Sister Surprise

A few months ago my younger sister Lydia, who lives in Baltimore with her family, messaged me with a proposal - our older sister Kathy, who lives in London, was going to be visiting her for a few days in November and she invited me to come up to surprise her. Of course, I said yes. The last time we had done something like that was years ago, and with both of them married and having family responsibilities of their own, it is not very often that we get to spend time together. So tickets were bought and plans were made for me to leave Trinidad the first week in November. I was also elated that I would get to lime with my nephews twice in the same year!

They didn't seem to mind having a roommate who they

could wake up at 5am every morning :)

Who was to know that, two weeks before I was scheduled to fly out, Trinidad would have been hit by the most devastating floods that we had ever experienced? As one of the persons who had been on the ground helping to distribute relief to those in need, it was difficult for me to leave at such a crucial time. But I am so grateful for technology, and for my network of friends and family and supporters. On the way to the airport, I was able to co-ordinate transportation to deliver two beds from a donor in South, to families in Sangre Grande and Brazil who were sleeping on the ground. While I was in Baltimore, I was able to facilitate the purchase of fifteen bookbags for students at Brazil Secondary who had lost their bags in the flood. I was also able to arrange for 4 mattresses to be purchased for residents of Manual Congo who had none to sleep on. I would not have been able to do this without the generous support of those who gave of their finances and time to be a channel of blessing to those who were most in need.

Some of these bags cost as much as $300 but the owner gave

them to us at $150 when he found out who they were for :)

Kathy was only with us in Baltimore for a few days, so we had a full itinerary for the days she was there. Our family loves the outdoors and nature, so we went for a walk in the "woods" to enjoy the fresh air and see the magnificent colors of fall. We paid a visit to the National Aquarium where our nephews enjoyed seeing their favorite sea creatures. We ventured out to an escape room where we had to put our heads together to figure out all the clues before our time ran out. In between that we played and read stories and enjoyed life with them. All too soon, the time ran out and we had to say our goodbyes.

Monkeying around on our last 

night together

My nephews have grown so much in the past 6 months!!! Enoch is walking confidently now, running to keep up with his big brother. He wants to play with anything that his brother has and loves following him around. He is always camera ready - from the time he sees a phone pointed in his direction, he stops whatever he is doing and his face lights up with a big cheeeeeeeeeesssssseeee! He is the social one who would walk up to strangers in the airport and say "Hi" with an adorable smile on his face. He loves wild play, especially when it involves throwing his body around and biting and climbing all over people. He still loves snuggles and has developed a love for books. His favorite animals are dogs and turtles, and he is at the parrot stage where he repeats everything you say. He spent the entire time calling me "Debbie" except for the time when I buffed him and at the end when I gave him the typical "You hear wat I say?" he responded, "Yes Aunty"

Can you feel the love?

Isaiah is brilliant beyond his 3 years of life. He still loves books and has his favorite ones memorized so you dare not skip out a word when you are reading to him. His mother started buying dot to dot books for him and he would breeze through the ones that go up to 25 in one sitting. So she started buying the ones to 50 and still he was not being challenged by them. It was only when she bought the ones that go up to 100 that he actually had to slow down and think instead of zipping through the pages one after the next. He enjoys trips to the park and to the library where he can play games that challenge his mind. He is doing better with sharing his toys with his little brother, but there are times when he is just happy to be in his own space. He is still obsessed with planes and is developing a love for board games as well. He has his random times where he starts laughing at some small thing that is not even remotely funny but to him it is the best joke in the world.

He used his magna tiles to build

this model of a plane all on his own!

When I was packing to go on this trip, I asked Lydia if I should pack my winter jacket. Her response was, No it's not that cold, and if it gets cold you can borrow mine. Every day that I was there was colder than the day before. I was just recovering from the cold before I arrived, and I think the change in temperature just restarted the process so I got sick all over again. I was congested and coughing a lot even though I was resting. I always say that it is a waste of cold if there is no snow, so I was very excited when I found out that it would be snowing while I was there! It was not a whole lot, but at least Enoch and I were able to crunch around in the snow and throw a couple snow balls around before they melted the next day.

Winter Wonderland!

My sisters and I are all one year apart in age, so that meant a lot of fighting when we were growing up because we had a lot of sharing to do and who likes to share when you are a child? I am so grateful to God that when we started to drift apart physically that is when we started to get closer emotionally so now when we get together it is a joy and not a pain to endure. No matter how often we get to meet or how long we spend together, it is never long enough. I wish they didn't live so far away, but I am thankful for the bond we now share.

We even start to look like each other :D

On my way back home I was able to surprise another sister by spending some unexpected time with her :) A few months ago I started getting some pain in my elbow. It was especially bad in the night when I was trying to sleep. It kept getting worse so I eventually visited my doctor who said it was tendonitis due to repeated use. My flight to Baltimore included a one day layover in Miami. On my way up I visited my friend who is my family and also a licensed physiotherapist and after examining me she said that she could treat my elbow but it would be very painful for a few days after. Since my return flight was supposed to be the Monday before Thanksgiving it was very cheap for me to change my flight to go back home the day after Thanksgiving so I would be able to spend a few days in Miami for her to treat me.

Getting treated from the comfort of home

I have spent a couple thanksgivings in the States, but this was my first in Miami. It was also the first time that Arlette and her family were celebrating Thanksgiving in their home, so it wonderful to be able to spend this time with them. The children came home from college and friends came over and a delicious meal was prepared and we all shared the blessings that we were thankful for. My time there was full of love and laughter as we played games and sang songs and just enjoyed being in one another's company.

Friends who are family

I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to spend such a refreshing time with my sisters who I do not get to see regularly, and look forward to when next we get to meet again.

Channels of Blessing

The past two weeks have been very hectic for me as I was fully involved with the flood relief efforts in Trinidad. I felt so helpless on the day after the flooding as I was stuck at home in South due to the highway being impassable, and there was nothing I could do to help. I spent most of the day on social media, looking on in awe at the level of destruction and despair, and hoping for an opportunity to help. Late in the afternoon I finally found a way - my friend's church was partnering with an organization called "I Can" that was hiring a truck to take food, blankets and water up to the affected areas the next day. I could not think of a better way to spend my Sunday.

Loading up boxes of cooked food and other relief supplies

The rain was still falling as we drove up the highway to meet our contact in Las Lomas. We drove behind a trailer that allowed us to drive up and take a ride when the water got too high. We had to take back roads since the highway was still impassable, and as we got closer to the areas which were hardest hit, it was heart-breaking to see people who were still stranded in their balconies, and families who had the entire contents of their homes outside in their yards, trying to salvage what they could. There was a lot of traffic, as there were many vehicles on the road, some distributing supplies like we were. Our contact took us to some of the streets where not much aid was getting to, and we started distributing from there. The families we met were very grateful for the warm meal they received since for the past two days, they had been surviving on pies provided by neighbouring communities which were not affected by the floods. Members from the group I Can met with families which were severely affected and took their contact information. There was no way that they could replace all that these families lost, but they committed to at least providing mattresses for them to sleep on.

Driving through a flooded street on the back of a trailer
felt like we were going down a river

Rains were forecast to continue until Tuesday, but thankfully, God heard our cries for mercy and, even though the rain fell on Monday, it was not too bad. The water on the highway had receded so it was now possible to access the flood-stricken areas from the South. I headed up to help my friend whose cousin had gotten flooded out in St. Helena. By the time I got there, the cleaning crew had everything under control, so they gladly consumed the roti I had brought up and continued their job, while I went in search of families who could benefit from the supplies which had been generously been provided by some of my supporters from South. As I drove through the side streets, I was referred to the homes that were the hardest hit, and it was really the Lord that showed me where to stop because in each place that I stopped, there were needs that I was able to meet with the supplies I had brought up. One of the homes that I visited was in a very bad state - much of the flood-soaked items were still in the house, and there was only one able-bodied man in the household. I mentioned this to one of my friends later that evening, and he quickly contact some of his friends so the next day, we were able to organize a crew to help that family with their cleaning.

Helping to clean the kitchen floor

Moving out a freezer that had capsized and was full of rotten food

While we were cleaning, we got a call that someone in Central had provided 100 cooked lunches so one of our crew went to collect and by the time she returned, we had finished all we could have done. The family was so grateful for the assistance we provided that they insisted that we should stay and share the meal with them. It was a great time of fellowship as we talked and laughed over the meal. We were privileged, not just to help meet their physical needs, but also their social and emotional needs as well in the simple act of sharing stories and laughter as they faced this crisis.

The whole crew

We then began the task of distributing the cooked food in the community. Once more, God guided us to the families who really needed it, and were not getting help from other sources. We found entire apartment complexes where they had not received any supplies since the flood three days before, so they were very encouraged by our visit and the lunches we provided. We continued to visit these areas later on in the week as we distributed more food and other relief supplies which were donated by the multitude of people who wanted to help.

After spending all day cleaning, she
was so grateful for some sustainance

Churches also came together to provide relief to the communities hardest hit by the floods. Some became drop off points for those who wanted to donate but didn't know how to distribute. Others became shelters, which provided a place for persons to sleep and warm meals. Many other organisations and private individuals also responded, sending vans and trucks into the flood-stricken areas with food, toiletries, clothing and cleaning supplies to distribute to families in need. Every single family that we visited was grateful for whatever help they received. The flood waters did not discriminate between race, religion or social status. There were many households that lost everything, but many of them recognized that even though they didn't have any material possessions, they still had their life, which was so precious to them.

Children happy to receive clean
and dry clothes

As we moved around to the various households, we had opportunities to hear first-hand the stories of what these families experienced. One family escaped rising flood waters through their fire escape. They then had to place a ladder between their house and their neighbour's house which was a 2-story house, and climb across that ladder in the middle of the night holding a 7-month old baby in their arms. Another family tied their 13 year old daughter's hand to theirs using a belt because her feet could not touch the ground when they had to flee their home. They spent the night and most of the next day on top of a wall until they were rescued by the army. While they were there, they saw 3 people being swept away, and having to cling on to trees until they were rescued. Some families burst a hole in their ceiling and climbed up inside their roof as the waters rose to the top of their homes; other families had to spend the night on top of their roof. It was nothing short of a miracle that no lives were lost in this massive flood.

This mother walked through the flood waters with her 1 month
old baby on a pillow held above their heads

At Is There Not A Cause (ITNAC) our volunteers have been working diligently every day since the flood, helping to clean homes, sorting and packaging donations, distributing relief supplies and networking with persons who are willing to partner with us to get the aid to those who need it the most. There are some who were out on the field every day, while others came by after work or on weekends to lend a hand. Plans were put on hold as we responded to the biggest disaster of this scale locally. Because of our experience and track record of getting the aid to those who need it the most without any bias, many have entrusted us with their donations, and we have been working assiduously to ensure that these resources have been allocated equitably. In some of the homes we visited, persons asked us how we knew how to find them, because no one else had visited them or brought any supplies. Other persons contacted us directly through our social media pages on behalf of loved ones who were in need. We count it a privilege that we were able to be God's hands and feet and share His love by meeting these needs.

ITNAC crew ready to hit the streets of Kelly Village
distributing food, toiletries and cleaning supplies

I must recognize those who have been working behind the scenes in these flood relief efforts. Without the financial support of persons who purchase items to be distributed, we would not have anything to bless these families with. There are those who have dipped into their own pockets to purchase ingredients and cook meals for persons who they will never meet. Others have collected donations amongst their families and friends and colleagues and handed them over for distribution. Some have provided manpower to sort and package donations. Others have provided transportation for relief items. Some have hosted families in the immediate aftermath of the floods, giving of their own groceries to provide for those who had none. Others have been praying that God would hold back the rains so the waters in the rivers could subside. Some have provided lodging and sustenance to the relief workers (you know who you are - thank you so much!)

Cooking meals with love

There is nothing special about those who have been involved, either directly or indirectly, with the flood relief efforts. We are all merely channels of blessing, being used to direct the resources of those who have to give, to those who are desperately in need of them. Thanks to all those who have given sacrificially of your time, energy, finances, material possessions to the "least of these".

Matthew 25:37-40
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

This baby can sleep better at night
because somebody gave

For some households who may have lost their main source of income due to damage to or loss of equipment used in their jobs, they would need much assistance until they can get back on their feet. For those who may want to contribute to the flood relief efforts which are ongoing, these are the items which are still needed:
* non-perishable food
* sheets
* towels
* curtains
* underwear
* children's clothing
* toiletries
* baby milk and formula
* furniture and appliances

We are our brother's keeper!

Water, water, everywhere....

Imagine waking up one morning, thinking it would be a regular day. You get your children ready for school, send them to school, and then you go to work, expecting that you will pick up your children from school and head home, make them dinner, and then spend some family time together because it is Friday and you don't have to get up early to go to work the next day. You have no idea that by the end of the day, you would be fighting to keep your head above flood waters while you watch everything that you worked so hard to obtain get washed away. This was the sad reality for hundreds if not thousands of persons in Trinidad and Tobago on October 19th 2018.

Aerial view of one of the many communities inundated by
flood waters

Since Wednesday 17th October Trinidad had been experiencing consistent, heavy rainfall. The appropriate agencies sent out warnings about possible flooding in areas so prone. The rains continued throughout Thursday and into Friday, but no one expected what happened next. The rivers could no longer contain the volume water that was flowing into so they overflowed their banks, causing rapid, devastating flooding in the surrounding communities. My friend Naomi was at her cousin Karina's house in St. Helena and sent out a plea for help at 8:45pm on Friday night. They spent the entire night there until they were rescued at 1:47pm the following day. This was her account of what transpired:

The flooding begins

"My cousin's home is about 3 feet higher than ground level so when water started gushing in from every available and created space (entry doors, foundation and through the garage doors) we were coloured stupidly shocked. Everything happened so fast after that. It's like we were living in slow motion, in fast forward. Before we understood what was happening, we were mid-thigh deep in a mixture of water, oil, and sewage.

Karina's leg covered with oil from the flood waters

"Our only thought was to preserve life. It is a blessed relief that my cousin in law went against my cousin's wishes and built a little (8*4) balcony about 8 feet off the ground because 8 of us scrambled up there and huddled wet, cold, tired, and denying what was happening for the next 16 hours. One by one our phones discharged as we called every single team or office who could possibly assist the 8 of us. (1 senior, 4 adults, 4 year old twins, our nine year old trooper, suicidal dog and three cats) We were helpless and could do nothing but wait for rescue and trust that God still had our present and future safe and secure.

This tractor came to rescue their neighbours

"As the water rose to our necks, our emotions retired and we just looked on as this tragedy unfolded. The army eventually rescued us with a boat because the trucks in the yard were now underwater obstacles. I'm writing this after having scrubbed away the grime in a hot bath and after having dinner a poop and a nap. We are snuggled safely in bed by our Aunty/Mommy while many people are still stranded on the roof or are bedding down at a relief centre somewhere, hoping to wake up from this nightmare. 

Family in another part of Trinidad who spent their night on the roof

"Thank you thank you thank you to all of you who tried so hard to get us help, for praying, for watching and waiting, for your support. [My cousin and her family] have lost every material thing. Cars are under water. All the tools and equipment for their individual businesses are gone, every single thing in the house gone. The floor boards were also swimming away with my cousin's favourite pair of pants. We are overwhelmed with thankfulness that we are alive but the loss is also overwhelming. If you would like to help with clean up efforts by donating cleaning supplies or manpower please let me know and I'll keep you updated as we chart a way forward through this.

Naomi and her cousin's family finally being taken to safety

There are so many families who have similar stories. In the case of this family, Reaaz is a mechanic while his wife Karina is a cake decorator. They have lost all the tools necessary for them to earn an income. They along with their three children - Kate-lee, Kimberly and Rebeeca - are left with only the clothes on their backs. They would need as much support as possible to get back on their feet. If anyone would like to assist them in any way, please let me know.

We thank God for the reduction in rainfall, which is forecast to continue until next week Tuesday. Please continue to pray for those still stranded in their homes, that the flood waters would subside to allow for rescue and clean up operations to continue, and for relief supplies to reach to those most in need.

Galatians 6:10 - Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

If the Lord had not been on my side

This is my version of Psalm 124:

If the Lord had not been my our side

when my car was giving trouble

I would have been stuck somewhere on the side of the road

or gotten into an accident because my brakes had failed

Praise be to the Lord

who made sure that I had help

who provided me with food to eat and a place to sleep

and a mechanic who was able to rectify the problem

My help is in the name of the Lord

The maker of heaven and earth

So here is the story behind my psalm...

One month ago, I got into my car to drive to church, but when I turned the key in the ignition it refused to start. Thankfully I was by my brother's house and his wife was able to give me a jump start (thanks Sarah!) The next morning it refused to start again, and my church family who I spent the night by went up and down the street until they found a neighbour who had jumper cables (thanks Lawrence!) I drove straight to the place I usually get my car batteries from. By this time, the battery was fully charged, and they could not find anything wrong with it. However it was over 2 years old so they agreed to replace it.

For the rest of that week, my car started fine until Friday afternoon. I took it to the small electrician nearby and he said I had a current leak but he didn't have time to run the diagnostics to ascertain what was causing  it. Thankfully my brother had bought this emergency car starter kit for Mummy so I kept it in my car for the times when the battery died again until I was able to take it by the big time electrician.

Every car owner should have
one of these for emergencies

The following week I took it to the big time electrician in Gasparillo, but after some initial testing he was unable to determine the source of the current leak. In order for him to diagnose the problem, he said he needed to replicate the problem, which would mean him having my car when the battery died. I took it in the following Sunday evening and got a drop back home (thanks Lisa!) He predicted that he should be finished with the car by midday the next day. But what he didn't know is that the car would have started just fine on Monday. He still did some digging but could not find anything wrong with it, so he asked me to leave it on Monday night as well. Well guess what happened on Tuesday morning? That's right - it started again!

At this point, he said it made no sense for him to keep the car, because he could not fix a problem that did not exist, so I took a taxi and went to collect it. As soon as I drove the car out of his yard, however, I heard a loud 'Clunk!' and the car stopped. I was puzzled, and attempted to drive it and it drove for a while before I heard the 'clunk' again. I still wasn't sure what was going on because after that it drove fine but when I heard the third 'clunk' I pulled over. A man who was in his front yard over the road from where I stopped said, "That sounds serious. You should get a mechanic to check it out. There is one right over the road." Talk about divine provision! He went with me to the mechanic's house. He wasn't at home, but his father, who was a retired mechanic, was at home and he agreed to check it out. After a few minutes he diagnosed the problem - my brake pads had become unstuck.

My regular mechanic had checked them
at the beginning of September and figured
I had 40% life left in them. Guess he was wrong

He didn't have the parts I needed and when he called the parts places they were closed. It would have been too risky to try to drive home so I asked him if I could leave the car overnight and I would get the parts in the morning and bring it for him. He offered to get the parts for me early in the morning and replace it so my car would be ready by 9am and I gladly accepted his offer. I called Uncle Terry and he came to my rescue - thanks Uncle Terry!

Dinner courtesy Aunty Carol

I spent the night in Marabella and by the time I called the mechanic at 9:15am the car was ready. He had forgotten to tell me that he was supposed to drop someone to the airport at 9am and didn't have my number to call me, so he had gotten to the parts place at 7am and done the repairs early to ensure it was fixed before he left. Thankfully the person he was supposed to drop was running late so he was able to wait until I collected the car before he had to leave home. Talk about the Lord being on my side!!!

For the rest of that week my car started with no problem, but then on Monday this week it refused to start again. I took it back to the electrician and he still was at a loss as to what was causing the problem. He disconnected something to see if that was the culprit, and so far so good. Hopefully that would be the end of this issue, but even if it isn't, I am not worried because the Lord is clearly on my side!

The difference one week can make

Many churches seek to impact their community over the July/August holiday by hosting a week of Vacation Bible School. It is free of charge for those who attend, and takes many hours of planning the lessons, preparing the materials, recruiting the teachers, inviting the children, preparing the craft, providing the refreshments - it is a lot of work. But is it worth it? The answer is a resounding YES!!!

Over 80 children attended VBS at our church this year

Our church's VBS was scheduled for the week immediately following ISCF camp. When I attended a meeting for VBS teachers in July and I shared with them what my schedule would be like due to camp, someone asked if I would have time to prepare for VBS and I answered as honestly as I could - no. One of the challenges was that we were not using a conventional theme where there was a bible story for each day. We were taking the children on a journey to Philippi - spending one week studying the book of Philippians. As if this was not challenging enough, I volunteered to teach the babies - those 4 years old and under! The advantage was that I would only have to teach one basic truth everyday, but it would still take time to decide how to present this truth in a way that they could grasp, and what to do with them for the remainder of the 2 hours I had them for!

Jael on a life-size map tracing Paul's journey to Philippi

Although the truths to be taught were simple, I still had to spend a lot of time studying the book of Philippians to get the full picture and also figure out what was the main idea for each of the chapters. I really relied heavily on the Holy Spirit's leading as to which bible stories could be used to communicate the truths for each lesson, and for ideas on activities that would be able to reinforce those truths. In our class we had video clips, drama, games, singing, dancing and coloring pages. I was literally preparing each lesson "today for tomorrow" and it is only by God's grace that I was able to complete them in time.

Sabali illustrating Paul in chains

Many of the children who attended VBS came from the community right around the church. There are some who come every year, and we don't see them again until the following year's VBS. We therefore use every opportunity we get to present the gospel message to them and invite a response, because we don't know when next we would see them. One of the young men who, at the beginning of the week, was not being very co-operative, has started attending our Sunday morning services and Friday evening youth group meetings and for this we give God all the glory. We were also encouraged by the huge turnout of parents and relatives to the Closing Program on the Sunday evening to see what their children had learnt.

6 and under class practising their song for Closing Program

Two weeks after our church's VBS, we had a VBS for the children from Dow Village who attend our Bible Club. Once again, we went out into the community to invite children. God provided sufficient manpower so that each class was able to have 2 teachers and 1 assistant; they came from as far east as Toco to as far south as Cap-de-ville. In addition to preparing for their class lessons, they also had to prepare dramatic presentations which representated real life applications of the spiritual truths that were being taught at each lesson, and this was one highlight that the students looked forward to every day.

Paying close attention to the dramatic presentation

Many of the teachers and assistants were meeting each other for the first time, as there were 6 different churches represented by the teachers and assistants. However as the week progressed, so did the bonds between those who served. We prayed for those who had to deal with family crises during the week, we shared meals together, watched movies and even had a beach lime. This was a classic example of the unity of believers where persons who were previously strangers can become so connected because of the bond we have in Christ.

Sunset stroll along the beach

The theme for this week's VBS was "The countdown is on". The children were challenged to give their lives to Christ while they still had time on earth. We give God praise for the 2 children who did this on the first day of VBS, especially since one of them lived outside of Dow Village and had to return home the next day. We also challenged them about what they placed the confidence in, since the material possessions that the world runs after does not last forever. This lesson was very applicable as it was presented on Tuesday, the day of the big earthquake. We were able to draw applications to the children the next day, in light of all the property which had been damaged. The lesson for the last day focused on the value of not procrastinating - a lesson which some of us had to apply to our own lives first before we presented it to the children.

The teens class was the biggest, with numbers as high as
16 on one of the days

It was very encouraging to see how the numbers of students increased during the course of the week. Every day we had new students, even on the last day, and by the end of the week, we had to cater for 90 persons for the Closing Program. Some of the children came early to help set up the chairs outside, and they also helped to pack them up afterwards. Children who were not willing to take instructions at the beginning of the week and being disruptive were much more compliant by the end of the week. Those who refused to participate in the Closing Program item were very much involved when the time actually came.

One teenager wasn't interested in making a basket with rolled
newspapers so she used her creativity to make this instead

Over the course of the week, students opened up to their teachers and shared with them the struggles they were experiencing in living the Christian life, and about their commitment to Christ. One student spent 15 minutes learning a particularly long memory verse and was so excited when he finally got it right. Teenagers who have not attended Bible Club in years came out to VBS. These are just some of the reasons why we continue to invest the time and energy needed to pull off VBS every year. We may not be able to see all the effects immediately, but we are convinced that God who began the good work in these children during this week will be faithful to complete it.

Showing off their prizes that they
bought with their Bible Bucks

Cross Culture

A few weeks before ISCF camp started, a frustrated mother walked into an institution and indicated that she needed an intervention for her teenage daughter whom she said was out of control. The person whom she spoke with was well aware of the reputation of ISCF camp, and suggested that her daughter would benefit from attending. Sponsorship was provided, and the young lady came to camp. By the end of the week, the young lady wrote "For a long time I never liked any camp, but this one was the best!" Although she did not make a decision to follow Christ as yet, after hearing the Word of God at camp she is reconsidering where she had initially planned to place her confidence and faith in.

Counselors spending time in prayer before the start of camp

ISCF Camp brings together students from different schools across the nation. While it is targeted primarily at those who attend ISCF or RI, it is open to anyone who is interested in attending. As a result, we sometimes get students from diverse backgrounds, who have not all been exposed to the culture of the kingdom of God. This provided the perfect environment for this year's theme, which is also the theme for IS/IVCF in this academic year - Cross Culture. The campers learnt about what a culture is, the value of crossing over from the culture of darkness into the culture of light, the need to cross out the culture of the world and adopt the culture of the cross, and the importance of being willing to cross over into the culture of others.

Senior camp speaker "Burnt Offering" sharing at sunrise service

The Camps Committee had been working hard for months preparing for camp, recruiting workers, hosting training sessions and executing all the logistics that come with  hosting two weeks of camp. But when camp actually started, it felt as though things were falling apart, as some of the persons who we thought were confirmed for certain roles for one reason or the other were no longer available. Looking back at it afterwards, I felt like God allowed that to happen to show who was really in charge of camp. As always, He provided the persons we needed to fill the gaps, showing us once again that He is the all-knowing, ever present, faithful Provider! After the first day of camp, I felt compelled to send out praise and prayer updates to those who had committed to covering camp in prayer. It was such an encouragement to see items which were listed under prayer points one day, move to praise points on subsequent days because of how God answered prayer!

Praying for campers who wanted to be free from sins which
kept them in bondage

One of the privileges of being on camp is seeing campers transform literally before your eyes. There was a male camper who, at 13 years old, was spending the night away from his family for the first time in his life. At first he was very shy as he did not have any friends. As the week progressed and he participated in all aspects of camp life, he really came out of his shell and started forming friendships with many of the campers. One young lady came to camp very burdened, and this was evident in her body language and even her style of dress. After much prayer, she started opening up to various counselors and by the end of the week there was a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes that were not there when she first came.

Our newspaper-inspired fashion show helped some campers to
break out of their comfort zones

Apart from the devotions and chapel times, the camp program also included other sessions which helped make the camp theme relevant to the day to day life of the campers. There was a discussion based on case studies which showed them how to deal with their emotions, a session looking at God's view on sexuality, and one that examined what the Bible taught about various aspects of our culture. The content delivered in these sessions was excellent, and equipped the campers to engage with the culture of the world around them with a biblical mindset. There was also a session where the campers were taught how to share the gospel with someone else, and for many of them this was the first time they had an opportunity to do that.

Campers engaged in "Is ah Trini ting" session

ISCF Camp is a wonderful opportunity for campers to explore their creative side. From designing their outfits for Banquet night to composing a song for Talent night to coming up with a presentation for March Past, campers are encouraged to think outside of the box as they express the theme of camp in various ways. I am always amazed at the diversity of talents that emerge at camp, as we endeavor to help campers discover their various gifting and abilities. It is also a good opportunity for them to demonstrate what they have learnt from the various sessions at camp, as evidenced by this verse from one of the original compositions at Talent night:

I was lost but now I'm found

Jesus saved me, Jesus loved me

Trapped in darkness, full of sadness

Now I've crossed to the culture of love

A new culture to follow after

Renewed my mind, renewed my heart

My life crossed over, different purpose

Now I'm transformed by His love

Flag from the Cross Fire team

Our camps require a lot from our campworkers, who are all volunteers, many of whom take their vacation to come and serve at ISCF camp. Apart from attending the training sessions leading up to camp, and having the responsibilities of running the camp program on camp, they also have to lead morning devotions, be available when campers are in need of counsel, guide their teams in team activities, ensure that their dorms are managed well and that their campers are all accounted for. This year our team of campworkers was small compared to previous years, but they were so dedicated to the task and all were willing to go that extra mile to facilitate the smooth running of camp. We could not have done it all without them! There was one campworker who came all the way from ISCF Grenada to serve with us, and it was much a blessing for us to have him as it was for him to learn from us.

Counselors helping campers learn their memory verses

Apart from the campworkers who were resident at camp, there were others who came up to help as their schedules allowed. God truly showed us how He was able to provide what we needed before we even knew we needed it, as time and time again the right people showed up just at the right time. There was an incident among the male campers that needed intervention, and God ordained that one of the visiting campworkers had come up that same time so he was able to lend support to the counseling staff in dealing with that situation. Others made themselves available to help out during Sports Day and Banquet Night, where additional hands are always welcomed and very much appreciated.

Senior campers' dramatic march past display

Junior campers in their cultural wear for banquet night

Primary campers getting assistance
with their craft

The success of camp was not measured by the numbers who attended, but by the decisions the campers made to change their mindsets, to live according to the culture of the kingdom of God while existing in the culture of the world. On her evaluation form, one camper wrote "I learnt that when you are changing culture from darkness to light, you have to leave all the bad behaviours and focus more on God". There are so many persons who contributed to the success of camp this year - from those who prayed faithfully in the lead up to, and throughout the duration of camp, to those who spent months planning and preparing for camp, to those who sacrificed their time and resources to be at camp, to those who contributed financially to help defray the cost of camp, or to sponsor a camper who could not afford the fee - to these we pray that God will bless you abundantly for your labour of love. We pray that the seeds of God's Word which were planted during the two weeks at camp would find good soil to flourish in, and that the cares of this world would not stifle the great work that God has begun in the lives of these campers.

Hopefully she will keep helping with
the chores when she goes home!

We invented a new sport - Pool Basketball!

Water slide!

Primary/Junior Director "Sugar Mama"
with 2 primary campers on Sports Day