Nearly Half a Year
How has it been 5 months since I wrote a blog post? I remember when I was able to do this faithfully every single month. Life and ministry have gotten busier (and that's a good thing!) but I promise to *try* to not make you wait this long again. I've decided to narrate the last (almost) half year with photos because, well, you know what they say about pictures vs words...
April - June: St Kitts
Labour Day Bonfire and Worship night!
Easter Service
Egg Hunt!
Family photo with Shane
Easter Lunch with part of our island family, Carlos and Shane
Shane and his girlfriend's baby shower!
Our BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) is to open a residential recovery and half way house program. My friend's parents own this condo complex with two acres of land and a working farm! We have been prying that God will provide what we need to purchase this property and run the program. Until He provides, we wait and pray. (There is a second property we are looking at as well that you will see if you scroll down.)
Hundreds of pounds of produce is already being harvested, as well as chicken and rabbits for meat. These items could provide job skills as well help provide financially for the center and provide food for the recovery center.
Our space loving boy checking out a super moon from the top of Timothy Hill.
Whitt Monday Beach Games Day with our church!
We got the Children's Church room set up more properly!
Worship night at our house with some of the worship team and leadership.
It was such a sweet night singing praises to God together!
Aaron has been playing frisbee with a group from the vet school for over 4 yers now. This was their new group photo!
Shackila painted a new sign for our church at the welcome table. It turned out so good!
As the weather got really hot, we loved having our neighborhood friends over for a swim.
Life Group in person started back up!
Aaron and I went to present to a committee of the New Horizons Juvenile Rehab Center. We got to share about The Landing, then CR class for teens, that we do with their students every week. They seemed very excited that we are there teaching this class!
A fun surprise in the tree in front of our house!
Aaron prays over each chair on Sundays before church. Dean decided to join him the week I took this. I love watching our kids watch Aaron love Jesus!
Pulling out of our village and seeing a big rainbow! They happen so much during the rainy season.
I love standing in the back at church and looking at the people that we get to serve. What a privilege this job is!
We got a new church sign to replace our old, worn one. We posted it up for a few weeks near the vet and med school to let new students know we are here!
CCF Kids doing their thing.
First time I got really sad about the monkeys messing with our fruit trees. Soursop is my favorite! The monkeys picked it before it was ripe, took one bite, and threw it on the ground! Rude little primates. They are still pretty cute though.
The second potentially property! It's about half the price, but also half the size. It needs some work to be functional, and there is no farm (unless you count the hydroponic "herb' garden lol). The owners of the first property are eager to see our vision come to life, but we still want to make sure that we are only walking down paths that the Lord has set before us.
Dean got paid to help our friend by picking up nuts. It was HARD work, but he was proud that he earned his own money.
First day/Last day of school photos! Grades 3 and 6 are in the books!
Our last week in St Kitts, the island went into full 24 hour curfew lock down. Covid had finally really hit St Kitts.
The animals were pretty happy having us around!
We used one of our "movement days" to go get our covid tests for entry into the USA!
July & August: USA
After receiving permission from the police force to drive to the airport, we finally headed out. It had been 2 years since we been back to TN.
We had quite the welcome committee! We hugged and cried and didn't want to let each other go.
The next day was the 4th of July, so we got to celebrate!
We spent most of these two months with our families. Every minute we could be with them we were. It was like medicine to our very weary hearts. The last two years have been so hard for everyone. Finally seeing family felt like catching our breath again after holding it far too long.
We also got to see this special family, The Graysons. They were missionaries here for over 8 years, and the pastor of our church here until they moved in 2019. They will always be part if our island family, and they continue to be a blessing to us and this ministry.
We all got hair cuts!!! By my amazing sister. It may see silly, but this is always a highlight of our trip.
We got to see Dolly ;)
Then the kids caught covid.
We were quarantined for 2 weeks in an apartment.
Because Aaron and then I caught it too! At least we know we are extra immune now! At least for a few months.
The kids got to try boba tea! Addalyn has been really looking forward to it, but Dean ended up liking it the most.
Aaron got to teach at FP Celebrate one evening! It was so cool to watch him using his gifts in a way that he would have been scared of a few years ago. He did amazing!
We got to celebrate my cousin's marriage to her wonderful husband!
We had a last week "midnight feast"! My sister and mom snuck in and surprised our kids. They LOVED it!
With many tears, and hugs, and so many feelings, we headed back to St Kitts.
We really do love our island home and family! Things are starting to click back into place. We should be out of quarantine later today!
We are so grateful to be able to do the things God has called us to do.
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