Anna, Abigaelle, and Naomi
Watching the sunrise over the ocean set a beautiful, intentional tone for a full day of deep connection in Abaco. The Des Moines Christian School team jumped straight into serving by painting a single mother’s house before hosting an energetic kids camp at the local church. Read the daily reflection from Anna, Naomi, and Abigaelle to see how patience and simple moments of teamwork reshaped their perspectives!
Anna
It’s actually crazy to be back in Abaco after all this time, since coming two years ago. The amount of peace and joy that has been reignited in me by just being here is unreal! We woke up this morning to go pray next to the ocean on The Rock (affectionately called “Dwayne”), watching the sunrise. That set the tone of the day: being intentional and attuned to what God was going to do.
We headed to paint a house for a single mother, Davia, for a good portion of the morning. We got to see her with her baby, Mezziah, while we painted, which was a really fun connection that we made. Jumping right into work was exactly what our team needed, and we have gotten so much more connected within these two days. We headed to the church, Kirk of the Pines. We had lunch, headed to the grocery store to pick up fun snacks, and started to set up for the kids.
Immediately when the kids started showing up, the energy lightened. It’s so true what Jesus said about having childlike faith because the amount of carefree but engaged energy that the kids gave off was amazing to see. Just us being friends to play with was enough for them. Specifically, I think God really set these events in place today because first, we connected with each other, and then we connected with the kids. The joy that came equally from both was such a gift in itself.
Abigaelle
What impacted me the most today was this afternoon, when we went to a local church and spent some time with kids of all ages. I met a 5-year-old named Regina. It took her a while to open up and play with us. I stuck by her side during snack time and got to talk to her as she finished her snack. Towards the end, she got really comfortable. Her father arrived to pick her up, and she told me that she did not want to go home. I gave her a piggyback ride for a little while, and she held on to me tight, not wanting to let go as I tried to put her down.
This made my heart happy, and I realized a few things. I learned the importance of patience because when traveling here to Abaco, my patience was tested a few times, and I told my friends that it’s something that God is working on in me. In conclusion, I learned the importance of patience and the great things that come with waiting on God’s timing.
Naomi
Throughout the day, I have noticed a strong theme of connection. When we were painting the house of a busy single mother, it had gotten very hot, and people were becoming exhausted. We had all noticed how much we had accomplished in a short period of time. As I took a short water break, I was observing my surroundings, and I noticed people talking to the family we were serving and how beautiful that connection was. The mother was incredibly grateful and had a constant smile on her face.
In the last half hour, six other team members and I started to work together to finish the second coat of paint on the last wall. It was a simple yet powerful moment of connection and teamwork. Another small moment was later on in the day at the church where we were working. I was talking to and playing with a girl named Aliyah. The fruit of the spirit lesson for the group was about gentleness, and we had the chance to discuss. She then asked me if I wanted to hear a Bible verse. She told me the exact verse word by word, and it was about the power that God has. I asked her if that was a verse she had memorized at church, and she said no; she had remembered the verse because it was taped on her fridge. This small detail and interaction showed me that something as simple as teaming up to paint (no matter how hungry or tired), or a Bible verse memorized from a paper on a fridge, can turn someone’s perspective around.
Connection is so important, and it’s easy to forget that in everyday life. But on this trip, there are infinite moments and opportunities to connect with others and bring a smile to people’s faces.
— Anna, Abigaelle, and Naomi
