A Very Different Summer

Meet Knox the donkey! He may have a real name, but since he wonders freely through our village we decided he needed a name. Thanks to everyone who helped out and gave us suggestions! 

Knox has been just one of the new things that happened this summer. As in the rest of the world, covid changed all of our normal plans. Unlike the rest of the world, we are covid-free in St Kitts, so we were able to do quite a lot with our kids and our friends! 

We should have been in Tennessee. Most of our kids' friends should have been in many other places as well. Since we were all unexpectedly stuck, it provided a unique opportunity to get to know many of the other expat families on the island! We met up at beaches, went on hikes, had playdates, and hosted sleepovers. We crammed as much fun into a "stay at home" summer as possible!

We also got to get back to the work we love so much. What a blessing we have technology to meet online, but nothing beats meeting in person to learn, grow, and worship God together. We had a group of students return to the island for a few shorts weeks, then sent them back out to finish their school in the US. Celebrate Recovery was able to launch new open share groups, and we welcomed some people back who had not been able to connect with us online.

There are still families and individuals who are not able to join us in person, and that's ok! We are still grateful for technology and being able to connect with them and serve them virtually for now. We are looking forward to the time where we can all gather together again!

This blog post is a little late in coming, but that's because I was holding off until our kids were officially BACK IN SCHOOL! If you are struggling through virtually school right now, please don't kill me for being so excited. Just like many of you, we have loved the extra time with our kids! We are just also ready for structure, routine, and space to balance our work life apart from our home life. 

Here is a peek into the last two months:

We got to attend the Celebrate Recovery Summit online this year! A few of our CR group members and 3 local pastors attended with us as well.

Our group gathered at our house to do the sessions together.

Another group of students finished their time at Ross Vet Med and we were able to pray over them and send them out.

Social distance prayer time.

Then we ate lunch to celebrate with them!

Such an amazing group of women who will do incredible things in this next season of their life!

We spent a lot of time in nature and with friends this summer!

We got to have some one on one dates with the kiddos.

They are so fun, and we love getting to know their hearts better.

Hiking to Sofa Stone!

Best view, one of my favorite places!

We took one day to go to Nevis to visit our friends who were staying there.

It was our first experience on the ferry, and it was great!

Stopped by the market and saw avocados bigger than Dean's face!

Our friend's table covered in local goodies.

We went a on genip hunt and ate them right off the trees! It was delicious.

I looked over on the ferry ride home and Aaron was praying for his seat mate. I love this man's heart to serve wherever we are!

Golf course walks have been a super fun evening family event. With no golf happening, most people have begun using the course like a public park. If there is one thing local people love, it's a good walk. This one includes ocean views and nice breezes just before the sun goes down. However, we never go before 4pm. When it feels like it's over 100 degree no body is walking anywhere!

Epic fort time.

We went the last week of summer to Sea Glass Beach with some friends. Addalyn is officially taller than me!

Shackila came with me :)

Some of the grade 6 girls and their new grade 8 friend! Addalyn is definitely the tallest, even if she isn't the oldest.

Dean and one of his best friends being silly and having fun.

My friend Anick. She and her husband and son have become really sweet friends of ours!

So many of you have been a part of making this food pantry happen! CCM wants to thank all of you. We have even more food donations waiting at our church to help fill this pantry up.

August was the food drive for CCM.

Shackila and I went along to help pass out food.

Mary, the amazing founder of our local CCM ministry, showing us the ropes.

Some of the women agreed to let us take photos with them.

These families are so sweet and it's a privilege to bring them some food, share the hope of Christ, and get to know them a bit better.

We have played so. much. Catan!

Grateful for friends who enjoy it as much as we do :)

Hopefully the next blog post will not include any pictures in the hospital, lol.

Aaron dislocated his finger at basketball practice!

Now it's almost back to normal, and I know Aaron is glad to have some use of his hand again.  

My cousin Meghan got married at the end of August! Our kids were asked to record themselves reading a scripture passage and got to be a part of the ceremony.

Meghan was STUNNING, the wedding was beautiful, and we were so grateful for the technology that allowed us all to be a part of Meghan and Jerry's special day.

We caught this photo of the next group of Ross students arriving back on the island! We are getting people back in batches. This group is currently in their two week quarantine time, under military guard, at the school. We can't wait to see them!

Church is starting to fill back up a bit as people realize that we are back. Also, we can run the air conditioning again, so that has helped encourage people to come.

Celebrate Recovery is back as well! We are working on creative ways to help pull people back in. We love seeing the growth that is happening with those who are coming! We are about to graduate 3 people from 12 steps, and we have launched open share group for both men and woman as well.

The lovely Shackila is now helping us with teaching lessons at CR! She did an amazing job.

The kids officially went back to school! Addalyn started grade 6. In St Kitts, that is typically the last year of primary school. However, at her school they run on the Canadian system, so our girl is officially in middle school!

Dean is in grade 3. Its crazy to me that my youngest is already at this point.

Because is it even 2020 if you don't get a back to school mask picture?

The school sent us first day photos as well!

This view makes me jealous lol

Dean's grade 3 class

Addalyn's grade 6 class and homeroom teacher

The kids are back to school, and I'm back to work! I have some more defined roles again, including: running children's church, discipling, accounting for the church, co-running celebrate recovery, and running social media and communications for all the ministries (y'all know I can talk and post with the best of them lol). I love my job! So much of it includes spending time with women, loving on them, and pointing them back to God and His word as they navigate life. Best. Job. Ever!

Aaron is loving his role as pastor, of both CR and CCF. He gets so excited about studying the word and preparing messages. Seeing how much he cares about the people we get to serve makes my heart really happy. Having a smaller group on island has allowed Aaron to be more intentional with the men and pouring into them as well.

It's rainy season, but that also means gorgeous rainbow shows!

The sunsets are pretty spectacular too.

Our latest harvest! The banana trees are the easiest and most successful thing we have tried to grow! Now to be patient while they all get ripe enough to eat.

Thank you for catching up with us and our life here! Your support, encouragement, and prayers make it possible for us to do what God has called us to do. 

“We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News. This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:3-6‬ ‭