The Wise Man Chiseled Into Limestone Not Sand Rock…

As we worked on the camp property this week, three of us took on the task of landscaping around the newly constructed zip line. We decided that a gravel path outlined in BIG rocks would look really good. So we spent a good chunk of the morning moving these 100+ pound rocks into a truck, out of a truck, and rolling them into their spot on the path. After we had finished we thought we would continue using our creativity by chiseling different things into the huge rocks we had put along the path. We began our task and soon discovered that most of the rocks we had chosen were rocks made of hardened sand and as soon as we began chiseling big chunks would break off and ruin the design we had started. We continued to chisel and I even almost completed a cross but with the last hit of the hammer against the chisel a huge chunk flew off leaving me with nothing more than a big dent in a very big rock.
As we stood looking at our attempts at creativity I was reminded of Matthew 7 when Jesus talks about the wise and foolish men. Jesus says that the wise man builds his house upon the rock where the foundation is sturdy, but the foolish man builds his house upon the sand where the foundation can be washed away. The rocks that we put onto that path were heavy and most could only be rolled and not lifted, but yet when we began to chisel into them we found that underneath there was only sand. Judging by their outward appearance they were indestructible, but that was not the case beneath the surface.
It doesn’t matter what our actions are on the outside if we are not truly rooted and grounded in our faith and in the Word our foundation is shaky. If we know the good we are supposed to do and don’t do it we are foolish and live our lives on shaky foundations.

This is just one of the many things God has been teaching me since I’ve been in the Bahamas. These are lessons that I’m praying will help me as I attempt to invest of the lives of hundreds of Bahamian teenagers in just two short weeks.

This Week…
Without a team this week we’ve had the opportunity to do a variety of things that wouldn’t have gotten done with a team here. On Wednesday and Thursday we traveled up and down the island of Eleuthera promoting camp by hanging posters in windows, handing out fliers, and talking to people we saw on the street. We spent some time finishing up some things at the camp property as well as putting some finishing touches on the zip line and the paintball field before camp starts. It has been a good week to rest and prepare for camp which is fast approaching.

ZIIIPPP!

What a week! The team of 50 from an Orlando Youth Group left this morning at 6:45 and we will most definitely miss them. They were a great group that got a lot done on the camp property. While they were here they did the electric and plumbing in all six cabins along with other interior work. They also constructed covers for the cest pits, platforms for the water heaters, and a foundation for the building that will contain the generator. They got many things done that puts us A LOT closer to finally having camp on the camp property. Along with the work they did on the camp property they also did some community outreach in the form of a carnival. Last night they had a carnival at the local park with games, music, prizes and a three-on-three basketball tournament. It was a really great opportunity for them to get involved in the community and good publicity for Camp Bahamas.

Along with the cabin construction the two line zip line was completed on Thursday! Eight of us rode it on Thursday, and I can say from personal experience that it is AWESOME! I think the campers will really enjoy it, if they can work up the courage to go down it. J It is 300 feet long and stretches from one hill to another on the property, reaching a height of about 40 feet. We are all really excited about it!

We won’t have another team until next week so this week will be a week of resting and more work on the property. It is hard to believe that it is already June 13^th and that camp is only three weeks away!

I'm allergic to what?!

When I was getting ready to leave for the Bahamas I was excited that I wouldn't have to deal with my allergies anymore. Well apparently the dust, mold, cottonwood and pollen of the midwest aren't the only things I'm allergic to. After indulging at least 3 mangoes a day for the first 4 days I was here my face broke out in an itchy rash and blisters. After a diagnosis from my pre-med friend and much Google searching my allergy was confirmed. But hey...it wouldn't be a trip to the Bahamas if I wasn't extremely itchy at some point. :)

Our first mission team arrives on Saturday. We, the full time staff, have been the first mission team. We have been getting things ready for the first mission team to arrive and installing a zip line at the camp property.

This week will be a challenging one, but a very productive week in camp construction and we are all very excited.

Pray for:
Paitence
Safety
Healing of my allergic reaction
For God to use the mission team to reach the community here