Where None Have Gone Before

 

"I begynnelsen skapte Gud himmelen og jorden"

   -Genesis 1:1

Norweigen Bible/ Bibelen Guds Ord

  We kicked this week off by going somewehre we have never been yet. There is a squatters community on the island of St.Croix. No one goes into this community before. The people living there are mostly immigrants from the Dominican Rebublic. We had to split up into two groups. One group went far into the community. And as they walked around they met a couple that invited us to thier wedding! Later we went back to help them move a car from their yard.  While one group was walking around, the other group found a project that we were not expecting. While talking and playing basketball with some teens, we met a 19 year old named Jarica. She told us that no one had ever come to thier community to spend time with them before. We all felt that it was God guiding us to them and how receptive they were of us yet again.

The living conditions in the squatters community

  Then in the evening we weent to the kennedy project and Jared and Melissa B. taught on creation. we did a craft with them and they glued pieces of paper on to represent the different things God created on the different days. it went over really well, the kids loved it! then we gave them calk to draw on the basketball courts their favorite things God created. we saw kids write "i love jesus", "God created the world". It was amazing!!



Melissa  and Jared teaching the kids! There were about 30 kids sitting in the circle 


  Tuesday morning we went to the lighthouse in the morning.  On Tuesday and Wednesday evening we went back to the lighthouse for the after school program we have started helping with. Tuesday Jared and Melissa B. taught their creation lesson. And Wednesday Melissa J. taught clean mouth, clean heart lesson. Tuesday night we helped the St. Croix Christian Church tby watching the children of couples in the church while they took a  parenting class. This is something we will be doing every Tuesday night while we are here. 

Leah helping some of the younger kids at the Lighthouse

  Wednesday and Thursday morning  we spent time cleaning the appartment, and painting it for the new base directors to live in. They will hopefully be ariving at the end of February, so our team may be able to meet them! We are praying that they arrive before we leave. 

Mindy, Joo, and Solveig doing the primer coat!

  Thursday, in the afternoon we went to the Kennedy project. Melissa Jensen taught a lesson on hygeine called clean mouth, clean heart. A lot of the children in the projects have really rotten teeth so it was really good to do that teaching! But then she related it back to how we have to have a clean heart along witha clean mouth! And then we did a prayer with the children who wanted to ask Jesus to be their best friend and come into their hearts. We had four children come to the Lord along with others praying along in the group. It was so incredible! God has definitely been directing us in every step and knew that the kids would respond the way they did. We are so excited to go back and continue teaching. In the evening we began our 24 hour prayer. 

  Friday half of us stayed on base for prayer and the other half went to the lighthouse. This week Melissa B. preached the word! Then we spent the rest of our day doing our prayer day. We spent time praying into the business sphere in st. croix. On Wednesday we found out that the main oil refinery here on the island is going out of business. This will have a crippling affect on the island. Many businesses and families will be affected. We are praying in faith that God has the situation in his hands, and it will bring glory to Him, even if we can't see it yet. This time will give the church to bond together and be a living testimony of Gods faithfullness even in the tough times.

  This saturday we went to a wedding in the squatters community. The couple told us they were so greatful that we came. And the bride looked  beautiful! It was unlike any wedding any of us had been to. It was very casual and short. But it was definitely a wonderful thing to be a part of. And everyone was so glad to be there!



Our team with the bride and groom!!



Overall team feeling of the week? 

"Our team loved being so busy every day this week!! We are so excited about how the children responded to our first teachings. We cannot wait to see how the rest of the lessons go, and  watch the kids grow.  The kids that came to the Lord are in our prayers constantly. We know God is doing something BIG on this island! And we are so excited to watch his plans unfold. We have been brought here for such a time as this!"

With all our love! Team St. Croix