Can anything good come out of covid-19?

June is my birth month. For the past few years I have made it a point to do something to celebrate my birthday, because I have come to realize that tomorrow is not guaranteed. This year was no different. In late 2019 a missions group that I am a part of made plans to do ministry in Kenya in June 2020, so I figured that would be my birthday event this year, but then covid-19 happened.... Even though I could not go to Kenya in person this year, I decided that for my birthday, I would still do something to positively impact the lives of vulnerable persons over there. Thanks to connections that I had from previous ministry trips there with ITNAC, I found the perfect project:

The aftermath of recent floods

This village in Kenya was recently hit by severe flooding in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic. With persons already struggling to make ends meet due to economic slow down, it was literally impossible for widows who have no one else to rely on, to find someone to assist them with rebuilding their homes. In this part of the world, a widow has to be inherited to get men to build her a house. This is not a viable option for most, as it involves having to take care of the new man's needs (food, clothing, sex etc) and can result in her getting pregnant and having even more children to provide for. Apart from being inherited, the only other persons that can help such widows are the church or the Muslim community.

Shakila and her three children - Fadhila,
Abigael and Husuna

Shakila was a God-fearing woman who refused to be inherited after her husband died, and opted to raise her kids as a single mother. She lives with two other orphans belonging to her late sister. Her house collapsed, but she had to survive inside there despite the harsh weather conditions. When I found out that she could get a new house for $400US, I knew that this would be my birthday project for this year. I sent out a message asking my friends and family to send funds to help building homes for widows from this village. I was driven by this verse from James 1:27a - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Shakila was really grateful for her new house and
said now, people have started visiting her
and she is no longer a laughing stock.

Thanks to the generous response of those who gave, which was amazing to me coming in the midst of a global pandemic, three other families were able to receive new homes, and funds were sent this week for four other families to be blessed with houses as well! Among the beneficiaries was Josephine Sanko, a 70 year old widow whose two daughters had to drop out of school due to lack of school fees. Since they had no proper education, they opted to work as prostitutes in the city. They later got infected with the HIV-virus and later succumbed to AIDS leaving behind six orphans under the care of their jobless granny. Benard found them living in a small hut that leaked heavily whenever it rained. No one really wanted to help them until we came to their rescue.

"We knew we are a forgotten lot.
There was completely no hope of us building a new house." 

Jacinta Akumu Mati, mother to Jessica, Saidi, Billy, Snider and Swaid suffered a double tragedy. Her husband recently died leaving her with a collapsing house. Later on due to floods the wall of the house caved in exposing her and her babies to many dangers including being attacked at night. Now, they have a house and a place to call home. Margaret Munyanya is a 68 year old widow who lives with grandchildren Lilian, Apita, Samuel and Rose. Her house was destroyed by floods and she had to take refuge at a nearby primary school before we came to her rescue.

The new houses have galvanize roofs instead of
these thatched roofs, which do not stand up
well to inclement weather

Apart from building houses for these widows, Benard was also able to mobilize for the construction of pit latrines in the village where open defecation is still a common practice. Many villagers cannot afford to build one, so they live without one even though this makes them more susceptible to diseases. So far four pit latrines have been dug, and this will serve to raise the standard of living in the village. In addition to this, our building project has also provided a source of income for the young men in the village who were otherwise unemployed. Talk about blessing after blessing!

In the midst of constructing a pit latrine

Since I was not able to jump on a plane to engage in missions overseas, I was grateful for the opportunity to reach out to foreigners living in my own country. ITNAC has been ministering to the Venezuelan migrants who have been taking refuge here since 2019. Many of them who were registered were working in bars and in persons' homes, but these were no longer possible in the early stages of the lockdown. The first week in June we loaded up a maxi with cooked meals, hampers, clothes and snacks for the children, and took the long scenic drive down to Icacos where we visited migrants living there. One of our team members shared the gospel and we prayed for the families, meeting their spiritual needs as well as their physical needs.

Breathtaking scenery on the way down south

Worship in Spanish

Hamper distribution to grateful families

One of my friends joked that the government lifted covid bans just in time for my birthday and I must say that I took full advantage of it! From taking a hike to Avocat Waterfall in Blanchisseuse to swimming in Clifton Hill beach with my nieces and nephews twice in one week, I thoroughly enjoyed being able to enjoy the nature that is abundant in my homeland. My actual birthday was spent by my brother with a lovely home-cooked meal by his wife, and plenty love ups from my niece and nephew, followed by a zoom ice cream birthday lime with my high school friends. Thank you so much to all my friends and family who played a part in ensuring that my 2020 birthday celebration was one that had such an impact to so many lives, and will be fondly remembered for years to come :) 

My Bush Adventure partner :)

Bouquet lovingly provided by my friends
who were the most marvelous hosts in the bush :)

First beach day after 3 long months!

Birthday lunch with mih famalee

Putting the finishing touches on my cake :)

Those who give

In Mark 12:41-44 the account is recorded of Jesus watching persons putting money in the offering box in the temple. While there were rich people who put in large sums, Jesus commended the widow who didn't give out of her abundance, but who, out of her poverty, put in all she had to live on. When onlookers hear of the work Is There Not A Cause (ITNAC) is doing in the midst of the covid pandemic - distributing over 3000 hampers locally; sending funds to our partners in Haiti, Bahamas, St. Lucia, India, Kenya and Guinea, West Africa to assist with their relief efforts - many would assume that we are in receipt of government funding, or substantial donations from wealthy individuals or companies, but this is not the case.

Snack bags donated by one of our
elderly members

The majority of the persons who donate to ITNAC's covid response efforts are individuals of average means, some who may not have much, but give out of the little that they have. One donor works in the retail industry in a foreign country, so when the lockdowns were implemented she found herself with no guaranteed income stream, as only nationals qualified for the financial assistance from the government. God graciously allowed her employer to offer her a job in their online division, working to pack orders for online customers. It was out of this little that she gave to the cause.

A pensioner who donated a "small" bag of groceries

A young lady who lives overseas was scrolling through facebook and saw the work that ITNAC was doing in bringing relief to vulnerable families who have lost their source of income due to covid restrictions. She sent funds to her mother who still lives here, and asked her to pass the funds on to us. Her mother was skeptical at first, questioning if her daughter knew for sure that ITNAC was a reliable organization to give money to. She assured her that she trusted us because she recognized that one of our members had taught her at a camp she attended before she migrated ten years ago!

Thanks to her daughter she now knows of a
trustworthy NGO that she can support :)

For Mother's Day weekend, our desire was to bless the single mothers or those with challenging domestic situations with an extra dose of love. We approached the owner of a small store which sold gift items and they were more than willing to open the store for us to choose perfumes and creams for this initiative. Not only did they give us the items at cost price, but they also gave us additional gift sets and handbags free of charge! We were also blessed with cupcakes from caterers who would have suffered a major loss of income during this lockdown. Talk about sacrificial giving!!!

The mothers were pleasantly surprised to
receive these gift items

I wish I could have recorded the smiles on their
faces when they received these sweet treats :)

One of our team members, upon delivering a hamper of groceries to a family, noticed that the children were wearing mismatched slippers, or were barefeet. She shared a picture of the children's footwear (or lack thereof) with one of her colleagues, and they responded by procuring a trunk load of children's shoes! Because of their generosity, many children were blessed with brand new shoes and slippers.

Shoes of all sizes and colors

Apart from these individuals, there are young professionals and elderly pensioners, single persons and married couples, self-employed and company employees, small and large churches, and corporate bodies who have contributed to the cause. The amounts given may vary, but what matters more than the amount is the intent behind the giving. In Matthew 25 when Jesus was referring to those who would be welcomed into the kingdom of God, the righteous asked in verse 37,  ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?' His response is in verse 40,  ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Anthurium plant donated by a grateful
recipient of a food hamper

We do not do what we do with the expectation of anything in return. The gratitude expressed from the families we bless, and the peace that comes over their faces when they realize that they don't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from, is reward enough. We are grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate our love for God, by providing for the families who are most in need.

The handful of flour and the jug of oil

In 1 Kings 17:7-16 an account is written about a time in Israel's history where there was a drought following 3 years without rain. Elijah, one of God's prophets, was directed to go to a widow, who would supply him with food. When he asked the widow for a piece of bread, she told him that all she has was a handful of flour and some oil. She was in the process of gathering sticks so she could make one last meal for herself and her son to eat before they died of hunger. Elijah instructed her to make something for him to eat first, then feed herself, because God had promised that the flour and the oil would not run out until God sent rain to end the drought. The widow obeyed and found that everyday there was food for her and her family.

Food ready to be distributed to hungry families

When ITNAC started our response to the vulnerable families affected by closures due to covid-19, we didn't have a big amount of donations - just $500 donated by one of our members. However, like the flour and oil, we have seen God work a miracle in replenishing our resources as we continue to give to those in need. Like the miracle that Jesus worked with the five loaves and two fishes, we have been able to use whatever little is given to meet the needs of hundreds of families over the past few weeks. As quickly as we make hampers and distribute, God moves on the hearts of persons to sow into our ministry so we have more to give as the requests continue to pour in. One of the persons who contributed was someone whose house we had helped to clean after the major floods in Trinidad in 2018 - he said we were strangers when we came to his assistance, so he wanted to pass on the blessing to others in need!

Offloading a trunk load of donations

A widowed single parent who was on her last, with rent to pay and two children to feed but no job.

A father who used to work CEPEP, supporting his daughter who is unemployed and has two children.

A single mother who had no food for her child and called us crying, desperate for help.

A single mother of four who used to sell pies by a school for a living and now only eats twice a day because her food is running out.

A single father in Tobago who used to work URP and has no other way of supporting his three children.

A mother whose alcoholic husband abandoned the family, who had not eaten anything in days.

A family who only had one pack of flour and had been making things for her family to eat from that.

A diabetic lady who has not been eating proper meals.

A man who had a stroke 3 years ago and was being supported by his mother who lives overseas but she contracted covid-19 and is now unable to work.

These are the stories of some of the people who have contacted ITNAC because they have not been able to get assistance from any other entity.

Family from the North Coast happy to receive supplies

From Wallerfield to Blanchisseuse to Diego Martin to Penal to Point Fortin to Tobago - the requests kept pouring in. God moved on the hearts of persons to assist us in meeting these needs by giving of their finances, their time to purchase and deliver hampers, and their hearts to listen to the stories of those we meet to give them hope and encouragement. This is what our founder and visionary, Avonelle Hector-Joseph, had to say on how we do what we do:

"ITNAC has always described itself as being a grass roots organization, meaning we are supported by the ‘average’ person: bank managers, grocery owners, business persons, housewives, radio personalities. Although we would love to be able to say we get $100,000 a month, because we know what we would be able to do with it, but one of the purposes of our organization is to connect the ‘average’ person with the people who are in need, allowing ourselves to be a conduit. The vision of ITNAC will be sustained by ‘average’ people who we are helping now. The children of those we are helping now will help the organization when they become professionals. The organization will be sustained because of the heart."

Two of our diligent and zealous volunteers on the road
delivering not just hampers, but help and hope

Here are some of the stories shared by our team members on their experiences:
"Tonight was different yes.....my heart been crying out since it all started but tonight was a different kind of cry.....We almost didn't find some of them [the families who requested the hampers], is either they didn't know how to use WhatsApp or no internet but we went the extra mile......I'm here still trying to process it all but God. "

"God's great hands of mercy and love was certainly seen today, He provided the overflow,  because we had 70 [hampers] for North Coast and 3 for Santa Cruz but he multiplied and provided 79 and 6 respectively... the needs are great but our God is Greater! All praise to Him 🙏🏼🙌🏼"

We are blessed to be a blessing

The outpouring of gratitude from the families we have blessed has been a great source of encouragement for us to continue the work we are doing:

"Let me hasten to expressly thank you for your good kind yeoman service. I’d be an imbecilic ingrate if I didn’t say thanks. Thank you very very much! And may the Lord, like Jabez, enlarge your territory in the name of Jesus. Amen"

"Thanks a million for what you all have done and continue to do for my family from Venezuela. Earlier this week I reached out for some assistance for my family and in no time at all I got a very quick response and they were assisted. Now I reached out asking for foodstuff for them and the most amazing thing was they did not just assist them with the foodstuff, but they also gave gifts to the children, they provided medication without me asking for medication. I really really really appreciate it. I cannot find the correct words I do not think the dictionary has sufficient words to describe my gratitude towards ITNAC. My family was truly blown away. 

It's amazing how much joy these simple toys can bring to a child in
lock down who doesn't have any other form of entertainment

ITNAC does not just see about your physical needs, but they also meet your emotional, mental, social and spiritual needs and I’m grateful to God because in the midst of the blessing, they know about Jesus and we have witnessed to them before but this has shown them even more how good God is and it is an even better opportunity for them to come to know and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Saviour. It was really mindblowing because you hear about ITNAC all the time and that they go around the world and they assist people but I never knew the depth of the assistance"

Flowers given to one of our team members
as a token of appreciation for our assistance

As we continue to practice true religion as outlined in James 1:27, we respond to the cries for help from the most vulnerable in our society. We may not have much, but every day we see the little that we get multiplied to meet the needs that are before us daily. This is certainly the Lord's doing.

If anyone would like to make a donation to the work of Is There Not A Cause to enable us to continue being God's hands and feet to those in need, our account numbers are:

First Citizens bank #1660410

Republic bank #510009446801

Finally some good news!

From the time the first positive case of covid-19 was reported in Trinidad and Tobago, ITNAC sprung into action. Realizing the implications for the most vulnerable in our society, we knew that one of the most pressing needs would be for food items. Before we even started collecting, we mobilized our youths to clear a space at our St. James base which would serve as a food pantry. Any donations we collected would be stored here, and when the requests came in, it would be easy to distribute from this location. On March 16th we got our first contribution towards groceries - $500, by the next day we were up to $2000. These initial contributions came from our members and our regular donors who know that we are always in direct contact with those most in need.

Loading up supplies to drop off to a family of 13
from South Trinidad

As the days went by, the requests started pouring in: single parents who worked in bars and were sent home without a pay cheque; families where the sole bread winner was now unemployed and whose cupboards were now bare; persons who had not eaten anything for two days; people who got ill after taking vital medication on an empty stomach, simply because they had nothing in their house to eat. People who contacted us told us that they had reached out to other organizations for help, but they were denied because they didn't have any funding. Thankfully our organization meets needs based on faith rather than funding. As quickly as donations came in, we started distributing to meet these requests.

Offloading supplies from one of our donors

Due to the restrictions placed on mass gatherings, we could not have events like we usually do to raise funds or awareness to meet our needs, so we had to depend on our members to get the word around. Some persons gave financially, others provided cooked meals including freshly baked bread. Even members who were in self quarantine due to recent international travel mobilized resources to help meet the needs. Some donors came through the rain to drop off supplies. God saw in advance that we would need someone stationed at our base in St. James to serve as Operations Manager during this unexpected time of receiving and distributing donations, so he put persons in place to do this. Our youths have been very active doing deliveries, sometimes travelling from Trincity to Maraval to Freeport in one day. Our elderly members, over 70 years, also contributed to the store house.

Bulk items which would be parcelled out to make
hampers to distribute to families in need

One person who herself is needy felt that God spoke to her and told her to give towards ITNAC’s food drive. She said that in spite of her being in need of things, it may not be much, but she was sure that a family can benefit from it. She felt that some persons are so consumed about themselves that they don’t take a thought for others. She was convinced that it was the times when we are in need, that we should give those very things we are in need of. The team member who collected this donation was speechless – she accepted it as she did not want to stop them from receiving their blessing for their sacrificial giving.

This donation reminded me of the widow's mite - she gave
out of the little she had

Late one evening we got a request for help from someone who was self employed as a nail technician and had not been working for the past two weeks, but the request was not for herself. She noticed that in the property next door, there were 15 migrants huddled in the yard with nothing to eat. She didn't think about herself first, but about the disadvantage they had in having no source of income and no government to look to for help. Their faces lit up when our team arrived with supplies and they came outside looking a bit shocked. A short while after the team left, the lady who made the request said she smelled food cooking next door. She was very appreciative and impressed by the urgency of our response, and the migrants were very grateful for the food.

Sumptuous meal provided by one of our
boss chefs

The migrant community is one of the hardest hit by the stay at home orders. Many of them were employed in business places such as bars, clubs and restaurants, and do not qualify for any of the relief grants being offered to nationals. One father who we blessed told us, "I have a month without work and it hurts me because last week I had no way to buy diapers and the baby slept without diapers... I have to pay rent and market because at home is my mother and sister-in-law and my wife who depends on me and it hurts me not being able to give her what they need" Apart from ITNAC, a group of God's people from south Trinidad have given willingly of their resources to help provide relief for this community of people who God loves.

Grateful for this tangible demonstration of the love of God

In addition to delivering groceries and cooked food, our team members are also granted the opportunity to deliver hope. They share their testimonies with recipients, encourage them with the Word of God, and share the Good News of the gospel. We are able to use this avenue to show persons how this pandemic is an opportunity for God to refocus our attention on Him. Team members praise God for all the smiles and lighted faces He allows us to witness. In one day in spite of making over 40 deliveries, they reported, “Seeing those smiles are priceless… definitely worth it”

Delivering help and hope!

One young lady contacted us asking for help in procuring some very costly medication that she needed for her asthmatic condition. Before we were able to do so, however, she got very sick, having problems to breathe, so we rushed her to the hospital where she was nebulized. One of our team members who is a pharmacist was able to give her some sample medication that she had which was expiring at the end of next month, and this would have lasted her for 2 weeks. The team member shared the story with one of her colleagues, and the colleague said that she was on the same medication, and that she had extra that she could give to her, so now the young lady is able to get a 2 month supply! The young lady started to cry when we told her we were bringing the medication for her and she didn't have to pay anything. She said, "I am blown away 😥😢 that people still do what you guys do....  I am forever grateful."

God provides in our time of need!

This pandemic, in some ways, is an answer to prayer. Many persons have been wanting to spend more time with their families and deepen their relationship with God, but they never seemed to find the time. One of my friends shared, "I am not fearful of the future... I’m trying to have devotions and pray more during the day... to connect with God and trying to figure out what He wants to talk to me about, what I have to change within myself and have a better relationship with Him." A 91 year old prayer warrior who can no longer go out to church declares, "I am not alone - I have company: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We have become greater companions. Every day I say, 'Father, you have to tell me you have to show me'" She wants to use this time at home to read the entire Bible again from beginning to end.

Look how happy my nephew is that his
Daddy is working from home!

Regionally, InterVarsity USA held a virtual large group meeting to give people a much needed experience of fellowship and God's presence. Through the event, two people made first-time decisions to follow Christ, more than 50 viewers recommitted their lives to Jesus! Several students shared that their school had no InterVarsity ministry and wanted to get connected, and nearly 570 responded to a call to consecrate themselves and pray for revival.

Speaker at the virtual large group meeting

Internationally, an atheist doctor in Italy who interacted with a pastor who was infected by covid 19 shared how he came to realize his worthlessness on this earth, and how he wanted to use his last breath to help others. He shared how he returned to God while being surrounded by the suffering and death of his fellow men. In Spain a church planter has set up a speaker in his attic and shares a message of hope to the 100+ residents in neighbouring apartment buildings every evening. People who had no inclination towards God before are now open to hearing messages about His love: revival has begun!

Proclaiming the Good News from rooftops in Spain

May we make the most of every opportunity provided by this pandemic to expand the kingdom of heaven as we live out our faith as defined by James 2:14-17:

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

P.S. If anyone would like to make a donation to the work of Is There Not A Cause to enable us to continue being God's hands and feet to those in need, our account numbers are:
First Citizens bank #1660410
Republic bank #510009446801

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