Becky and Anna
How do grief and joy coexist in the wake of immense loss? Meeting local leaders and families who have lost so much reminded the Celebrate Church Impact team that true wealth is found in a resilient faith, showing how the light of the Lord overcomes the deepest darkness.
Finding ourselves entering the second half of our trip here in Abaco, we have heard many stories filled with both light and darkness, grief and joy coexisting. These stories have been shared with us by the people we are meeting here in Abaco, but also with one another in our Celebrate group. Also, the bugs be bitin’ and the sun be shinin’.
Our day started with helping to clean up the orchard of a local farmer, Tim Higgs, a native of Abaco, who has lived here for 26 years through multiple hurricanes. This orchard, which he inherited from his father, is where he grows a variety of local produce and keeps bees. It was powerful to be able to help plant saplings that will grow and provide for the people of the island in the future, something that Tim does regularly.
After helping clean up the orchard and visiting another local pig farm, our team had the honor of going to visit Pastor Knowles and his house, which is in the process of being rebuilt after being destroyed by Hurricane Dorian. Before the storm, it was also a well-loved and visited garden and petting zoo. His story of so much pain and loss that resulted in the restoration of thanksgiving in his life was a testimony of the Lord’s love and goodness being what endures forever. In his words: “With the Lord, it will not be bitter, but better.” Yet again, a testimony of Light overcoming the darkness. Also, please join us in praying with Pastor Knowles for his ministry to be rebuilt with the heart of gathering community, especially children, and for transportation for him to be found and purchased.
Towards the end of the day, we got to help with the food distribution ministry. Before heading out, we were given a powerful word (Mark 5:25-34) from Many Hands community outreach coordinator, A.T., on slowing down, letting the Holy Spirit move, listening, and really seeing people. One of the houses we visited was of a woman who had experienced tremendous loss of three family members recently and was living in deep grief, someone already living in the aftermath and rebuilding of Hurricane Dorian. Even so, she spent her time with us praising the Lord and holding both grief and joy.
One of our Kansas City teammates said it well during our Impact discussion time at the end of the day: “Suffering produces fruit, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit is so evident in meeting and hearing their stories.” We have seen in many ways through the people of Abaco and their stories shared with us, that though they have gone through great suffering and the stripping away of so much of their lives, they are rich in God and his love. Pray for us that we would continue to connect with the people we meet and with each other, and for the Lord’s light to shine on all of our hearts. We are praising God for new experiences that push us out of our comfort zones and for the quickness of new connections made.
– Becky & Anna
