MIRACLES  HAPPEN!

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us...."     Ephesians 3:20

Ask anyone around Nassau if they expected to see my car come back to me in one piece and the answer was "no".  It is nothing short of a miracle that the car came back with only minor damage.  You see, the history with car theft in the Bahamas is that Honda's are a hot item and usually when stolen, are stripped of their parts.  God has indeed  proved his word to be true To HIM who is able to do far more abundantly than I could have asked or thought.......  A modern day miracle!

First of all, a big thanks to all who have sent kind words of encouragement and support during this short trial.  While I would prefer to reply individually to each of you (which I may get to eventually) I simply do not have the time or energy as I am fully emerged into summer camp which is the busiest by far and most exhausting time of the year.  I will give an update on how that is going at a later time, but for now, thank you in advance for understanding and my sincere thanks for your support both financially and prayerfully during this time.

Now for the details on the car recovery:

2002 Honda Domani (before being stolen)

Friday June 19th, I received a phone call that my car had been recovered and that two suspects were found driving the vehicle and had been arrested.  I went into the police station that afternoon to identify the vehicle and to give a statement.   It would appear that the suspects were using the car to do other thefts because we found a gas can and another car battery in the trunk.  From a quick glance, the needed parts for the car to function were still in tact but we were unable to touch the vehicle at that time until final processing of the vehicle had been completed.  

  

Thursday June 25th, Bob Balson, Maintenance missionary for Adventure Learning Camp, came with me to pick up the car.  With his screw driver in hand for starting the car (thieves had ripped out ignition  lock and hot wired it) he tried to start it up and found that there was no gas in the tank.  Could it be possible that the car ran out of gas when the thieves were driving it and God put a police officer in the right place at the right time to catch them?  Perhaps someone jumped the fence into the yard and siphoned the gas out of the tank.  I will never know.  What I DO know is this, they were found!  Some may call it luck, but I prefer to believe that it was the providence of God to orchestrate the timing of the recovery and justice to be served to both of the thieves.

Minor damages:

It is hard to see in this picture, but the white piece hanging down beneath the steering wheel is the ignition.  The thieves had ripped out the ignition lock.  At this point in time I have to start the vehicle with a screw driver.  Any of my mechanic friends have an idea what it would cost to fix this?

This is more of a cosmetic thing but they busted up the top right  hand corner where the hazards light button is.  Not sure what they were trying to get at there???  The hazard lights still work.  Some might think that they stole a stereo from the open space that you see but I had actually bought the car like that already.  The air conditioning still works just fine which I am thank ful for!  This time of year, that is IMPORTANT! :)

Since there was no indication of broken glass, I believe that this is the point of entry when they got into the vehicle.  This piece of molding was ripped off and somehow they pried the door open.  This is the area of priority that I want fixed so that it does not become an eye target for the next thief that wants to break in.

Before the car was stolen I had three factory made Honda hub caps like what you see on this front tire.  The fourth had already been missing when I bought the car.  When I got the car back, there was one Honda hubcap, and three others that were store bought.  They were smart enough to change the look of the car that way........

as well as to put on different license plates.  Though the car is now in my possession, I have a couple more hoops to jump through before it is legal to drive again.  I have to write a letter to licensing and registration stating that my car had been stolen and that it was recovered by the police.  In the letter, I need to request new plates.  Once I bring that letter to the police, they retype the letter onto police letter head and stamp it with police approval before going to licensing and registration to get new plates.

Although the outside of the vehicle was altered a bit, the thieves still were found driving the vehicle and not only that, but they were found driving the vehicle with my name still attached to the windshield.  (In the Bahamas it is required that the registration information is adhered to the inside corner of the windshield.)  It does not appear that they even tried to scrape it off.

The only two items of value that were in the trunk of the car were both of my tennis rackets.  One was a 150 dollar Head racket that was maybe 5 years old.  The other, more of sentimental value, was the racket that I went to state with in High School.  Both I had kept in the back of my trunk hoping to get back out onto the tennis court.  Due to some joint pain and swelling recently I hadn't been using the rackets.

Requests:

With the majority of the repairs appearing to be minor.  (I am having a mechanic look at the car more thoroughly this coming week), I am hoping to invest in a car alarm system.  I haven't had the time yet to research what is available on the island.  The purpose of this picture is not to advertise the exact alarm system that I want but only to represent my goal in putting an alarm system in the car.

I've also been told that a "club" is also helpful.  God has not given us a spirit of fear,  but of love, power and a sound mind. I am not living in a spirit of fear,  but I do want to be wise about securing my car especially since Hondas are targeted most.

Pastor Moss approached me to ask if I would be willing to share a testimony of how God worked this out.  Being a part of a church community is about caring for one another by weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice.  This church family had lifted me up in prayer the Sunday that the car was found stolen.  The prayers among my friends, family, and church family both at home, here in Nassau and all over the world was  that the Lord would miraculously return the car to me, or to miraculously provide the funds to replace it.  Prayers answered!  Thank you church family here in Nassau, brothers and sisters from Grace Community Church and Fairview Chapel as well as all other friends and family!  Love you all!

 Interestingly enough. the very weekend that the church here in Nassau was celebrating  25 years of ministry, with the theme being "God's Faithfulness", I had the opportunity to give testimony  to God's faithfulness in my life.  And so I thank my God who has once again proven his steadfast love and faithfulness to me.   The words from a familiar song...... "How deep the father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that He should give his only son, to make a wretch his treasure.  While I wander and many a times sin with my heart and attitude, He so graciously extends his mercy and grace to me and has revealed himself to be the only God who saves, AND the only God who is relational and caring for the details of my life.

I trust that this experience has grown me in my faith and that God is glorified in all that He has done!

Thanks again for joining me in this journey!

Blessings,

Jen

HAPPY 2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! 

 THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

JUNE 2013 -  It was two years ago today, June 9th 2013, that I boarded a plane bound for Nassau Bahamas.  Most people that fly this direction come for a different purpose.  What was mine? To be obedient in answering a very important phone call.  In a world of technology where phone calls and texts are at your fingertips, can you imagine answering a call from someone important enough to leave family, friends, and the land that you love? Answer......I never imagined that God would allow my story to unfold in the way that it has, and I am confident that the story is  far from over.  As that story continues to unfold, I look to my God, who has given me life and for whom I continue in this journey in pointing children and families to the creator and Savior. I look forward to seeing how God will use me for His glory in the coming year.  So that was what I was doing in June 2013.....So what about since then?   I have put together a picture tour through the past two years of ministry. 

JUNE 2014 - Teaching story of Moses during summer camp

JULY 2013 - The first three months in Nassau I sat in an office writing curriculum.

JULY 2014 - But the next year I got to put my creative juices into action by developing hands on interactive  Bible lessons that come to life!  Can anyone guess what this story is?

AUGUST 2013 -While the rest of the staff took a couple of weeks off to rest from the busy summer, I spent August organizing and gathering materials into bins in preparation for the curriculum launch for the new school year.

AUGUST 2014 - But the next year I had the opportunity to get some R&R after being very much involved in the summer camp activities.

And of course time spent reconnecting with friends......

and family!

SEPTEMBER 2013 - I am so thank ful for the way God brought me through that first September.  Not only was it the hottest month I had experienced in my life, we spent a month training the staff in the new curriculum AND we managed to celebrate 20 years of ministry with a huge anniversary celebration.

This picture represents what needs to happen for all of us in times of high pressure......some fun and laughter.  Though puppet training is required for facilitators in the ministry, it gave a much needed comic relief and break from learning curriculum material.

SEPTEMBER 2014 - After one full year of curriculum implementation and working with new staff, I found ways of adding and improving upon staff training.  The next year I added some team building exercises.  I am already considering how I may continue to make improvements in the process for this coming September 2015. 

Down at the Adventure Leanring Camp, directors Tim and Mindy Seeley, and the other staff, partnered with previous Bahamian campers and counselors to plan the Joy Bible Camp reunion.  For those unfamiliar with the history, Adventure Learning Camp was a thriving Bible Camp years ago which reached hundreds and hundreds of Bahamian children.  

It is the heart of the directors to develop the camp into a ministry that once again reaches Bahamian youth in addition to serving missions teams.  As a result of the reunion, we all had the privilege of meeting some wonderful people who have a desire to invest in the next generation of young people.  Pictured here, students are checking in for the youth outreach which meets twice a month.

OCTOBER 2013- As a staff, we did some cross training at the local zoo.  Pictured here is Sam, one of our staff feeding a lorikeet.  

OCTOBER 2014 - And I believe it was that visit to the Ardastra Zoo and gardens that prompted Mark Wallace, our director, to lead us in a project of transforming our petting gazebo into a bird aviary.  Not yet open, but soon guests will too, be able to go inside and feed the birds!

NOVEMBER 2013 - I am so thank ful for the opportunity to be using my God given gifts and passions for teaching in the outdoors to serve for this time here in Nassau.

NOVEMBER 2014 - Thanksgiving shouldn't be our only time of giving thanks and I have been learning this year more about having a heart of gratitude always.

DECEMBER 2013 - A trip to Exuma, Bahamas with a team from the Ministry of Education was a highlight of that first year.  This team gave me much insight into the Bahamian culture, and assisted me greatly as I researched Bush medicine, a topic covered in the grade 5 curriculum.

I was thank ful to be able to go back to Denver for Christmas with my family.  My neice and I went on a "date" to the annual Zoo Lights.

DECEMBER 2014 - But the next year the lights were not found at the zoo, but right here at the Adventure Learning Centre. The Christmas Lights Drive through took months to prepare but many came.  Those who drove through  not only saw lights but had eyes opened to see the true light of Jesus through the skit that was enacted while driving by.

Again I was blessed to spend Christmas with my family.  A friend from the Bahamas spent her first time in snowy Colorado as well!

JANUARY 2014 & 2015 -  I have been blessed to have been one of the first occupants of these cottages pictured here.  The blue one being painted was where I lived for the entire year of 2014.  January 2015 the second cottage was finished and my roommates and I moved there which is where I currently reside.

Also new to the ministry this January 2015 were two couples.  Pat and Janice Armstrong on the left.  Dilan and Laura Van Ryn on the right.  Both couples were God sends at a time when other staff members had felt God leading them in another direction.

FEBRUARY 2014 - Halfway through that first school year, we hosted the Science curriculum coordinators for a teacher workshop day.  It was a joy to share some of what the children are doing when they come to the centre on field trips.  For me it was an opportunity to get to know some faces in the education world here on the island.

FEBRUARY 2015 - While this past February, we were already making preparations for our annual fundraising event Easter Monday Fun Day (see separate blog update for details)

MARCH 2014 -  We got a new bus and Judson University volunteered their time to paint it.

MARCH 2015 - God provided me with a car!

Did you know that we became firefighters at the end of March this year?

APRIL 2014 - Myself and two others were asked  to lead a Easter School Assembly.  We had the freedom to share what Easter is really all about.  Imagine being asked to do that in a public school in the states???

I also had two visitors from good friends back in Colorado.  My friend's Faye and Patrice cooked a traditional Bahamian meal for them.

Then my parents came two weeks later!  We took a trip over to another family island  Eleuthra.

APRIL 2015 - My parents came again in April this year only we stayed right here in Nassau this time.

MAY 2014 - More visitors in 2014!  Jordan and Tammy Koplin!

Not visitors to the Adventure Learning Centre AT ALL!  I just love these ladies.  They are college students who have come back to the centre many years to volunteer their time to help out with summer camp.

MAY 2015 - The same girls a year later still coming back to serve.  Here they are displaying some of their finest art as we prepare for Summer Camp Theme "Under the Sea"

Just last week I had the opportunity to see these two get married!  My cousin Katy and her husband Joseph!  Congratulations you two!

Was wonderful to spend some time with my family.

As I have spent an evening reflecting over the past two years, I can honestly say that God has been faithful.  Faithful to provide; faithful to give grace and strength for the tasks, faithful to restore and heal; faithful to reconcile and make new; faithful to stretch me beyond what I would ever choose.  And with all of that has come growth.  

Psalm 103:1   Bless the Lord oh my sould and all that is within me bless his holy name.

Psalm 100:4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name