one last Jamaica presentation!

The fourth Sunday of the month is BGMC Sunday. Grace A/G asked me to take the 2 services for the kid's church and present Jamaica. What an honor.

On Saturday Renee and I searched out a Jamaican restaurant so that the children could actually taste something authentic. I can make lots of Authentic things but I didn't have the time and didn't want to buy all the ingredients since I was leaving so soon thereafter! We found rice and peas for the children! Ginger snaps and Ginger Ale was on the menu of the day. Ginger is a key ingredient in Jamaican cuisine.









I had stations throughout the gymnasium. First we went to the beach. There I showed the map of Jamaica, had a little island education. Shells, sea glass, sea urchins, mahagony wooden carvings, seed necklaces and items like that.

Then we went to the political party station. Jamaica has 2. The Jamaica Labor Party and The People's National Party. One wears green, the other orange. I had noise makers and really play acted what it is like in a political setting.

Then we went to school! I had many of Renee's things from school and also gave a lesson in Patois. 2 Teenagers put on Renee's uniforms. It was a great station.



Then we went to the sports station. I did a presentation on Usain Bolt and had put down tape to make sprint lanes. The children had to run like Bolt and win like Bolt! That was really fun. After all the running, we went to the kitchen station for rice and peas and the ginger things. I had a ginger root for them to touch and smell. I also told the difference between green peas which Jamaica doesn't use and the kidney beans which they do use.

After that I gave the spiritual side of Jamaica and the use of BGMC funds. It was an exciting day!

one of the hardest things I have ever done...

Farewell
Goodbye
So long
Bid thee well
WHY DO YOU HAVE TO GO!!!

I gave my heart to the babies through kindergarten that I ministered to for an entire year. Day in and Day out. I loved it.
Grace Daycare didn't have to hire me, yet they did.
Grace Daycare didn't have to love me, yet they did.
Grace Daycare didn't have to go out of their way for me, yet they did.
I will forever be indebted to my coworkers, the pastoral team, the director of the center, the children's families, the children themselves. I miss them so.

A blast from the past!

It has been a long time that I have been involved in a Vacation Bible School! I am so delighted that before I left for Costa Rica I was able to be a crew leader at Grace Kingdom Rock! In Jamaica we had children's ministry trainings and special Sunday services for children, but the thought of having a week long VBS is somewhat foreign to their thinking. Kid's Krusades could take place when missions teams came from the states but for a church to host a VBS would be somewhat difficult.

Grace Kingdom Rock was truly awesome! I worked at the church till 5:30, the church provided dinner and then I needed to be in place at 6:15. Needless to say I was exhausted but exhilerated! I felt like I had put in 100 hours at the church that week. I wouldn't trade it for a minute though!

Tell me bout the good ole days!

When a missionary travels to raise the budget there are so many experiences, enough to write a book many times over! Denny returned to the states from Costa Rica to close out our Phoenixville apartment and to preach a couple of services.

When we booked the service in the Poconos we had no idea what joy it would bring. We attended Zion Bible Institute in the seventies. While I was on staff at the school after I graduated, one of the professors was stricken with cancer. She taught most, if not all of the Children's Evangelism classes. They asked me to fill in for her. All I had was a thimble full of experience and Sister Messerlian's teaching notes. I went at it with a passion! In that freshmen class was a student that I love, her name is Dawn Sheridan Kollar. She is a pastor with her husband and is still the Children's Pastor after many years!

In the service she introduced us and made mention of that very fact. I had just a little bit of influence on her! God is so good.

The beauty of a new daughter...

When we began to pray for Ryan's wife we never realized the power of those prayers 24 years ago! We began to pray when he was in the womb. We didn't know if he was a boy but we prayed nevertheless for the spouse of this child I was carrying and couldn't wait to hold!

When God brought Lauren into Ryan's life in February 2012 we anticipated that she was the one! I had longed for that day! The day that Ryan would give his heart to another for life. She is a princess for sure!

When Lauren's mom and sister held the wedding shower I was still in the states. I am so happy that I was! Renee and I traveled by Greyhound to make the trip a little less stressful. We were able to go to the shower and also the Anchor Church's first water baptisimal and church picnic. It was such a great weekend! So thrilled it all worked out!

What could make July 4th better?

The only thing to make a day better is for the family to be together! Ryan and Lauren came by Mega Bus July 4th in the afternoon and stayed through Saturday! We had a whirlwind of a weekend. We made every moment count! God is so good.

The first thing we did after picking them up was for Lauren to taste a Phillie Cheesesteak! She liked them. We bought some from famous Pats and famous Ginos! They are 2 restaurants where you eat outside right across from each other. I wonder if they are brothers or simply competition!

We went to the fireworks, we ate and ate some more. We spent time swimming, laughing, teasing and missing Daddy! They pulled away Saturday morning much to our dismay! So many memories to put in my bank to draw from!

I love a parade!

I love July 4th! The day is not long enough for me. I look forward to everything about our Independence day. I love the food, family, the fireworks, the swimming, the festivities, especially the parade! Not having seen a parade for 5 years, I was really looking forward to this years! I was part of a marching band from 7th grade through 12th. Maybe that's why I really need a parade!

When we close out the apartment July 31, Denny will return to Costa Rica and Renee and I will stay with a lovely lady on High Street in Pottstown. A beautiful home. A beautiful Christian. She is hospitable and uses her gifts to care for people! I am so excited that we will have a place to stay and to think that the place we are staying is marvelous.

On July 4, she invites her church family for a porch picnic to watch the parade that goes right by her house in Pottstown. We had so much fun! She invited us for a sleepover on July 3. We prepped some of the food and had a ball.

On July 4th the people began to arrive around 9 and the parade was at 10. Boy did we feast! what a great day!