Following the Cloud

Recently a friend was retelling the story of the Israelites wandering in the desert, following the cloud by day and the fire by night. She told of how the people had to be ready to move when the cloud moved and willing to stop when it stopped. There are seasons in all of our lives, and sometimes we're put into a season of waiting and being still. That's where we're at right now.

We don't know exactly why God has us back in Ohio right now, but we know it's just a season. We will be going back to Jamaica. God has promised it to us.

On September 8th, there is going to be an inspection at the New Vision City of Refuge by the Work Permit Office of Jamaica. They are visiting to determine why we are needed there. There was recently a change in political parties in the government and sometimes that means a change in the way things are done. We are not worried about this inspection. We are just waiting and trusting God. We are using this time to meditate and prepare for our return.

Many have asked about giving of monthly support. My advice to our supporters is to continue to give, as if we were there because it's really just a matter of time before we return. WE WILL RETURN SOON!

Also, please pray for Jamaica and the children's home as Gustav hits the island. The workers there are making all necessary preparations, but we just need to pray for minimal to no damage of the buildings and safety for everyone. Although we don't look forward to being in a hurricane, we wish we were there with them.

All we can do, and all you can do, at this point is pray and wait on God. "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings as eagles." We hold to this passage of Scripture. We hope you'll take comfort in it as well.

We are Victorious!

Well, things have been a little "crazy" to say the least. We are currently in Ohio for an undetermined amount of time. We received word that our work permit was approved, but for some unknown reason they are not releasing it. Last Sunday night, we had an awesome prayer meeting and God came down! We know that there were some spiritual walls that came down with the kids. You could feel it. So, on Monday, as we were on our way to the airport, we got word that our permit was not being released. Then at the airport we were told that our flight from Atlanta to Cincinnati had been cancelled. We would have to spend the night in Atlanta. Upon getting our bags, we discovered that 2 of our 4 bags had been lost. Great! That means 3 of us had no clothes. We were not allowed to file a claim until we got to Cincinnati.

When we got to the airport the next morning, we were met by more opposition at the ticket gate, but it was eventually rectified. We checked our 2 bags and went to our gate. The gate that was supposed to be for Cincy said Ft. Lauderdale. Our gate had been moved to the opposite end of the terminal. Upon finding our correct gate, we were told the flight would be delayed because they could not find any of our flight attendants. What? Apparently they had both called in sick. Once new attendants were found, we were on our way. We got into Cincinnati on Tuesday at Noon.

It is now Thursday and our bags arrived at 2:45 p.m. today, so for close to 4 days, 3 of us (Paul, Hannah & Alyssa) had no bags...and no blanket for Alyssa! YIKES! We did hit a great sale at Old Navy and got a few things.

We are just thankful all has been found and we feel whole again. We know Satan is a liar and a defeated foe! We have victory in Jesus and know that our permit is going to come soon, so we can be on our way to Jamaica! Just keep us in your prayers. Thru all the "craziness" we continued to laugh, because we knew it was just the enemy's way of trying to discourage us and we were not going to let that happen. God has promised and we believe His report! We are coming thru in Victory! Amen!

Butcher's First Day?

Well, Here is a picture of a pork roast we had tonite. Notice what's attached...pig hair! As we were all completely grossed out, Alyssa said, "Well, maybe it was the butcher's first day!" HA HA! Welcome to Jamaica!

Birth Announcements

Well, our family here has grown! We now have 4 new children and boy are they precious! Of course, the boys (especially the baby) keep everyone hopping! But, all of the other kids here have really welcomed them and everyone wants to hold the baby! They are all adjusting very well, and we are seeing lots and lots of smiles and hearing lots of laughter. The baby is not sleeping through the night, but is otherwise doing great! I'm really proud of our New Vision kids and how they have accepted these little ones. Things are not as quiet here now, but that's okay. We took them all to a church fellowship last night and introduced them to the church family. It was a lot of fun.

2 Weeks Later!

Okay, Wow! We've been here for 2 weeks now and I can't begin to tell you all that's happened. We've been at New Vision City of Refuge for about 1 week now. The day we came it was POURING down rain all day. The steps to our apartment are concrete and slippery when wet. Well, you guessed it, someone fell down the steps...Dulcie. OUCH! She was wearing her slippers (Jamaican for flip flops) and fell on her wrist and bottom. Needless to say, she was laid up for a few days. We've sent up lots of prayer and she is 100% healed now! Then Levi fell off of his scooter and chipped his front tooth which is, you guessed it, a permanent tooth! We're planning a trip to the Dentist. We've got the apartment arranged the way we want, and are all moved in, thanx to the help of some of the teenagers here. They've been very helpful. We've gotten to eat a few meal together and had a movie night. They really seem to be accepting us and our kids are loving being here!

We went to the grocery store and took a wrong turn. Luckily, we had one of the Jamaican boys with us and he was able to get us where we needed to be! Thank you Roland! Our bill at the grocery store was $11,700 (Jamaican), but what a shocker, eh? That was about $170 US. Food is kinda expensive here.

In the midst of moving in, we've had to travel to Kingston...got lost...to pick up a crib...WE'RE HAVING A BABY! Well, not us, but the home. We are actually getting 4 new kids on Tuesday the 29th. a girl who is 7, and 3 boys age 5, 3, and 8 months. Everyone is pretty excited, especially my kids and Dulcie...you know her and babies! Anyway, we've been preparing for them. Just pray for a successful assimilation into the home.

Oh, for those of you who really know me, you'll get a kick out of this...I replaced a light switch! Go ME! It actually works! I'm so amazed. And I painted my very first refrigerator. It was beginning to rust and just needed a new look, so I painted it! Aren't I becoming the handy man!

Well, I could go on and on, but it's getting late...church tomorrow. Just know that things are well and our internet and phone are FINALLY working properly! We'd love to hear from you!
Blessings to all!

WE MADE IT!!!

Well, we finally made it to Jamaica! Praise God! As I sit here on the top of this mountain looking over the Blue Mountains, I am amazed by so many things. First of all, by the beauty of this place. If you've never been here, it's hard to describe, but all we can see for miles and miles is the mountains around and the valley below. Kingston is only about 15 miles away, but it takes about 45 minutes to get up the mountain. I'm also amazed by all the has taken place over the past year to get us to this point. God has certainly done some awesome things. I am very amazed by the fact that God would choose us to do this work.

Our flight in was very uneventful...just the way we like it. We made it thru customs and immigrations. They looked in EVERY one of our suitcases...all 14 of them, but we had no problems. Thank the Lord.

Today, Dulcie and I went into Kingston to do some grocery shopping for a team that is coming in...27 people. Wow! 7 shopping carts. Plus, I drove a mini bus down the mountain and thru the city of Kingston. It was a little nerve racking at first, but we made it safely. If you go to far to one side you hit the mountain, the other side and you fall off the mountain...Pastor Fultz can tell you!

The kids, our 4, are doing very well. They are loving playing with all the kids, especially the toddlers. We went to church in Kingston and so they've been up and down the mountain a few times. They seem to really be enjoying themselves, but they are anxious to get settled in Christiana.

We should be going on to New Vision in a few days and will be getting settled soon. Please keep us in your prayers. We love you all.

You've got to be kidding!

Okay, so I'm totally stessed and overwhelmed! I can't go into all the details, it would take too long, but we are not leaving for Jamaica on July 3rd. :( At this point it looks like it will be a week later. Still waiting for the permit to come in and for the van to sell. We are still standing on the promises of God and know we are in His timing, but we're just a little frustrated. We just keep reminding ourselves of all that has happened in the past year and what God has done for us, so there must be a reason for all of this. We know He has a plan! :)

Just keep praying for us that God will work out all the details. We want what's best! We'll keep you posted!

Crazy Times

Well, things are getting a little crazy around here. While we await the arrival of our Jamaican work permit, we must plan like it is already here. We leave in two days to go to PA for about 10 days to say goodbye to family and friends. But before we leave for that we must: 1. pack 2. 3 doctor visits (1 foot, 1 dentist, 1 eye doc). Got to get it all in before we leave the country. Plus, we just finished our summer newsletter, changed the look of our website, updated this blog, kids going to VBS and we finished our last day of work. In our spare time, we are preparing for our farewell dinner at church on June 22nd, (practicing songs and getting power point ready) and preparing to present to the kids of our church on June 25th. Not to mention trying to decide what to take and what to leave with Paul's parents. We also can't forget trying to see all of you important people in our lives! We are trying to find airline tickets...which one has the lowest of the new baggage fees (we'll each have at least 3...3x6=18!) and we'll have to take our work permit to a Jamaican Consulate (probably in Chicago) to have our passports stamped with our visa. Hopefully, in the mix we will sell our van...how will we get to Chicago? But it will all be worth it when we board the plane and take off for sunny Jamaica! Please pray we don't kill each other before then!

Where has the time gone?

Wow! Where has the time gone? It's been 2 years since our last blog, and in that time we've been to Jamaica twice. Shame on me! Anyway, we are going back for a 2 year term with the Assemblies of God to their home called New Vision City of Refuge. You can learn more about it from our website www.extendedhandsministries.com Anyway, please pray that our Jamaican work permit will come in soon, so we can leave around the end of June. All money is raised and all support pledged. Thank you so much! God is faithful! As we get closer, we will keep you updated on our goings on....I PROMISE!
If you haven't had a chance to view our blog from 2006, go ahead and check out the archives. It was such a blast and we look forward to what God has for us in the next 2 years.
We'll keep you posted!
Blessings.

The Final Stretch

Wow! Where has the time gone? In just 6 short days, our time in Jamaica will be over. It doesn't seem possible...or fair. To date, the Mighty Lions are leading the summer competitions, followed by Powerstrikers, then Starfire. Last week we played a game similar to the show "The Amazing Race". It was awesome. On the final event, it came down to a running match between Lions and Starfire, with Lions coming out on top. It was great. Only 2 more days of competition left. Tuesday evening will be our ice cream sundae night. Everyone is getting two scoops with all the toppings. That night we'll announce the winners who will go out to eat with Mama Penie and Papa Jim. Then it's off to the airport on Friday.

This past week was one of our highlights. A team of 12 from our own church, Freedom House, came for a week of ministry. It was powerful. They came charged up ready to make a difference and leave an impression, and that they did. I was so proud of each of them...especially the teenagers. Rarely did I hear a complaint when asked to do chores, or perform a task. Their spiritual readiness and maturity surpassed that of any other group of teens I've met. (Keep in mind I was a youth pastor for 10 years!) As a whole, the group focused on deliverance. Their testimonies and devotions, as well as one on one conversations and skits were all about being set free from the chains that bind us spiritually. They laid hands on and prayed for every child in My Father's House, as well as Jim and Penie. They spoke the Word on the streets and in the church, passed out clothing, spoons,and bowls, prayed with the elderly and infirmed, and genuinely loved people. Many people were ministered to. It was not about what they could get out of Jamaica, but what they could give to Jamaica. Many times, they were in the right place at the right time with the right word for specific people. Their hearts were right and their attitudes pure. Oh, I'm sure within their group they had some issues...no one is perfect, but after having been on 10 mission trips myself, I must say I was especially proud of them, and glad to have been a part of what they did. Dulcie and I did have the pleasure of ministering along side of them all week. Freedom House...you did an OUTSTANDING job! (you can see pictures of their week at www.jaminjamaica.com by clicking on the Freedom House folder under the Photos option.)

On a different note, the reflection of the summer and our time here has begun. We've learned more than can be told here. More than we can share in a 20 minute window of a church service. Much of it is personal. God has definitely brought us here to teach us about ourselves...our strengths...our weaknesses...our likes...our dislikes. We are grateful to have been able to serve in such a place as My Father's House. Our hosts have been so generous to house us, feed us, provide us with transportation to "get away", and cause us to feel like a part of their family for the summer. The children have opened up and made us feel welcomed...making us feel at home with them. We are going to miss their smiling faces and bright eyes; their constant hugs or tickles or jabs when they pass us by; their wanting us to play games, watch a movie, go for a swim or go for a walk. Our lives have been touched by 26 Jamaican children, and we, as a family, will never be the same. Thank you, My Father's House, for a wonderful summer experience. We will never forget you!

Please continue to pray for us as we continue to seek God's will about the future. We want to be where He wants us, when He wants us. Also, please pray for My Father's House, as they currently do not have any interns for the coming school year. This will mean Mama Penie will have to home school 25 children by herself! She will need much prayer, as you can imagine! Please pray that God will provide for them and give them the grace and strength to make it through. There have also been some changes in the home...please pray for Daniel (8 years old) who has been moved to another home for the time being. He has been at My Father's House for 7 years. Please pray for his protection and that God may open the doors for his quick return. Also, please pray for the kids and adults here who love and miss him. There are many needs here at any given day, and God seems to provide for each one. After having been here for 2 1/2 months and seeing what goes on here, I know they could use your prayers.

Thank you for joining us in this amazing adventure. Your love, prayers and support have been so appreciated. We love you all and look forward to seeing you soon. ...until then.

Impressions

It's hard to believe that June and July have come and gone so quickly. In only 18 days, our time here will be over and we'll return to life in the States. That life, however, will not be what it once was. So much has happened here, and we've experienced so much as a family, that we will never be the same. At least, I hope not. Hopefully, we have grown as a family because of our time here at My Father's House.
I know this time will leave a lasting impression on the lives of our children. They will never forget spending the summer in a beautiful land, surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. They have learned about new cultures, new foods, new animals, new ways of doing things, new people, new challenges, new answers. Hopefully, we have taught them to trust God in the middle of new surroundings and circumstances. They've had their up times, getting along with new friends, doing exciting things. But they've also had their down times, feeling different from everyone else, fighting with new friends and having to learn how to make things right again.
For us (mom and dad), we've learned a lot too. We've learned that full time missions is much harder than we ever imagined.(We never thought it would be easy.) We've learned to give a little more of ourselves, to figure out what to deal with and what to let go (sometimes!). That there is more to life than our little world in Ohio. We've had to trust God a lot more than ever before. To believe that He knows what He's doing, even when we don't think He does, or that He is listening when it feels like our prayers are hitting the ceiling. We've learned that we have to keep doing what He's asked of us even when we're tired and don't want to. We've also learned that He blesses abundantly when we do His will, and that He rewards us for our faithfulness to Him; that there are wonderful blessings that come when we pick up our cross and deny ourselves (even in the pain of doing so). We've bonded together as a family, and appreciate each other more than before. We've served as a family...ministered as a family...worshipped God as a family. We've even fought as a family and reconciled as a family should.
Hopefully, we've left an impression on the 25 children in this home, too. Oh, I'm sure they'll remember some of the harder times, but our prayer is that they'll remember the love we've shown them. The times they were hurt, and we comforted them and fixed the injury. The times we sat and played cards when they were bored (even when we were really tired of playing cards!) The times we tried to teach them to talk or act in a way that would make Jesus proud. The times we reached out to them when they were upset by someone (maybe one of us) or something. I hope they'll remember the tickling sessions, the fun in the pool, the walks around the neighborhood and the days at the beach. Mostly, I hope they remember Jesus in us.
All in all, we are grateful for the time we've spent here, and we look forward to the next few weeks. A team from our church arrives on August 4th, so seeing some familiar faces will be great! I know that will be an awesome time. We don't know what the future holds for us or what God will have us do, but we do know He's brought us here this summer for a reason. I just pray we've accomplished that goal.

Still Alive

Well, we find ourselves still alive and well after a week of being "in charge". We had quite the eventful week. (No the kids didn't tie us up, thanx for your prayers there!) :) We did have a few kids challenge us, but that's to be expected. The week started off with the commercial size freezer not working before Jim and Penie left. The repair man came the day they left, Tuesday. He told us not to use the freezer and that he'd be back the next day. He still hasn't come back! The next day, it seemed to be working, so we used it...After all, there are over 30 people here; we need a freezer! Since we weren't sure it would stay working, I had to go to the store every day for chicken and chicken back. (yes, they eat the back...the bone) Anyway, going to "Paul's Market" is not one of my favorite tasks. It's no problem doing the shopping, it's parking the bus. (their 15 passenger Toyota van is called a bus here) The local taxis like to park forwards and backwards and sideways, keeping you from getting in or from getting out sometimes. I started parking in the lot across the street. It's just less complicated.

On Saturday, the electricity went out about 4:30 p.m. over the entire island. It came back on around 1:30 a.m. We were concerned about all the food in the refrigerator and freezer, so we tried to start the generator up. For some reason, it wouldn't keep running (no, it wasn't out of fuel...we checked) so we went without lights. Now it gets dark around here between 7 and 7:30, so imagine keeping 30 kids occupied until bed time. After the little ones went to bed around 8:30, the older kids conned us into playing "Murder in the Dark". That was fun...for a while. I got murdered everytime! So, the lights came back on at 1:30 AM, nice wake up call. I had to get up, wake up Adrian, the handyman, and find all the breaker boxes to turn everything back on. (No fans at night make for a LONG night!)

So around comes Sunday...off to church, that was good. I had to make two trips to get everyone there and back. On my second trip home from church a woman I've never seen and her child climb in...okay, I guess I'm dropping her off at home. It was like 2 blocks away, but sure, not a problem. After lunch, we get this killer rain storm...Miniature hurricane if you ask me...the garage floods. Yep. Floods. Remember we just had a container arrive and the garage is full. The main worry was all the bags of cement and chemicals for the pool. Sure they were sitting on a pallet, but the water is rising to almost the top of the pallet. Yep. 60-100 lb bags. Guess who got to lift all those - Me and Adrian. After about half way, I had one of the teenage boys help me as I lifted the bags UP to where Adrian was standing. Dulcie and the rest of the kids were running around sweeping water and getting boxes up off the ground. Finally, I plopped myself down in the middle of the garage and went for a little swim. Why not? I was already wet. Then it turned into a water fight and playing in the rain. It really was quite the ending to a rather "busy" weekend.

Tuesday found us cleaning, as Jim and Penie were to come home that day. The afternoon was spent...at the beach! There were stressful times, and there were a few really unpleasant times, but we made it. We survived.

It's really hard to believe that we only have about 3 1/2 weeks left. Part of me is ready, part is not. It will be hard to leave these kids after all we've been through with them this summer...the games, the fights, the discipline, the tickling, the loving, the walks, the talks, the laughter, the crying, the screaming, the chores, the pranks, and yes, even the floods and power shortages.

Keepin' on

Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything, as you can imagine we've been soooooo busy. The container finally arrived from America after being tied up in Jamaican customs for quite some time. Although we weren't here when it arrived, (we were in Negril on a family day) we have been helping to put things away. The day the team from Texas left, a group of 28 from Cincinnati came. The first day they were here we set up a tent in town for a 3 day VBS. Since the van only holds 15, we had to make multiple trips into town taking the team and the kids here to VBS and back. One day it rained like crazy and while the team was trying to keep the tent from falling down, Dulcie, Penie and I (along with a few teens) were trying to unload the boxes in the garage that was flooding! Luckily we were able to move everything onto crates and nothing was majorly damaged.
On Wednesday evening we set up a projector and screen at the tent. The projector was just donated to KBM and really blessed them. The screen was a sheet. Since we'd been having VBS there all week, everyone was told about the movie night with popcorn and kool-aid. The main feature was Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. They loved the movie, but I learned something I never knew...Narnia is a comedy. They laughed at things I never would have, but found myself enjoying their sense of humor. It was fun to see them reacting with enthusiasm.
The team leaves tomorrow and on Tuesday, Jim and Penie leave for the states for a week, so Dulcie and I will be in charge. Please pray that the kids don't tie us up and feed us crackers! No, really, they are great kids who are just that...kids. It gets a little nerve-racking once in a while, but we grow to love them more and more everyday.
It's hard to believe that our summer is half gone and we'll be returning home in just a few weeks. We are really looking forward to a team from our church coming down the first week of August, but we also know that a week after they leave, we go home. We're still praying that God will show us just how we fit in to the grand scheme of things here. We want to do His will for our lives, and are willing to follow Him where ever He leads us. Until next time...God Bless us every one!

Feeling at home

As I sit here looking out the window at the sun setting over the Caribbean Sea, I'm reminded just how awesome God truly is. He is a God that is so amazing that it seems impossible to know Him, yet I feel as if I'm coming closer to Him everyday. As we are praying for God's perfect will for our lives, I'm blown away by the fact that He knows everything about me, even what is yet to come. We are beginning to feel more and more at home here in this quaint town of Whitehouse, Jamaica. The customs, though different, are coming more into view. (Though it will take a long time to understand them all, if ever!) The people are friendly, and the country so beautiful. The kids at My Father's House are becoming more comfortable with us and beginning to trust us more and more. We've both had some opportunities to minister to the kids here in tangible ways. The teenage girls are beginning to open up to Dulcie and ask advice. And God is using her to help reinforce some of the lessons Mama Penie has been teaching them. We've been challenged as their competiveness comes out during summer camp activities, and as typical kids, the arguments fly. Helping them remember to act and talk as Jesus would is something we do everyday...Especially with our own kids. But this has been a great week overall.

We may not be doing the type of ministry that is in your face evangelism or doing skits on the streets, but we are helping to instill Godly principles in the lives of 30 kids. Day to day life-living ministry is much harder to do than one day events, in my opinion. Even when I'm tired and frustrated, I must teach and live Godly standards. Jesus impacted the world by impacting 11 men day to day for 3 years. Those men in turn, took the world for Christ. Some may look at what we're doing as "fun stuff", and in a sense it is, but it is also a lot of hard work. The devil recently tried to discourage me by telling me we weren't doing much, but God has reminded me that we are impacting the lives of 30 children.

I'm beginning to see different doors that God may be opening for us to minister to some of the adults in the neighborhood. A few weeks ago, we walked through the house across the street that some Jamaican men have been renovating and we met a man named Elvis. The house has been empty for about 5 years, so it needs a lot of work. Anyway, Elvis and his friend were kind enough to show us through the house. Every time that he is there, he makes a point to stop and talk to us. Sometimes it's just a simple hello or to ask for water, but I believe there's a reason. I am praying for an opportunity to talk more significantly. Only the Lord knows.

Currently we have a team from a Four Square church from the Dallas, TX area with us. There are 20 of them. What an awesome group! Dulcie and I had the privilege of driving to Montego Bay to help pick them up. They have been a real blessing to the house, and have such a heart of servanthood. We are hoping they will be able to help us unload the container, as it STILL has not come. Jim is having to go to MoBay several days a week to work on releasing it. Please pray they will release it soon, as the drive is very tedious, over the mountain on very narrow and windy roads. Not to mention the stress of dealing with corruption in the governmental departments. But God is working, and we are praying it will be here soon.

We had the honor of attending a sport's day on Saturday. One of the local churches hosts this every year. There were over 400 people split into 4 teams: red, white, blue and purple. We were on the purple team. They do foot races, bag races, egg and spoon races (for all ages, even us adults). They also play football(soccer), cricket, cheerleading, volleyball, food eating contest, pop drinking contests, etc... It is an all day and night event. Our girls helped the girls from My Father's house in the cheerleading event. They won first place! We were so proud of them all. A few of the kids won some of the races. It was really a fun day, but was too long for us to stay the whole time. Plus, it was really hot!

Our kids continue to amaze us. They are doing great. When asked if they miss the states, their reply is always, "just my family and friends". Alyssa said she missed McDonald's, but only sometimes. Jaycee misses air conditioning. Overall they are adapting very well. Levi really made us proud this week. On Sunday morning before church, Penie passes out tithe to the kids based on what their allowance is. Levi did not have any chores this week as it was one of his off weeks. Dulcie asked him if he had gotten his tithe and his reply was, "Mom, I didn't think it was fair for me to get tithe when I didn't work." Remember that he is only 5 years old and already has a concept of: I didn't work so I shouldn't get paid. He received double tithe. What a kid!

As you can tell, we're having a great time. Please keep praying for us and check out our pics on www.jaminjamaica.com. See ya soon.

Back to routine?

Wow! What an awesome week we've had. As I've said in the last post, we had a team here from the Eastgate, Cincinnati area for a week. They left on the Saturday before Father's Day, and Jordan, Jim and Penie's daughter came home from an extended stay in the states. It was good to see her again. Hannah and Alyssa have connected with her and are having a blast.
On Wednesday, we had the privilege of going to Negril with Jim and Penie for dinner and a visit to the chiropractor. Negril is 7 miles of beautiful white sand. Dad, you would LOVE it there! We ate dinner at an Italian restaurant overlooking the beach, and then took a stroll up and down the beach. It was sooooo relaxing.
Father's Day was great for me. My four kids all gave me a homemade card, and my lovely wife wrote me a beautiful letter. Then the church here recognized all the fathers (a total of 4) with a pen and our choice of two gifts. I wasn't expecting anything, so their token was really special. The gifts weren't much in American standards (I got a comb and shampoo), but the idea and love that came with them is what touched me. Then to top it off, they had a cake for us! YES! After church, we just kinda laid around and rested after having the team here. I was going to take my family to a nearby pay beach, but the weather turned nasty, so we'll put that off for another time.
Yesterday was a bit of a rough day in the house for all of us. We were ALL tired and a bit grouchy, so we took time out of our day to pray and ask the Lord to help us show the love of Jesus. After that, we went to the other extreme of being loud and silly! Boy, the power of prayer! We all were in bed earlier than usual.
Today was great, though. During team competition, the teams did two major games. While one team was doing an obstacle course, the other two went on a scavenger hunt at the beach looking for conk shells, sea urchin shells, hermit crabs, etc... They had to find 1 lizard, 2 crabs, 3 clam shells, and so on up to 10. They had a great time and it kept us busy all day! Every team did the obstacle course, but the Mighy Lions came out on top. StarFire won the scavenger hunt, but PowerStrikers are still in the lead overall!
Dulcie got to go on an adventure with Penie today...grocery shopping. As you ladies know, shopping for an entire family is alot. Imagine a family of 26 plus the 6 of us! They went to another town called Savanna-la-mar. Dulcie said that one man approached her and began to rub her arm over and over while saying, "hello, whitey". She replied "hello" and pushed the cart away from him. I guess he got the hint, cuz he left her alone. That was a first for her. Thank God he was with her. I was in charge of the house most of the day while they were gone, because Jim was in Montego Bay. One of the social workers showed up...I was a bit nervous at first, never having had to deal with that before, but it went great. He was only here a few minutes to see a few of the kids.
Tomorrow is a really big day because the container from the states is supposed to arrive. It is a tractor trailer filled from front to back, top to bottom with supplies for the home and some to give to other ministries. When it gets here, we only have two hours to unload it. I guess I'd better get my sleep tonight! All of us here at the house (kids included) will have to help, as well as a group of college boys from Taylor University who are down. We've been getting the house in order so that all available space can be used. We've been getting rid of old clothes and shoes, and skates, etc... to make way for the new. The next few days will be really busy!
On Friday, we have another team of 20 coming down for a week from Texas. They will be giving us a little "break", as they will take over team competition for us. Perhaps we'll get some new ideas from them as well. Hopefully, we'll get to see more of the island while they are here. The day they leave another team of 20 arrives from Cincinnati, so the next two weeks will be busy.
We're still loving it here, but a few of our kids are beginning to get homesick. Please pray for them. We know we're where God wants us, but that's hard for kids to grasp sometimes. I know they'll be fine with the prayers of the saints covering them. We are still battling the bug bites, but Praise God it has not been as bad as when we first arrived. I guess they're getting tired of us! My driving is getting better as well, but I haven't driven in the city yet! I'm really enjoying everything about Jamaica. To my mother's surprise, I don't really miss the fast pace of city life. These kids keep me too busy to think about it. All I really miss about the states is my friends and family.
I have posted some pictures on KBM's website. www.jaminjamaica.com click on the photos link, then click Bushhorn internship. I will post more pictures periodically. Please keep us in your prayers. We need them! Love you all. See you soon.

June 13, 2006

Hello again! What a wonderful week we have had! We began our summer camp program with three teams of kids. Paul's team is called "The Mighty Lions", Dulcie's team is called "Starfire", and Miss Yanique's team is called "Powerstrikers". (Yanique is a young Jamaican lady who works for the Koch's) After a week of competition, Powerstrikers are in first place! The kids are accumulating points to win an ice cream sundae, but the winning team will get to go out to dinner with Papa Jim and Mama Penie. What an awesome treat for them! The kids are very excited and doing great with the games. In the mornings, after family devotions, we go outside to play active games for about an hour to an hour and a half, if it is not raining. After lunch, we have an hour of quiet reading time, followed by another hour or so of inside games. Most games allow the teams to earn points. We also have a weekly Scripture for them to memorize to earn points. We are currently learning 1 John 4:9-10 (last week was 7-8). The kids have amazed me with their enthusiasm in learning Scripture!
On Saturday, June 10th, a team from the Cincinnati area came down for a week of ministry. So Saturday was cleaning day! We worked hard until after lunch, then it was pool time! Once the team arrived, we spent time getting to know their names. Fortunatley, we already knew four of them; two of them are students of mine from CCA! Today, Monday, the team went to some local schools for ministry, while we had camp, and then after lunch, they put on a VBS program for some of the local kids here at the house. Dulcie and I were in charge of snack, while our four kids particpated in the VBS.
Our four kids are doing so well fitting in with the kids at My Father's House! Jaycee has started a friendly "pranking" with some of the teen girls. Hannah and Alyssa have got friends galore, and when Levi isn't playing with the boys, he's with the teenage girls! Of course, there has been lots of pool time and Sunday afternoons seem to be beach day! I'm loving that! (sorry dad!)
Dulcie and the girls have had an on going battle with the bugs! Please pray for them as they have been eaten up pretty badly. At times, it looks like they have broken out in hives, due to all the bites. Luckily, our deet arrived with the team from Cincy.
The food has been really good. Lots of rice and lots of chicken. The kids have been challenged in this area alot, but they are doing great! Today we had chicken foot soup, and yes, it has chicken feet in it...lots and lots of chicken feet. It also has dumplings, green bananas, corn and chicken noodles. I did break down and try a chicken foot, skin and all...I felt like I was on Fear Factor! I did it, but probably won't do it again.
Other than that, things are great! God is good and we are loving our time here. It's hard to believe its been two weeks. We are feeling right at home, except for the driving. I'm still getting used to being on the wrong side of the car and the road! But I'm getting better.
Please keep praying for us! We'll write again soon!

Arrival

Well, we're finally here! It was a great trip! We flew out of Indianapolis at 7:30 am, which meant getting to the airport at around 5:30. We flew to Atlanta and then on to Montego Bay. Thank God our flights went perfectly. Customs in Jamaica went very smoothly and without a hitch. We spent the night in Montego Bay at a beautiful hotel called Hotel Gloriana. We swam at the pool and even made it to a nearby beach for about an hour. On the plane from Atlanta, the pastor's wife (Christine) of Lighthouse Evanglistic church sat right behind me. (This is Jim and Penie's pastor's wife!) She also stayed at our hotel and showed us a quaint little place to eat dinner. God had already started hooking us up with key people!

On Thursday, 6/1, we met up with Jim and Penie and thier intern Steve and made the trip over the mountain. The kids did great sitting cramped around luggage (no seat belts here!)for over an hour and a half. When we got to My Father's House, the kids all came out to greet Momma Penie and Papa Jim. It was great to see them all again. A few even remembered us! We spent the day just playing with the kids.

Today 6/2, we have orgainzed our kids bedroom (we're all 6 in the same room until Sunday, when a few guests will leave), played, swam and just got to know the kids. Paul went to town with Adrian (a Jamaican worker at the House) and Alex (an American who is on KBM's board and here until Sunday)to try and located some reverse and blikner light bulbs for Jim's truck.

The kids are having the time of their lives and already have a ton of friends. They are doing great in the heat and eating new foods. They are so excited about being here and are looking forward to spending the whole summer here. The Jamaican kids are really accepting them well. WE'RE HAVING A GREAT TIME! The real work starts on Monday, so we have a few days to get acclamated. Please keep us in your prayers!

family picture

Thursday, May 18, 2006

My family and I are preparing to go to Jamaica for the summer to work in a children's home called My Father's House. We will be leaving on May 31, 2006 and returning August 18, 2006. The purpose of this blog is to update people who are sponsoring this endeavor on what we are doing while we are there. I hope this touches your hearts.