Roses and Thorns

As of today I have officially been in Eleuthera for one month! I have been so blessed during that month to meet incredible people and learn many things about life and ministry on this island.

This month has been wonderfully hard, and there’s no better way to put it. Wonderful because through all the really, really hard facts of living life and doing ministry here, God is breaking my heart and my plans and drawing me closer to Him and His.

As I was preparing for what to share with ya’ll today, my amazing fiancé called me out on being genuine. After having walked through this month with me and seen the many thorns among the roses, he challenged me to be genuine with those people that have loved and supported me the most, so here it goes.

I love meeting people here, they are so friendly and kind and willing to hang out with me…yet at the same time I’m realizing that I haven’t earned the right to scratch beneath the surface yet. A few friends that I’ve had for a long time are praying with me here and coaching me through it but this part is hard. Like in any community across the world, people want to know that you care and are invested in them before they let you in, and that is going to take a lot longer than a month or so here.

I’ve gotten to meet girls that I absolutely adore, that I want to love and be friends with and walk to Christ with, but for some right now I am no more than a comfortable house, with food and wifi-a place to hangout in! And that’s ok. I am learning what it means to set boundaries for things I thought were a given and what it means to form friendships across cultures. I am also learning to laugh at new jokes, not squint my eyes in pain when they plait my hair and brave new adventures that I never even imagined! God gave me a heart for these high school kids a long time ago and I am loving getting to know their names and their stories.

I am here to love and serve a country and people that I adore, but we have run into a few road blocks. We are still in the process of getting a work visa for me to be here, a process that I’m told takes two months each time you resend everything. August 7^th the man who is handling my visa stuff will send all the new forms in and we will wait. Now that didn’t not seem to be a problem at first because they have been very willing to allow me to stay by extending my “trip” time each month until it comes in and just continuing our work until then. However, when I went there yesterday I was told that without a work visa I cannot legally start ministry with Young Life.

Of all the hard things and the setbacks up til now, this was the most crushing of all. In order to not put myself or the ministry in jeopardy, this means no Young Life Camp, this means no Campaigners, this means no Club or YL leadership training or any form of Young Life Ministry meeting or work until they give me permission to start.

I came home and cried my eyes out, talked to Ben, my family and advisors and finally realized that though I am not accepted, not allowed to plant “Young Life” yet, not able to put on this incredible camp that I and so many others have prayed for and worked so hard on.. it’s not illegal for me to love people, and that’s all I really came here to do anyways.

So til the government sees fit to let me work, that’s what I am going to do. I am going to hang out with these high school friends I’ve met and meet new ones. I am going to dive into my church here and become an integral part of the work God is doing in that place. I am going to get to know people my age and learn what life here is really like for Bahamians, life behind the postcards and even behind the short mission trips.

And I am going to love, fiercely and unconditionally every moment they let me stay on this island.

I think it goes without saying that Ben, my family, my directors and I covet your prayers as we walk this new road that God has brought us to. We will be faithful and we know, without a doubt, that God always is.

And so it begins...

Wow...That's the only word I can think of to sum up these last couple week, and it's completely inadequate.

I had a great last month in the states! First there was a week of incredible Cross-cultural training in Colorado Springs with Young Life staff heading all over the world! 

Next came time at home with friends and family and our annual "big" family beach trip (think 50 ppl, 20 kids under 10 and a whole whole lotta love in one house)!

Then, BIGGEST NEWS OF ALL, two weeks ago yesterday my best friend and the love of my life asked me to be his wife...and I said yes! Yep that's right folks- next summer I am going to be Mrs. Sarah Starr!

My family threw me an incredible going away party where I was overwhelmed with love and support...what a humbling feeling to be surrounded by people that have loved you, thrown in their lot with you and walked with unshaking faith towards this vision God's given us...I really am so thankful for each and every one of you!

Last Wednesday morning I said goodbye to three of the people I love most in this world: Emily, John Michael and Anna. I have no words for that except that I love them more than they know.

 

Then my parents, Cameron and I flew out of Louisburg and headed for Nassau where we spent two days car shopping, getting insurance, my phone set up, etc. Let's just say that we were in the whirlwind of "big city" life...and we were all ready to get to Eleuthera!

Friday we picked Ben up from the airport in Nassau, my parents took the car over on the boat, and we all met that afternoon on this little island that I love! As soon as we got to my place, mom took over and we had everything wiped down, contacted-papered, unpacked and feeling more like home by 10 that night. In Gregory Town, the settlement that I live in, there is a celebration called the pineapple festival. It was that weekend so we went down to the dock and got some dinner from one of the booths and enjoyed the live Reggae music. It was a beautiful but overwhelming experience for my parents and Ben who were seeing everything for the first time.

The next couple of days til my parents and Cameron left Tuesday were spent introducing them to the people and island that I love and watching them recognize the hard parts, but come to love it just the same. Probably one of the best moments of the whole time was when we were riding in Pat's (the ferry driver) old pickup truck on Current island after just visiting the children's home mom was up front hanging on to Pat's every word about the history of the island and dad had his head thrown back laughing at one of the guys tell him about building on the island and Ben and I were just happily taking it all in...thank you Lord for preparing our hearts for Your goodness!

Tuesday I had to say good bye to my parents, I won't talk about it or I'll lose it but all I need to say is that I there could be no better two people to love and raise me in the world that the two that God gave me to!

Ben and I spent the next two days playing, dreaming about all the God is calling us to on the island and praying that we never forget how loved and blessed we are. Putting him on the plane yesterday was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Though I know the year apart will be long, we both know our calling is first to the Lord and then to each other and that these plans he's given us will be perfect.

This morning I woke up and looked over at our puppy Allie and realized that we are making a home here. I ate pineapple from my neighbors garden, visited with Crystal the shop clerk and spent some much needed time with the Lord. These next three years are going to be quite the adventure and I am so excited to share this breathtakingly beautiful ride with every one of you!