Happy Labour Day!
We have been so happy to see how the threat of covid-19 seems to be leaving our island slowly, but surely. Of the total 15 cases, 8 have recovered! 0 people have died or needed major medical treatment. As frustrating as lockdown has been, it worked. A few more essential business have been allowed to open, and we have 4 days each week to leave our residence and do what we need to do. No gatherings, no beach access, and no dining-in options yet.
Ministry has continued online as best as possible! Church streams on Sundays, Life Groups and CR Small Groups on video chat, and doing our best to be the hands and feet of Jesus when possible. We have delivered groceries, dropped off care packages, did atm runs, and even helped a student move who is stuck off island! Being able to meet practical needs for those around us is a blessing and a privilege.
One of our favorite projects that has actually increased in this time has been our church's involvement with a local organization, Christian Community Missions (CCM). Typically CCF helps gather donations of food and clothing for CCM to distribute to families in need. The people who receive donations also receive prayer and the Gospel is shared with them.
Since tourism has completely been cut off and many businesses shut down, the needs have greatly increased. CCM is hoping to open a food pantry to store food donations and streamline distribution to the community. Thanks to generous donors both from the island and from the US, we have been able to help fund almost 6 months of food for families in need! We would love to be able to help with venue costs and feeding even more families as well. If you want to donate, you can via paypal and we will get all proceeds raised to CCM. The director, Mary Ade, sends this thank you to all who have already contributed:
Certain things have felt relatively normal, even with the lock down. Being far from family, our holidays are generally low-key. This year for Good Friday, our friend Shackila made us a traditional meal of coconut dumplings, salt fish, and egg plant. Our buddy Shawn also brought us over some conkies, a yummy cinnamon raisin dumpling wrapped in banana leaves!
On Easter, we did an egg hunt with the kids, made yummy southern comfort food, and celebrated the risen Saviour! (This 'u' thing is really catching on!)
The kids both finished term two and began term three of school in April, but with a three week spring break between! Like many people spending their breaks at home, we bounced from bored to fun to rest to craziness. It did breed some interesting creativity from the kids! Trick photography, spa days, turning a stuffy into a costume, and getting the inflatable pool cleaned up and in use!
We were ready in many ways for the routine of school to return. Although having our first weekend as a long one is absolutely fine with us! It's about balance :)
Their wonderful teachers wrote sweet notes and let the kids know they are cared about and missed. We are praying that the school is allowed to open back up before the end of the term next month. If not, we hope we can at least schedule time to see their friends in person over the summer.
We have been blown away at the kindness and support of people back "home" in the US. Help with worship, former CCF attenders joining in, and our home church's incredible support.
We couldn't take a photo because of sensitive locations, but we got to participate in a zoom call with Faith Promise missions staff and all of the other FP missionaries around the world! It was so cool to put faces with names, reunite with some old friends, and also to hear about the work God is doing with everyone. What a blessing to be a part of that group! A week later Faith Promise also invited us to share on a zoom meeting of FP staff and attenders who have a heart for local and global missions. We are a bit rusty, but it was really fun to get to talk about the cool things God uses CCF and CR St Kitts to do.
Our home church has walked along side of us every step of the way during this pandemic. It would be easy for them to say, "Sorry, we have to focus on all our people here in this time." and we would have understood! Instead we have received e-mails, phone calls, and lots of love. They have made sure we know we are cared about. When we brought up the CCM food pantry they didn't even hesitate, jumping in with huge contribution to make sure that we can care for people here better - both spiritually and physically. We are eternally grateful for them!
We don't yet have many answers about the future or next steps for our island, or ourselves, in this season. We don't know when curfew will be lifted. We don't know when school will be open. We don't know when the church will be allowed to gather. We have absolutely no clue if we will be able to return to the US for a short home assignment in July. But we do know that God has been more than faithful already, and He will continue to lead us and meet every need.
Just for fun, a few more photos from April:
Neem blossoms
Leadership Development
Masks!
Military Masks!
So much Catan playing
We got creative and brought chairs for the grocery lines.
6 feet apart!
Thats the store waaaaaay down there. It's blue. That day we waited 3 hours. The next week we waited 5!
So many mask selfies.
We planted this tree almost 3 years ago! First fruit is finally growing. Every fruit or plant in our yard reminds us of the promise God gave us our first year here:
“Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. '
Jeremiah 29:5
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