July, August, September, Irma, and Maria (hurricane season) o th
Hey everybody! This summer was a whirlwind. So much happened and began. God has opened incredible doors and is moving in crazy awesome ways. I normally try to load up this blog with pictures, however most of my photos are safely on my laptop, which happens to be back in St Kitts. The kids and I are in TN, and we are currently waiting out hurricane Maria as it starts to pass over our beloved island. But I'm getting ahead of myself. More on September in a minute.
July! Every month so far has gotten hotter and hotter lol. Even so, July was a fun month. Aaron's parents finished up their visit and a wonderful intern name Hannah stayed with us for two weeks. We spent the month finalizing plans to launch CR in the prison, showing our new home to our visitors, and enjoying summer break with our kids. By the end of July we had launched into our school year (kindergarten and 3rd grade, how is that even possible!?!?!). We also FINALLY got to start Celebrate Recovery at Her Majesty's Prison! I have the privilege to spend 2 hours each week doing a 12-step study with 7 women and Aaron is leading a 1 hour worship and teaching session in the men's courtyard. He has had around 30 guys intentionally participating, and most of the 200 men are within earshot during the service. Aaron is just a couple weeks away from beginning 12-steps with these men! July also including our sweet friends the Graysons being on furlough, and we really missed them. But we are glad they got that time to share about what the Lord is doing through the church and their ministries on the island. We also had some really wonderful friends move off the island, and we still miss their presence and friendship and wisdom! Lots of hellos and lots of goodbyes. We are learning just how often those two word get said on the mission field.
August kept going with all the momentum that had built up in July. We adjusted to the routine of school, and planning, and preparing for ministry times, and running CR, and CR trainings. At this point God had opened doors for CR at the juvenile detention center (New Horizons) as well as on the men's side of the prison and the women's side, PLUS we entered our last few weeks of training with Beacon of Hope church and CCF in preparation for a community CR! Do you remember when we used to post about being bored and how things were moving slowly? Well we definitely don't have that problem anymore lol. Over August we started to build more relationships with people involved in our ministries and our church. I am loving getting to know the women in the prison! To hear them honestly express their fears and desires and to recognize their hurting and broken places has been a blessing. We had 1 woman who felt ready to give her life to the Lord at our last 12 steps meeting! And oh how I celebrated having this new sister in Christ! The other women have expressed hesitation and been honest about not wanting to give up old habits, and hang outs, and people. Please join me in praying that they choose the Lord over those things, and that God knocks loudly on the doors of their hearts and that they become desperate for Him! Please pray against the cultural and religious lies that they have been told. Every week we discuss that God loves them right now, as they are, and that He will forgive them and continue to forgive them. Forever. No matter what. Aaron's group on the men side is also blowing us away. Even though it's not a small group format, they all stay at the end to ask questions and dive into the topics further. We can tell that people are hungry to hear the gospel and to learn about grace and sanctification.
Now it's September. Crazy, nutty, but still God-ordained September. Around the very end of August we began to hear talk of a potential hurricane called Irma. She was way out to sea, but somehow St Kitts was in her possible path. Locals and long-term residents casually discussed the storm and the possibilities. Some compared it to the massive storms from '89 and '94. Many seemed unconcerned as no major hurricane had been close in 23 year. By September 1st the reality of this gigantic system was starting to sink in. For the first time in over two decades a Category 4-5 was being predicted to hit our tiny island home. After prayer and discussion, our amazing parents footed the bill and the kids and I were on a plane all the way to Tennessee. Aaron chose to stay on our island, knowing God asked him to, and trusting that God would use him as He wanted. After we left, Aaron was able to attend a presentation that one of his youths from New Horizons was speaking at. While there, Aaron got to shake the hand of St Kitts's Prime Minister Harris! And he got connected with a new organization that is helping men become leaders again in their communities and homes. After that, Aaron was able to house a sweet family from our church, as well as a new intern, during the hurricane. God was making it clear to us that we could trust His plan and His purposes. The first 6 days of September still felt like one long horrible day with various naps to help break it up. We were trusting God, but we knew that meant trusting Him no matter what happened. We have seen miracles happen and tragedy happen, and we have seen God move in both and use both for His glory and to draw people to himself. As I laid in bed begging God not to allow me to go through life without my love, I could feel such crazy peace because I knew that hundreds of you were praying for us and our heart country. When I was too tired and overwhelmed to utter any words in prayer, I knew that you wonderful people were lifting us up!
When we woke up Wednesday morning to a text from Aaron saying all was ok I felt like I could breath again for the first time in almost a week. Once we learned about the devastation on neighboring islands, we knew that what happened in St Kitts was nothing short of a miracle. There has been no other explanation. We want to sincerely thank you for all those prayers! With St Kitts having such little impact, our island quickly banded together to start sending aid to the islands around us. It has been incredible to hear of the generosity and genuine care and concern for the countries that surround us. In the middle of the crazy weather, Aaron and the team from Caribbean Christian Fellowship and Beacon of Hope Church had a soft launch of the community Celebrate Recovery program! It went really smoothly and several people showed up to check it out. We had such sweet feedback from our volunteers and we can't wait to see how God develops this ministry.
Even though the hurricane left St Kitts alone, the Miami airport was our connection back to St Kitts. We have been praying for everyone in the path of Irma, but the kids and I were pretty disappointed that our flights home last Friday were canceled. As we found ourselves with an extra week to spend in our hometown, I began asking God to just make me content where he had me. Over the weekend we have been able to see so many more people and we've been loved on, AND God has allowed us to serve and share our story since we've been here. He just keeps showing us that we can trust Him and we can trust His plans.
Now tonight I am wide awake, once again facing the fact that my love and my friends and my home are in the path of a second Category 5 hurricane. I wish I could say it's easier this time around, but it's really not. I'm still fighting the fear and the worry and the sleepless night. What I AM doing, though, is resting in the One who is in control and who will sustain us through this and who will continue to do the good work He began in us and in St Kitts.
Please continue to pray for the people that the Lord is bringing to and preparing for Celebrate Recovery!
Pray for safety of the entire Caribbean as Maria blows through.
Pray that God gets us reunited as a family soon! (We miss Aaron so crazy bad!)
But also pray that we are aware of how God may still want to use us here before we go.
If you want to help support our ministry and all God is doing through Celebrate Recovery St Kitts, please visit ssmfi.org/missionary/aaron-and-katelyn-comer
Love you all!
The Comers
July! Every month so far has gotten hotter and hotter lol. Even so, July was a fun month. Aaron's parents finished up their visit and a wonderful intern name Hannah stayed with us for two weeks. We spent the month finalizing plans to launch CR in the prison, showing our new home to our visitors, and enjoying summer break with our kids. By the end of July we had launched into our school year (kindergarten and 3rd grade, how is that even possible!?!?!). We also FINALLY got to start Celebrate Recovery at Her Majesty's Prison! I have the privilege to spend 2 hours each week doing a 12-step study with 7 women and Aaron is leading a 1 hour worship and teaching session in the men's courtyard. He has had around 30 guys intentionally participating, and most of the 200 men are within earshot during the service. Aaron is just a couple weeks away from beginning 12-steps with these men! July also including our sweet friends the Graysons being on furlough, and we really missed them. But we are glad they got that time to share about what the Lord is doing through the church and their ministries on the island. We also had some really wonderful friends move off the island, and we still miss their presence and friendship and wisdom! Lots of hellos and lots of goodbyes. We are learning just how often those two word get said on the mission field.
August kept going with all the momentum that had built up in July. We adjusted to the routine of school, and planning, and preparing for ministry times, and running CR, and CR trainings. At this point God had opened doors for CR at the juvenile detention center (New Horizons) as well as on the men's side of the prison and the women's side, PLUS we entered our last few weeks of training with Beacon of Hope church and CCF in preparation for a community CR! Do you remember when we used to post about being bored and how things were moving slowly? Well we definitely don't have that problem anymore lol. Over August we started to build more relationships with people involved in our ministries and our church. I am loving getting to know the women in the prison! To hear them honestly express their fears and desires and to recognize their hurting and broken places has been a blessing. We had 1 woman who felt ready to give her life to the Lord at our last 12 steps meeting! And oh how I celebrated having this new sister in Christ! The other women have expressed hesitation and been honest about not wanting to give up old habits, and hang outs, and people. Please join me in praying that they choose the Lord over those things, and that God knocks loudly on the doors of their hearts and that they become desperate for Him! Please pray against the cultural and religious lies that they have been told. Every week we discuss that God loves them right now, as they are, and that He will forgive them and continue to forgive them. Forever. No matter what. Aaron's group on the men side is also blowing us away. Even though it's not a small group format, they all stay at the end to ask questions and dive into the topics further. We can tell that people are hungry to hear the gospel and to learn about grace and sanctification.
Now it's September. Crazy, nutty, but still God-ordained September. Around the very end of August we began to hear talk of a potential hurricane called Irma. She was way out to sea, but somehow St Kitts was in her possible path. Locals and long-term residents casually discussed the storm and the possibilities. Some compared it to the massive storms from '89 and '94. Many seemed unconcerned as no major hurricane had been close in 23 year. By September 1st the reality of this gigantic system was starting to sink in. For the first time in over two decades a Category 4-5 was being predicted to hit our tiny island home. After prayer and discussion, our amazing parents footed the bill and the kids and I were on a plane all the way to Tennessee. Aaron chose to stay on our island, knowing God asked him to, and trusting that God would use him as He wanted. After we left, Aaron was able to attend a presentation that one of his youths from New Horizons was speaking at. While there, Aaron got to shake the hand of St Kitts's Prime Minister Harris! And he got connected with a new organization that is helping men become leaders again in their communities and homes. After that, Aaron was able to house a sweet family from our church, as well as a new intern, during the hurricane. God was making it clear to us that we could trust His plan and His purposes. The first 6 days of September still felt like one long horrible day with various naps to help break it up. We were trusting God, but we knew that meant trusting Him no matter what happened. We have seen miracles happen and tragedy happen, and we have seen God move in both and use both for His glory and to draw people to himself. As I laid in bed begging God not to allow me to go through life without my love, I could feel such crazy peace because I knew that hundreds of you were praying for us and our heart country. When I was too tired and overwhelmed to utter any words in prayer, I knew that you wonderful people were lifting us up!
When we woke up Wednesday morning to a text from Aaron saying all was ok I felt like I could breath again for the first time in almost a week. Once we learned about the devastation on neighboring islands, we knew that what happened in St Kitts was nothing short of a miracle. There has been no other explanation. We want to sincerely thank you for all those prayers! With St Kitts having such little impact, our island quickly banded together to start sending aid to the islands around us. It has been incredible to hear of the generosity and genuine care and concern for the countries that surround us. In the middle of the crazy weather, Aaron and the team from Caribbean Christian Fellowship and Beacon of Hope Church had a soft launch of the community Celebrate Recovery program! It went really smoothly and several people showed up to check it out. We had such sweet feedback from our volunteers and we can't wait to see how God develops this ministry.
Even though the hurricane left St Kitts alone, the Miami airport was our connection back to St Kitts. We have been praying for everyone in the path of Irma, but the kids and I were pretty disappointed that our flights home last Friday were canceled. As we found ourselves with an extra week to spend in our hometown, I began asking God to just make me content where he had me. Over the weekend we have been able to see so many more people and we've been loved on, AND God has allowed us to serve and share our story since we've been here. He just keeps showing us that we can trust Him and we can trust His plans.
Now tonight I am wide awake, once again facing the fact that my love and my friends and my home are in the path of a second Category 5 hurricane. I wish I could say it's easier this time around, but it's really not. I'm still fighting the fear and the worry and the sleepless night. What I AM doing, though, is resting in the One who is in control and who will sustain us through this and who will continue to do the good work He began in us and in St Kitts.
Please continue to pray for the people that the Lord is bringing to and preparing for Celebrate Recovery!
Pray for safety of the entire Caribbean as Maria blows through.
Pray that God gets us reunited as a family soon! (We miss Aaron so crazy bad!)
But also pray that we are aware of how God may still want to use us here before we go.
If you want to help support our ministry and all God is doing through Celebrate Recovery St Kitts, please visit ssmfi.org/missionary/aaron-and-katelyn-comer
Love you all!
The Comers
Hey Comers! We read your update to the family at breakfast today and all prayed for you, the ministry and God's provision and grace through Maria. We are watching the news and FB closely for updates even as we know you are in His hands. The Shumans
ReplyDeleteThank you Shumans!!!
DeleteThank you!!
ReplyDelete