We came as part of a mission team organized by our sister Lynn, and her husband, Nick. The team included several family members and a few friends. We stayed at Son Rise Mission Inn and were hosted by the Lairds. What the Lairds provided was an overview of missions and mission needs in the Sandy Bay community.
While some from our team needed to return to work after a week. Larry and I were part of the group that remained for a second week. It was in the second week that the newness of the experience was replaced with comfort, and pleasure, and desire to be doing more. Our days and evenings were spent doing what we were to find was to be our ministry for the next years. While Larry was involved in problem solving, bzzzz-bang, bang, and talking, I visited schools and homes. In the evenings we met with families at church. The seed was planted.
Now we are celebrating 13 years (minus 2021…) of packing up to come to this tropical island two or three times in the year. This has been the “job” we were each preparing for while we were doing all our living in the years before. No one told us a short 2-week winter break would become such a full-filling, fun-filling life experience. God is winking at us I think.
This morning we were reminded of why we continue to return. Clifford came to church today. We met Clifford 13 years ago today when he was a seeker at Son Rise church. Clifford does not come to church very often but he came today. We hope that we have been a small encouragement in his life. His face today was definitely an encouragement to us!
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| Clifford and Larry - February 13, 2022. |
Bonus pictures for original team members - and anyone else
