Day 4

Good morning friends and family. So sorry we didn't get yesterday's post to you sooner. We left the Adventure Learning Center at 9am and did not return until 9pm.

Team Jordy had the opportunity to minister to the disabled while Team Dale ministered to those in the down's home. There were also a few kids with autism. Each team returned and said it was a wonderful experience to be able to see how excited the kids got to see them, to play games, and to give/receive hugs, high fives, etc. These kids live at home and come to the ministries during the day. We noticed how well taken care of they are, which meant their families loved and cared for them - such a blessing in the Bahamas, where kids are not valued.

Bahamian kids who are wealthy enough go to school. In order to go to school, they must purchase a school uniform. If they do not have a uniform, they cannot go to school. Also, they are taught to respect their elders by saying "yes ma'am" "yes sir." If they do not, they are beaten.

We have seen Dunkin Donuts, Wendy's, gas stations, and other western conveniences. The Bahama's is so close to the USA that we've been able to see its influence.

We have been blessed with overcast weather for the majority of the trip. Yesterday we did hear thunder, but it seemed to just be teasing and not really opening the skies. Later it poured, which was more of a discouragement than a blessing at the moment.

So after the teams returned from the disabled homes, we returned to Calvary church, where we attended church on Sunday, and ate our packed lunches of sandwiches, fruit, and chips. Then we got down to work and helped them decorate their gym for their program called Crosstrainers. Originally, they were doing the AWANA program, but replaced it with Crosstrainers because it required the kids to have a daily devotional time along with memory verses.

After we decorated, at 3pm we went on a prayer walk. Note that it had been raining and Bahamians are afraid of rain. The Lord closed the skies and we split up to pray over the city and to invite the children to church from 6pm-8pm (pizza and water provided). Part of the city does not have running water in homes so the natives use a public pump. When we were walking around puddles of water, we prayed for the people to have running water in their homes. It's a work in progress, and we know what a blessing it is to have running water. The ALC occasionally will be without water for a few minutes, and we Americans get anxiety over it because we know what a blessing running water is. It means showers! It means flushable toilets! It means you can wash your hands!

When we returned to the church, we ate dinner and the skies let loose. Close lighting bolts struck, loud thunder cracked; we weren't sure if the parents would allow their kids to come, let alone how afraid we were told they are to rain.

At 5:50pm the kids began trickling in! We had about 45-50 kids ranging from 2yrs-18yrs. The kids played games similar to those of AWANA, but even better! Our team had a blast watching and cheering them on! Midway through, the little ones were excused to craft. Once they returned, the pastor gave the Gospel message and three boys stood up stating they wanted to receive Christ as their Savior.

That evening, on our way back to the ALC, we were shocked by the flooding, which was a foot high in some locations.

It's now Wednesday and the team is currently finishing up their daily devotionals before getting down and dirty. Today, we are working 6 hours at the Adventure Learning Center and the camp associated with it across the street. We will be finishing the painting projects, the wood hauling, the cement making, along with cleaning the facilities at the ALC and other projects at the camp across the street.

Thank you for your continued prayers! We are getting tired so pray for strength to continue working, especially a full 6yr day. Today, our read about God being the reason we do what we do. Jesus came to serve, not to be serve, which is profound after sacrificing the American conveniences of clean clothes and manicured...everything. It is so true, though. If you lose your life for Christ's sake, you find it.