To Go or Not To GO?

Recently we had a visiting group member make this comment, "I wish I had just sent the money to come here to the mission than to have traveled all this way and just dug dirt for a wall for you.  I feel like it could have done you more good the other way."

The comment was made in innocence, and yet for us it made me want to share how blessed we are with groups.  Plus I have more fun pics of our last group I have taken awhile to post.

Without groups we would not have the school, church and house we live in...as it was groups that built them by hand mixing them with buckets of concrete.  Without groups we would miss out on the encouragement and passion you bring and share as you get excited and join in the work here. Without groups we are hard pressed to get back to your church thank them for support and show pictures of the work they support here.  Without groups it takes longer to see projects through as we have only a few hands working each day, so even digging dirt for a wall makes it possible to get the school walls retained better and reinforced more quickly and less cost here since projects are finished in days that over months.  Without groups our current students miss the insight and friendships you provide as you interact here. 

We know you work so hard to raise lots of money to come, work hard while here giving up vacation time, and are exhausted when you leave....but we would hate to be without groups.   Thanks for coming.

More fun at Kids Club...how excited we are to expand and offer more sessions in the fall.  Plus Maddie is a professional dancer, so we are going to be able to offer tap, jazz, and ballet to the community for kids....what a outreach as we teach them about Christ!

Hilarious skits by the youth at CCC.

Big John directing.

One of the classes offered by the youth at the retreat.  I think this was the sports class.

Our retreat t-shirts...we have extras...so if you are interested they are only $15 for you to own one.

Some of the youth at the retreat!

Missionary Kids with cousins and Erin entertaining...so fun!

One of the games they played.

Jamaica's Big Gain

At the end of this month, we say good-bye to sweet friends and amazing, faithful workers of WISE.  Bro. Lance and Sis. Lisa are heading back to their home country of Jamaica.  They have given us years of dedicated teaching, nursing, and guidance but now have to leave to help their aging parents.  While we selfishly want to keep them at WISE forever till God's work is done here, we know this has been a plan for the last few years to get back to Jamaica. 

Below are some of their good-bye words:

His Work by Lance & Lisa Brooks 

One of the beautiful things about a personal relationship with God is the way in which He touches our lives and changes us, making us His, and not our own. As “His own” one of the things that He asks is that we would be a  “fragrance of Christ to God” (2 Cor. 2:15), to show forth the goodness of God  to all our fellow men.

It  has  been  a  privilege  and  an  honour  to  have  served  at  W.I.S.E. In working here we have seen ourselves as being partners with Christ in passing on the “Word” which is mighty to save.  We have also seen ourselves as your fellow partners in the work of God, laboring in this part of His field. In all our accomplishments we have seen God’s hand at work and recognize that it has been by His might and power and not our own.

We  take  this  opportunity  to  say  a  big  thank  you  to  all  those  who  have supported our ministry over the years.  We pray that God will continue to strengthen and establish you in the faith.

Thank you, Lance and Lisa Brooks for all you did at WISE!

A bit of time goes by...

We get to be back in the States briefly right now.  It was our annual board meeting in St. Louis, MO this past weekend and then next we head to the North American Christian Convention in Fl in a few weeks and then back home to St. Vincent.  A whirlwhind of meetings, churches, dental and doctor visits, missions teams, grandparents, cousins, and fun foods we have not had in awhile.  We apologize if we don't get to see you, it was a very brief visit.

We are thanking God:

 for a great meeting with a very wise groups of board members to help guide us and encourage us.

for an easy adjustment to car seats since our baby usually is crawling all over the vans here in St. Vincent.

for a great time of fellowship celebrating Brice's b-day with lots of dear friends and some family...some including our recent team that just came to help us from Campus House and also future team members to come.

And we ask for prayers for:

travel- the kids ask each day, "Where are we going today?" since it changes everyday.

students studying hard back at WISE and teachers still teaching summer courses back there.

Naiyah as she undergoes some major mouth surgery Wed, the 27th of this month and has to be put under for it.

for a continued passion for this side of the job adventure of sharing and raising support.

A difficult time

Recently our family went through one of the toughest times in our lives.  For protection of all involved I am not giving specifics.  But, we do ask for prayers.  For many familes and lives involved here.  The board and staff here had to make a hard decision about a staff member who needed to take time to work on things in his life and family.  We ask for prayers for their family, friends, the students and staff, the community, and our family.  We are all hurting and sad as it is a close community.  We feel completely God's leading as we follow His word, but also ache for the hurt involved in all the change. 

In cases such as this so easy to speculate, tell your side, explain, but we want to be honorable and honor the family that is involved and just ask for prayers at this time.