in our teams. It had never been so clear to me that God had gone before me and laid the plans for our time in Balaclava. This week was also a stellar blessing for me as my husband was able to serve with us that week, and I watched as the men in each of the different groups surrounded him with love and brought him in as a part of their team and family. What an awesome God we serve.
My final week in Jamaica was in Elgin Town, on the Lucea Bay (pronounced Lucy), just outside of Mobay near Mt. Peace. Elgin Town New Testament Church of God is actually sister churches with Mt. Peace New Testament Church of God. We also hosted Elgin Town's first VBS and the children came in droves to hear God's Word and participate in the activities we had planned for them. Something truly unique happened as well - dozens of youth showed up too. This is amazing because it can be a struggle to get teens, especially boys, into the church. God was certainly moving in the hearts of those in the community of Elgin Town. In the afternoons our team divided into two groups: one stayed at the church and helped with some construction, and the other group ministered at one of the local orphanages. What I've failed to tell you up to this point is that 1/3 of this team was children under the age of 10. And boy, if they didn't out work us all! After spending the week with these guys I felt like I couldn't get any more blessed.
I want to share so much of what I learned this summer but there isn't time in this post, so I am going to do my best to compose my thoughts and a series of other entries detailing the lessons I came away with from Jamaica. Also, four days after returning home I journeyed with my church on mission to South Africa for my third year in a row. I hope to share some of my time there with you all as well.
Be patient with me as I gather my thoughts since God certainly did blow my mind this summer. Thanks for your support and prayers over the past few months. Please continue to pray for me as I shift back into the day to day. Pray for those who served with me, both from the States and in Jamaica that God will continue to reveal Himself to them in mighty ways. After experiencing the things we did, there is no going back to normal - and who would want to anyway?! What a mighty God we serve!
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