Ministry Moments

This year began with the distressing news that one of the young ladies who used to attend Bible Club was "missing". She had left the home of one relative, but never made it to her parents' home. Although she had been a dedicated student, when her online classes resumed, she did not attend. She started posting messages on social media, which indicated that she was 'safe' but had no intentions of returning home because of abuse. It broke my heart, because I started questioning whether there was anything I could have done to prevent her from making that decision. After receiving counsel, I realized that I had done my part in sowing seeds of the Word of God in her life for years, and it was not beyond God's ability to cause those seeds to eventually germinate and blossom in the future.

A few months ago all the blooms on
this plant were dead. Look what God has done.

When school reopened, I resumed having sessions with two boys who are preparing to write the Secondary Entrance Assessment exam in June this year. There were the days when they did their work well without complaining, and there were days when I felt like I was wasting my time with them. But what motivated me to keep going were the prayers that they said at the beginning of each class, after I had shared a scripture verse with them. Many times their prayers were based on the application of the principles we found in the verses, other times their requests were more along the lines of "Help me to pick up the Bible more and pick up my phone less". 

When I told them that we would not be having any classes over the Easter Vacation, one of them wanted to know why - the one who used to give the most trouble to do his work! What was also encouraging was seeing the progress from when we just started: the one who used to constantly complain, "I can't do dat. Dat too hard. My head hurting", by the end of the term, was actually making an effort to figure out the questions, and getting some correct in the process. One afternoon the other one proclaimed, "Good ting I coming here! Remember de work we were doing over and over again? Well Miss give me a sum like dat in school and I get it right and she say, 'Hmmmmmm.... you know tings!'"

Some days they fight. Other days they help one another

While making the rounds to the children's homes for Bible Club, one parent shared with me the struggle that she was having in getting her children to complete their assignments for online school. They used to attend Homework Club regularly before covid, and they were dedicated students, but the distractions and lack of boundaries associated with virtual school negatively affected their performance. I spoke with them and prayed with them, and encouraged their mother to be consistent and not give up encouraging them. 

Every Friday I would ask them for a report on how their progress was at school that week. For the first couple weeks, they didn't have anything good to report. One day in particular the older one's face was visibly downcast. He said, "I feeling bad because I know you going to ask me about my schoolwork and I didn't do any." However, a few weeks before the end of the school term, he ran excitedly to the gate when I arrived to tell me that he did all his work that week! He told me that he really wanted to impress his mother and get good grades. Another thing that made my heart glad this past term was when children from another household who had not learnt memory verses for the whole of the first term suddenly started memorizing scripture and racking up points every week which they were eventually able to exchange for prizes :)

Listening attentively to the lesson
about Jesus' death and resurrection

In February after Andrea's body was found and there was so much conversations about the plague of violence against women in our country, I decided to use the opportunity to introduce the discussion with the young people who attended Freedom Friday, the majority of whom are boys. I started the conversation with several statements for which they had to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed:

1.      Nothing is wrong with telling a female that she is sexy

2.      Women should always do what men tell them to do

3.      Men do not have to respect women

4.      It is OK to hit a women if she disrespects you

5.      There is nothing wrong with laughing at jokes that degrade women

6.      Nothing is wrong with hitting on, catcalling, throwing words for, pssssttttting women

7.      I don’t understand why people are making so much fuss about this Andrea Bharatt murder

It pained me when I saw that some of them agreed with four out of these seven statements, and to hear their justifications for it. It really highlighted the importance of teaching boys from young how to respect women, and handle rejection. For the following sessions, we looked at scripture for guidance about how women should be treated, how to handle rejection, and their commitment to Christ. After this third session, attendance started dropping and by the end of the term, only 1 young lady was interested in attending. Nevertheless we are trusting God that the seeds of His Word which were planted would not return to Him void.

Bible Club children enjoying games at the
end of this term

One of the reasons I enjoy serving with Is There Not A Cause (ITNAC) is that it puts me in direct contact with persons who need to hear about the hope that is found in Christ. At the end of January I had the opportunity to "babysit" the children of the women who are staying in our transition house while they attended a session organized by one of our ministry partners. At the children's session there were songs, games, craft and a Bible story, which focused on Jesus' ability to calm the storms in their lives. 

Children hard at work on their craft

Just last week I dropped off a hamper for a family who reached out to us for help. When the mother came outside you could see the stress etched on her face. I simply asked, "How yuh going?" and she off-loaded all she had been going through since her husband died in November last year, to when her brother-in-law was murdered in Chaguanas earlier this month. As I started to speak God's Word to her she just started weeping. She said everytime she started to get back her relationship with God on track, something devastating happens, like what happened to her husband and then her brother-in-law. I encouraged her to keep her focus on Christ in the midst of her challenges, and prayed with her. By the time I left there was a big smile on her face, and when I returned a few days later to drop off some additional supplies, she was the most excited about the Bible that I took for her.

Thankful for those who continue to give so we
can be a blessing to those in need

At my home church, I am part of the newly formed Digital Strategy Team, which is responsible for using digital strategies to advance the vision and mission of the church. My task has been to extract quotations from our Sunday morning messages which can then be shared on our social media pages. We are grateful for the opportunity to use whatever means available to spread truth based on scripture, which is very much needed in these troubled times we live in.

I thank God for the opportunities He has provided for me to continue serving Him even in the midst of a global pandemic. There have been ups and downs, but through it all, He has been faithful.

Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? (You might not like the answer...)

Two weeks ago, one of my childhood friends was brutally murdered by a gunman. Up to today, no one can figure out the motive. My friend loved the Lord and served Him wholeheartedly. He was a committed husband and loving father of two teenagers, one of whom is scheduled to write CSEC exams this year. He was passionate about bringing positive change to the lives of young people in his community, and anywhere he served was left better for him being a part of it. So when tragedy struck, it is understandable that many were left asking the question, "Why would God allow something like this to happen to someone like him?"

As a follower of Jesus, I am fully convinced in the Sovereignty of God. He is in total control of everything that happens in the universe. There is nothing that can take place, good or evil, unless He allows it. This is seen most clearly in the account of Job, where Satan had to get permission from God before he could interfere with Job's property, family and even his health. (Job 1:10-12) Even when Satan was given permission to inflict Job with suffering, God was very clear in defining the boundaries that Satan was not allowed to cross. (Job 2:6) 

Another example from Scripture is when King Balak engaged the sorcerer Balaam to curse the Israelites. Balaam told him in no uncertain terms, that even if Balak gave him all the silver and gold in his palace, he could not go against God's command and curse the people of God (Numbers 22:18). I am reminded of the time two years ago when a bandit broke into our home while we were sleeping. He stole the handset for the home phone, but did not touch my Surface Pro which was right behind it. He took up our car keys, but dropped them lower down the street where my neighbour spotted them so we were able to retrieve them. God is the supreme power, so He is more than able to determine how far evil is allowed to go. 

So then, why doesn't He stop it? 

How could a good God allow horrible things to happen? 

What kind of a loving God would not intervene when He sees evil being done to an innocent person?

The answer is that God knows better than we do.

In our finite thinking, we believe that pain and suffering should be avoided at all costs. They are seen as undesirable, and we cannot fathom that anything positive can come out of hurt and sorrow. But the reality is that our God is able to birth something beautiful out of the deepest pain and darkest sorrow. He is able to take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it around for good, to advance His purposes (Genesis 50:20). 

When Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, and his master's wife's false accusations landed him in prison for years, he had no idea that God would use his time in prison to promote him to the second highest position in Egypt. He would later use this influential position to save his family's life. Moses was born at the time when baby boys were being slaughtered. Because of this, his mother placed him in a basket in a river, which led to him being discovered by Pharoah's daughter. So instead of being killed like the other Hebrew baby boys, he grew up under protection in the palace, and was eventually used by God to deliver the Israelites from captivity in Egypt after over 400 years of slavery.

In the New Testament when Jesus got the message that the one he loved was sick, He didn't drop everything he was doing to rush off and heal him. Instead, He stayed where He was for two more days. By the time He got to Lazarus' home, he had been dead for 4 days. Lazarus' sister Martha told Jesus that He could have prevented Lazarus' death if He had been there, but Jesus had already told His disciples in John 11:4 that his sickness was "for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." Jesus' delay caused Lazarus' family to go through the pain of losing him to death, but it also allowed Jesus the opportunity to show the resurrection power of God when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

Later on when Jesus was explaining to His disciples that He would suffer at the hands of the religious leaders and eventually be killed and then be raised to life on the third day, Peter protested, saying that these things would never happen. But Jesus rebuked him in Matthew 16:23, accusing him of only considering matters from a human point of view, and not taking into consideration God's purposes. Jesus' death was not a defeat, as the disciples thought it was; instead, it was a massive victory, because it destroyed the hold that sin had on humanity, and made the way possible for those of us who put our faith in Him to live in heaven for eternity.

James encourages us to consider it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds, because when our faith is tested, it develops perseverance in our lives, and this is necessary for our maturity (James 1:2-4). I remember going through a particularly difficult trial that my friend helped me to recognize was developing the characteristic of patience in my life, and I wondered out loud, "Isn't there an easier way for me to learn this lesson?" God often uses suffering to refine our impurities, so that we can become more like Him. 

God also uses our times of great trials to draw us into full dependence on Him. In referring to a trial that he was plagued by that God did not remove, Paul had a revelation from God that God's power was made perfect in his weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9) As a result, he rejoiced in suffering insults, hardships, persecution and difficulties, because he recognised that when he was weak, he was strong, because it was God who was sustaining him. Psalm 46:1 says it best: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. He will not always remove the trouble that we are facing, but He promises to be present and help us through those terrible times.

God knows that our life on earth is temporary, and that the situations we face here are meant to shape and prepare us for our life in heaven, which is eternal. In 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Paul refers to "light and momentary troubles" which are preparing us for an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. In case you were wondering about the 'light and momentary' troubles, he was referring to, Paul lists his trials in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 which included almost being beaten to death numerous times, being stoned, imprisoned, shipwrecked and starved. In spite of these trials, Paul can declare with confidence in Romans 8:37 that "In all these things we are more than conquerors".

When Job faced his share of disaster and questioned God, God's response did not give Job an explanation for His suffering, but rather demonstrated God's supremacy, and our insufficiency in relation to His power and might. At the end Job concluded that God can do all things, and none of His purposes can be frustrated. We may not understand His ways, but we can trust His character, which works all things, even the things that seem horrible and devastating, together for good (Romans 8:28). 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:35, 38-39 

When systems fail

On Friday 5th February 2021 the nation of Trinidad and Tobago was thrown into shock and mourning. The body of 23-year old Andrea Bharatt was found down a precipice, a week after she entered a licensed taxi on her way home from work. Unfortunately, this scenario was one that our country is all too familiar with. On November 29th 2020 18-year old Ashanti Riley entered a taxi and never arrived at her destination - her body was found  with signs of violence on it a few days later in a stream. Four years before that 20-year old Shannon Banfield's body was found in the storeroom of IAM and Company, a few days after she did not return home from work. There are countless other women who have disappeared without a trace, or whose dead bodies were discovered subsequently. Andrea's death sparked nation-wide outrage in the days following her death. The people of Trinidad and Tobago were fed up. We could not simply continue with "business as usual"

The plague of violence against women in Trinidad and Tobago is not one that has a simple solution. The torment arises as a result of the failure of the systems which were designed to build us as a nation, and to maintain law and order. It is justifiable to hold the persons who are responsible for the adequate functioning of these systems accountable. We are well within our rights to demand better of our government and judiciary. As followers of Christ we too have a responsibility; what can we do when our nation is in crisis?

Mourn

It is a natural response to cry, lament, be enraged when injustice occurs. In the Old Testament, we see God's wrath displayed in the face of sin. In the New Testament, Jesus wept and showed compassion when persons lost their loved ones. Romans 12:15 encourages us to mourn with those who mourn. It helps to grieve in community, as the burden of the pain is shared. There is a release that comes when persons are able to share their stories, and know that there are people who care about their sorrow.  After the emotions have been expressed, after the tears have been shed, it is time for action.

In tears at the vigil outside of the Red House 

Pray

James 5:17 highlights the power of the prayer of Elijah, who was a human just like us, yet his fervent prayer resulted in no rain in the nation of Israel for 3.5 years. We are encouraged that the earnest prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective. We recognise that the attack against women in our nation is not merely a physical problem - it is a spiritual issue, and we need to address the rulers, authorities and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12) There is power when the body of Christ comes together to agree in prayer (Matthew 18:19) We must persevere in prayer, without doubting, believing that God is able to bring about transformation in our society. Between the 14th-18th of February 2021, four women were targeted to be kidnapped, and all four attempts failed. We have been praying, and God has been answering.

Praying outside of the Hall of Justice

Evangelize

Sin is at the core of the issue that we are facing today. When the hearts of men are evil, they engage in all manner of wicked and vile acts, that no amount of policing and legislation can stop. While we recognize that it is God who draws persons to Himself, we need to seek out opportunities to share with persons the deceptiveness of living a lifestyle focused on self gratification, and point them to the only One who can truly fill every empty part of their lives. Apart from sharing with those in our spheres of influence, we need to be prepared to go outside of our comfort zones, and reach those who may not have any Jesus followers in their immediate environment. Romans 10:14 challenges us "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?"

Some of the persons who responded to
an altar call at an open air meeting last 
week Sunday, following in water baptism

Impact 

Everyone does not have the same assignment, but there is an impact that each of us can be making. A mother who can train her son to respect women. A man who can mentor a young man whose father is not present. A friend who can listen to the stories of those who have been hurt so they can feel loved and cared for and healing can begin. A teacher who can use their platform to facilitate conversations that can begin to shift mindsets. A mobilizer who can execute events to raise awareness. An advocate who can lobby the appropriate authorities to bring about change. Find out what good works God has prepared for you to do (Ephesians 2:10), and be faithful in doing it.

Psalm 33:20 - We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.

A special day

 Christmas Day was never mentioned in the Bible, nor were we ever encouraged to celebrate Jesus' birth. But over the years, it has been used by Christ followers to focus on the Son of God coming to earth in the form of a man. This was the only way that He could qualify to take from us the punishment of death which was our penalty for sin. As someone who was fully God, He never sinned, yet as someone who was fully man, He could die instead of us. He did this so that our sins could be removed, and we could once more be in the presence of a holy God, which was not possible because of our sin. I don't celebrate Christmas the way most people do (cleaning, decorating, shopping), but I use the opportunity it provides to share this message of hope for eternal life with Christ with persons who I would not normally come into contact with.

Their mother was hospitalized a few days before
Christmas so they were very surprised to be 
showered with food and gifts on that day!

For years ITNAC has had a tradition of going out on Christmas morning to deliver breakfast boxes, hampers and gifts to families who are not well off. As a faith-based organization, we also use the opportunity to share Jesus with them. We get donations from persons locally and abroad who are happy to support us sharing the love of God on this special day. This year our list was longer than ever, as we had met so many families this year who were negatively affected economically due to covid-19. We divided the families into geographical areas and assigned volunteers to visit the families in each area. One of our team members baked the bread (32 loaves!) and another one baked the ham. 

Is it really a Trini Christmas if there is no ham?

Up to Christmas Eve, we didn't have any fruit or additional items to go along with the bread and ham sandwiches. My friend who I used to work with 13 years ago messaged me at 8.30am on December 24th to say that she had a financial gift towards our Christmas outreach. When I asked, she agreed to go to purchase apples that could go in the breakfast boxes. Imagine she was prepared to walk through Tunapuna market on Christmas Eve with 130 apples in a bag! Then, around 8.30pm Mummy told me she would be doing pastelles. To top it off, when I called a friend after 9pm that night to ask if she could bake something sweet for 6am the following morning, she said yes! My family and friends are simply the best :D

Roped in my friend from high school to keep me company

At all the homes we visited, the families received us warmly, and the children were so excited to receive their presents. When we asked, most of the children said that what made the day special was getting gifts and eating food, so we used the opportunity to share about the importance of Jesus' coming to earth, and how His coming enabled us to draw close to God. We challenged the parents to read Luke 2 with their children after the presents were opened as the food was consumed, so they could hear the details about how Jesus came into the world. We prayed with each family before we left for the next household.

Smiling faces!

We thank God for the privilege of being His hands and feet to bring joy and a message of God's love on this special day. Thanks to all those who support our organization in any way, because without you, we would not be able to do what we do :)

Wrapping up 2020

 As I reflect on how 2020 turned out, much differently than I could ever have anticipated, I continue to be in awe at God's faithfulness and provision. Thanks to the technology available today, we were still able to reach out and impact the lives of many, with some slight adjustments to the conventional method of delivery. Singles Camp was one such ministry that we were able to execute using the Zoom platform. Over the last weekend in November, single persons from a variety of backgrounds (including overseas participants) engaged in this year's event entitled "Cabin Fever". We focused on issues affecting our target audience arising out of the covid-19 restrictions that have been in place over the past nine months.

Camp flyer

On Friday night we examined how social media can hinder our relationship with God if not used wisely. The acronoym SIGHT was used to encourage us to set a godly Standard for our social media use, ensure that our behaviour reflects Intimacy with God, is God-centered and displays Humility, and that we employ proper Time Management. On Saturday morning our facilitator offered practical strategies to deal with the effects of fear and anxiety which have accompanied the pandemic. Later in the day we hosted a panel discussion in which the panelists shared how they dealt with feelings of loneliness and isolation resulting from covid-19 restrictions. On Sunday afternoon participants were encouraged to check their "temperature" to ascertain their spiritual health. When asked about spiritual decisions made at the end of the camp, here is what some participants had to say:

[I was convicted] of changes [that] needed to be made in my life and [received] fresh motivation to make them. It also provided me with the tools and techniques to reach those goals.

My spiritual decision coming out of this camp is to actually make the time to spend in God's Word and in His presence. At present my time with God is limited and almost small and God needs so much more than that from me.

Cabin New Normal really made me sit with myself and start changing myself for God. I had a strong conviction to cut out all my hesitations and just do.

Panelists from Solitary Confinement Cabin

Last year we held a massive breakfast and concert for the Venezuelan children and their parents who were a part of our English classes. This year, that celebration was held on Zoom, with games and dancing to local gospel parang. I shared the Biblical account of Jesus' birth using as simple English words as I could find, and I was astounded to hear a little boy's voice translating everything that I said into Spanish for those who may not have understood! I have no idea who the child was, as I was operating a Power Point presentation at the time. We began at creation when sin entered the world, and spoke about how Jesus was God's solution to sin, giving us the chance to once more be close to God. The only thing that was missing was food and gifts, but these will be provided to the children by the leaders of the organization next week God willing.

Playing "Dance and Freeze"

I stayed up until 4am last week Friday wrapping presents for the children from Bible Club, and after seeing their reactions upon receiving their gifts, I was so glad that I did. They were not expecting anything - we just told them that it was going to be the last session of Bible Club for the term. The Bible lesson was about the significance of Jesus' birth, and the children quickly realized that He was born so that He could die for our sins. There were some funny moments, such as when they were asked who were the first visitors after Jesus was born and their response was "the disciples", and the reaction of the teens when they realized that Joseph was not the father "So how Mary get pregnant?" They also thoroughly enjoyed their snack boxes which contained pastelles and candy canes in addition to the usual treats.

The younger ones couldn't wait to open their gifts.
The teens wanted to save theirs until Christmas because
they said it was probably the only gift they would get this year.

Later that evening, I headed into St. James for ITNAC's Thanksgiving service. We still have a little over $300K outstanding to complete the payment for the transition house, but we wanted to acknowledge how far God has brought us, to praise Him for what He has already done, and to declare our trust in Him to complete what He started. Our servant leader Avonelle organized tokens for all the team members who have been labouring in the fundraising efforts, and we really enjoyed an invigorating time of worship, thanksgiving, challenge from the Word and fellowship (while observing covid-19 protocols). On the way home from the event, the car containing 4 of our team members was hit but thankfully there were no serious injuries although the car was badly damaged. We refused to let the enemy dampen our joy, and continue to rely on the faithfulness of our God to see us to the finish line of paying off the outstanding balance on the building.

For every mountain You've brought me over...
For this I'll give you praise

One of the things that our church family missed from our pre-covid-19 days was our times of fellowship. I was asked to serve on a committee to plan and execute an event that would facilitate persons coming together for a time of sharing, testimonies, encouragement, and also some good old fashioned fun. We had a getting to know you activity in which we learnt some very intriguing things about one another. We went into break out rooms to share about what we were thankful for, and what we have learnt during the pandemic. At the end of the event, persons were challenged to maintain the connections with one another. The feedback we received was very encouraging, as those who attended enjoyed themselves fully and were encouraged by all the testimonies and experiences shared.

I am not sure what 2021 will look like, but I am convinced that the same God whose faithfulness took me through 2020 is going to be with me next year every step of the way, and for me, that is enough.

Moving forward

 Since covid-19 appeared on our shores in March, all the organizations I am involved with had to find an innovative way of doing things, since we could no longer meet in person. One such organization was ALTA, which holds free literacy classes for adults in various communities throughout the country. Some of our tutors were able to use a mixture of WhatsApp, Skype and Zoom to finish teaching the outstanding lessons for the remainder of the last academic year. With the arrival of remote schooling where there is a greater reliance on the role of parents in their children's education, we see more than ever now the need for adult literacy classes to continue.

After months of adjusting and planning, the Admin team was able to tailor our training of new tutors to be delivered over 3 weeks via Zoom - the platform chosen for our classes for the upcoming academic year. It was a steep learning curve for many of our volunteer tutors, as they had to grasp literacy concepts and learn it within a virtual environment, but with lots of practice and encouragement, we were able to teach them how to deliver the ALTA program via Zoom. At the end of the sessions, the group I was responsible for training said they appreciated the level of patience I demonstrated with them as they learnt to navigate teaching ALTA via Zoom.

Starring in a video demonstrating how
to teach spelling strategies

One afternoon in May while walking in my neighbourhood, I met some children and adults whom I knew from Bible Club. One of the adults asked me to tell her nephew to do some school work, because he was due to write SEA this year. I offered to do some revision with him on afternoons, and he brought along his cousin who was also writing the exam. When they arrived, everyone washed their hands and we studied a Bible verse before we began doing school work. As the weeks went by, there was a marked improvement seen in their performance. 

After we had been meeting for over a month, a grandmother who lives nearby saw us doing work and enquired if I was giving lessons. I told her I was just doing work with SEA students, and she informed me that her grandson was writing this year too so he joined the group. He was struggling a lot more with his school work, so I was sorry that I had not started working with him earlier. During one of our sessions, I had the joy of leading him to Christ, so I knew that even if he didn't perform well in the exam, my time with him was not in vain. Imagine my extreme joy when he passed for Benedict's College! I was blown away by the faithfulness of God, because we had prayed that he would do well in spite of his limitations, and he did :)

Check the concentration on the little faces :)

Although we had executed camp online via Zoom, I knew I needed to find another way of engaging with my Bible Club children. I thought about using WhatsApp and sending videos, but I was not convinced this would reach them. Last week Sunday God answered my prayer: I got an invitation from the Lausanne Children and Evangelism Network to attend a session where they would be sharing about 6 models of Children's Ministry which were successful during the pandemic. When the 4th presenter shared, I knew immediately that their model would work in our context - children from unchurched families who live in a limited geographical area. I decided to try it out on a few families last week Friday and it was so well received! 

I called the parents beforehand to let them know I would be coming to do Bible Club with their children. When I arrived, the children came to the gate, and I stood at the side of the road. I asked one of them to open in prayer, then we sang a song and I taught the Bible lesson. I asked them questions afterwards to ensure they understood and then taught them the memory verse. They were so excited to get the worksheet I had prepared that some of them started working on it right there in the yard! I gave them a snack before I went on to the next house, and promised to give them a prize if they said their memory verse next week. One of the parents said she was glad that we were coming because she had seen a change in her children's behaviour while they were at home and she knew it was because they were no longer coming to Bible Club. I am so excited to see what God will do with this edition of Bible Club in de road :D

Checking out their worksheets

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the head of LARMS - the organisation that I started volunteering with in September last year, teaching English to Venezuelan children - to find out if I would be available to do remote teaching. I missed my children a lot so of course I said yes. I was a bit apprehensive as to how it would work out, since I was not sure I could maintain discipline through the internet. Thankfully the parents/caretakers stayed with the children for the duration of the session, ensuring that they were not being distracted and were responding when being called on. There was also the additional benefit of the adults learning alongside the children. After the first two sessions, the parents expressed that they really enjoyed the classes and the children loved it.

We were all so happy to be reunited, even
though it was just virtually

In my last blog I shared about ITNAC's latest initiative, Project Homebase, in which we are trusting God for the funds to acquire a property in St. James that can be used as emergency short-term housing. We continue to get requests from persons who are being evicted because the landlord can no longer wait for them to be able to pay their rent, and with the scarcity of available jobs, we anticipate that it will only get worse. We were unable to raise the outstanding funds by our first deadline, and the vendor has graciously extended the time by two weeks. 

We have launched a "Plenty for Twenty" campaign, where we are encouraging persons to get people in their network to contribute $20 towards Project Homebase. We would be grateful if you can join us in spreading the word: if we can get 70,000 persons to contribute just $20 each, we will be able to reach our goal. Those who are on facebook can share this link of an interview that TTT did about Project Homebase: 

https://www.facebook.com/377693645609/posts/1015852893214061

Trusting God that this building will soon be
ours to use as a transition house

As we move forward in faith, here are some ways you can help:

1. Make a deposit into one of our bank accounts (please let us know the amount after your deposit):

Name: Is There Not A Cause

Republic Bank: 510009446802

First Citizens Bank: 1660410

2. Make a financial contribution online: https://fundmetnt.com/campaign/itnac-home-base

3. Support one of our fundraising food sales, usually held every weekend. Follow our facebook page for details: https://www.facebook.com/itnactt 

4. Purchase an item from one of our Thrift Stores located upstairs Flo Essence on the Western Main Road in St. James, or at 47 Bombay Street, St. James

A place to call home

What would cause an NGO to embark on a journey to purchase a building in the midst of a global pandemic? Some may call it a crazy move, but we are a people of crazy faith in a God who is able to do exceeding and abundantly above all we can ask or think. Over the past ten years we have been flooded with constant requests for emergency and transitional housing from persons who were affected by fire, flood, eviction, deportation and domestic violence. We believe that as followers of Jesus, we cannot just say to those in need, "Keep warm and well fed" and do nothing to help their physical needs (James 2:16). Project Homebase was born out of a desire to provide a safe, temporary space to meet these needs.

Property purchased for Project Homebase

God moved on the hearts of our generous donors so in early July, we were able to make a downpayment of $200,000 to secure this four-bedroom house on Bombay Street in St. James that we have named Beth-el. We have until the end of this month to pay the outstanding balance of $1.8 million to close the deal. Due to covid-19 restrictions, we cannot host large fundraisers. However, our team of dedicated volunteers have been working assiduously, coming up with creative fundraising ideas that fall within the safety procedures outlined by authorities. Every week there is at least one food sale, and there is a thrift shop that is open everyday. Our team members have been utilizing all their talents and resources  to eat this $1.8M elephant, one bite at a time - from cooking sumptuous meals to baking delightful treats to mixing punches and juices to selling a wide variety of Homebase "merch". We thank God for the talents He has blessed us with, and for the support we have been receiving thus far.

Some supporters donate fresh fruits and
vegetables that we can sell or use as
ingredients in our sales

Here is a testimonial from someone who has benefited from finding temporary housing at Sa Maison - our first property in St. James:

"My family and I had lost our place of security, our sense of comfort. We had lost our home some years ago. I am grateful that a good friend pointed me in the direction of  Avonelle Hector Joseph and her ITNAC Trinidad team, where my family and I were provided with a temporary place to stay - otherwise referred to as transitional housing. Not even the government's "emergency housing" did any work on our behalf nor did family. Sometimes our families are not always in a position to help at the time of our calamity. Frankly, I just don't think such service as governmental emergency housing exist! 

One of our youths
advertising our avocado punch

"In fact without a shadow of a doubt, I say this: When you support this cause, you are providing not only temporary shelter for many families out here who are currently displaced due to unforseen circumstances; you are also helping to pay utilities at these Transitional Homes, purchase food for families, purchase clothing for both parents and children, since some families may have lost everything. Lite moment lol, you know how much ITNAC Thrift Store brands, my kids and I have worn. Really great stuff too! I can assure you, whenever we went out, family outing, (and, YES even in that situation we could have had family outings), school, appointments, wherever it was, WE DID NOT LOOK LIKE OUR SITUATION, GLORY TO GOD! Thanks to the INTAC team who took great care of us, by the means and support of their faithful sponsors. 

Project Homebase merch :)

"I remember in this stage of my life I was also due to give birth to my beautiful son, and Avi, Aunty Jackie, Aunty Claudette, Liz (oh my Liz was a darling, my girls loved her and I felt very safe leaving my children with her). Anyways, these ladies when we first met were strangers to me and one can only imagine the mental space I was in....had my home today and tomorrow nothing and I could not afford for my children to be tainted or fall prey to the unlimited hazards one could be faced with if displaced or homeless. These ladies, very soon, proved themselves to be trustworthy, strong, loving, empowering women, they became our family. I remember my baby, when finally he was born he had the love of so many. The doctor appointments, I never had to go alone. He had so much more than just his mommy and daddy. I always had their support."

You can fill your belly while
supporting a very worthwhile cause

 Here is another story of a life transformed as a result of the support provided through ITNAC, as told by one of her mentors:

"Seeking to escape a life of abuse and victimization, this twenty-two year old young lady was living in a galvanized shed with no water, no electricity, no toilet facilities, and not even a proper door. However, God miraculously opened the right door for her through ITNAC (Is There Not a Cause) and their Sa Maison residential home. She remembers, “I heard about ITNAC through my pastor, Pastor Dwayne Franklin. When there was no other place for me to go, my pastor contacted Aunty Gemma who got in contact with Aunty Avonelle.” The rest is history. 

Display of shoes available at our 
Thrift Store

"She has been with ITNAC for the past several months, including through the covid-19 lockdown crisis, when she worked tirelessly with the ITNAC team to deliver hampers filled with food and supplies for families all over the country. She expressed why staying at Sa Maison means so much to her. “Being at Sa Maison provides me with a much-needed place to stay, and ITNAC is doing things that I love to do. I love helping people. I love giving. I love seeing smiles on people’s faces when they get food to feed their families.”

Breadfruit pie courtesy one of
our bess chefs!

"ITNAC has also helped to put a smile on her face through a variety of support efforts that go beyond the meeting of her basic material needs—to medication provision, counselling and prayer support, and care for her child. “ITNAC helped me build myself up from where I was before to where I am now. Staying at Sa Maison has helped me greatly. It has shown me that I can do many things, once I put my mind to it. One of these things is the writing of her first book, “A Broken Heart Made Whole by Love: A Book of Poetry from the Heart. Assisted by Aunty Marion of LegacyMakers, an ITNAC partner organization, she launched her book this past August. God has begun to open doors of ministry for her to share her story."

Although it looks good enough to eat
this is actually cheesecake soap!

There are various ways that you can help:

1. Support one of our fundraising food sales, usually held every weekend. Follow our facebook page for details: https://www.facebook.com/itnactt

2. Purchase an item from one of our Thrift Stores located upstairs Flo Essence on the Western Main Road in St. James, or at 47 Bombay Street, St. James

3. Make a deposit into one of our bank accounts (please let us know the amount after your deposit):

Name: Is There Not A Cause

Republic Bank: 510009446802

First Citizens Bank: 1660410

4. Purchase Project Homebase merch online: https://www.customink.com/fundraising/itnac-project-homebase?utm_campaign=mobile-campaign-page-share&utm_content=itnac-project-homebase&utm_medium=messaging&utm_source=text&side=front&type=3&zoom=false

5. Make a financial contribution online: https://fundmetnt.com/campaign/itnac-home-base

6. Share details of our fundraisers on your social media platforms - you may not be in a position to support, but someone in your circle may!

Initiative of our youth arm - coming up this Sunday!

 I will close with this challenge from one of our faithful supporters:

"To my friends who are fortunate and well off: yes, I believe and I know you have worked really hard to be where you are, and I commend you. However, just think with me for a moment: natural disaster, retrenchment, deceased bread winner, domestic violence, dishonest landlord, property dispute; I mean the list goes on and on and on. Just think for a moment about the lifestyle you can afford now, but then something unfortunate happens, like what I have listed above, where today you have and tomorrow it's all gone. but you still have your children/family to provide for. Won't you want to have the option to stay afloat in a safe and family friendly environment with your family, while being counselled, provided with resources to guide you through and out of that situation, until you can become self-sufficient again? Who wouldn't want that? Trust me it can happen to anybody, it can happen to you."