The first weekend in November we got to attend our Regional Committee/Leader weekend in Puerto Rico with Melissa Yates (leader at Windermere), Chis and Ashley Darling (potential Central leaders) and Nicole McCardy (potential first Committee). It was so cool to be able to see what we do through our Bahamian friends eyes and see them catch the excitement for what Young Life can be on the island. These new Bahamian leaders and Committee are key to creating sustainable ministry here and I ask for your prayers for them and their involvement with us!
We also got to have Ben's parents visit for the first time! It was an amazing visit and so wonderful to feel like a little bit of "home" had come to this new home! We got to play tourists for a few days and it was amazing to Ben and I all the parts of the island that we take for granted because it is our home and "real world", not vacation. We got to share so much of what we do here with Carla and Brad and it was fun to step back and be reminded of all the things the Lord is doing through Young Life here! As the kids kept popping by, anxious to meet them, I could see Brad and Carla really getting why we are here doing what we are and their hearts being captivating the same way Ben and I have been!
Thanksgiving lasted about a week for us this year! We shared the holiday the Friday and Saturday before with our Bahamian friends and families. Pam cooked a Bahamian feast Friday night and we all cooked our traditional favorites to bring to dinner together on Saturday!
On the Real Thanksgiving Day we had a potluck dinner with all our Gregory Town YL Small Group kids! Everyone brought something whether it was a can of corn or a hug tin of Macaroni and we watched the Polar Express! As we went around saying things we were thankful for, I totally got chocked up thinking about how so many things I was thankful for that were sitting in that room! Have I mentioned how much I adore these friends?!! Also the picture is of our home decorated with lights for this celebration...lights that slowly fell down as our duck tape succumbed to the moisture of our little Bahamian world! The kids (and Ben's) reactions were priceless!!
And finally the next day we shared Thanksgiving dinner with our American community on the island. There were about 10 adults and a handful of kids that have become so dear to us. We shared hearts and stories over our traditional meal and were thankful to realize that we are surrounded by such wonderful friends that share the same mission- to make Jesus's love known in whatever way we have been called to! Note: the power went out so the picture is more for our amusement that actually being able to see everyone's faces haha!
And as November came to a close that weekend, we celebrated the marriage of our dear friends mentioned above, Chris and Ashley Darling! It was a beautiful day full of love, laughter and most importantly centered on Christ!
Thank you, each of you, for the role you play in this ministry! Whether it is praying for our friends, encouraging Ben and I or providing the financial support to keep Young Life going here, we would not be here without you and we are thankful for you! Hope this Thanksgiving was a wonderful time to count the blessings that the Lord showers all our lives with daily!
