The Haven Church IMPACT team’s week in Abaco has drawn to a close, but their powerful message resonates: keep God at the heart of everything. When challenges seem overwhelming, remembering God’s presence transforms the daunting into the manageable. Dive deeper into this inspiring experience with Judy and Dave!

A week before Haven’s Impact Team came to Abaco, six members of the team arrived to organize and prepare job sites for the following week of impact work. As the six began the preparation, we knew we had the people power and potential to get a lot of work done. We all had felt the call of God and His blessing to begin.

 

However, trying to manage the organization of the work flow and dividing groups into effective teams seemed to be a daunting task. We sat down one evening to put our thoughts on paper and develop an action plan. As our discussion went on, our frustration and anxiety level kept rising. One person said, “Let’s stop to pray.” Which we did. Anxiety was quickly replaced with calm and the organization flowed effortlessly and immediately into a plan. 

Pictured Above and Below: The St. Mary’s Church and Haven Church IMPACT teams at a home rebuilding site.

We looked at each other with the sudden realization that God had been in the midst of this discussion — but we hadn’t invited Him to be part of it. He was right there beside us and we had forgotten to include him into the conversation. The funny thing (but maybe not so funny) is that conversation with God had been the topic of our discussion at our morning devotions. How quickly we forget…

 

Through the rest of the week, team members stopped more frequently to pray at job sites, over home owners, neighborhoods and each other – inviting God into all of it! 

Pictured Above and Below: The St. Mary’s Church and Haven Church IMPACT teams at a home rebuilding site.

He is there for every breath and step we take throughout our day. He walks beside us waiting to become part of the conversation.

 

As we shared our impact stories with team members at the end of the week, it was so evident God had entered into all of our lives with the words each of us needed to hear.

 

To God be the Glory as we live for Him!

 

— Judy and Dave

This profile represents the collective voice of our Many Hands Impact teams. The reflections shared here are written by everyday individuals, from students and parents to local community members, who have traveled to Haiti and Abaco to experience the mission firsthand. They are not full-time staff. They are volunteers stepping out in faith to be love in action. In these posts, you will read raw, unpolished stories of personal transformation. Our guest writers document the shared humanity discovered while working alongside local leaders on safe structures, education initiatives, and community development. Impact trips are designed to change the participant as much as the community they serve. Through their words, you get a front row seat to the exact moments people discover their purpose and learn to live with intention.

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