We have a 6 year old!

Naiyah celebrate 6 years and wanted everything to be "Princess Rapunzel".  And of course dad and brothers had to be dressed up as Flynn.  Or at least we tried to humor her.  We usually do just a simple family party.  Naiyah had told a friend a church that she was having a birthday, so four neighborhood kids knocked throughout the day asking to come to the family party too:)

Group Mania, Thanks Mound City!

Our group from Ft. Collins, CO worked like crazy to get so many things done. We were sad to see them go, as they are like family to us.  Brice and I moved there right after our honeymoon and spent the first 2 years of our marriage and Naiyah's first year a part of the church family there.  And even though it has been 5 years we have been gone, we feel like it is spending time with family everytime we are with them. 

The day they left our next group came.  This is Mound City's 1st mission trip ever that they can recall.  We feel so priviledged they support us and came to help us in St. Vincent.  After looking at the pictures below, they are some workers!  Painting, scraping, and building walls are some of the things they are working on.  Building the wall here is hard work, and even the ladies are jumping in!  They first have to dig a trench, then they will mix the cement by hand. 

The other big surprise they are working on is (I say surprise as you never know what will happen, so jobs can change constantly...as the group last week had no clue they would be helping replace our floors) plumbing.  We discovered this week about 5 different sinks/showers that have leaked to below and needed fixing....and of course God knew when he sent along Dan, who has great knowledge in the plumbing field that we don't.  I love seeing how we have no clue how God will do something, and His plan is always better than our planning. 

Our open house for the preschool was this Saturday.  I thought I would have this orderly open house for enrollment for September.  I was all prepared with the applications, or so I thought.  I had a fun birthday wall the ladies from CO helped me with to add their birthdays on.  I was ready!

First, we had just had VBS...so all the neighbors and kids from VBS decided this was a time to hang out.   So amidst the enrolling, I also had about 15 extras just hanging out:)  We had 6 boys and 1 that day and more keep coming each day to enroll!  I felt so bad as 2 of the moms did not know how to write, so my carefully prepared application was a bit too complex and confusing.  And 3 of the family members could not remember the birthdates for the birthday wall.  But, I realized none of that matters as I get so excited for Maddie and I to teach these little kids each day of God's love here.  We're so grateful to the many that have helped make it happen.  

A Dream Coming True

Coming from Haiti and working at Sonlight we saw how much starting young leading kids to Christ changed a kid, family, community, and even city.  So, we knew to train leaders in the churches we needed to start when they were young.  We began dreaming about starting a preschool.kindergarten and then having kids club after school for tutoring, bible study, and loving on the kids.  I have to say with 3 of my own and all that WISE has going on, I dreamed but was not sure of the reality. 

Kendra and Mallory decorated the beautiful welcoming door.

Mrs. Gloria was a former teacher who gave me so many great ideas.

Nicole helped hang.

Mallory and Kelli helping.

Kendall showing us the birthday wall.

Kids play area.  And the amazing tables and benches Mr. Daniel built us.

Hanging the sign Laura painted for us.

And the last day of an amazing VBS.

Every decoration and labor was donated by amazing friends and family that believed in this.  We are so thankful for the prayers, God's leading, and even the fun garage sale finds people found to make this happen.  Pray for today as our open house enrollment is today. 



We just got to celebrate 7 years of being married as best friends, partners in ministry, and tons of adventure and kids!  It has involved having 3 kids and living in 3 different countries. 

Usually on our anniversaries we are traveling to churches in the summer.  This one we were here in St. Vincent and what a treat as 2 of our former youth girls from Dayspring watched our kids, so we could go to dinner.  It was the first time while in St. Vincent we had someone to watch our kids, so it was a real treat to have that alone time.  Thanks, Mallory and Kendall! 

We went to this fun little local place that was out of someone's house.  We first walked in the wrong way, but were soon directed to the back.  Brice had chicken roti, a local favorite that has tons of curry.  And I had a porkchop that was covered in sweet and sour chinese sauce- interesting and yummy.  And of course Coke in a bottle to finish off the evening.

Blessings from Dayspring, CO

We have a group here visiting from CO....at the perfect time! Our house had so much mold under the flooring from a water leak.....so the guys have been pitching in replacing the floor. They have been amazingly helpful in so many ways. The door stays open with 18 guests visiting, lizards darting in, neighborhood kids ready for VBS, and continual dust from all the traffic. I can't even express how thankful I was that they came to love on all the kids here for VBS but also that they helped us out in so many personal ways.

Here is the guys scrubbing the mold off the cement.

All the moldy boards.

Putting in tile

VBS crafts

Crew groups

Eating some local fruit at our place!