All it took was Covid...
Y'all, it has been SIX months since I last wrote a blog post. I can't believe it has been so long. We have: started homeschooling Addalyn, said goodbye to good friends, traveled to the US for New Years and doctor visits, welcomed new people, had three family visits and a friend visit and two mission teams visit, watched church grow, taken on new roles, and welcomed back an old one. Why am I finally able to sit down at catch you up now? I have covid. So, since I am stuck in my room avoiding my family and trying my best to keep my germs to myself, I realized that it's the perfect chance to share with all of you what's been happen way down here in St Kitts!
And as much as I like to talk (and type), I think the best way to sum up six months is through pictures:
November
We started homeschooling Addalyn! We have always said that each family and even each child, has individual needs at individual times that make different forms of schooling best for them. After prayer and confirmation from God, we decided that home-education is the best route for our girl. In addition to the many other advantages of one-on-one instruction, we will also be able to register through a Christian school in Knoxville for high school, giving her the privilege of a US/TN high school diploma.
On our first week, we took a field trip to Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site here in St Kitts!
We got to see some wonderful friends who loved here when we first arrived on the island! They are now veterinarians working and doing awesome things. They came down for a vet conference, and so if you are reading this and used to live here with us and are now a vet, PLEASE come visit :)
One of our favorite things is worship and bonfire nights.
The sunset over the hills was incredible! Plus, it reminded us of both our church's logo and the Celebrate Recovery pose, so Aaron and the kids posed for a photo.
The bittersweetness of this particular evening was that it was our last beachside worship with Chris - the amazing man who was our worship leader throughout his time in vet school on the island.
In November, I started playing guitar with Chris to help calm my nerves about playing in front of people before he left.
My parents came to visit! For the first time in two years! It was a very special week with them here.
CCF Celebrated TEN years as a church!
We took my parents paddle boarding in our favorite little "pond" (ocean area that is mostly walled off with rocks)
Unfortunately, as we were leaving, Dean slipped and fell on the rocks. He had to get stitches in his knee. He was a champ, even though all things injury snd medical freak him out pretty good. Some positives - children's treatments are free at the hospital here, and our vet student friend was able to remove the stitches so Dean didn't have to go back and deal with hospital or a clinic.
Thanksgiving at CCF!
We call it our "International Thanksgiving Dinner"
We provide a space for students far from home to feel loved on during the holdays.
But its also a place for people from all over the world to come and give thanks to God and enjoy a delicious meal together.
Some of our island family 💛
CCF helps support CVF - Christian Veterinary Fellowship, a club at the vet school
CVF joined with the shelter med club at their school to provide food and basic vet care in a community our at the end of the island.
For many people, living that far would make it challenging for them to bring their animals in for care. If you don't own a car (and many do not), animals can't get on the bus with you.
Vet care is also fairly expensive. While its worth what it cost, many people still can not afford even the basic care. I love that CVF chose to also serve the people by providing a free and delicious hot lunch to anyone who came by!
We got to attend a dinner for our other favorite acronymned ministry, CEF - Child Evangelism Fellowship
CEF St Kitts starts and equips churches and groups to run after school christian clubs at schools all over the island. It's a part of a larger organization that runs these Good News Clubs all over the world. My own mother got saved at a Good News Club when she was a kid!
Our hope closet! We got it looking especially nice. We have since gotten in so many more donations, and been able to give so many things away to families in need. More on that later!
December
At CCF, we always have our Christmas service on the first Sunday in December.
Many people travel during the holidays here, back "home" for the students and expats, or even to the neighboring island of Nevis for some for the locals. So having our service early in the month allows everyone to be a part.
Its also a chance to have special performances, like our friend Blessed on the Saxaphone.
Something about the candles and everyone singing about Christ being born, it almost brings me to tear every year.
It's also send off Sunday, where we pray over those who are leaving.
This time it was Deanna, Chris, and Judith.
They each shared a few words about their time here, and I was mess by the end.
We celebrated Aaron's birthday! 37!
And Addalyn's birthday (14! How?!)
Dean and Azariff were the cutest greeters we have 😊
Chris and Judith's actual last Sunday. These two were family for for while they were here. They were a huge part of our lives, and we miss them like crazy!
We got to have a ladies' night out!
Where we celebrated Nicole's birthday
Christmas Eve dinner with some more of our island fam.
Love these kids!
The day after Christmas, our family headed off
Back to the USA for a very quick visit
We got to see cousins
and meet a new cousin!
While part of the trip allowed us to speak to the kids' doctors in TN, it also allowed us really sweet time with our families to soak up all that love and care.
January
After 10 days, we were on our way back to St Kitts!
Refreshed and ready to tackle things once more. In fact, we were tackling so much that I barely took any photos this whole month!
We did have some lovely visitors on a cruise one day!
Adam and Sarah Lutts, two if their daughters, their son in law, and a friend. Adam and Sarah pastor at Awaken Old City Church and we LOVE them. They have been an incredible blessing to us, always willing to answer our calls or messages and to give us wisdom and advice. They are doing incredible things at Awaken and in the downtown community. Even during their 8 hours on the island, they managed to pour into us and encourage us and give us some really great wisdom and ideas.
February
In February, Addalyn had to say goodby to her best friend who was moving to South America. The nature on this island, of being an expat, and of attending international school means lots of hellos and goodbyes. Thanks to technology, our kids stay fairly connected with those who move away. It's still hard to say goodbye though.
We had a small mission team of vets come down for this year's Real Life Real Impact at Ross!
CVM - Christian Veterinary Mission - is a campus ministry for Vet students that have clubs all over the world. CVF here at Ross is one of those clubs. We LOVE when the CVM team comes down and we do what we can to help put on this conference.
Honestly, we just help with a worship, Aaron speaks, and we make connections with the caterers. CVM takes care of 99% of the weekend events!
We love where we do get to help serve, and its such an amazing things to see what the students get out of the conference.
The team is made of Vets who pay their own way and take time off from their very busy practices to come and share Christ and professional development with these students. They always bring some vets students from NC State! CVM is also a hug proponent of missions and they show the students all kinds of ways they can use their vet skills to further the gospel around the world!
Dean's school had its first Sports Day since covid!
Sports day is not exactly like the American field day, but has some similarities. The school is divided in to house teams, and the teams compete in an intramural track and field meet.
Addalyn came with me to cheer Dean on, and we ran into a classmate from a few years ago who was visiting!
"Auntie 'Kila" came too!
Dena's event was called "Cricket Ball Toss" and is similar to shot put. Sports are not really Dean's thing, but we were proud of him for doing his best. When I went to field day growing up (yes, there was homeschool field day. Hundreds of kids came! It was fun), I mostly just walked around with my friends and avoided events. So I'm just glad Dean tried lol
However, science is much more up Dean's alley! He tied for 1st place in Grade 5 at the science fair later that month!
As we continue to figure out all the homeschooling things, for PE we just try to get active. Addalyn and I took a walk and she showed me where Aaron and her had found the path to the salt pond near our house. It's often stinky, but was tolerable on this day. It was actually quite beautiful!
My parents came back!
My dad took this photo from his vantage playing bass for the worship team while he was here!
Aaron preaching. I love hearing him share God's word! We are still in the book of Luke, and probably will be for a few more months.
Marlo has been leading communion several times. He does a fantastic job! he is so thoughtful about what he includes and how he prepares us for what we are doing.
My parents' friends and their family came on a cruise one of the days while my parents were here!
They had most of their kids and grandkids, and we all went on a super fun island tour, done by our friend Shane!
Dean turned 11!
He had a gaming party and invited all of his friends.
March
We kicked off March with Clover running out of the yard to discipline the neighbor dog who so often gets out and runs down the street. Our "old lady" thinks its' her job to keep everyone in line. Unfortunately, that other dog is super scrappy and did not appreciate Clover telling him to go him. She ended up with a puncture wound on her forehead and a scratch on her nose.
I'm super grateful for this little very clinic. While I ended up having to shave and clean the wound at home, they take walk ins for a cheap price and prescribed the antibiotics she needed, all for under $40. If you're from Knoxville, its definitely the island version of the original Dr Butler's clinic.
One of the BEST parts of ministry is seeing people go public with their faith! Shack and Eric had given their lives to Christ previously, but had never been baptized. Tashema got saved a week before this, and gladly jumped at the chance to share that decision!
Its also been so awesome to watch these individuals grow in their faith and their understanding, and we are excited for all God has in store for them!
We took a church hike to Sofa Stone
The Ladie
The men
The Stone (it's naturally hollowed out like a sofa)
My friend Amy came to visit!
I've known Amy since we were 9, and she and Aaron have know each other their whole lives. Amy is such a special friend to me and I'm really grateful that she took the time to do this.
THE PRISON LET US BACK IN! Well, just Aaron for the first week. But in April we were all able to start coming back 🙌
Shackila teaching at CR. She gets better and better every time she is up there. Both she and Marlo are gifted leaders and teachers with servant hearts. We are so thankful for them!
April
April was also quite a full month. We kicked it off with Dean's school's Performing Arts Night
Aaron helped run the sound
All the classes performed, as well as individual and groups acts
Dean with two of his best buds
Grade 5 sang So Long, Farewell from The Sound of Music. They did a great job!
Before taking a few weeks break, we finished off Life Group with "Dip Night"! Maybe my favorite pot luck ever lol
All the "dipables" to go with the dips
We snacked
We played games. Aaron loves getting people to play Boss Monster with him.
Catan is one of our very favorites.
And we laughed so hard playing Happy Salmon!
The WEIRDEST thing we have ever experienced here - it hailed! While that is not so uncommon in April in Tennessee, here in St Kitts it hasn't occurred in decades!
On Good Friday, we headed to the beach.
It's CCF tradition to have worship on the beach for this holiday.
It's a chance to quiet our hearts and minds
and to remember what Jesus did for us on that cross.
\We have added a bonfire to the mix!
Singing together
That Sunday was Easter, as well as Send Off Sunday. We had to say goodbye to Dr. Nat and Tom. It's truly hard to say goodbye to people every few months, but what a blessings it has been to know these two! I'm really excited to see how God works in their lives in this new season and these new places.
We had over 70 people at the church, almost doubling our normal attendance! Aaron shared a beautiful gospel message, and we are praying to see many of these people back soon.
Aaron's parents came to visit! We got two very sweet weeks with them here.
Two days later, a mission team from Faith Promise Church also made their way to the island.
They went into the prison with us!
And brought Bibles and CR books to pass out.
We took them on an island tour!
And we prayed over St Kitts at each stop.
Gary and his wife Trish shared their testimonies at Celebrate Recovery
The team helped us to prep and pint 68 chairs for the church!
Marlo was our main painter since he has the most experince.
They helped us sort donations
The Hope Closet has bags and bags of clothes and items to sort.
While our FP team was here, they bought us over 600 toiletries to bring into the prison to bless the residents there! Bring able to show that we care about their physically needs opens them up to knowing that we care about their emotion, mental, and spiritual needs as well. We are INCREDIBLY grateful to Faith Promise for this gift!
We took Noah, Ean, and Aaron's dad Chuck to see Sofa Stone!
Aaron and his dad
The team came over for church game night
We played all the usual games, and we had so much fun!
Then we put on a community clothing drive - getting the word out about The Hope Closet and the other ministries of CCF
All 200 dresses were given away, as well as bagfuls of other clothes and items. We had to go back for more things to give away twice!
Ean preached on Sunday about who we are because of who God is!
This sweet team blessed us over and over again all week. They brought a taste of "home", encouraged us like crazy, pitched in everywhere they could, and even bought us new tires to replaced the really bald ones we were driving on. They reminded us how much we are cared for by FP and by them. We are so grateful to them!
Aaron's parents stayed one more week after the team left!
And just as the week was calming down, I found out I had covid. While it wasn't super fun, it forced me to stop and rest. Two things I have not been doing well. It gave me time to reflect on all these events, and to thank God for what He has allowed to happened and they ways He has worked. And now I am feeling much better, and should be able to leave my room by tomorrow 🙌
It also gave me a chance to see how many people we have around us who are willing to jump in, help out, take things on, etc. We are hoping to be able to share the load better with others, and hopefully you will hear from us again in less than six month 😅
Blessings,
The Comers
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