Greetings from the Islands!
Well...today is our final full day in St. Croix. At 10am (Cruzan time for 9am) Pastor John and Irone, a member of Fredericksted Baptist, picked us up from the Cottages for a tour around the island. And boy was it a tour...here are just few of the exciting stops along the path of our 7 hour journey...
--Mango smoothies at the Mini Zoo
--Visiting the Easternmost point of the US, Mount Udahl
--Resort Carambola (Carambola is the name for starfruit)
--Lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise
--Shopping in Christiansted
--Climbing the rocks at Point Elizabeth
--Touring the island countryside
--Buck Island
--Baobab Tree
--Visiting the 1st and 2nd points at which Columbus landed
We ended the day with a relaxing swim and a celebratory dinner with Pastor John, his wife, Beverley, their grandchildren, Arianna and Xavion, and Irone. Olin and Warren treated us to grilled potatoes, shrimp and shark with fresh mangoes for dessert. What a treat!
Sadly, Irone and Jen went for an evening dip in the water after dinner and both were stung by jellyfish. They experienced a great deal of pain but are slowly recovering and hope to be better in the morning. Lesson in short: no swimming after dark.
We'll be off to the airport tomorrow around noon and will be arriving in Richmond at 11:30pm if all goes well and we are not delayed. Pray for safe travels and see you SOON!
Love,
St. Croix Team 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Long Overdue Update!
Greetings from the Islands!
First, our apologies for not updating this blog. We've been very busy and have had some difficulty accessing the internet from our laptops but have finally been successful.
Since arriving in St. Croix last Saturday, we have quickly acquainted to island culture. We excitedly accepted the concept of "island time" and the free flowing style of worship and fellowship that characterize Fredericksted Baptist Church. We've learned quickly to let the Amens flow freely and to be prepared to be called on to share a testimony, prayer or scripture. Amen? Amen.
Aside from our experience in the services, we have spent a great deal of our time building relationships with the children and youth that take part in the 3 week long VBS camp held at the church. We start each morning with a brief devotion and several praise songs that even the sleepiest camper could not dose through...including my personal favorite, "I Woke Up This Morning Feeling Fine."
The remainder of the day we spend playing basketball, soccer, tennis and other activities to help encourage the youth and build upon their strengths. The campers range in age from 2 to 17 so it goes without saying that we have our work cut out for us. Despite the immense challenges of working with such a wide range of needs, we have developed a deep love with the people here in Fredericksted, St. Croix. Their fellowship has encouraged us in our own relationship with Christ and they feel very much like family.
In our free time we have also had the unique opportunity to enjoy the gifts of the island. Our cottage doors open directly out onto the clear shores of the Caribbean and we have not failed to appreciate the breathtaking beauty of our surroundings. However, the children we work with at our camp remind us that though the island is blessed with great physical beauty, life here is not easy for its people. There is violence and extreme poverty and a real sense of hopelessness, especially among the island's youth. We just returned this evening from the Wednesday night prayer service in which we prayed for the future of St. Croix and its young people, that they may come to know God and find a purpose in Christ.
Seeing how we have left our blog followers in the dark for most of the week, and that this update is becoming quite lengthy, I'll close with a few highlights from our trip thus far. It will give you a small taste of our island experience...
--Eating mangoes fresh off the tree
--Praying with our friends from Fredericksted Baptist Church
--Waking up to the sound of the waves lapping onto the beach
--Savoring Mrs. Green's homemade Caribbean cuisine
--Snorkeling at the cottages early before camp
--Community cooking for dinner
--Adopting the "It's Whatever" attitude
--Reading Bible stories under the shade tree with the preschoolers
--Singing LOUD and CLEAR with Sister Alice and Brother Allen
--Sharing personal testimonies on Sunday evening
--Worship with Kevin, Erin and Madeline
--Flying through the windy streets of Fredericksted in the 15 passenger van
There are countless stories we can't wait to share when we return on Saturday. And the week is far from over! All eleven of us feel so blessed to be here and have (as always) received far more from this experience than we could ever hope to give. All we can really think to say is...AMEN!
Love from the Islands,
Meredith
& The St.Croix 2009 Team
First, our apologies for not updating this blog. We've been very busy and have had some difficulty accessing the internet from our laptops but have finally been successful.
Since arriving in St. Croix last Saturday, we have quickly acquainted to island culture. We excitedly accepted the concept of "island time" and the free flowing style of worship and fellowship that characterize Fredericksted Baptist Church. We've learned quickly to let the Amens flow freely and to be prepared to be called on to share a testimony, prayer or scripture. Amen? Amen.
Aside from our experience in the services, we have spent a great deal of our time building relationships with the children and youth that take part in the 3 week long VBS camp held at the church. We start each morning with a brief devotion and several praise songs that even the sleepiest camper could not dose through...including my personal favorite, "I Woke Up This Morning Feeling Fine."
The remainder of the day we spend playing basketball, soccer, tennis and other activities to help encourage the youth and build upon their strengths. The campers range in age from 2 to 17 so it goes without saying that we have our work cut out for us. Despite the immense challenges of working with such a wide range of needs, we have developed a deep love with the people here in Fredericksted, St. Croix. Their fellowship has encouraged us in our own relationship with Christ and they feel very much like family.
In our free time we have also had the unique opportunity to enjoy the gifts of the island. Our cottage doors open directly out onto the clear shores of the Caribbean and we have not failed to appreciate the breathtaking beauty of our surroundings. However, the children we work with at our camp remind us that though the island is blessed with great physical beauty, life here is not easy for its people. There is violence and extreme poverty and a real sense of hopelessness, especially among the island's youth. We just returned this evening from the Wednesday night prayer service in which we prayed for the future of St. Croix and its young people, that they may come to know God and find a purpose in Christ.
Seeing how we have left our blog followers in the dark for most of the week, and that this update is becoming quite lengthy, I'll close with a few highlights from our trip thus far. It will give you a small taste of our island experience...
--Eating mangoes fresh off the tree
--Praying with our friends from Fredericksted Baptist Church
--Waking up to the sound of the waves lapping onto the beach
--Savoring Mrs. Green's homemade Caribbean cuisine
--Snorkeling at the cottages early before camp
--Community cooking for dinner
--Adopting the "It's Whatever" attitude
--Reading Bible stories under the shade tree with the preschoolers
--Singing LOUD and CLEAR with Sister Alice and Brother Allen
--Sharing personal testimonies on Sunday evening
--Worship with Kevin, Erin and Madeline
--Flying through the windy streets of Fredericksted in the 15 passenger van
There are countless stories we can't wait to share when we return on Saturday. And the week is far from over! All eleven of us feel so blessed to be here and have (as always) received far more from this experience than we could ever hope to give. All we can really think to say is...AMEN!
Love from the Islands,
Meredith
& The St.Croix 2009 Team
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Coming home :-)
Hi Sweet Family and Friends,
We are so sorry that it has taken us so long to update the blog. We have been so busy and exhausted from spending time with the most amazing kids on the island :-)
Sunday morning we participated in morning worship at FBC Fredricksted, here on the island. We can safely say that the hour or so that we spent at this church was not nearly long enough. The worship that we experienced with the local congregation has inspired and stirred our hearts to worship more genuinely and freely than many of us ever have before. It is such a wonderful thing to see people worship the Lord with complete abandon to any protocol or standard set. As a team, this has inspired us to seek deeper worship with the Lord. We hope to continue to reflect on this and share some of our ideas with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in Richmond, Virginia.
Sunday evening, many of us shared our testimonies with the people at FBC. For many of us, this was a challenge to share so intimately. But, it was so refreshing and encouraging to be received so gracefully and with open arms from the small congregation at FBC.
Monday and Tuesday has been the first couple of days of the sports camp with children from local surrounding areas. While the schedule has been extensive, the structure a bit different than ours, and the heat at times a bit overwhelming, the children, the relationships that we are building and the time being spent far outweighs any minor adjustments that needed to be made.
This evening, we had a wonderful dinner with Pastor Gilbert and his family. We have been so blessed to have such wonderful people to work with here in St. Croix. Their hospitality and warm hearts have made us feel as though we have come home.
Please read the following prayer needs and keep us in your hearts and minds as we continue our journey:
-Warren Pierce has been having some trouble with his back. Please pray for his healing and recovery so that he can have full range of motion and able to participate as he would like to in the sports camp.
- For strength and energy as we facilitate the sports camp for two more days.
- For the fruits of our labor to continue after we leave the island. May the relationships that we develop have a lasting impact on these children.
- For future opportunities for Pastor Gilbert and his church to continue to do the good work that they have begun here in their community.
We love you all and thank you for your heartfelt prayers!!
In His Love,
The St. Croix Team
Saturday, July 11, 2009
We made it!!!!!
Hi beloved friends and family,
We made it safely to the island of st. Croix and it is as beautiful as we could have possibly imagined. We had a few traveling adventures, but are now safely snuggled away in our cozy cottages on the beach. The scenery has been such a reminder to us of the beauty of creation and our amazing Maker. After a brief tour of the Island and an encoragement from Pastor Gilbert, we are ready to see what God has in store this week. Tomorrow we will spend the morning at Pastor Gilbert's church and recharge for the exciting week ahead . Thank you all for your prayers and support! We will keep you posted on our adventures in St. Croix and post pictures so that you can join is here on our journey.
In His Love,
The St. Croix Team
We made it safely to the island of st. Croix and it is as beautiful as we could have possibly imagined. We had a few traveling adventures, but are now safely snuggled away in our cozy cottages on the beach. The scenery has been such a reminder to us of the beauty of creation and our amazing Maker. After a brief tour of the Island and an encoragement from Pastor Gilbert, we are ready to see what God has in store this week. Tomorrow we will spend the morning at Pastor Gilbert's church and recharge for the exciting week ahead . Thank you all for your prayers and support! We will keep you posted on our adventures in St. Croix and post pictures so that you can join is here on our journey.
In His Love,
The St. Croix Team
Monday, July 6, 2009
Prep Time
Hello Beloved Friends--
It is just 5 days before we head out on our mission to St. Croix Island and the preparations are in full swing...I (Erin) as well as the rest of the team have been in deep prayer for this upcoming trip, knowing that it is God's Will that lives be touched by His love on St. Croix Island.
After such prayer, the following verse has been selected as sort of a theme verse for this mission trip...
"A man's heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps." Proverbs 16:9
Also....Below are some prayer points that have been gathered for the team as we prepare for this mission. Please keep these points in your hearts and minds as we begin this journey.
Thank you all for your love and support. We cherish all of you and your thoughtful prayers.
In His Love,
FBC Richmond's St. Croix Team
Prayer Points:
- God would keep us healthy and safe as we make our final preparations for our trip to St. Croix.
- God would protect us in our travels.
- God would unify us as a team to serve Him together in St. Croix. May He use our talents and abilities for His Glory.
- God would prepare the hearts of the young people and church members that we will be working with, as well as anyone that we may come into contact. May we make a difference in their lives in some way, may it be small or large :-)
- Open our hearts and minds to prepare us for our time in St. Croix.
--Give us a heart that is teachable. May we learn from each other and love each other during our final preparation time as well as during our time on this mission.
--Give us patience and understanding as we spend this week together in St. Croix.
It is just 5 days before we head out on our mission to St. Croix Island and the preparations are in full swing...I (Erin) as well as the rest of the team have been in deep prayer for this upcoming trip, knowing that it is God's Will that lives be touched by His love on St. Croix Island.
After such prayer, the following verse has been selected as sort of a theme verse for this mission trip...
"A man's heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps." Proverbs 16:9
Also....Below are some prayer points that have been gathered for the team as we prepare for this mission. Please keep these points in your hearts and minds as we begin this journey.
Thank you all for your love and support. We cherish all of you and your thoughtful prayers.
In His Love,
FBC Richmond's St. Croix Team
Prayer Points:
- God would keep us healthy and safe as we make our final preparations for our trip to St. Croix.
- God would protect us in our travels.
- God would unify us as a team to serve Him together in St. Croix. May He use our talents and abilities for His Glory.
- God would prepare the hearts of the young people and church members that we will be working with, as well as anyone that we may come into contact. May we make a difference in their lives in some way, may it be small or large :-)
- Open our hearts and minds to prepare us for our time in St. Croix.
--Give us a heart that is teachable. May we learn from each other and love each other during our final preparation time as well as during our time on this mission.
--Give us patience and understanding as we spend this week together in St. Croix.
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