HELP LORD!  WE NEED YOU!

PSALM 121:1-2  I lift my eyes to the hills.  From where does my help come? My help comes from you Lord, who made the heavens and the earth.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

SEAN WILSON 

I cannot tell you how many times our brother and friend friend Sean quoted the verses above as he would lead us in prayer during morning staff devotions.  ALC&C lost Sean Wilson, our animal caretaker and grounds manager, on October 28th. Sean had been on his way to church on Sunday morning, October 24th when he suffered injuries to his lungs in a motor vehicle accident.  He was taken to the hospital after the accident where he died three days later. Sean had been a part of the ALC&C ministry for over 22 years.  Those who knew him know how much he loved the animals he cared for and how he loved seeing the kids come through the gates of the Adventure Learning Centre to "experience a little slice of heaven." He is greatly missed already.  

We remember Sean.....

Horse rides will never be the same.....

 
Sean's playful personality                 Early days -junkanoo drums

      Sean at ALC family gatherings.   He LOVED Sour Sop!

He loved those animals!

All Staff Photo September 29, 2015 - 1 month before Sean's death

Sean encouraged anyone that he talked to.....a reflection of a life rich with faith building experiences that he used to encourage others in their faith.  He had a dramatic life testimony of  God saving him from the street life of drugs and alcohol;and after coming to the Adventure Learning Centre as a baby Christian, and  being discipled there over the years, he grew into a strong disciple of the many that have come through the gates of ALC.  Today I'd like to share a word from the Lord that came to me from the mouth of this man Sean, God's willing and faithful servant.   

 Sean could be found in this very spot every morning with his breakfast, Bible, and of course his paper.  My last conversation with him was here at this table, less than a week before the car accident.  As I sat with him that morning, eating my breakfast, he asked me how the "bus riding experience" was going.  (For those of you unaware, I totaled my car in an accident at the end of September).  I replied that it has had its challenges, but quickly moved on to share with him about how God might be at work through this experience. "Ya know Sean," I said, "There is a woman who for the last couple of days has stopped to offer me a ride to the ALC.  Maybe God wants for me to reach out to her to share the love of Jesus."  I cannot remember Sean's exact words in this moment, but I recall a conversation that  centered around taking advantage of opportunities God is giving us because we may be the very one God uses to introduce people to Jesus.  It wasn't until later did I realize how significant that conversation would be.

 

 Ten minutes later, we as a staff are meeting together inside for staff devotion time, where we discussed the importance of praying for those in other countries that are being persecuted for the cause of Christ.  Before going into prayer for those countries, we were asked to read various scriptures as encouragement to direct in our prayer time.  I volunteered unknowingly of what message was about to deeply affect me.  "I need a volunteer to read Ephesians 6:19", asked the leader.  "I can," I replied.  The context of that scripture is in the section talking about putting on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  And in vs. 19 it finishes that section by saying, "and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel..."  As I finished reading that verse, I immediately looked back at Sean as you see him in this picture above.  We made eye contact, and exchanged a smile.  I turned my head back but immediately heard him whisper my name.   Making eye contact again, he said a phrase that will forever stay with me......a word from the Lord through the mouth piece of Sean.......He pointed at me as he whispered, "That's for you Jen."

Would you pray for Rosie?  She has been dropping me off at the ALC nearly every morning for the past month. I had wanted to share a picture of Rosie and her son so that you would have a face with the prayer request.  However, I've been unable to find an opportunity to get one.    I continue to pray for boldness.  One morning that prayer was answered when I asked Rosie if she was a Christian.  She replied that she is not, but that she believes in God and lives a moral life.  I wish that I had followed up with the question, "What's holding you back?"    Some days I've taken advantage of the open doors of opportunity in the conversations.....other days, I've exited the car knowing that I wasn't bold to use my mouth.  It is sobering to think that if this woman was suddenly killed in a car accident if she would meet Jesus as I know my brother Sean has.  As a good friend of mine here in Nassau would say in moments of being overwhelmed, "This be deep!"  Please pray for me and pray for Rosie.  She is a single mother of her 13 year old boy Justin.

Even a month later, this word brings me to tears.  It is a new commission to go and preach the gospel.....something that I've been doing boldy within the gates of Adventure Learning Centre, but now those boundaries have extended beyond the white gates and out into the community.  Into the real world,   interacting with and meeting the needs of the poor and hurting.  One day, while waiting for a bus, a  man asked me for money.  I declined, but quickly offered to get him something to eat from the food store across the road.  He accepted the bottle of chocolate milk as he ripped off the cover and continued on his way.  A couple of weeks later, I ran into the same  man at a different bus stop.  Though he appeared to be under the influence of something, somehow through his mumbling jabber, I find that he remembered that day that I bought him the chocolate milk.  This is where the rubber meets the road.  But why me Lord?  In a season of storm where the pressure change ( pun intended), is enough to make my head hurt, how can you use this broken, faithless, woman that struggles to praise you in the storm because she is so troubled with the circumstances around her and the ever changing environment of ministry life.  

Other news:

Program has remained busy!

I continue to do what I am passionate about....and that is to teach about creation and to use it in making connections to the gospel of God's plan of redemption through Jesus. 

When I am not teaching, there are leadership team meetings that must happen in order to keep things running.  This photo is of the leadership team meeting with the board during our recent board meeting in October.  

Please pray for the board, for clear direction from them, for the search for more board members, and for the search for an executive director to oversee both the camp and the centre.

And when I am not teaching or in team leader meetings, I am assisting with the preparations for our annual Christmas Lights drive through outreach.   We've been working on putting up lights for weeks, and still finalizing the sets in the back trail where the public will drive through and be transported back into time, to experience the story and life of Jesus from the foretelling of his birth, through his life ministry, death, and resurrection.  The real reason for the season!

Please pray for the event.  This year we have extended to a second weekend which requires A LOT of coordination and planning.

 Though this is a silly picture of Dilan, our program director, it represents well what life has been as he  faithfully makes phone calls, whats app, facebook messenger, emails etc....  to coordinate the 60 plus volunteers needed each night of the event.  And that number of volunteers multiplied by 4 nights.  This has been a HUGE undertaking, and his administrative skills and gifts have greatly blessed us this year January-December.  

Dilan and his wife Laura have come to the end of their 1 year commitment serving at ALC.  As we lose them, there will be a huge hole to fill.   Pray that God would send another to replace Dilan as program director and Laura as an amazingly energetic facilitator.  They will be greatly missed.  In the interum, I will be stepping into only a portion of his role in the coordinating of programs and overseeing the program staff.      

One of the many things that I have missed is opportunities for weekend getaways and ladies retreats.  Last weekend a talented Christian speaker and author, Lisa Harper, (back row third from the left) was in Nassau for a woman's conference called "Proximity"  This was a refreshing time in the midst of the busyness and change.  A good reminder that God hasn't moved.  He doesn't change.  It is the posture of our heart that is challenged to keep in "Proximity" with him.

Though I missed my goal in getting this out before Thanksgiving, let me take this opportunity to extend my thank fullness to each of you in the little and big ways that you support and encourage me.  I look forward to seeing some of you again soon after a whole year of not being in Colorado.  Though it will be my desire to see each of you individually, my short 3 weeks will fly and so I cannot promise anything because  I am  most definitely in need of rest in order to carry on with the responsibilities that have been handed to me.

Blessings to you all,

Jen

Praises:

1. Temporary help in animal care and grounds keeping after the loss of Sean.
2. Thank ful for friends and family who have sent encouragement through emails, cards, phone calls, etc.
3. Thank ful for those on the island who have offered a listening ear, and have given me rides to and from functions, who have blessed me with a dinner out or an opportunity to get away to exhale.
4. Thank ful  to all.......for your continued prayers and financial support

Personal Prayer Requests:

1. Restored joy and keeping my eyes of Jesus in the midst of such change and transition.
2. Provision of funds for purchase of another vehicle
3. Needed rest as I travel to Denver for Christmas

Prayer Requests: (STAFF NEEDS)

1. ANIMAL CARE  & GROUNDS KEEPING  MANAGER -Someone with animal care experience and able to give direction to grounds keeping crew.
2. PROGRAM DIRECTOR- oversee programming and facilitators at the Centre, market programs to schools, coordinate fundraising events, etc....
3. MAINTENANCE- Help needed both at Camp and Centre with construction and repairs
4. COOK - Someone to help cook for groups at Camp and help with food service at the centre as needed.
5. FACILITATORS-  Run and maintain programming at the centre.