Making the most of every opportunity

Most people would know by now that I am not big on celebrating Christmas or Easter. However, I am very happy to use the opportunity these occasions present to be involved in spreading the good news of the new life that is available in Jesus Christ.

The first event was the closing program for Bible Club. At the end of every term, we use the opportunity to invite the parents of the children to attend a program where they can get a glimpse into what the children have been learning for the previous term. The theme for the term was Be Holy, and this fit well into the message of how we should live in light of the resurrected Christ. There were games which had an Easter theme, followed by a challenge which encouraged those who attended to commit to live lives which are set apart for God.

Hiding place for the sugar cake hunt
complete with verses about the resurrection!

Game to see who can form the outline of a cross the fastest

Children responding to Uncle Garryn's message

Our church held an Easter Fair for members of the community on Good Friday. It took the format of a bazaar, but instead of paying to play the games, everything was free! There were also hot dogs, pop corn, cotton candy, hot cross buns, ice cream and drinks for all who attended. It was a great opportunity to interact informally with persons from the community who may never have come to a formal church service. There was a puppet presentation, special song and a short message which all communicated the gospel message very clearly to all who came. We thank God for all who worked hard and gave generously so this message could have been presented to so many.

Backdrop showing the reason for our celebrating Jesus

One of the booths reflecting the Easter theme

Cupcake prize with verse attached

From Easter Sunday until the Friday of that week, I joined with the Christian Assemblies for Easter Camp under the theme "Man's image... nothing. God's image... everything". I was able to bring two children from Bible Club and they thoroughly enjoyed their first ever camp experience. Because I have not yet returned to full physical activity since my January surgery, I couldn't participate fully in all the activities, but I was able to serve in an administrative capacity. The two speakers did an excellent job in showing the campers the importance of choosing to reflect God's image rather than the image that society is portraying. Apart from the chapel and devotion sessions, there were sessions where the campers' eyes were opened to the messages that was being communicated through the media of songs, clothing brands and even television shows. At the end of the week, many young campers made the commitment to live reflecting God's image.

God's splendor on display at
Victory Heights Bible camp

Campers rejoicing when their team won

All dressed up for banquet night

We are thankful for the privilege to serve in these activities, and trust God that the messages which were communicated, in the variety of formats, would take root in the lives of the children and adults who heard them, and bring about real transformation.

When God shows up at the wedding

You know a marriage is off to a good start when God shows up at the wedding!

Well, not literally, but His hand was so evident in the days leading up to, and on the big day that it was clear that He was giving His full blessing on the union :)

Mr. & Mrs. Seyi and Kathy Ogunbona

One week ago, my sister Kathy got married to the man God designed for her - Seyi Ogunbona. Seyi is Nigerian, but they both live in London where they met and realised it was God's plan for them to unite in marriage.

Seyi's mum lives in Nigeria, and we all looked forward to having her attend their wedding in Tobago. To do this, she would have had to fly from Nigeria to London, and then to Tobago. A few weeks ago, we got word that her visa application for England had been denied. We were all saddened by this, and although my aunt encouraged me to send out an email asking for people to pray that she would still be able to come, I told her it didn't make sense because the visa had been denied so it was too late.

Thankfully, there were others who had more faith than me. Another visa application was submitted, and this time, it was approved. With only two weeks to go until the wedding, an application was made in Nigeria for a Trinidad and Tobago visa. After countless calls to enquire the status of the application and getting no feedback, three days before the wedding we went to the immigration division in Tobago, only to be told that the application had only been received a couple days before. We were told that the only person who could give us information about the status of the visa worked in another building, but when we went there, we found out that immigration has no office in that building, and they had no clue who we were looking for!

By this time, someone in Nigeria acted in faith and booked Seyi's mum on a flight from Nigeria to London. We had given up hope that she would make it to the wedding, since it would take at least another day of flying for her to get to Tobago, and we had no word about the status of the visa. However, at 4am the next morning, Seyi got an email saying that the Trinidadian visa had come through!!! It took another 23 hours of flying and layovers and lost luggage, but Seyi's mum finally touched down in Tobago at 1am on the morning of her son's wedding!

Mrs. Ogunbona times two!!!

There was also a bit of drama when the couple went to post their wedding banns. Firstly, we went to the wrong office by mistake. We had a clue something was wrong when they asked for proof of residence, only to realise we were in the EBC! Then, when we found the right building, they refused to let Seyi in with his "shorts". Our efforts to secure long pants in Scarborough at 8am in the morning were futile, but they turned out to be unnecessary anyway, because they had to wait another 24 hours before they could post their banns. If there had been any further delays, they would not have legally been able to be married on their chosen date, but thank God, the next day they were able to post their banns with ease.

Making it legal!

Some of Kathy's friends had come over a few days early for the wedding, so they could explore some of what Tobago had to offer. One afternoon we drove up to Argyle Waterfall in Delaford, and while reversing in the car park, I accidentally hit a pile of bricks which I did not see, causing my back bumper to get a huge dent. One of the girls who saw it said that it looked really bad. I was concerned, because the last time my straightener had fixed the bumper, he said the next time something happened we would need to replace it, because there were only so many times a bumper could be straightened. I thought about how much money it would cost, but decided not to fret about it. When we got back down to Canaan, I went to the back of the car to take a picture to send to Mummy to show her the damages, and to my amazement, the bumper was perfectly straight! All that remained was a thin squiggly line when the huge dent had been. My God is a Fixer, and He can fix anything!!!!!

The day before the wedding, my phone was busy constantly receiving calls and whatsapp messages concerning the logistics for the wedding. Thankfully my brother-in-law stepped in to answer calls and respond to messages while I was busy :) Just as we had completed our rehearsal at the wedding, I took out my phone to take a picture, and the screen was blank - all I could see were pixels. My efforts to restart the phone were futile, and my phone battery cannot be easily removed. It was not a good time for my phone to act crazy, as my number was the one most people were calling for wedding related issues, so I prayed that it would be restored. When I got home, my brother figured out how to restart it, and it worked! I had no further phone issues for the rest of the weekend :)

Overcast morning

On the morning of the wedding, the skies were gray and foreboding. It was not looking well for a beach wedding. While the others were setting up the reception venue and we were picking bougainvillea, the rain started to fall. If the weather continued like that, we would not have been able to have the ceremony on the sand as planned. By the time we left the sun had come out so we had hope as we went to get ready, However, as we were about to leave home for the wedding, the clouds burst open with showers again. We prayed on the way to the venue, asking God to hold back the rain until after the ceremony was over.

Blue skies!

When we arrived at the venue, there were blue skies and brilliant sunshine! The sun stayed out for the duration of the ceremony, and for the pictures afterwards. Just as we were taking the last picture with the bridal party, the gray clouds which were lurking in the distance came up and the rain poured down! Thankfully, all the guests were indoors by this time, and the reception proceeded despite the showers on the outside.

Daddy's speech at the reception earned him a standing ovation!

One of the things we had prayed for before the wedding was for a spirit of peace in the event that things didn't go as planned, as sometimes happens despite the best of plans... We had stayed up until 11pm the night before the wedding, putting together bouquets for the bride and the bridal party. At the photo shoot before we left home for the wedding, everyone had their bouquet. But in the hassle of leaving home in the rain, the bride's bouquet was forgotten, and no one realised this until she arrived at the venue. However, she did not fret, and was quite happy for us to pull together one at the last minute using flowers which were left over from the centerpieces. We thank God for ensuring there were more than enough flowers available for us to choose from!

Check out the last minute bouquet on the table :)

At the reception, as soon as the formal speeches were over, I felt a sharp pain in my lower back and knew that it was a sign that I had probably pushed myself a bit too hard so I went to lie down. While I was there, one of Seyi's friends saw me and offered to get me some painkillers and called my sister to bring food for me. Later on in the evening, another friend volunteered to take responsibility for the last outstanding thing that needed to get done, so I could rest. This same friend also stayed back after the party was over, and helped to load the van with the decorations. I am so grateful for the community of family and friends who were there to give support before, during and after the big day!

She came as a guest, but ended up helping with decor :)

Good friends :)

God worked so powerfully in bringing Seyi's mum to the wedding just in time, working out all the details in the lead up to the wedding and ensuring that the weather was favorable so my sister could have her dream beach wedding! This entire experience has served to strengthen my faith in the God I serve, for whom nothing is impossible. Can't wait to see how He will use this union to further advance His kingdom!

Celebrating with the newlyweds

Prayer for Younger Leaders Gathering 2016

For 10 days in August 2016, 1000 younger leaders from all over the world who are passionate about world evangelisation will be meeting in Indonesia under an initiative stemming from the Lausanne Movement. I have the privilege of being one of the leaders chosen from Trinidad and Tobago to represent the Caribbean region at this once-in-ten-years gathering.

During the gathering, participants will be connecting in issue-based workshops and regional groups, strategic brainstorming labs and with senior leaders. It will be a special opportunity for us to pray, worship and build relationships with peers from all over the world who have the same passion for global mission.

We have already started connecting virtually, using an online tool which was specially designed for the gathering, as well as social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Skype. It has been wonderful to start building friendships with persons whom I have never met in person.

The theme of this gathering is "United in the Great Story". The theme is meant to focus on God's purposes for the world and our particular mission as His church. The program elements will include morning scripture expositions, leadership panels, connect groups, issue-based groups and creative laboratories. The intention is that, after the gathering, there will emerge a generation that is united in the great story and connected for global mission. 

As part of our preparations, we have been asked to be in prayer for the gathering, and invite others to partner with us. You can join the prayer network by uniting with us in the following prayer requests:

• Pray for the participants - for the regions and nations they represent, their ministries, and that meaningful connections and friendships would be made

• Pray that as we gather from many countries, backgrounds and experiences, that we will be united as one body in Christ and in his great story of salvation

• Pray that every participant will engage sincerely with the pre-programme materials sent monthly, and that they will be helpful and meaningful. Pray for everyone's fundraising efforts, and for God to continue raising up generous and cheerful givers for the gathering and the scholarships

• Pray for a smooth registration process for all participants and finalizing of logistics and programme. Pray for the Younger Leaders Planning Team as they coordinate and plan for the YLG

• Pray for the mentors who will come to the gathering, Senior Associates who will lead workshops and for other Lausanne leaders and staff giving guidance and help with preparations

• Pray for this gathering to impact Indonesia in a special way. Pray for the churches and ministries in Jakarta working on recruiting volunteers for the gathering

For the love of ... Valentine's Day?

Personally, I don't do Valentine's Day. I have nothing against love and romance, but to me, it is just another excuse for businesses to get people to spend their money. So it never bothered me that I never had a 'date' for Valentine's Day, or someone to send me chocolates and flowers. Thankfully, God has blessed me with friends who don't need the occasion of Valentine's Day to give me flowers and chocolates. It meant so much more to me to know that these gifts were given out of a genuine desire to demonstrate love, rather than because it is the day society has chosen to celebrate love.

Flowers from my friend :)

However, I am aware that there are many who do not feel this way. There are many who feel lonely and a have a low feeling of self worth when February 14th comes around and they don't have that special someone to share it with. They wonder what they have done wrong, and whether they will ever be in a relationship. And while they know that God is the true definition of love, there is still that longing for a physical demonstration of love.

Instead of spending the day scrolling through facebook and feeling more depressed with each Valentine-related post or picture shared, consider doing something drastically different for a change. What if, instead of longing for someone to share romantic love with, we look for ways that we can share love with others. Here are some suggestions:

• Make a list of people you love, and call or message them to let them know how you feel about them. Don't wait until someone dies to think about the impact they have made on your life.
• Organise a lime with your single friends. You don't have to go out to dinner - you can meet up at someone's house and spend the evening enjoying one another's company.
• Offer to babysit so your friend can go out for some well deserved one-on-one time with their spouse
• Visit an elderly neighbour or someone who is sick and remind them of their worth and value 
• If you don't live with your parents and they are around, spend some time with them

You get the idea. Shift the focus off of yourself, and seek out people that you could be a blessing to.

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12

To be or to do - that is the question

One thing I have been learning during my recovery is the value of being.

Society puts a great emphasis on doing. It is used as a measure of success, to ascertain the value of the contribution that a person's life makes. People are defined by what they do, rather than who they really are.

But when circumstances do not allow you to 'do', you have no choice but to 'be'. 

For the past three weeks, I have been being still and knowing that He is God. In the days immediately following the surgery when I could not get off my bed, I had to be still. When I had a headache that would not allow me to read,  I had to be still. When it hurt me to cough or sneeze, I had to be still.

Many people did not believe that I could be still, because of my very active life. While I admit that it was not easy, I know that it is a necessary part of my recovery, and that the less I do right now is the better it will be for me in the future.

When you find out that one of your loved ones is about to undergo surgery, most people want to know what they can do to help. One of the best things you can do is just to be.

Be in prayer

It is easy to take recovery for granted, to think that once the operation has been a success, everything will be OK, but this is not always the case. I made two friends while I was in the hospital - women who underwent the same surgery that I did. One of them suffered from severe nausea as a side effect of the anesthesia, and she threw up everything she ate the day after the surgery. This must have been very painful for her, since the stitches and the cut were still fresh. The other friend developed an infection where the IV line had been inserted into her arm. Her arm was swollen and very painful. There are many who have been praying for my recovery, and God has been faithful and has answered their prayers.

Some of my church family that
has been praying for me!

Be in touch

Since my surgery I have been advised to stay away from driving and any other activities which would involve the use of my core muscles. As a result, I have been based at home. The first Sunday that I was at home was very weird for me. Usually if I am not in church on a Sunday, it is because I am on a camp or a mission trip, so just being in my bed was strange. Even though I listened to a sermon online and had my time of worship, something was missing - the fellowship. I am truly grateful to all those who were able to make time to visit me in person. I am also thankful for those who have been keeping in touch - through whatsapp, emails or phone calls. It is uplifting when people take time off their busy schedules to check in just to see how you are doing.

Communion with my friends who spent last weekend here with me :)

My pumpkin spent the day at home with me

Over the Carnival weekend I saw the value of being present. Once I am in Trinidad over the Carnival weekend, I serve with Ekklesia Ministries at an evangelistic camp in Point Fortin. I usually teach a class where we have an opportunity to present the gospel to over 200 young people and adults from the community. This year I was not able to serve as a teacher, so I was not able to do as much as I usually would. However, I realised that sometimes you just have to be in the right place to have the right conversations with people, or to pray as situations arise, or to contribute to class discussions, or to encourage others just by your presence.

This year's theme was God's Gym

Some of the children and adults who attended

Evidence that I rested at camp ;)

Truly happy I could have been a part this year :)

My prayer is that we would not be so busy doing that we neglect what we need to be.

God answers prayer

Since my surgery was postponed last week Thursday I decided to make the most of my pain free weekend :) I finished cleaning my room and prepared for craft and Bible Club on Friday.

Having fun making pattern with paint

Reflecting God's holiness

On Saturday I went to the last planning meeting for Ekklesia camp which will held on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. This is a free evangelistic camp which is held in the Point Fortin community for persons of all ages. I was able to brainstorm with the teachers for the 6 & under age group for ideas in presenting the theme of God's Gym to the younger children.

Teachers listen attentively as Aunty Carol shares about the theme

On Sunday I fellowshipped with my St. Augustine church family and it was uplifting as always. Sunday afternoon I headed to the hospital and had to go through all the preparations which had been done last week Wednesday night. I had a new roommate, and began talking with her. I also visited 'Pebbles' who was in the room next door. She was experiencing pains and was not feeling her baby moving so I prayed with her and for her baby.

On Monday, they prepped my roommate for surgery, but then found out that her blood count was too low so she had to return on Thursday. She was not pleased, but I encouraged her that it would not be too bad to have to come back, based on my experiences. They decided that, since my surgery had been postponed, they would tackle me first. I was grateful that I had a fresh team of surgeons and nurses to attend to me :)

The nurses in theatre were super sweet. They took off the AC in the waiting room because they realised I was freezing. When I got into theatre, they rubbed my arms and back to help keep me warm. The radio was tuned in to 107.1 so there was worship music playing in the background. One of the nurses prayed a powerful prayer before the surgery started.

I had told the anesthesiologist that I preferred for  him to put me to sleep, rather than giving me an epidural. He explained the benefits of the epidural (less drugs, less side effects, easier to manage during the surgery) and said that was the standard procedure for my type of surgery. However, 15 minutes after administering the epidural I was still able to lift both my legs "like if she is a high jumper" according to my doctor, so they had to knock me out. Before they started, the doctor examined me and said he could not feel the fibroids. I warned him against cutting me for no reason and the nurses laughed and said their doctor would not cut me for no reason.

After I recovered from the anesthesia the first question I asked the nurses was if they found the four fibroids which were on my ultrasound. She said they found more, but they would let the doctor tell me about it. The next day I found out that they removed 25 fibroids from my uterus. I have no idea how they all fit in there :)

Post surgery, still high on drugs :)

I was bedridden for the day of the surgery, but by the next day the nurses helped me get off the bed and move around. The pain is more when I move, but it's not unbearable. I just need to move really slowly, like an old woman LOL. The nurses in the hospital were really nice, checking me during the night to see if I needed any more painkillers, and very gentle in attending to me.

I don't have data on my phone, and I knew my whatsapp would have been clogged with messages from people enquiring about how I was doing. Bmobile has an option for you to get two days free data when you top up, but you normally have a limited time to activate it. I had topped up on Wednesday before I went to the hospital, but I didn't get the option to choose my reward. So I was pleasantly surprised when I got a text on Monday, telling me that I still had time to claim my reward! It was really good to be able to connect with those who had been praying me through and to share updates with my friends and family all over the world.

Some of my friends who reside in the northern part of the island were concerned when I said that I would be doing the surgery in Point Fortin. Some never knew there was a hospital there, and others thought it was "too far". However, my Point Fortin posse was with me all the way, visiting me during both the lunchtime and afternoon visiting hours, bringing gifts of soup, flowers, fruit and get well cards, and making me hurt my cut laughing. I really appreciated the demonstrations of love and support from my Point peeps!

Some of my first visitors

Big up my Point Fortin famaleeeeee!!!!!

Big lime in de hospital

My gifts ;)

This morning the nurse told me that I would be discharged today, and that if I didn't have a bowel movement they would give me something to ensure I had one. Thankfully, I didn't need any help so by the time the doctor made his rounds, he declared me good to go. The ride home was not as painful as I expected it to be, and I got my first visitors at home since being discharged.

Can you feel the love?

Dey come from far to look for me :)

I must express my heartfelt thanks to all who prayed, visited, called, sent emails, texts, whatsapp messages or called to show their support. All glory to God for a successful surgery, and I am continuing to trust Him for a quick and minimal pain recovery, and no reoccurence of fibroids. As much as I experienced His favor throughout, this is not something that I would like to go through again.

Oh this morning when I was walking, I saw that "Pebbles" had her baby boy last night and both mother and baby are doing fine. I am also in contact with my new friends that I made on the ward, and trusting God that I can be a source of encouragement to them.

I can truly look back at this experience and testify that God is faithful and He does indeed answer prayer!

Let not your heart be troubled

It all started in July 2014 when I was attending a regional ISCF conference in Guyana. While I was walking to bible study one morning, I started getting a pain in my lower back. By the time I got to the bible study, the pain became unbearable and I had no clue what was causing it. When those in charge saw the pain I was in, they took me to the nearest health center where I was given a pain killer and advised to do an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed that I had four fibroids, but my doctor was not convinced they were the cause of my pain. I was advised to always have painkillers on hand in case the pain ever returned, but I never had to use them.

Then in March 2015 while in Grenada, I experienced another bout of pain in the middle of the night and had to be rushed to the hospital. Again, painkillers were administered and an ultrasound was ordered. This time, my kidney appeared to be enlarged, and upon further investigation, it was determined that I had kidney stones. I was instructed to increase my water intake and again to ensure that I had painkillers available. Those who know me could not understand that diagnosis, since I am constantly drinking water during the day.

Upon my return to Trinidad in October 2015, my doctor did a full medical, and after more tests and a visit to a specialist, it became clear that the two incidents were connected. The specialist determined that the largest of the fibroids is pressing on my kidney, restricted the flow of urine through my ureter, leading to a build up of calcium deposits which eventually develop into kidney stones. Because of the pressure on my kidney, he advised that the fibroids be removed.

I decided to do this surgery at Point Fortin Area hospital for a couple reasons:
1. I could have the surgery done for free instead of paying $30,000 to do it privately
2. The waiting period there would be significantly less than at the bigger hospitals
3. My surgeon, Dr. Pierre, comes highly recommended

Throughout this entire journey, I have seen God's faithfulness and provision:

• The pains I experienced were pretty excruciating, and came on suddenly. I thank God that, on both occasions, there were persons around who were able to take me to the necessary medical facilities for treatment, especially since on both occasions I was not in Trinidad
• Except for the tests and the cost of the specialist, all the other treatments were free of charge for me. I am so thankful for my doctor for being such a great support to me during this entire process
• Apart from the incidents recorded above, at no other time did I experience pain
• The two pints of blood I needed for the surgery was readily provided
• I was given the option to select the date for my surgery so I chose a date that was convenient for me
• When I went to the hospital last Friday for my screening, the head nurse was very friendly and helpful when she recognised me as the person who had read the eulogy at her sister's funeral (her sister was my accounts teacher) I feel very comfortable knowing that she will be looking out for me while I am at the hospital

In the midst of the horror stories in the news about the experiences some people have had at public hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago, and having heard the risks involved with my surgery, I am at peace, because I know that God is in control. Please pray for a successful procedure, for help to endure the post-surgery pain, and for a meaningful use of my time during recovery.

Psalm 100:5 - For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations