The final day for the Celebrate Church IMPACT team was filled with great joy and time spent encountering God’s faithfulness. Read about their relationships with one another and locals in the community of Abaco.
Today we split our teams into groups to accomplish different tasks around Camp. Jake and Mike Bender worked on building bookshelves for Agape Christian School. It was fulfilling work as I was able to visit the school earlier in the week and see the need as they are trying to reopen their school library since being lost to Hurricane Dorian. Mike Cranmer, Russ, and Big Mike worked on demolishing the cinder block walls of an old building to prepare the foundation for a new water tank for the camp. One of the cool things about today was seeing all the leaders in our group yield to one another and let each person shine in their moment.
Jake’s reflection:
Later in the afternoon we split into two groups and went into Marsh Harbour to do food distributions. We visited 10 different families and were able to listen to their stories. This was a special moment for me as I was able to see how Christ has led every one of these families through tragedy, but their faith remains the cornerstone of their lives.
Mike’s reflection:
For those who were willing and able to welcome us into their home, they were all joyful and welcoming and made sure we were all comfortable and seated in their home. They joyfully shared about their lives in Abaco and many shared of their experience of Dorian and how they were grateful for the Lord’s protection. With one family, the homeowner asked a local member of our group “Who are your people ”? This resonated with me when I reflected on the story of Ruth and Naomi and how we as humans are always seeking “our people”.
For our last night, we spent time sharing highlights of our trip as well as our IMPACT moments of faith. Moments like this are sacred when we see how the Lord speaks and encounters everyone differently but powerfully. Many of us came on this trip knowing many of the people coming, but we may not have had a relationship with them. I think we all will be leaving Abaco with friendships and relationships that we will cherish moving forward.
