The Newton Church of the Way is located in the community of Newton, IA. CJ and Pam Osborn share highlights from the team’s last full day as they finish off projects and discuss this trip’s impact on the team.
Hello from Camp Abaco! It is hard to believe our trip is coming to a close. Here is a glimpse into this cool island on a beautiful day (74 degrees). After a great breakfast of eggs, Canadian bacon (eh), and toast with mango/pineapple jelly, Dave Jansen led our group of 16 through a great devotion on “joy”. We were reminded that joy isn’t situational (like happiness) and it is a gift from God (“He fills us with joy”). Great discussion!
Then, “hi-ho, hi-ho”, it was off to work we go. Most of the group headed into Marsh Harbour (adding the “u” should tip you off that The Bahamas were part of Britain at one time), and returned to the community center. The focus of the work was finishing dry-walling as well as some painting. Great progress was made, and some passer-by pedestrians would comment, “Thanks – looks great!”. As part of errands for supplies, a few shopping stories also happened. It is great to see the shops and meet the store owners in Abaco. Two stayed back in camp to do some woodworking in revamping some bed frames in one of the dormitories. Bob Villa-type quality work is how it was described (primarily by the two who actually did the work).
With work behind us, we had a window of free time around camp. Some napped, others soaked up the sun, some explored the beach and the bay that surrounds the camp. On a canoe outing, we saw puffer fish, and the warm water was crystal clear. Feeling rested, we loaded up in vans and went to the community gymnasium (which was restored over the last 12 months, including some work from other Many Hands Impact teams). The Agape Christian Eagles senior boys basketball team, coached by Laura’s fiance, put on “a clinic” on how to play basketball and handily defeated in-town rival “Forest Heights.”
Tonight we had a great team dinner (fried chicken!) and shared our individual IMPACT stories from our time together this week. It was so inspiring to hear from each person how this trip has impacted them and the ways they are inspired towards a fuller relational life with Jesus. We concluded the evening with a fire near the beach and enjoyed some fellowship with the new friends we have grown so close to this week. This has been an INCREDIBLE experience, and we hope the blog entries this week have made a few of you contemplate an Impact trip to Abaco with Many Hands in the future!
