"EXCELLENCE  WITHOUT  EXCUSE"

Should we have to make any excuses for the work that we do?  Regardless of whether we are volunteers or paid; serving in a ministry or business; caring for children in a school classroom, or  within the home; if we are doing what God has called us to do, then we are called to work at it as unto the Lord and not for the approval of man. (Colossians 3:23-24) Then we have no excuse but to serve with excellence!  This was the theme of our most recent staff inservice led by our new Executive Director.

Let me introduce you to Kenneth Romer,  Executive Director of Adventure Learning Centre and Camp;  an answer to prayer that has been prayed for over two years.   Kenneth is Bahamian and has  been in place now for two weeks observing the various aspects of the ministry.  He comes with experience both in other ministry as well as corporate business and leads with a focus on goals and succeeding with a winning approach while putting staff growth and development as a priority.  He is future and forward thinking with vision and is known in the community for Excellence.

 Please pray for him and for all of us as we walk through this transition in the days, weeks and months ahead.

Many of you are aware that I came back from my sabbatical a year ago with a desire to be intentional about staff care. After proposing the idea with the board of directors back in September we began the school year by adding this to our ministry calendar.  We call it staff inservice / soul care day.   It is one day a month, blocked off on the calendar from ministry, to MINISTER to the staff; and it has been a successful addition to the rhythm of ministry.  In January, we started off the year with a day of team building offsite.  The staff were not given details other than to load the bus and be prepared for a day away.  We began with devotions and donuts at the beach along with extended time of prayer for specific areas of the ministry.  

Next stop was down by the dock to encounter a "cultural challenge".  After Tika explained what a conch should look like before it is ready to be harvested, the teams were "challenged" to put forth their most brave (foreign) group member participant to taste and see different parts of a conch like the"pistol" (a clear congeal string-like salty substance) and the "conch bubby"(the dark portions of the conch that when consumed raw is very tough."  For those of you reading that have no idea what I am talking about, you just have to come and see for yourself!  :) It was the job of their Bahamian team mates to cheer them on!   Then everyone was blindfolded and asked to feed each other and identify the flavor of Bahamian fruit jam.  (Papaya, Sapodilla, and Tamarind)  Lots of laughter!  So good for the soul.

    

Our next stop brought us out to the caves along the north side of the island.   Half of the group was left blindfolded during transport so they had no idea where they were when we arrived.  Each one was entrusted into the capable hands of those that were leading them.   One of the comments that came out of the debrief that can affect the productivity of a team is "Who can I trust?"  It is important for the functioning of a team to develop a trust in one another which takes time and initiative from everyone involved! To foster that principle, each blindfolded person and their partner were encouraged to talk and get to know one another during the bus ride in order to better understand communication and leadership styles before having to execute the challenge of
decending down into the cave together.

Each one of us is different with various gifts and talents but we are the team that God has put together for this time and season and so we need to take care of..... 

              

and celebrate each other!  

The day ended with a pizza lunch and a January-March Birthday celebration!  

 

In January, students from Calvary Christian Academy in Ft. Lauderdale came and followed program,  played with the kids, helped take down props and set designs from Christmas Lights drive thru, cleaned, and prepped the barn for re-shingling.  They also had other  ministry and service opportunities within the community in the 4 days that they were on the island.

It has been a year and a half since Hurricane Matthew and we are still making little by little progress with repairs.  Thank the Lord for Tim Ryan, a fellow missionary volunteer here in Nassau who had a couple of friends come down from Wisconsin to help get the shingles on the barn roof done!  Another item checked off of the list.  Thanks Tim and friends as well as our own staff who helped with the process from ordering the supplies, delivering, placing scaffolding, as well as the actual job of shingling.

Program continues daily!  In addition to the program director administrative duties of booking field trips and communicating with teachers,  I am also one of 6 facilitators that teach.   Out of the 6 facilitators, 3 of us can drive the school bus so I am often driving groups to the centre each week, part of the job I enjoy and am good at!

But in order for us to drive to schools to pick up children for programs, we need these babies running!  This is the time of year for the annual inspection.  Lots of bulbs replaced, horns fixed, tires swaped out and engines repaired.  Our fleet of buses continue to age and the "wear and tear" keeps the maintenance team hopping (still praying for a full time skilled maintenance person for the centre that can assist in figuring out the puzzle these machines are!)

Puppetry is a big part of the program in the mornings when the children arrive.  Here in this picture, myself and Sam (lead facilitator and puppet trainer)  are telling the story of creation.  The MC person (not pictured) puts the flannel board pieces up as the story is being told.

         

Teaching is what fills me!  Though the program director role has grown me in many ways, it has also taken a lot out of me. There are still challenges with getting everything done in the office on days that I am needed for teaching, however, I still would say that I want to teach!  It's what God made me to do!

Kenny likes being silly with the kiddos and they connect so well with him!  We are blessed to have  Kenny for a second school year.  He is a mature young man who loves God and is a good role model for these young children who often come from homes where the father is not involved.  Pray for Kenny.  He is making plans to go to the University of the Bahamas in the fall.  Pray that the Lord would provide other young men to serve at Adventure Learning Centre and Camp.

A big shout out to the Adventure Learning Centre ALUMNI!  Do you remember our program theme 20 years ago?  This past month we had a pre-school partner with us to bring back the Dino Dig activity as well as some other activities to compliment the thematic unit they were going through at the time.

The grade 3 program has come alive again recently after acquiring two new microscopes. The children can view and get a pollen count from a flower.  Thanking God for resources that he has given but as my heart grows again toward program development pray for continued opportunities for networking with other organizations on island.  Some of the ideas being tossed around require much in the form of resources.

Speaking of networking, last weekend I went to a snake handling workshop at the Bahamas National Trust, which is the organization that is in charge of the National Parks and promotes sustainability and caring for indigenous plants and animals.  Pictured, Scott is talking about the good that Bahamian Fowl snakes are for the island in controlling the rat population.  

 Not only was I able to handle some snakes including this corn snake, but I was able to talk with Scott about the possibility of getting the staff over to the BNT for one of our staff development days and having him educate on how to handle a snake in their yard instead of taking a machete and chopping it up as what is so frequently done.

The highlight of February was a long weekend visit from my sisters!  They came in on a Thursday afternoon, saw me do my thing at the centre on Friday and then pretty much did the tourist thing all weekend!

 

My sister Lindsay and I on the left.  The picture on the right is Jana and I standing at what they call the Queen's staircase, an area in downtown Nassau near one of the old historical forts.

  Had a couple of days to enjoy the sun, sand and sea together! 

  What a blessing to have them visit!

Praise:   

1. The provision of a new Executive Director
2. For the encouragement of a visit from my sisters!
3. For God's sustaining grace given me to serve in Nassau as long as he would see fit.

Prayer Requests:

1. Thank you in advance for your prayers for Kenneth Romer as he seeks to lead this team under the authority and direction given him by the Lord.
2. Pray for embracing hearts for the new leadership and the willingness for each team member to follow the person God has chosen for us for this time and season.
3. Pray for each department in the days and weeks to come as they meet together, set goals, and move in a direction for positive change.
4. Pray for program development.  My heart again is leaning in the direction of creating something new if that is what God has planned in the coming months.
5. And if it isn't, please pray for me personally that the Lord would continue to lead and guide me and that he would align my desires and will with his.

Thank you again for each and everyone that has served to be an encouragement through prayers and financial support!  The Lord be glorified in all that is done in and through your lives!

Blessings,

Jen Rogers