Join Lane, Clay, and Leah, members of the Third Church IMPACT team, as they recount a beautiful day in Abaco. Discover their encounters with ocean wildlife, the joy of painting Melinda’s house, and the powerful stories of resilience and faith shared within the community. Dive into their day filled with music, service, and reflection.
Today was another beautiful sunrise. One of my favorite things was to walk the beach in the morning and watch the sun come up over the clear blue water. An activity we enjoyed was snorkeling. We saw a lot of ocean wildlife while snorkeling, including a sting ray, a lobster, sharks, and plenty of fish. We also found a conch, which is a big shell that is colorful on the inside and has conches living in it. Many Bahamians love to eat conch salad.
We were able to bless Melinda by putting a coat of blue paint on her house. We argued if it was UCLA or LA Chargers blue– regardless, it is a beautiful bright blue. The many bright colored houses reflect the joyful nature of those that live in the Caribbean.
Today we had music while we painted. Music has been a theme on our trip. There have been many occasions where everyone asks Darin if he is able to come up with a song for a particular statement or situation. Such as on our bumpy road back to camp, we asked if Darin had a song for the road. This led us to break out into the song “Country roads, take me home; To the place I belong.”
Another group was able to work on the greenhouse, hoop building at Central Abaco Primary School. We reinforced the sides to keep critters from entering the building. Later, back at Camp, we were blessed by another great meal by our amazing cooks and in the afternoon we tackled Doug’s to-do list. This included stump removal, decal application, painting, and bathroom plumbing needs.
In the evening was a time of impact stories. Each of us were able to reflect on what led us to Abaco, our theme, an impact moment and how we will continue the transformation at home.
A common theme was the joy of those here in the Bahamas even when they have endured much devastation. Even for the stories we didn’t have the chance to hear, such as those of the Haitians, (some say over 10,000 lives that were lost and never recorded) we were able to see God providing and present. He is working here in the Bahamas through community leaders, families, and friends to sustain the community. We are sad to leave Abaco, but so grateful for the stories and community we have built. We pray that each of us will go home to continue God’s calling in our lives, to be present where he has placed us. Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong…….
– Lane, Clay, and Leah
