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Our Easter Break team sets the tone for the remainder of the summer. They help to prep the future jobs and sites and get our summer missions off the ground.
The team from Our Saviour’s continues to grow. They doubled their numbers since last year, and tripled their work. Last year they began the preparations for would would become our new Workshop, with a new foundation and supporting beams for the next team to build upon.
This year they tacked 4 new jobs. First and most noticeably, they renovated the entrance to the school; new paint on the entrance makes the school just shine. They worked to complete what has been an 8 year project in the waiting; our new school gate, and the gate looks awesome. I have affixed them in the open position so that everyone who drives in feels like the school has arms wide open, welcoming them. Its no exaggeration to say a little paint and hard work can make a world of difference.
Our primary goal for this summer is to renovate all the classrooms with new boards, floors, desks, etc. This team got us started on the right foot by renovating what is our existing cafeteria to transform it into our new music room. The carpenters on the team built what is perhaps the strongest cabinet ever for carefully locking and storing all our musical instruments, as well as brand new benches for the cafeteria.
Another huge project was prepping the school for our other summer work which involved the creation of an incinerator and brand new trash containers, as well as a slew of handyman jobs for our Girls Dorm Apartment, which will receive a new roof and ceiling this summer.
The team also volunteered at our local church and spent time in one of the poorest settlements to distribute dresses and shorts for the boys and girls. They went around this Haitian village and played with the children and through the efforts of the church back home and the participation of many individuals to make these dresses and shorts, the team was able to show the love of Christ to these little ones.
My mom and dad came on the team as well as my aunt, and they all got to stay with us during the trip. It was such a blessing to have family staying with us and their giving to help here at the school is like wind in our sails.
The best blessing came after the team had left and I received an email from one of the team members. His testimony during the trip crystalizes what a week’s short term mission trip to Windermere is all about, and I leave it for you to be blessed by as well:
“The trip back to the States was a longer one, but did afford me the time to reflect on what was my real reason for going to Eleuthera. I saw first hand what a true mission is all about. It was not the tasks assigned and how they turned out. It was not to leave the campus with a piece of work that I can put my name on. It is not a vacation that I can go back to the States and “show off” my tan. It was a time to let God work through me to reach these young people. It was a time to lay the foundation for others to be able to better see God. I was a tool in the shop. I went to bed each night thanking God for giving me the strength to complete that day and looked forward to starting another. God smiled at me with beautiful sun rises and sun sets. It was hard to leave and I miss it now very much. The opportunity to serve God has very much been rewarding. Jesus never said to change anyone. Jesus gave us his direction. I am glad I took his advice and followed his direction. My prayers will always be with you and I look forward to the time I can continue his work.”
We are so thankful for this team’s attitude and they way they came to give of themselves and bless us and the school. It will indeed be an amazing summer if all our teams strike the same chord as this first one.