“God, we ask for fish and loaves.”  It was a humble prayer from three young men who had no other way to solve the problem of enough food than to pray. It was all we had.

Last Saturday, we picked up our new mission teams as they arrived into Montego Bay.  We all then made our way back to Catadupa, with some of our new arrivals feeling very excited and tired but all of them hungry.  After arriving in Catadupa everyone settled, set up their beds and we sat down to eat.  As the food was set out on the table Stu, Luke, and myself found ourselves facing a huge problem, there was no way there was enough food.

It was an issue we had feared and we were seeing it come true in a big way.  We had almost 50 people for this mission trip, worn out and tired from traveling and we had so little food to feed them with. We immediately began to reassess the situation, talking to the cooks, and trying to figure out how to get enough food for this many people.  Everywhere we turned we received the same answer: “Yah mon, we need more time fer de food.” But we had no time.

So we did all we could. The three of us huddled together in an empty sanctuary, prayed, and lifted up to God a situation that was bigger than ourselves, but not as big as Him. And the people ate.  Table by table they filled their plates and we watched as they finished.  And it was crazy–there was food left over.  Everyone was full and we still had food.  So we took what was left over and headed home for the night.  The three of us were starving from the day’s work.  But we couldn’t eat all of the food.  I have no other way of explaining it.  It had to be a miracle.

Please keep us in your prayers!

Until all know,

Nathan Heath

Yet again the oddness of West Virginia weather kicked in, and kicked us out of a morning of work on Tuesday, and for part of the afternoon on Wednesday. Rain is usually our biggest problem because so many of our work projects are outside, but luckily we do always have the fall back of working inside at the school, and there is never a shortage of work to be done around here.

This determined group of 26 from Maryland was not prepared to let a little rain stop them though, and thought they saw a break enough in the clouds to take smaller groups out to the work sites and try to get as much work done as they could. So the groups packed up and headed out, and you know the saying that science only goes so far and then comes God?

Well, our weather forecast could only go so far that day because the prediction was rain, but when the two teams got to their outdoor work sites, the rains stopped and left only a cool breeze behind. The sun was soon to follow, and the day turned out to be a success! Then it didn’t start raining again until after the teams were done for the day. God is so good, and I know His plan will be completed no matter what; He always makes a way.

Tuesday was not the end though, God has much more in store for this particular week. I love seeing the unique relationships that are being cultivated at kids club, and with the families at each work site.

The youth leaders from this team have a real focus on teaching the kids in practical ways, whether it is how to use a saw or how to minister to troubled youth. Each person has brought something different to the table, and I look forward to see how the Lord is going to use each and every one of those things.

Thank you for all your support! All your thoughts and prayers and such a blessing!

Lovin’ the Lord in West Virginia,

Leanna

This week has had a different, but good, atmosphere, as this is our first week with only one group at a time. They traveled all the way from Maryland, and despite wrong turns, tornado-like wind and rain and the treacherous mountain roads of West Virginia, they made it!

They came prepared with knowledge, skill and tools to take on some pretty big projects, and that’s just what we had planned for them. Monday morning got off to a slow start with divvying up just where everyone was going to work, but after all that was sorted the groups took off in a blur of excitement.

The devotional lesson the night prior had been about seeing others around us through God’s eyes, and respecting and loving them just as they are because that’s exactly how God made them. I encouraged the group to get to know the people, and as these past few days have progressed, I have seen that happening even more than I was expecting.

I noticed relationships forming in kids club, which has been smaller than usual but the group from Our Savior Lutheran Church has taken it all in stride and has used this to their advantage. “There have been some really awesome individual connections made between the kids and my group,” said leader Natasha Bowlds when asked how she thought kids club was going. “Ya know, we may not have as long of a story or song time, but we’re playing with the kids, and spending time with them, and that’s what they’ll remember when we leave; that someone took time to care about them, and to really want to spend time with them, and that’s what we’re doing out there.”

I also got a chance to visit the work sites today, and was in awe of what I saw when I arrived at the second one. I walked up the road to the old broken down house where the group has been building a needed new porch for a small and broken family. As I got to the front yard I noticed two of the girls sitting up on the finished portion of the porch talking with and getting to know the daughter and mother in family. They were dirty, and one could tell they had not washed for days. It is also well known that the daughter is a prostitute and crack dealer. None of this held back the two high school girls from Maryland though, they all sat together playing with the dogs, talking, and sharing their lives with one another. I could see the love of God flowing out of them as these may be some of the only people this family meets, especially the younger daughter that are showing them true affection and not asking for anything in return.

Needless to say, these first few days have already been exciting and that makes me more excited for the remainder of the week! God is definitely at work here! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers!

Lovin’ the Lord in West Virginia,

Leanna

The Fed Church rolled up to the church in their big blue bus this week ready to serve God to the best of their ability and truly made a lasting impact on the Navajo Nation. Being here three weeks now I am starting to see the gigantic need throughout the Navajo Nation, and am inspired by these teams taking time out of their lives to help their fellow Americans.

This week we split up into a few different teams, but I mainly followed a team that went to Grandma Margie’s household. Margie has been suffering a great deal with cancer, and has been in and out of the hospital for quite awhile. She does not get much support from her family, because the family wants her to rely on the Navajo traditional religion to heal her. During this week she was gone in the hospital for some treatments and we set out to surprise her with some aid. The team tiled her floor, painted her walls, and created a shade for her to enjoy the outside with.

The most amazing part about the experience we had with this family was that her husband and sister were with us the entire week. People pushing her to rely on the traditional religion were able to see the love of Christianity and truly moved them. They even began to ask questions about Christianity which was a gigantic step in the right direction. My prayers will be with them and I am sure the team will continue to pray for the family as well.

-Chris

I can’t remember the last time I felt so exhausted, or loved what I was doing so much. The last three days have been packed full of being shuttled between sites by Lyndee, running meetings, and trying to make sure everything is happening on time. The days here are full of sun, heat, and constant drinking trying to keep everyone hydrated. I am here in Atlanta and part of a leadership team for Experience Mission.

In the last three days of the mission trip, I have seen a bridge built, a trail carved, and multiple walls covered with a fresh coat of paint. Krista has led a successful Kid’s Club each day at Capitol View Apartments. The kids that she works with are very well behaved, and they fill their afternoon with games, inside and outside, a Bible lesson, and general relational time. On the other hand, Matt is greeted each day by a rowdy group of kids at the Jonesboro trailer park looking for entertainment and making threats if they don’t receive it. The trailer park is a place lacking discipline immensely so it’s been hard work the last couple days as the team works to gain some respect.

Krista heard a small testimony from a Vietnamese girl who attends the Kid’s Club at CVA. Following a Bible lesson addressing things we want to hide from in life, the girl answered that she would hide in a closet to escape “all the yelling and violence.” It strikes a chord in my heart to hear a girl firsthand dealing with things like that in her home-life. Thankfully, most of the kids have been consistent in their attendance and Krista has a good start to strong relationships being built over the summer since for us it is more than just one urban mission trip.

Today at Sol Luna, we had some extra willing hands come out to finish spreading mulch and dirt and put the last nails into the deck of the bridge. Earl and Earlisha are 10-year-old twins I had seen peeking out windows for the last couple days. Their cousins Tunisha (11) and Ronisha (5) also came out to help. I’m continually impressed, and at the same time saddened at how quickly kids become adults, from their vocabulary even to their mannerisms. Ronisha told me all about how she could read in her kindergarten class, and kept telling me how strong she was and how she could take care of herself. I didn’t get to meet their parents/guardians today, but hopefully they will be around and also take an interest in the project going on.

Progress in this community is being seen and, more importantly, felt – by us and the people around us. We got to join Lakewood for their midweek service tonight, opening up a chance to meet even more of the people we are partners with this summer. Tomorrow will be our last workday with the team from Indianapolis, and then it’ll be time to catch up on some sleep!

Take care!

Adrienne

We now come to the end of our first mission trip and I cannot believe it is over! It has flown by and I know I can speak for all three interns in saying it was one we certainly learned a lot from and will never forget. Both groups completed more tasks than we had planned and we had to find new projects throughout the week for them to complete. This is a good thing though, and such a blessing to everyone who got help from them.

Both houses that had rooms being finished were completed by the afternoon on Thursday, and the projects around the school made a huge improvement as well. The families whose houses had been either finished or painted were generous and friendly all week long, and hopefully quite unforgettable to the teams who worked there. Those families even made lunch for the men working there everyday. This lunch meal sometimes turned out to be coincidentally the same meal as dinner that night a couple times, but that made for laughs and memories on both sides.

The last day of Kid’s Club was just as enthusiastic and elaborate as the rest of the week. The kids were sent home with bags filled with crafts, snacks and prizes, and with hearts filled with seeds planted about the word of God. There is one older woman in the community who brings many kids each day and is very familiar with the kids that live around Gary. “

I’ve been here a lot of years and seen many groups put things like this on, and if I don’t like it the first day I never being the kids back, but this group has really got something special,” she said when asked about this week’s group. “I like when groups teach the kids not only about the Lord but teach them character traits as well, and this group does that. You can tell they really care about the children and take time with each one of them, no matter if the kids are difficult or not. It’s really great to see.”

After all the morning and afternoon work the groups got to spend their last night here up on Miracle Mountain for some time to relax. We grilled burgers and the kids played football and horseshoes. The wooded mountainous view was beautiful and it seemed the perfect place to close out a great week. We had a time of worship and short devotional about living for the Lord whether you are on a mission trip, just coming home from one, or have never set foot on the mission field at all.

We are truly grateful for the teams coming here and we cannot thank them enough for all the hard work they put into every project everyday, for the friendships they extended us and for blessing us in such large ways! At the same time, we look forward to the rest of the summer and what the Lord has in store for us next! Thank you for all your prayer and support!

Lovin’ the Lord in West Virginia!

Leanna

The last few days of this rural mission trip, the team from Montgomery, Texas spent in Pearlington brought the Vince and McArthur homes even closer to completion. The team resolved the plumbing problem in the Vince home and began working on some electrical issues they had discovered. Also, members of the team enjoyed time visiting with Kendra McArthur’s former caregiver, Dot, who is currently housing Kendra and her two children until their house is finished.

On Wednesday afternoon a few women visited a loving, Christ-filled woman named Lily. Each woman was blessed through listening to this elderly lady’s stories about life after Katrina and her faith in God. Full of praise for her Heavenly Father, she radiated His love to her guests.

Another highlight of the week here in Mississippi on this adult mission trip was Wednesday evening, when the Montgomery Team blessed our team of interns by taking us out for pizza. Each of us thoroughly enjoyed this time of fellowship. The evening was completed by joining another team of volunteers for worship and evening service in Bay St. Louis where Glenn Locklin shared a message of encouragement. Glenn’s wife also thanked the groups present and discussed her personal growth through the last few years, helping to create the atmosphere of mutual edification. Members of each team stood to retell situations at their worksites that had positively affected their attitudes.

We were sad to see the Montgomery Team leave early Friday morning, but we exchanged emails and might even have the chance to spend more time with one member, Sharon, later this summer as she hopes to return once again.

-Cheryl Knowles

The beginning is coming to an end.  Our first Jamaica mission trip group is leaving and on their way back to the States. The days seem to last forever here, but looking back on them they have flown by. We have been here almost two weeks now but with some of the friends we have made it seems like we have been here for months. Each day has definitely brought new challenges, stories, and tan lines.

But more about our first group for now:  They arrived Saturday midday, after a crazy day of shopping, closed Internet café’s, and some wild driving (involving a goat and a guy jumping into our van). They were definitely a special group for us. They came as a team of three women, having never even left the country, and all of a sudden they found themselves in the hands of three American college students about the same age as their children. Things went really well though. We began our week at church on Sunday, allowing the group to rest and prepare for the week ahead. We spent the rest of the week building, shoveling, carrying dirt and rock, and laying concrete at a school that will hopefully completely renew the education system in that community. It was an amazing opportunity to connect with the students (elementary age), the teacher, and the Jamaican workers volunteering for the project.

Having such a small group allowed for them to develop personal, intimate relationships with people in the community.  On their last night in Catadupa they were hanging out in the home of a local, laughing, joking, and being asked to stay in Jamaica forever.  These relationships are a huge blessing for us here it the community.  They open doors and tear down walls that previously prevent people in the community from connecting with us on a personal level.

So in a dramatic change we say goodbye to our smallest group as we begin to prep for our largest team (48… here we go).  Please keep us in your prayers and thoughts.   Pray for our hearts and lives to be open to the people here in Catadupa.  God has already done some amazing things here and we are excited to see what the next four weeks bring as we serve with Experience Mission.  Take care and God bless.

Until all know,

Nathan Heath