Caribbean Winter

   No, the above photo was not taken on our trip to CO in December. Instead, my baby boy is bundled up in PJs, hoodie, and blanket on our couch at home. In 78* weather. To say that we have adjusted to life on high temperatures would be an understatement. Now, this doesn't mean we are happy at 102*, but instead we just have an intolerance for anything that could be described as "colder than summer" in most other places. 

   I once read some good advice about missions blogging - if you don't have anything to say, then don't say it. So in early February I made the decision not to write about January only. It was a pretty straight forward month and I knew I could add it into our February update no problem. 

   Then February went by in an instant, full of ministry events and family visits and birthday celebrations. Now a week into March I've finally found the time to sit down and organize my thoughts. I'm not even sure I'll be able to finish today. It may be the middle of the month before you read this. Or it could be this afternoon. Either way, I just want to assure you that God is doing cool things in St Kitts and we are loving it!

January

The kids started Term 2 of school! With a 4 week winter break, the start of this term feels a lot like a brand new year of school. They even get 3 weeks off in April before Term 3! I wasn't sure if I would like that schedule, but this year has brought harder work and we are all dreaming of the next time off.

Aaron has continued co-pastoring CCF and teaches at least twice a month. I have loved watching his giftings in this area grow. God has been so faithful to speak through Aaron and Kistian and we have gotten really sweet encouragement from people in the congregation. 

The Flemmings and Aaron have been serving on the worship team as well since our worship leader, Frank, moved off island in December. With a very small team now we are praying for more gifted musicians and singers to join the crew. However, we are also working towards fostering spiritual growth in our volunteers before we put them on stage or in front of people. We can use prayer for wisdom in the process as well!

We got all dressed up to drive into town and apply once again for residency renewal. It's a once-a-year procedure to keep us legally in the country. A pretty straightforward process, but it still often takes a long time and multiple trips back and forth. We are officially all four official for the rest of 2020!

We had a really cool one-day visitor come and join us. Pastor Michael DiMarco, along with his wife Hayley and their daughter, were here on a cruise. They felt led to reach out and see if we would want him to teach so that Aaron and Kistian could have a week with a bit more rest. Not only do they live near Nashville so we could bond over Tennessee, but Michael already teaches in the same way that we do here at CCF. If their names sound familiar, both Michael and Hayley write, but Hayley DiMarco has authored over 40 books for young and adult women! It was a privilege and a blessing to have the three of them with us. 

Here is St Kitts we don't have field day, we have Sports Day! The kids are divided into house teams and they compete by age level in many track and field events. We are a house divided, and Aaron was sick, so I had to represent both.

Dean is on the Yellow Falcons

and Addalyn is on the Blue Dolphins.

They worked so hard!

And had a lot of fun.

One big change we are making at Celebrate Recovery this year is having more live guest speakers and testimonies as available. Our amazing friend Amelia agreed to teach us as our first guest speaker of 2020. She was wonderful and her message was an encouragement and blessing. 

Possibly my favorite thing to happen in January was the paving of the dirt road that we live off of!

Three years of GIANT pot holes, mud splatters cars, and driving under 10mph while still being tossed about.

And a week before my birthday they started the work

One week after my birthday it was finished!

It was finished quickly because of the opening of a resort at the other end of the road. Which they promptly named our road after. Turns out they didn't have permission and the sign has been removed. Our neighborhood spent several hours on whatsapp discussing the real name of the road (no final conclusion made) and how any road sign would be nice lol. 

February

We kicked off February with a chili cook off and super bowl party!

Our four amazing judges representing St Kitts, the USA, Puerto Rico, and Nigeria.

The four chefs. I have never won, lol, but Gale definitely deserved it this year! All the chilis were delicious!

Our first visitors in February came by cruise ship!

Aaron's mom, Becky, and aunt, Geraldine, were able to spend about 8 hours with us soaking up the sun and each other's company. We all agreed it was NOT enough time, but we are so grateful for it nonetheless.

We ate at Shipwreck so they could see the ocean, monkeys, and mongoose all at one place.

It was special for us to each get some time with Aunt Nene (as Aaron has always called her).

She and Dean were very happy about ice cream!

We drove the ladies around the entire island. Thank you to the big group of college guys who offered to take our picture!

The week of Valentine's Day our kids had "love day" at school and could wear their red. They love any chance to get out of their uniforms at school!

The next day was the Social Studies Fair. Addalyn had been preparing her project on Yakutia/Sakha Republic, Russia since December.

Her teacher snapped this photo of her presenting for the judge. She was disappointed that she didn't win any of the awards, but we told her how crazy proud of her we were for her hard work and dedication. 

Dean's class did presentations on where they spent their Christmas vacations. It was so sweet to hear about the different cultures, countries, and traditions represented by the 18 different international students. These three boys represented time in Nepal, the US, and Germany! Not just research, this is where they went or where they spent time last year. When I question if we are doing the right thing raising our kids 2000 miles from home and many "kid" opportunities they would have in TN, God always reminds me of the amazing experiences they have because of where He has called us to be. 

Our February testimony was given by the incredible Shackila, one of my good friends and co-leaders at New Horizons. God is doing such cool things through this young woman and her obedience!

Our February guest speaker was Pastor Glen Dixon from one of the local churches on the other side of the island. When we met Glen a couple years ago we found out that he had lived for over a decade in Chattanooga, TN! He was also familiar with CR from his work answering phones for the Hope Line, a radio show that gave young people a chance to call in and receive prayer and resources/referrals. He dug into our month's verse, Lamentations 3:40 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. It was so cool to have a new perspective on a verse we have been teaching for years. It was very refreshing and re-filling.

Near the end of the month my parents came to visit for 10 days!

It had only been a couple months since we had seen them at Christmas, but it had been 10 months since they had been to St Kitts to be a part of life with us here. 

My dad played bass with the worship team the next morning.

That night was our church's Coffee and Canvases event! Our super talented teacher, Alexis (I forgot to get a photo of her teaching!), is moving off the island in April so we knew we wanted to have this last class before she takes off. We are so excited for her and her husband moving on to his clinical year, but so sad for us having to tell them goodbye.

I love watching everyone working so hard. Alexis's instructions make is so much easier than trying to do it on our own!

All the finished masterpieces!

The kiddos had their 100th day of school and I have to say dressing them like old people does not get old. It's hilarious! I'm glad they are good sports and love it. 

Dean turned 8!

We sent in cookie cakes for his class to enjoy with him.

That night my parents took us to Samurai, Dean's choice, to celebrate the occasion. The volcano onions are his very favorite!

The next day kicked off a special event, Real Life Real Impact.

RLRI is a conference for vet students, put on by Christian Veterinary Mission, to teach about doing their specific profession as believers. They also provide opportunities for internships/externships, short term missions, and even help support long term missionaries doing veterinary care! 

CCF has always been heavily involved in the conference because: 1. We have a ton of vet students who attend our church. 2. We love the students and the club and have the skills to help with sound, worship, teaching the Word, and organizing/preparing. 3. CCF wouldn't exist without CVM. 

CVM's local chapter, called Christian Veterinary Fellowship (CVF), birthed a church 9 1/2 years ago which became Caribbean Christian Fellowship (CCF, we have a bunch of confusing acronyms around here).

   From the slowness to the craziness, we are just so here for what God is doing. Whether it's CR or CCF, local people or students and expats, those incarcerated or those on the outside, God has been knitting them all together through the work He allows us to do. 

  He has also knit them all into our hearts, stitch by stitch. He is creating a beautiful piece of art out of it. Many days the stitches seem to be slow in completing, caught up, or even tangled. Other days they are smoothly woven in and out, in and out, in a rhythm that makes my heart feel light (its definitely a reggae beat on those days, smooth and calm). No matter what, God continues to make it clear that we are called to this place, these people, and for this time. We can trust Him with the rest.