Report from Virgin Islands

Brittany McNair passes along the following report on our youth mission trip which she just received from Jason McNair, our student minister:

VBS at Towne Center is about 42 kids; VBS at Country Center is about 38 kids, both going great—Thursday they will take the kids from Towne Center out to Country Center and have a “big” VBS together (and water day).

Laura Mesmer is certifying the teachers in first aid and CPR. The original plan was to do that while the youth did VBS with the kids. That plan was altered and Laura teaches them in the afternoon so the youth do VBS in the AM with the kids then after lunch, they watch them again (preschoolers are sleeping so some of the youth get a “break” and the others are entertaining the school-agers).

Gerald Turner has experience in plumbing and has been fixing a lot of their problems (lots of little stuff plus has two showers working that didn’t before). This has been an unexpected blessing added to the center.

They had plans to paint the centers. That has been delayed because some of the walls hadn’t even been put up yet and the paint just arrived this morning. They should be able to begin painting this afternoon or tomorrow depending on when the “mudd” dries. They have been cleaning and preparing the old walls earlier this week.

They will be cleaning out a basement today. The yards have needed a lot of TLC, so 1/3 of the group will work on that today.

They have been singing nightly at a revival/crusade. Tonight Danielle F. will dance while Susanne H. signs. The choir will also sing two numbers tonight.

Two of our youth went forward at last night's service (a recommitment and one who feels that God may be calling him to missions—wants prayer to be the man God wants him to be where ever he is called.)

The youth are having a hard time adjusting to the “slow” pace of island living. They feel like they aren't doing enough. They are getting up at 6 a.m. to do morning prep for the day (b’fast, devotions, VBS prep, +++), doing VBS, lunch break, watching kids during teacher training, afternoon work around center, dinner, crusade (participating in and with the church), evening church group time. There are down times between each of those things and the kids get restless because they want to work. (That’s good.)

So things are going great, pray for everyone to relax and go with the flow/don’t rush things/enjoy the experience.