But what CAN you do

On Thursday 13th March 2020, Trinidad and Tobago confirmed its first positive case of the Covid-19 virus which had been already wreaking havoc in countries worldwide. We were still able to have Bible Club on Friday, and Sunday morning service at church before the restrictions started to kick in. Suddenly, I found myself with "nothing to do" - no ministry to Venezuelan children, no overseeing of Adult literacy classes, no Homework Club, no Bible Club and no Easter camp to prepare for. Honestly I passed the first two days in a daze, spending too much time on social media reading what everyone had to say about the pandemic, checking out WhatsApp messages that had suddenly ballooned in frequency, and watching Netflix movies. Because of Daddy being high risk (having heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, on blood thinners and being 70 years old) I did not want to expose myself unnecessarily to persons who may be carriers of the virus.

Thankfully after the second day, I realized that by focusing on what I could not do, I was missing out on all the things that I could do. So I made a decision to shift my thinking and look for different ways in which I could occupy my time in a way that would be honouring to God.

1. Spend quality time with family

For many of us, even though we live in the same house, we are often so busy with our own, very valid schedules, that we neglect to spend quality time with each other. We are so caught up with the next activity that we do not make the time to connect. The reality is that life is unpredictable and we cannot take it for granted that we will always have our loved ones around us, so we should make the effort now to engage with them.

Took my nieceypoo to an empty park to burn off some energy

2. Explore options for ministry on-line

The majority of the ministry I engage with is done face to face. There may be a couple of my past campers who I interact with via social media, but they are the exception rather than the rule. Thanks to the technological age in which we now live, most of our youths have internet access and devices so it was a great opportunity to try new ways of engaging with them, since we are no longer able to meet in person. We held our first Bible Study on Friday evening via Skype, and although the numbers were smaller than those who normally attend in person, it was a great start.

Freedom Friday via Skype!

3. Connect with your church family online

There is a reason why God placed us in community - we are designed for fellowship! Although we are restricted from meeting physically, we should not give up meeting altogether. Thankfully my church family already had the resources to allow for us to have both prayer meeting and Sunday morning service online, so we could still fellowship together. The Bible Study group that I attend was also able to conduct our meeting virtually, with an even greater number of persons than are normally able to participate in person!

Aunty Carol conducting online Bible Study

My niece dressed up for church in her 

living room and had a ball worshiping in dance

4. Look out for opportunities to serve those in need

There are so many persons who are now in need of support at this time - elderly persons who are unable to move about freely, persons who have lost their jobs as a result of businesses being closed, families who were already struggling and are unable to 'stock up' on necessities. We may not be able to help everyone, but if we can help one, that will make a world of a difference to them.

Delivered some groceries and hand sanitizer

to one of our elderly ITNAC members

ITNAC youths packing groceries and toiletries for tertiary 

students from overseas who were unable to return home

due to closed borders and are now stuck in Trinidad

5. PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!

Sister Ruby Thompson, founder of the ministry of IS/IVCF in Trinidad and Tobago, has a mantra - Much prayer, much power. Little prayer, little power. When I told my doctor friend who is in charge of screening suspected Covid-19 patients that I was praying for her, she said that was all that was needed - nothing more. We have so much more time to connect with others in prayer, and we have God's assurance that if two of us agree on earth, it will be done by our Father in heaven. So we pray for a stop of the spread of the virus, for wisdom for our leaders, healing for those infected, comfort for those who lost loved ones, provision for those who have reduced income and strength for those on the front lines. We also take this opportunity to hear from God, spending time in His presence through worship, and meditating on His Word.

Connecting in prayer with 

my school friends from 20 years

ago - across 3 different countries!

6. Share words of encouragement, not fear

In the past month, it seems as though everyone has taken on the portfolio of a reporter, wanting to be the first to share the latest 'breaking news'. The media is already doing enough to keep the virus on the headlines and at the forefront of every story, and we are not helping people's anxiety levels when all we do is share the bad news. As citizens of the Kingdom, our responsibility is to be beacons of light in the midst of the darkness, and to point persons to the hope we have in Christ. We should be selective about what we share, seeking to lift spirits with words of encouragement and the truth of God's Word. We should also reach out to those who are anxious, and encourage them to saturate their minds with worship and the Word of God instead of focusing on the wind and the waves around them.

Status from student who was

experiencing anxiety and chose

to shift her focus

Letter to the Editor encouraging

the Church to look at the positives

in the midst of the pandemic

7. Read a good book

Trinidad was blessed by a visit from the Logos Hope in January - a ship that provides books at a fraction of the cost. Thousands of persons bought books then, and some probably have books from the Logos visit in 2017 that still have not been read (me included!) This is a great opportunity to catch up on reading books that can educate and inspire. I have plenty to share if you are lacking in this area ;)

I haven't read these yet but I have plenty others you

can choose from :)

8. Catch up on some deep cleaning

With all the additional time at home, I now have no excuse to not clean those areas which have been neglected for too long. You know the places I'm referring to - those back bedrooms that no one sees, that 'store room' which is more like a junk room. Put on some high energy music, get out those cleaning supplies, and get to work!

The bottom of this shower which was

being used as a storage space has not

been seen in years!

I will end with two quotes from devotionals I have been following this past week:

"Let us stop lamenting the state of affairs as a result of the pandemic and begin to look for ways in which we can be agents of God's grace."

"When we give so much of our attention to events beyond our control, we can lose sight of the power that we do still have. We can choose how we respond to our circumstances... even in the midst of those circumstances, we can choose how we treat others."

God's Medallists

For the past 38 years Ekklesia Word Ministries has been hosting a camp in Point Fortin for Carnival Monday and Tuesday. The camp seeks to reach out to the community with the good news of Christ, encourages persons to live according to Godly principles, and offers an enjoyable time of learning through craft, music and drama. Each year, hundreds of children, teenagers and adults attend this camp. It is free of charge to the participants - many of whom are not regularly in a place where they hear the Word of God being presented - so it is a wonderful opportunity to pour into their lives.

This year we had over 250 participants

In the early years, most of the workers came from Point Fortin and environs. Over the years the dynamics have changed and the majority comes from outside of Point. This year, some of the regular workers were not available for a variety of reasons. Every year God provides the manpower we need but this year, one week before camp was due to begin, we were still in need of a male kitchen assistant. I had exhausted my options in terms of persons I could think of to ask. The Sunday before camp began, the Holy Spirit drew my attention to someone from my church who I had never thought of asking before and prompted me to invite him to camp. It turns out that, for the past two months, he had been asking God for an opportunity to use his talents to serve him, so when I approached him it was as much an answer to his prayer as he was to mine!

Most of the St. Augustine possee who made it to camp this year

This camp was not without it's challenges in the preparation stages. A couple weeks after the school term started, the school where we had camp was officially closed by the Ministry of Education until repairs could have been done. The only other school in Point Fortin which could have been an option as a venue was not available, so in faith we printed banners and flyers but held off distribution until we got official word that the venue was approved. Two weeks before camp began we got the approval from the Ministry - God clearly had a hand in that.

Flyers printed in faith

Two days before the camp started, one of my friends who was serving for the first time, and was very excited about coming down, having already completed all her preparations, was faced with her son experiencing high fever and a painfully swollen arm due to vaccinations he received some days before. That night all who were staying at my house gathered together and agreed in prayer for his healing and the next day, he was fully recovered so they were able to make it down to camp!

Putting my house guests to work cutting up materials

and making posters for the 4 and under class

We had met two weeks before camp to go through the lessons together and allocate responsibilities. My desire was to complete my preparation the following week. However, every time I sat down to prepare it was as though there was a block and I could not make any progress. It wasn't until the Thursday before camp that things finally started to fall in place as the thoughts began to flow and materials were completed, that I knew that I would actually be ready in time for camp.

The worksheets help to reinforce the lessons taught, and also

serve as a medium to share the truths from the lessons

with the parents of the children who attend

The theme for this year was God's Medallists, which was inspired by the Olympics to be held in Japan this year. The idea is that everyone is born on the track of life, running a race from time to eternity. The campers were challenged to consider whose team they would be running on, and what would be their reward based on the choice they made. They were encouraged to resist the temptation to run outside of their lane by pleasing themselves rather than pleasing God, and to overcome whatever obstacles they may face along the way instead of giving up. At the Expo Center, where we use the physical to portray spiritual truths, the focus was on the evolution of the Olypmics, as well as Olympians from Trinidad and Tobago.

Learning about the modern Olympics

This year I taught the four and under class. Many people are apprehensive to work with that age group, because they are unsure of how to approach teaching young children, but I love it! It takes hours of preparation, because you have to ensure that you have enough activities to keep them so busy that they forget about crying for their parents. Also, because of their age, you have to do most of the preparation for each activity, so there were hours spent in cutting out crowns, making name tags, punching holes and preparing folders.

Using the fruit of the Spirit to illustrate how we

run the race of life for Jesus

In the midst of all the tears that had to be dried and snatty noses that had to be blown, it was a joy for me to hear the children recite the memory verse at the end of the two days, and also to hear them talk about the stories we had taught them, which showed that learning took place! I was also happy to see the transformation of children who were having their first ever classroom experience without their parents, progressing from crying long tears at the first lesson, to not even wanting to leave the classroom by the end of the last lesson.

My beautiful nieces with their "crowns of

righteousness" which is the reward for those

who finish the race of life faithful to God

One of the highlights of camp this year was having Cherelle Thompson, who qualified to represent Trinidad and Tobago in swimming at this year's Olympics, come and share her journey with the campers. She told them how she had almost given up swimming but preserved despite the obstacles, which included major shoulder surgery, and was now on her way to the Olympics. She highlighted the role that her faith in God played in strengthening her along the journey. The cheers of the campers and the attention they gave while she was sharing was testimony to the fact that she was a huge inspiration to them.

She is so humble despite being a national 

record holder

For the past couple years we have organized a maxi to take the children from Bible Club down to Carnival camp. In previous years the maxi has been full, but this year not many chose to attend. I thank God for those who did though, especially the young man who chose to attend camp over Jouvet celebrations in his community, and the one who overslept and missed the bus so he travelled to Point Fortin. At the end of the two days, they declared it to be the best camp ever.

Some of them medalled at Camp Olympics

We thank God for the opportunity to sow God's Word into the lives of so many children, teenagers and adults over the Carnival weekend, included two Venezuelan migrants. Aunty Carol had to dust off her Spanish skills to be able to present the lessons to them, and one of them gave their life to Christ! We pray that the seeds of God's Word would have fallen on good soil where it can take root and grow and bring transformation to the lives of all who would be obedient to it.

Keon demonstrating which lane he is going

to run for

My Logos Adventure 2020

When I found out in October last year that the Logos Hope would be returning to Trinidad in January 2020, I was surprised but happy to hear that they were returning so soon. This time my involvement was at a different level. I was asked if I could connect the advance team with local ministries that Logos teams could partner with while they were here. I gladly made the necessary links with ITNAC, LARMS, ISCF and Confident Kids Club so the relevant partnership opportunities could be pursued. I had enjoyed my last volunteer experience with them so much that I once again offered my services, and they were gratefully accepted, since the number of persons who signed up as local volunteers was below the amount needed for a port of this size.

One of the perks of volunteering on the evening shift - 

the gorgeous sunset views!

I served on the evening shift in the Book Fair for the first two weeks that the Logos was in Port of Spain. Our responsibilities included welcoming visitors as they entered the Cruise Ship complex, helping the crew to collect the entrance fee from visitors, giving the welcome speech and overview of the ship before visitors entered the Book Fair, keeping the books in order on the shelves, assisting the cashiers by bagging books or moving the cash line forward, answering questions that persons had while they browsed, and distributing free literature as they left the ship. Every evening we served in one of these positions, rotating every hour. In each position, we served alongside a crew member, so when things were quiet we were able to have some really good conversations with them, hearing their stories about what brought them to the ship, what their experience was like being on the ship, and where they felt God was leading them when their time on the Logos was over.

Enjoyed sharing and serving alongside my buddy Borgi from Germany

One of the things I enjoyed about serving in the Book Fair was getting to see friends who I do not normally see because our paths do not cross as often as they used to. There was one person I had not seen for almost 10 years, so it was really nice to reconnect with some long lost friends. I also liked the challenge of dealing with persons who didn't want to follow the guidelines we had to maintain order in the Book Fair. I recognized that most fires could be extinguished with a warm voice and a pleasant smile :) I also saw first hand the opportunities provided for God's word to infiltrate non-Christian homes. Apart from the gospel of John which was given to every visitor as they left the ship, I saw one young boy dragging his father through the Book Fair because he wanted a "God book" instead of the regular book his father had offered him.

I told my niece she could choose 2 books - 

de chile fill up her basket!

One of the reasons why the Logos is so popular here is that the prices of the books are so cheap compared to what is available in our local bookstores. We decided to take advantage of these reasonable prices and purchase books which could be used as tokens for children in ISCF camp this year, as well as books for the children from Bible Club. There were also tokens which I got as prizes for children in Carnival camp. God is so gracious to me - not only did He provide the funds for all these purchases through a very timely financial donation, but on the day I purchased these books, the entire ship was moved closer to the entrance of the Cruise Ship complex so I didn't have to ask the volunteers who helped me tote the heavy boxes of books to make the five minute trek (which seems like ten minutes when the sun is hot) to carry the books from the ship to my car (for which I was able to find a park in the Cruise Ship complex's car park). As a matter of fact, every day that I had to visit the Logos, I prayed and God provided a park that was safe and convenient, even on the final days when it seemed like the whole of Trinidad decided to visit. Those days were so busy that even though I was not scheduled to work, I decided to volunteer so the crew would not have to stay up until 3am the next morning putting the Book Fair back in order.

One year's worth of prizes!

I decided to take full advantage of as many of the events on board that I could have fit into my schedule, once my time for volunteering on board had ended. The first one was a seminar for persons interested in serving in missions. It was a good reminder of the great need for labourers in the unreached people groups worldwide. Next I attended a workshop entitled Creative Evangelism, where we were introduced to intriguing techniques that could be employed to share the gospel in a simple way. After we were taught, we then proceeded to the cafeteria where we were able to share the gospel with members of the public who were liming there.

Using jenga blocks to start the conversation

I also attended a Refugee simulation where we were put into families and presented with scenarios that thousands of persons from war-torn and economically ravaged countries have to face on a daily basis - how to survive on little to no income, with the threat of war and abuse of power by rogue security forces hanging over your heads, unscrupulous landlords who show no mercy despite deteriorating conditions in the country and no hope of escape. Even the persons who were able to make it across the border to a neighbouring country were struggling because they could not work until they had been registered, and that was a very lengthy process. It really hit home to me when I decided to contract my services to the local bar, only to realize that the pay was nothing like what had been promised and when I finally escaped, my entire family had disappeared and I had no clue where they were. At the end of the simulation we spent time in prayer for refugees and migrants worldwide.

The last event was an evening of prayer for the persecuted church. It was structured as a time of worship and prayer, but it was different. Throughout the entire evening, there were people dressed in the national wear of countries where the gospel is not free to be preached. They stood silently with tape across their mouths to represent those who are not able to worship God freely in their countries. As we worshiped and prayed, we interceded for those who could not speak for themselves, and by the end of the evening, some of them removed the tapes from their mouths. Some remained gagged, to remind us of the ongoing need to pray for the persecuted church.

I was also able to arrange for two groups of my children from south to attend onboard events. God graciously provided the sponsorship for 2 maxis of Venezuelan children and their parents to attend an event which introduced them to missions and the need for the gospel to be preached throughout the world. Another maxi was sponsored that allowed 19 youths from Bible Club to attend a similar event, where they were challenged to share their faith with their peers who did not know Jesus. They heard testimonies of crew members and saw dramatic presentations which stressed the urgency of us being a part of fulfilling the great commission.

Children going through "security" as they

prepare for their journey around the world

I also had the privilege of facilitating partnerships with teams from the Logos to minister off the ship. Through the connection with ISCF, they were able to conduct Human Traffic awareness workshops in various secondary schools. I was able to bring a team to share with the children from Bible Club about what it means to be a missionary. Incidentally, I was inspired by the Logos' visit to have a focus on missions for Bible Club this term. I also had the privilege of serving alongside the crew as they partnered with Compassion Outreach International and ITNAC to conduct a medical clinic and eye glasses testing and distribution for migrants in La Romain.

Getting their eyes tested

A team from the Logos ministered to the Venezuelan children at La Romain one Thursday, and another team was due to share with them the following Thursday, but there were some logistical issues so that was cancelled. The co-ordinator asked me on the Tuesday if I could find some other place where they could serve, and God led me to pursue connections through the Religious Instruction ministry. The doors were wide open so the team was able to share with an entire school at one venue, and over 60 students at another venue. God really showed up on that day, as I realized on the way to the first venue that the vehicle was overheating and when we checked it there was absolutely no water in the radiator! By the time we resolved that issue we were leaving 20 minutes later than planned, and had only 50 minutes to get to the next school, which would usually take one hour. God ensured that on that day, not only was there absolutely no traffic on the road, but that there was no roadworks to cause delays so we actually arrived early! The reception at both schools was really amazing, and the Logos crew was able to share their testimonies and challenge the children to follow Jesus. God's plans were so much better than what we had originally intended to happen :)

The children were enthralled by their presentation and 

mobbed them afterward for hugs and autographs as if

they were celebrities

Another team from the Logos visited the Space in St. James where ITNAC has a school for Venezuelan children, and also a clinic for migrants every Thursday. The Logos crew provided personnel to help with the clinic, do eye testing, and distribute glasses. A different team ministered to the children in the school, and presented them with an entire library of books. We are truly grateful to God for their mission to bring knowledge, help and hope to the countries that they visit, and look forward with eager anticipation for whenever next they would grace our shores.

Excited about receiving their new books

from the Logos crew

A vacation, a wedding and a funeral

My last week of 2019 was full of time spent with friends and family. It started off with a 2 day all-expenses paid trip to Tobago where all I had to do was show up. I certainly felt the love of God as His favour was evident every step of the way. We didn't have to worry about what we were going to eat or what we would do once we got there - everything was provided for us, and that in abundance!

Check out the breakfast spread for only 5 people

We arrived on Sunday evening and after arriving at our destination, settled in for an early night as we all had a busy day. In the morning we were treated to a lavish spread for breakfast, then set out for a drive around the island, which included a stop at Fort George, and a sumptuous lunch at the Treehouse Restaurant in Speyside. The weather was perfect - not too hot and very little rain. We ended our day with a beach bath at Mt. Irvin Bay as the sun was setting, and a time of games and worship when we got home. It was such a blessing and encouragement to my soul to spend time with these friends who are my family.

Photo session on Fort George

From Tobago I headed straight to Guyana for a wedding for a couple from my church. I arrived on Christmas Eve, so was able to spend my first Christmas in Guyana. My maternal grandmother was Guyanese, and at a family reunion 2 years ago I met my mother's cousin's children who still live in Guyana so I was able to stay at their home. It was wonderful getting to know them better, hearing their life stories, and getting a tour of historic sites in Georgetown. Even though I didn't meet them before 2017, they treated me as though we had known each other all our lives, like real family.

Hanging in Georgetown with my cousin

It was only after I left Guyana that I found out that the church my friend got married in was the same church my grandmother attended when she lived there! I was never the kind of person who cared much for history or "finding my roots" but there was something special about seeing a plaque in the oldest wooden cathedral in Guyana with the names of my grandmother's brother and his wife on it, and recognizing that the faith of my great grandparents was passed on through two generations to me, and my siblings will be passing it on to my niece and nephews.

Outside the historic St. George Cathedral in Georgetown

My friends' wedding was an epic end to a lovely time in Guyana. Although my cousins were gracious enough to take me around while I was there, I was not sure how transport for the wedding would work out, since they lived about half an hour away from the wedding venue, and I didn't want them to have to take me from the ceremony to the reception venue, and then have to take me back home after the reception. At a lime I attended 2 days before the wedding, I was able to reconnect with a friend who had studied in Trinidad, and I found out that she was living in the same development as my cousin, and also attending the wedding! My God is certainly a God of the details :D

So happy for the opportunity to

reconnect with Sherdell

The wedding ceremony was lovely, especially the part where the bride's father sang "I loved her first" to the couple, passing on his role as the man in his daughter's life to her new husband. At the reception, the contingent from our church ensured that we made full use of the dance floor and the DJ that was provided. It was great fun celebrating with my friends on their special day, and I can't wait to see what God will accomplish through their union.

The Patricks - so happy in love <3

The week before Christmas, I found out that someone who was instrumental to my growth in the ISCF camping ministry had passed away. I was grateful that I obeyed the voice of the Holy Spirit to make time to visit her when I heard how serious her illness was. "Spram", as we affectionately called her on ISCF Camp, was the face of camping when I started as a child. I still have clear memories of her waking us up on mornings in Toco with her song "Good morning, good morning, good morning! It's time to rise and shine!" She would sing it over and over until we got out of our beds. Reading the tributes to her on facebook from past campers and listening to the testimonial from her nieces at the funeral, it was clear that she played a crucial role of encouragement and support in the lives of countless of young people. Even though she will be missed, we have a sure hope of being reunited with her in heaven.

I returned to Trinidad just in time for her funeral

As we enter 2020, I have no idea what lies ahead. I know there will be joys, as well as sorrows; pleasure, as well as pain; weeping, as well as rejoicing. Through the highs and lows, one thing that I know for sure - God's goodness and faithfulness will not change, and it will be sufficient to carry me through.

Unexpected interruptions

It's the first week of the holidays and I had my schedule all planned out weeks ago. There was cleaning that had long been put off that I would finally be able to do because I would not have to be stopping in between to go out and do ministry somewhere. There were my godchildren who were home from school that I had not spent quality time with in months. There was sorting and filing that needed to be done. There was old currency to be upgraded to new currency. But then life happened.

One week ago, parts of south Trinidad were hit with severe flooding following 2 days of continuous rainfall. Rivers burst their banks and lagoons overflowed into people's property, trapping them in their homes for days. Some homes were inundated with up to 5 feet of water, resulting in loss of furniture, appliances and personal belongings.

One of the homes in Ragoonanan Trace, Penal

Looking at the pictures, hearing the stories of loss, seeing the pain and hopeless on the faces of the families affected, I could not just continue with "business as usual". Thankfully I am a part of an organization that is able to mobilize resources in a short space of time, so after a few conversations a plan was arranged to head into the flood hit areas on Sunday to bring relief supplies, food and the love of Jesus. Clothing was sorted and packed by some of our hardworking volunteers, hampers were filled using food items which were donated at a drive held a few weeks ago, and a caterer was found who was able to provide 80 lunches literally overnight.

All hands on deck to pack hampers

We visited families in Rock Road and Ragoonanan Trace, Penal who were now in the process of cleaning their homes. Many of them told us that we were the first persons who came to see how they were doing, and they really appreciated our visit as it showed that someone cared. One lady who received a hamper was very grateful because her husband's car had been caught up in the flood waters so now all their money was going into repairing their vehicle, which he needed to go to work. Many of the families were very grateful for the meals we provided, because they had been cleaning all day and did not have time to cook. We partnered with Compassion International who contributed sandwiches, party bags and toys to the children we encountered.

Blessing one of the families with a hamper and toys

Apart from material supplies, we were also able to provide some much needed emotional support. We listened to their stories, shared words of encouragement and testimonies, and prayed with some of them. As representatives of the kingdom of God we care about not just meeting the physical needs, but the spiritual needs as well. We are extremely grateful to those who gave, since this allowed us to be channels of blessing to those in need.

Hearts and hands joined in prayer

Last week my high school classmates and I were devastated by the news that one of our sisters had died suddenly due to a heart attack. As this is the second classmate in 3 years to die suddenly, it really caused me to stop and reflect. What came to mind was this parable from Luke 12:16-21 where Jesus spoke of a rich man who thought that he had enough possessions to last him for many years so he could take life easy.


“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” '


So many of us are caught up with pursuing what society deems to be important - a career, property, investments - that we do not make time for what is really important, and will last into eternity. I challenge us to ponder the following questions:

* Are we living out God's purposes for our life?
* Are we using the gifts and abilities that He has blessed us with to expand His kingdom?
* Are we living every day to please Him, rather than pleasing ourselves?

We can never be prepared for the interruptions that life throws at us. We have no control over calamities that may come, but how we respond to them is important. May we be ready in season and out of season to be God's hands and feet to bring comfort and help where it is most needed.

Three Christmas parties in two weeks

The average child in Trinidad has heard the biblical account of Jesus' birth many times. Most of them can recite the events leading up to Jesus' birth, even if they may get some of the details confused.

For the average child who grew up in the midst of the economic and political turmoil that has been plaguing Venezuela for all of their life, they had never heard this story. Many of them never had an opportunity to celebrate anything; every day was like the day before - a struggle to survive. At both of the centers for migrant children where I volunteer, the leaders were determined that the children would have the opportunity to celebrate their first Christmas in Trinidad, with a Venezuelan flavour!

Hallacas are very similar to our pastelles

At the La Romain Migrant Support center, on the day before the Christmas programme, we showed the children a video of the story of Jesus' birth in Spanish so they could appreciate the basis for our celebration. The party began with a traditional Venezuelan Christmas breakfast - hallacas, potato salad and sorrel, which was well enjoyed by all. I had the opportunity to share with all present - children, parents, teachers and supporters - about the significance of Jesus coming to earth in the form of a human. I was able to give a clear presentation of the gospel using John 3:16, showing Jesus as the greatest gift given to us by God, and encouraging them to receive the gift of salvation that He offers.

They were so excited to dress up in their best clothes for the programme

In the weeks leading up to the Christmas programme, the children were hard at work practising their items. They learnt songs and dances which are traditionally performed at Christmas time in Venezuela. We wanted to ensure that they had an opportunity to learn about their cultural traditions as well as ours. The younger ones were very excited, but some of the older ones didn't come around until 3 days before the program. Thankfully we were able to teach them "Feliz Navidad" so they were able to participate as well. The parents thoroughly enjoyed seeing their children perform the songs and dances, as well as the hampers which we were able to bless them with thanks to our generous donors.

Performing their dance

For the children at the Learning Space, a wonderful event was sponsored by a local church called the Gathering Place. They received pizza and hotdogs for lunch, and then listened to a reading of the biblical account of Jesus' birth. This was followed by traditional Christmas songs sung by each of the three classes. Throughout the program there was face painting, balloon animals and popcorn. They played games and then received presents and party bags to go home with. The parents were treated to ham and turkey sandwiches and a drink when they came to collect their children.

Youngest class performing a traditional Venezuelan song

Enjoying a game of musical chairs

The last Christmas activity held was the Closing Program for the children at Bible Club. The program consisted of the classes doing presentations based on what they had learnt this term based on the fruit of the Spirit. There were games which were enjoyed by all, followed by a challenge from our guest speaker about the characteristics which should be evident in the lives of children of God. Prizes were given to children who were able to recite memory verses which were taught throughout the term, and presents were distributed to all.

Teens class performing a dramatic presentation

Youngest student ever to win the prize

for Most Outstanding Bible Club Student

We are very grateful to all who gave so willingly and generously so that these children were able to enjoy their various programs where they were reminded about the truth of Immanuel - God with us.

Three months of ministry in one blog post :)

I returned to Trinidad from my vacation on Sunday 18th August and Vacation Bible School for the children in Dow Village and environs started bright and early on Monday morning! A huge amount of gratitude goes out to Mummy and my neighbours who co-ordinated all the planning in my absence so all I had to do was execute. We had over 60 children hearing the gospel message during the course of the week, many of whom do not attend Bible Club so we thank God for the seeds of truth which were planted in their hearts. The teens class had the highest numbers, and while we know most of them came for the lime, we are glad they chose to be in a place where God's Word was being presented. We praise God for those children who decided to make Jesus their Lord and Saviour this week, and for those who were challenged about how they lived their lives. We also thank God that despite a thunderstorm hitting the community that week, we were not adversely affected, and for sufficient volunteers to cover all areas where assistance was needed.

Singing about Jesus being their Best Friend

The following week, I accepted an invitation from Point Fortin Church of the Nazarene to be one of the speakers at their Kids Rally. There were over 70 children from 3 years old up to teenagers who came out to hear God's Word over a 3 day rally. I shared on the topic "Love for God" and we looked at what it meant to love God with all your heart, soul and mind; why we should love God, and the consequences for not loving God. The children were then put into their age groups and each group was given a case study focusing on how do we love God in our various spheres - at home, at school, and in our communities. It was wonderful to see the children's portrayal of how they would demonstrate love for God in each of the scenarios. Our prayer is that they would live out what they learnt as they go through their daily lives.

Prizes were given for those who answered questions

so you know there were lots of answerers!

When school resumed in September, I had an opportunity to put my CELTA training into practise at two venues. ITNAC started The Learning Space on the Western Main Road in St. James with a holiday camp for Venezuelan migrant children over the holidays, but in September we launched the school. At present there are over 60 children enrolled, from pre-school to pre-teens. They are taught by native Spanish speakers from 9am to 12 noon - Grammar, Social Studies, History, Mathematics and English. After lunch, volunteers come in to do different activities with the children which include craft, dance and games. I go on Thursdays to do games with them, and although I can speak to them in Spanish, I only communicate with them using English so they can practise and improve. On Thursday afternoons, we host a medical clinic for migrants. Thanks to our hardworking volunteers doctors and pharmacists, we are able to offer this service free of charge to this vulnerable sector of our society.

Playing a game of Basket Turnover using colors

In South, I started volunteering with the La Romain Migrant Support group (LARMS). This initiative was started by someone from La Romain who was concerned about the plight of the migrants in the area, especially the children who were being left locked in rooms alone while the parents were at work. She gathered some volunteers and with the support of her church, started an informal school for them at the fellowship hall of the church. I teach English there twice a week, and the transformation I have seen in the children from when I started to now is really amazing. Those who were shy and unwilling to engage are now laughing and participating in class. Children who could barely write 2 letters when they started are now copying full words down from the board. When I look at them playing and laughing during the break times my heart is full of gratitude that they have an opportunity to be children, many of them for the first time in their life.

Learning through play

At the beginning of September, Hurricane Dorian dealt a devastating blow to islands in the Bahamas. Due to the distance and cost of shipping items from Trinidad, our initial response involved sending funds to allow for purchasing urgently needed food stuff and toiletries from Miami and Nassau and shipping them directly to distribution centers in the Bahamas. Our local partners were then able to package and distribute these to persons from Abaco and Grand Bahama who had lost everything in the hurricane. A few weeks later, ITNAC sent a team to help with the clean up of homes and they worked tirelessly to complete the task in the limited time they had. Two weeks ago we shipped up a container of building supplies and other items which were donated from Trinidad. It may no longer be in the media spotlight, but the needs are still great and for many families "normal" is still a long way ahead so we continue to assist as we are able to.

Loading the container for the Bahamas

Closer to home, Trinidad was also hit with some heavy rains and flooding later in September. It was not as widespread as last years' floods, and did not get as much media coverage, but to the families who were badly hit, it was just as traumatic. Once again we sprang into action, delivering food items, toiletries and cleaning supplies to households affected. Thanks to a generous donation, we were able to replace one major appliance for approximately ten families who were in need, and we assisted with clean up activities. In Mt. Lambert we distributed cooked meals, clothing, linen and hampers - the recipients were extremely grateful for the assistance. One resident noted, "Allyuh different - it just have something about you that different from the others" We were very eager to share with them the source of this difference - the love of God which compels us to reach out to the needy.

Delivering supplies to family in Aranguez

Apart from these outreaches, ALTA has been keeping me busy this term with the opening of a new center in Fyzabad that I had responsibility for overseeing. One of the tutors there was new so I supported her for the first month until she felt confident enough to teach on her own. I also continue to be involved in our regularly scheduled outreach to the children in our community. Homework Club continues with an average attendance of 5-10 children, and we keep giving God thanks for the teenagers who make up more than 50% of the attendance at Bible Club, and who also stay back for an additional hour to learn how to study the Bible. They make me talk more than the younger ones do, but I do not take for granted the extended opportunities we have to impact them with the truth of God's Word.

Doing a character study on the life of Job

Family time has also been a significant part of my involvement over the past few months. My aunt, who is one of my biggest supporters, visited from the States for two weeks. When we were children, she used to carry us around, so now it was my turn to return the favour! Spending time with her, listening to stories about my grandmother, I recognized that the desire to help others did not just come from my mother, but from an entire generation before. I also spent time supporting my brother and his wife who was very heavily pregnant until 2 weeks ago! Thanks to them I now have another precious nephew to add to my growing brood of picknies :D

On the lookout with Aunty Ruth Ann where she enjoyed her

first snowcone in years

So for those who have been wondering what I've been up to, now you know! Thank you so much for all who have continued to pray and encourage and support despite my silence. I'll try not to make it so long next time ;)

Snuggles with Joseph Seth Dowlath :)