...I saw God today

Where do I even begin? I am BEYOND PROUD of this team. I know I say this every trip, every time...but seriously, to see God working in the hearts and lives of EACH person has been so HUGE and yet it has been in the simplest of ways.

Today I had the joy of serving with the House Team. It was really cool the way the 8 of us were able to jump right in and start serving with the Jamaicans right when we got to the house. There was cement slinging, some of it sticking on the walls...some of it...well, we won't go there...let's just say some of us, our gifts are NOT cement slinging! :) The patience of our Jamaican friends is overwhelming. They could of had the whole process done in an hour, yet they take the time to let each of us try {and not necessarily succeed} but they let us try and they encourage us as we go...I SAW GOD IN THEM TODAY. .I was given the name "RockStar" ...all because Bigga said I was not a woman, he said I was Jamaican by the way I mixed cement....hahaha! It was a great time! I had a great talk with Ralston, the man is so humble. He thanks God every time a team is sent here because it enables him to work and provide for His family...I SAW GOD IN HIM TODAY.

Today was the day at the Infirmary. We all definitely experienced the presence of God there. My friend Orville {for a year now I have thought his name was Oliver...oops!} was the 1st one I saw off the bus. I had brought some pics from last year of him to give to him...you'd of thought I had given him the world...as I walked around with him, I saw the entire team loving on those that don't get loved on all too much. I saw my team letting themselves be stretched and being the hands and feet of Jesus to these precious people. It was a sight to behold. I found myself looking for Patricia...she is usually the 1st one to greet us off the bus, she wasn't there. However, one of the workers overheard me asking for her and she called me over to tell me she wasn't there...in my conversation with her I thanked her for helping these people and her words struck my heart to the core...she said, "no, I am blessed, I CHOOSE to work here. I have always wanted to work with the elderly and it is a blessing to me to get to work here." WOW! She CHOOSES to be in that place. I had no words...I just took her hand {and Orville still had a death grip on mine} and just prayed and thanked God for her. I SAW GOD IN HER TODAY.

Let's just say....TONIGHT WAS THE BEST COURTYARD NIGHT EVER!  Tonight's courtyard was Staff Appreciation Night. They invited the WonbyOne Staff to the courtyard {there was 41 of them} and they had a Bingo Night. There were prizes all along the way...give a ways and door prizes. Nick and Courtney were are Bingo Callers {and they did a phenomenal job...had the Jamaicans and Americans in stitches all night!} The thing that blessed my heart the most was the smiles on all the faces...seriously, to see someone get excited over Toilet paper, baskets of food, soda pop, calling cards, batteries...you would of thought they'd been given a million dollars...we were all so humbled by their gratitude! There were smoothies and ice cream for everyone...it was such a precious time! The grand prize was 5 bags of Cement...that Gloria {one of the cooks} won...you would of thought she had been given the world by her response! And then to top it all off...someone anonymously gave 1 bag of cement to EVERYONE who was there...I'm so glad Janna captured the excitement of that announcement on video...it was PRICELESS! I had brought the ONE bracelets {that Joey had given us at church} to pass out to my team. My thought originally was to give 2 to each team member {1 for them to keep, 1 for them to give a way} When we realized that giving things away wasn't going to work, I just held on to them...asking God how they could be used...wouldn't you know there was 41 Jamaicans there tonight and when Bobby and I counted the bracelets...there were exactly 41 in the bag...coincidence??? NOPE! The team lined up in 2 lines outside the courtyard, we prayed over the Jamaicans and as they left we were able to hug each one and give them a bracelet...thanking them for the impact they have had on our lives and the impact they are having here in Harmons...it was Amazing! I SAW GOD AT COURTYARD tonight!

We are all having the time of our lives...God continues to break us and He is molding and shaping us into what He wants us to be! We are learning so much about serving with Joy! Thank you so much for all the encouragement cards...every day, someone is relating a Scripture that someone has given them to how it applies to that day...your words are speaking loudly into our lives!

Love to you all!
~Laci-we've decided to flour Dayton in your honor on Friday...hehehehe!
 Joey-all the Jamaicans are asking about you and several have told me to tell you they are praying for you!

Serving with JOY!
~Amy