Serving in Nassau 4 Years

Thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you O Israel; Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Isaiah 43:1-2

Hi again everyone!  Friday June 9, 2017 marked 4 years of service here in Nassau at the Adventure Learning Centre.  This week, as I've reflected upon my time here, I've been reminded of the many blessings, rewards, and provisions from God and am grateful for his faithfulness even when I am often forgetful of his goodness.  Sometimes the demands of ministry and life challenges can blind one  from seeing the ways in which God has been at work.  How good it is to stop and remember.....remember.......and say thank you.  We have LITERALLY been through fire, flood, wind, and storm as a ministry.  Personally, I've endured it as well;  However, never once does the Lord leave us alone.  My story is far from over.  Lord, I do not know what today will bring.  And I am not promised tomorrow, but I know that the story that you are unfolding for my life is your story - YOU Father be the author and finisher of my story.  YOU be the one to decide how and when this chapter in the story ends.  YOU be the one to inspire and create what comes next.  

God continues to write my story; and I continue to teach, train, modify, and add to current programs for the educational programming here.  

   

Since my initial assignment to re-write the outdoor curriculum (launched in 2013), God further inspired me to use my gifts for teaching early childhood to create a planetarium program for grades1-3. (launched in 2015).

Program development took a back burner in 2016 as I stepped into program director role and a member of the overall ministry leadership team. At the end of 2016 it was clear that I was in need of rest as i was experiencing burn out.   Since coming back from my sabbatical in March, I've taken a step back from the leadership team.  What that looks like is that I am not directly involved in conversations and decision making responsibilities for the ministry as a whole.  

   Sam graciously stepped into the role of program director while I was on sabbatical.  She is also a missionary and has served at ALC for many years.  In my absence, Sam served to oversee facilitators, training, and program scheduling in addition to her existing responsibilities.  Sam has been a huge support in my return as she has continued to oversee the facilitators and to assist me with other program needs.  I have resumed communication with teachers and school bookings, scheduling logistics, staff care, and centre/camp communications etc...

Of course I get the greatest joy when teaching and combining the wonders of God's creation with the curiosity of kids.  We have completed another school year.  Though we did not reach the number of students we typically get in a school year (9,000) due to the hurricane setting us back, we still had over 6000 students come through the centre for the 2016-2017 school year.  We thank God for the opportunity to freely share Jesus with each student that passes through those gates every morning.

    

This was the teaching team this year.  Left to right (Celine-Bahamas, Debbie-Germany, Kenny - Bahamas, Eva- Germany, Elton - Bahamas, Jen-USA, Sam-Jamaica, Mark-USA.  I have no doubt that the Lord will use this experience however long it has been to prepare you for what will be next in your story!  Thank you for your service to the Lord!   

As I said earlier, the importance of staff care has been on my heart since my return to the island.  After my experience with burn out I recognize the potential of this happening to others and so it has been my desire to promote staff care.   One of the ideas was to have a day set aside once a month for a staff day. This could look different each month but the purpose  is to be intentional about having a "sabbath" day scheduled on the calendar for the staff to come together for a time to exhale and be encouraged through fellowship, extended staff devotion time and prayer. Last month, we took our weekly staff meeting offsite to Bone Fish Ponds National Park.  This is a beautiful location right off of the ocean in a healthy and thriving mangrove ecosystem.  I am hopeful that the leadership will find this  to be beneficial and that beginning in September we will have a day designated each month.   

One of the other things that has been on my heart to do in the Bahamas was an overnight camping trip to a very small little island.  When the tide is low, this island can be reached by walking across.  My fellow nature lovers and I planned the trip and made it happen. (After 4 years, it finally happened!)

7 of us carried our tents and food over on the kayaks.  Yep....that little sliver of land you see behind us was it!  We were there 24 hours.  Had a great time together!  Again, another "staff care" kind of activity.

This week we transition from school year into summer camp. One of the areas that God has used my past experiences from camps and other organizations is the implementing of staff team building activities.  This addition has made an impact as I see the summer camp director, Tika carrying that baton and incorporating it into summer camp staff training week.   Though the staff changes throughout the summer with people coming and going, the goal is to have a core group of staff to begin working together as a team.  Though I will not be as involved in summer camp this year, I have agreed to lead some staff team building games.

So if you are not going to be as involved in summer camp this year, then what will you being doing you might ask?  Well, I sense that I am in a transition period.  The Lord is up to something and yet I am not aware of what it is.  Upon my return I believed that God still had work for me to do here.  Is it writing curriculum again?  Is it promoting better staff care?  Or is it something I have yet to discover?  I continue to seek the Lord in this, and to listen for his voice.  Sometimes I wish he would yell it loud and clear but this year I am learning that he often speaks in that still small quiet whisper.  And one thing I have made more of a priority is making that time and space to listen for that quiet whisper.

The transition that could be happening is a nudging to write and develop programs again.  One of our staff came to me recently and shared his vision for expanding the program by adding some marine life to the nature centre.   Some might ask, you live less than a mile from the ocean and don't have this element after 24 years of ministry? The answer is not as easy as you might think.  Remember, this is a non-profit ministry that relies upon donors for projects such as this.    I really like the idea of adding something new that is so relevant to the location we live and serve in and so would you pray with me about this nudging?  For something like this to happen, the Lord would need to provide some big things.

1.   Time for me to research this topic.  I know very little marine biology even after 4 years living here.  However, it has been a growing interest.  
2. We would need the resources to start up something simple like a touch tank. 
3. We would need ongoing resources to maintain salt water touch tanks and aquariums as we would hope to add to the program slowly.
4. We would need someone with a passion to specialize in this program and cross train others so that even when we loose staff, the program can continue.

In previous years I have highlighted summer camp and my involvement there but what you may not have realized is that simultaneously we host groups of children and adults for a SUMMER field trip day.  We call them summer tours.  Since we primarily reach school children during the school year, the summer tours open up to the community to come and see what the Adventure Learning Centre is all about.  The two hour tour starts out with a puppet show, followed by a tour of the animals in the farm and a train ride back to the wetlands area.  The day ends with a presentation of the gospel.  Mark and I will be leading the tours this summer.  So between research, modifying current school programs, hosting summer tours, and supporting summer camp with bus driving needs I should stay quite busy.

This photo was taken in my first year of serving with the Adventure Learning Centre.  The local school that we have our after school program with had asked us to do a Easter presentation with a puppet show and then a time of sharing what Easter is really all about.  The entire school was present.  When I look at this picture I smile because even 5 years ago you wouldn't have seen me standing in front of an auditorium of children that size.  This shows growth!   I still have visible signs of nervousness when in front of a crowd like this.  

In closing, I want to thank God for the lessons that he has and still is teaching me.  For the sake of time and ease of reading, here is what I have processed and am willing to share with you.  Each year there was a theme:

• 2013 - To Serve take Sacrifice - left my home, family, and friends to come and start a new life here.
• 2014 - Forgiveness and Reconciliation - Difficult relationships restored to a healthy place.
• 2015 - You Give and Take Away - program director left, new one provided, car stolen, recovered, Car accident, loss of Sean (animal care provider)
• 2016 - Fire & Storm -  Physical fire and storm as well as stepping into leadership role was a test of my faith.
• 2017 - Seeking to Hear God's Voice

Praise & Prayer

• Praise:  Thank you for your prayers for my journey these 4 years.  Some of you have been quite faithful as you have lifted me and this ministry in prayer.
• Praise:  The petting farm has been completed with new plants and landscaping.
• Praise: Another successful school year and for such a great staff!

• Prayer:  Please continue to lift me up as I seek to hear the voice of the Lord and his plans for my ministry here and life.
• Prayer:  Please pray for wisdom and discernment for the board of directors and the decisions they will be making for the ministry.  They will be meeting at the end of June.
• Prayer:  Continue to pray for the provision of an executive director.

Thank you again for your continued support and interest of the Adventure Learning Centre and Cmap Ministry.

Together for Christ,

Jen