I had the privilege of going with a team of teen girls and women from Get REAL inC (in Christ) to Marsh Harbour and Dundas Town on Abacos Island in the Bahamas. I've been on many mission trips and we even lived in Belize, Central America for two years doing mission work and therefore have such a huge heart for the people of the Caribbean. And once again, I fell in love with the people!
Why the Bahamas?
Katie Wolfe of Get REAL inC met Bertlyn Linden on a vacation to the Bahamas this past year. Bertlyn had just put up a flyer of her girls ministry called Gifted Girls in her bakery and it caught Katie's eye. They ended up meeting and kept in touch. Bertlyn then asked Katie to bring a team of women/girls to share the message of safe use of technology (social networking, sexting, etc.) through the Get REAL & BSMRT conference. I had just helped speak at Findlay's event on Real Beauty and so Katie invited me to come. The rest of the team is from Indianapolis, Indiana where Get REAL inC ministry begun.
Should I Go?
I really sensed that I was supposed to go on this trip but wasn't sure how it would all work out. CJ and I were planning on being on a ministry trip out west at the time and Katie wasn't sure if they would have the finances for me to go. One night I felt very strongly that I was to tell Katie that even if they didn't have the money to pay for my plane ticket, I sensed I was supposed to come on this trip and we would trust God to provide. She wrote back and said it was a relief for her because they just had a meeting that night and realized that they wouldn't have enough money for my ticket but really wanted me to come. Within the next week, God provided! I received a check in the mail that would cover my ticket to the Bahamas. Thank you Lord for providing!
God at Work...
God did amazing things while we were in the Bahamas. The short story is that we were able to speak in 6 schools to about 800 kids as well as present the Get REAL & BSMRT conference for about 100 teen girls. I've shared more details from each day of our trip below...
Tuesday October 19:
We made it safely to the Bahamas today! We are staying at Marsh Harbour on the Abacos Island. I had a really interesting encounter/conversation with a 27 year old girl from the Bahamas in the Nassau airport during our 2.5 hour layover...I think we talked almost about the entire time. We did talk about spiritual things and gave her my card with the website. She says she's a Christian and was raised Baptist, but is not a "strong one." Pray for her - her name is Samantha.
Wednesday October 20:
We are speaking in the schools today giving the Digital Demon presentation about sexting.
Here's the schedule for today:
S.C. Bootle High School (entire school assembly) - 9am (Michele, Brianna, Paige)
St. Francis (6th-12 grade) - 9:30am (Kelly, Laura)
Central Abaco Primary (5th and 6th grade) - 10am (Sarge, Taylor)
Abaco Central High School (entire school assembly) - 10am (Katie W., Shelley, Katie P., Kayla)
Every Child Counts (school for people with disabilities) - 11am (Kelly, Laura)
Today was amazing! I can't even explain in words. As we were all sharing a recap of the morning with each other (4 teams in 6 different schools) some of us had tears in our eyes. It was only God that could be opening the way before us! Can I just say that this message is sooooooo relevant to these kids? Almost all of them raised their hands saying they have cell phones and Facebook accounts. And the guidance counselor at the high school where my group shared said she deals with these issues of sexting/social media, etc. almost daily and was so thankful we came.
There were probably 300-400 at the high school and in all, we probably spoke to about 800 kids plus staff. And we were able to fully share the gospel, scriptures, etc. which was great! The kids were very engaged, attentive and responsive. I did end up doing some of the speaking at the high school to help Katie save her voice and loved it! It felt like I was in Belize again...the people are very similar and so friendly and open.
There were probably 300-400 at the high school and in all, we probably spoke to about 800 kids plus staff. And we were able to fully share the gospel, scriptures, etc. which was great! The kids were very engaged, attentive and responsive. I did end up doing some of the speaking at the high school to help Katie save her voice and loved it! It felt like I was in Belize again...the people are very similar and so friendly and open.
Unfortunately we weren't able to show the DVD in any of the schools, but fortunately God prepared us because we talked through last night what we would do without the DVD and were all prepared for it...plus I think it may have actually gone over even better because we told the stories of Hope and Jesse - real teen girls who committed suicide after sexting/bullying. At the high school we handed out flyers for Saturday's event after we spoke saying, "Do you think you'll be able to come?" Most of them said yes or that they would try. Boys even asked for the flyers to invite their sisters and family.
One of our groups even got invited to a school spontaneously this morning after they spoke in their assigned school. Someone called over to the other school saying, "You have to have this group come and speak to your students" and they changed their schedule at the last minute to allow the group to speak to their 6th graders for about 20 minutes!! PTL!!
One of our groups even got invited to a school spontaneously this morning after they spoke in their assigned school. Someone called over to the other school saying, "You have to have this group come and speak to your students" and they changed their schedule at the last minute to allow the group to speak to their 6th graders for about 20 minutes!! PTL!!
I feel so blessed to be here!
Thursday October 21:
Today was another amazing day! We took the boat to Hope Town and planned on "sightseeing" but I knew that God would use that time to open up divine appointments...and He did! On the ferry ride over, I met Marie - a pastor at the Methodist Church on the Island and Leah - a youth leader in another church. I was able to share with them about what we're doing and our event and they both were excited to invite their teens.
In Hope Town we ate at a restaurant right on the beach which was so fun!! We met one of the cooks on the boat. He ended up connecting with us and we found a piano where he and one of our teen girls played and sang together. It was such a God moment because he came back to talk to us and sat right by me. As we talked earlier I asked him if he attended a church and he said he grew up in church but wasn't living it right now. He said he likes to be honest and doesn't like it when people try to be something they're not. We said we were glad he was being "real" with us...that we value that because that is what our ministry is called, "Get REAL inC" :) Well, I felt prompted before we left to ask him if there was anything we could pray for him. He said his health and getting back on track with his relationship with Christ. So, I prayed for him...afterward he said he was really thankful for the prayers. Keep praying for him because he has a God-given gift for music that I believe He will be using again for God!!
On the way home I met a man who does tiling and was returning to Marsh Harbour from a job at Hope Town. He just happens to have 4 girls and one of his girls attends Central Abaco High School where I helped present yesterday. He said he would encourage her and her friends to come and come up and meet us! (It was a neat moment when I was able to meet his daughter at the event on Saturday!)
Friday October 22:
I continue to be blown away by what God is doing. Today we were interviewed live at the local Christian TV station (well, Katie, Taylor - one of the teens and Bertlyn - our Bahama connection were interviewed!). It went great. Then we took a tour of their new church being built...almost finished (around November, Thanksgiving). We had a really powerful time of prayer for their church and Pastor Mills.
While there we were talking about how they do baptisms and they do them in the ocean :) Well, two of our girls, Brianna and Kayla, wanted to be baptized and asked the pastor if he would baptize them while they were here and he said YES! Brianna's mom, Michelle, is also here and she started crying...therefore we all started crying. She had talked with her daughter about being baptized for a while and had been praying for her to make the decision on her own. So, they are going to be baptized in the Bay of Abaco right outside our condo tomorrow by the pastor after spending about one hour with him. How amazing is that?!?
While there we were talking about how they do baptisms and they do them in the ocean :) Well, two of our girls, Brianna and Kayla, wanted to be baptized and asked the pastor if he would baptize them while they were here and he said YES! Brianna's mom, Michelle, is also here and she started crying...therefore we all started crying. She had talked with her daughter about being baptized for a while and had been praying for her to make the decision on her own. So, they are going to be baptized in the Bay of Abaco right outside our condo tomorrow by the pastor after spending about one hour with him. How amazing is that?!?
This evening we went out on the streets by the only stoplight in the town and handed out invitations for the event tomorrow. It was so different from the states because the people are so friendly and being a small area (only 20,000 people on the entire island of Abaco) people are more open to us handing out invitations. Many people said they were coming or would try to come. Some had already heard of it on the TV, radio or were from the church.
Saturday October 23:
Well....tonight's the night. I feel the normal nervousness but also a spirit of heaviness...sensing the spiritual battle. I've especially been feeling attacks of insecurity and doubting what I should say. I did change my presentation slightly after talking with some people here and realizing the girls struggle with different things in body
image than we do.
Today has been a turning point for our team with deepening conversations and relationships. I've had several really deep conversations with the girls and also several of the women.
I can't wait to see what God does tonight!
image than we do.
Today has been a turning point for our team with deepening conversations and relationships. I've had several really deep conversations with the girls and also several of the women.
I can't wait to see what God does tonight!
Sunday October 24:
Wow...I almost feel numb (in a good way) from all that God is doing here in Abacos Island, Bahamas! Yesterday afternoon two of our girls got baptized by Pastor Mills of Friendship Tabernacle Church in the ocean...Pastor has a Christian TV station here and wasn't going to film the baptism but said he realized that most people come to the Bahamas to get married, honeymoon or vacation and yet here are girls getting baptized in the Bahamas. Both of these girls were already Christians, but took the step of getting baptized...one of them had been thinking about it (and her mom was praying for her to take this step). Brianna is an amazing worship leader at only 13 years old and Kayla told me that she feels called to me an evangelist. I sensed yesterday that God was annointing them for ministry...how cool that they were getting baptized on a mission trip while they are ministering in those ways!!
Last night was amazing. The event was to start at 6pm but at some places was advertised at 6:30pm. Well at 6pm we had maybe 20 people and were feeling fearful, disappointed, etc. So we prayed and surrendered it to God. We waited to start until 6:30pm and girls kept filtering in until we had almost 100 girls!!! And it was an amazing night. We didn't know if they were fully understanding us, but when we read the reflection forms, we realized they did. Here are just a few:
- Do you feel your relationship with Christ changed tonight? "Yes. Because sometimes I felt closed to him but now I feel open...like a new person." Grade 7 "Yes. I feel like I don't have to be ashamed to come to Christ anymore because old things have passed away." Grade 11
- "Tonight I learned how to be a real girl and how to give my life to Jesus not to a boy and I really gave my self away to God." Grade 10
- "Tonight I learned about sexting and to give your heart to Christ. I learned that you should not impress your friends and to not let people tell you what to do and say." Grade 6
- "I have real beauty and no need for makeup or any other things that the world sees. I have to look up to God's eyes." Grade 8
- "I learned that God loves us the way He made us. I feel like I have a closer relationship with Jesus." Grade 8
- "Jesus can be your friend no matter what happen you can get forgiveness. You can give him all your troubles." Grade 8
- "To choose friend wisely. Never do the sexting, because in the end it may ruin my reputation and my life. Put away my phone sometimes. Be careful who is add on Facebook and who I talk to on the internet." Grade 12
- "That my body is the temple of the Lord and my beauty inside determines my relationship with God." Grade 7
And they went on and on. It is simply God! We can't take any credit for what He is doing here in Abacos!
Then, this morning we had a great church service. The pastor presented baptism certificates to Brianna and Kayla and then performed communion for them as well as the rest of the congregation. At the end of his sermon, he told the story of speaking to two teen girls this week that have been suicidal here in Abacos - one attempted suicide two weeks ago and one a year ago. Both came to Christ this week!! So, he gave an altar call for anyone to come to Christ or rededicate their lives and 11 youth came forward - 6 girls and 5 boys.
Katie Wolfe and I as well as Brianna and Kayla went back to help counsel the girls. All of them had been at Get REAL last night!! The woman from the church, Norma, prayed with them and then Katie asked if they all had bibles. Two of the girls didn't and the church didn't have extra bibles so I went to go get mine and one of our teens offered to give her bible to the other girl! What a privilege to be one small part of what God is doing here. In talking to Norma, it sounds like it is difficult for the church to get bibles, so Katie is thinking about collecting Bibles to send to Abacos.
Katie Wolfe and I as well as Brianna and Kayla went back to help counsel the girls. All of them had been at Get REAL last night!! The woman from the church, Norma, prayed with them and then Katie asked if they all had bibles. Two of the girls didn't and the church didn't have extra bibles so I went to go get mine and one of our teens offered to give her bible to the other girl! What a privilege to be one small part of what God is doing here. In talking to Norma, it sounds like it is difficult for the church to get bibles, so Katie is thinking about collecting Bibles to send to Abacos.
It's been really neat to see the role God has given me here - I thought I was coming to speak for 15 minutes last night and He has done so much more!! Immeasurably more than I can think or imagine!
Monday October 25:
Today is our last day here in the Bahamas. We'll fly out early tomorrow morning and have a long day of travel and layovers, so pray for our safety as we travel home. It's been amazing to be part of a team and something so much bigger than myself joining Get REAL inC for this trip to the Bahamas! Thank you again sooooooo much for your prayer support! It means more than you realize!
