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