Some kindling for the fire!

We apologize for the delay in posts.  Buff Bay has been very busy for the last couple of weeks.  As we reported last post, our friends from North Shore Baptist Church in Queens, NY are here.  They have been a tremendous blessing to us and a great source of encouragement.  Not only did they bring items from home for us, but it has been great to see friends and to interact without cultural obstacles. 

Over the last week and a half, Kirsten and I have been helping the team with VBS, children's choir, outreach, and medical/dental clinics!  (We were not only assistants in these clinics, but I was even able to extract someone's tooth!  Pictures will be forthcoming!)  Not only has the team been keeping us busy, but the circuit churches are also in a very busy season.  Last Sunday afternoon, the church celebrated the home-going of a sister in faith.  Kirsten was a part of the service playing the piano for much of the music.  There is another funeral service scheduled for this Sunday afternoon for a brother of the church.  Please pray for the church as they mourn and remember the life of their brother in Christ.

In addition to memorial services, team activities, and our normal duties, we were involved in Buff Bay Independent Baptist Church's (BBIBC) hosting of a conference of the Fellowship of Independent Baptist Churches in Jamaica.  This fellowship consists of about 10 churches from a large region of the island.  It was a day full of hearing the Word preached, worshiping in song and fellowship, and getting to know others in the faith around the island.  We are very thankful for the welcome we have received from our new "home" church and those affiliated with BBIBC.

Please continue to pray for us as we continue to figure out how to minister practically and tangibly to those God has prepared for us.  Please pray that we will continue to grow in grace as we realize the enormity of this task.  We thank you all your encouragement and prayer.  God has been proven Himself faithful through His provisions by which you all have been His vessels to complete the work.  Kirsten and I were blown away by a gift from Ocean City Baptist Church - a brand-spankin' new Amazon Kindle!!!  Kirsten and I had just received our library cards the day before the team came.  We were excited about our library cards, but were wondering how often we would be able to use the library's resources because most of their collection has considerable mold damage, which sends Kirsten's sinuses into a deadly tailspin.  So, when we were handed our new Kindle that downloads books to be read digitally we were floored!  If you know Kirsten you will know that one of her favorite things is to read, and she can now do so without any sinus complications!!! 

(Kirsten in reading bliss!)

There is a lot more to tell, which we will post whenever possible.  We love you all and thank God for you all!

Grace and peace to you!

When the Saints Go Marching In

As Kirsten and I approach living in Buff Bay for two full months, it is funny the things we miss that remind us of home: 1) the smell of trash trucks instead of the smell of burning plastic in a field across the street, 2) boneless chicken in a pre-packaged container, 3) dark chocolate, and 4) football (American football, that is)!!!  

For weeks, we have been trying to think about how we could watch the Superbowl without skipping church.  We are used to going to church on Superbowl Sunday to rush out and catch the game on our pastor's Tivo!  However, without a TV or Tivo we seemed to be in a bit of a bind.  We had actually been praying about how great it would be to watch the Superbowl (silly right...)  While at prayer meeting though on Wednesday night there was an announcement that almost made Kirsten and me jump out of our seats: there would be no church Sunday night due to a members meeting.  Therefore, because we are not members...we are free to watch the game!!!  I had been scrambling online to find out how in the world we can watch the game through the internet and ultimately went through the NFL Network to get a live stream of the game.  Our computer screen isn't big, but we didn't care because we were going to finally get to watch some real football!   

We found out Friday night that we were going to have company, though.  As our good friends and partners in the work from North Shore Baptist Church arrived on Friday afternoon, they too were curious as to how the game was going to be viewed.  We were glad to invite them, but qualified - there is a catch.  14 people would have to watch the game on a 12 inch screen!  The group being Buff Bay veterans (some coming for over 20 years to serve in Buff Bay), they knew exactly who to ask for help.  They enlisted Pastor Allen's son LeMarc to work on getting us a TV to be hooked up to the computer.  LeMarc came through.  The pictures below are some of the team members watching a great game on a 32 inch high definition flat screen!  

It is amazing what a good game, real chocolate, and American advertising can do for a little homesickness!  It is also great that God is present not only in church on Sundays but at all times.  It is His grace that we celebrate, not the Superbowl, and it is His constant provision we rejoice in, not a Saints' win (although Kirsten was quite happy with their victory).  Now we just have to figure out how to get used to the smell of melting plastic... 

Happy Groundhog's Day!

Well the news says that Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and 6 more weeks of cold for you all back home.  I don't think Phil speaks for us down here though...  As the days pass by and months change, it is incredible to think that Kirsten and I have been here close to 2 months!  Time surely does fly! 

The past week was one a quick one because we were on the go, go, go!  We were both very busy with various teaching responsibilities.  Kirsten has been busy with somewhere around 20 piano students, a high school girls Bible study, a choir, and to round it all off a 5 year old music class!  I have been teaching Bible studies and preaching quite a bit, and this week was no exception.  I taught 5 different times this past week!  So the settling in has come and gone!  But we are thankful for all the opportunities that we have to serve in Buff Bay.  Please continue to pray for us as we minister and prepare our lessons and studies.  Please pray that God's mercy, wisdom, and glory is the fuel for the fire in all areas of our ministry.  It is still early in the work, but we see good things beginning to happen.  We continue to have people from church stop by our house, which is a great blessing and a great opportunity to get to know people better. 

As for the work permit exemption, still no word from the member of Parliament.  Hopefully we will hear soon.  God's provision has been evident from the first stage of this adventure, so this is just another issue that we are trusting to His providence.

We are taking more pictures now that we are seen not as tourists but as part of the town.  So, for those who are dying to see pictures they are coming; we promise!

Grace and peace,
Jon and Kirsten

Work Permit Update

Well we have good news and bad news...and some potential news...

I know most people like the bad news first and then the good, but I will do the good and then the bad for the sake of clarity and sequence of recent events.

The Good:  We have officially been accepted to receive work permits!  This is great news because this means that we will not have to exit and enter the country every six months to keep from becoming an illegal visitor.  

The Bad:  We have been denied the fee exemption for the work permit that we were hoping qualify for.  The fee is rather significant and we were hoping to get out of paying, but it seems like that door is closing (quickly).  We were denied because the churches that we are working with (and sponsoring us) are not listed as a non-profit entity but rather an LLC.  Therefore when the government looks at the legal status of the churches they see a private, incorporated entity.  All that to say it looks like we are employed by the local church here and not by a non-profit church and your generosity back home.

The Potential:  As we have been denied the exemption from the governmental committee, we are hoping that the local member of Parliament (MP) may be able to come through for us.  Hopefully the MP can put in a good word for us to the Minister of Labor!  The probability of this working is slim, but we are praying that God will work even where there is little light of hope shinning!  So please pray with us for this prospect, so that even in this we may rejoice and celebrate His provision and His wonder-working power! 

"The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he ​turns it wherever he will." Proverbs 21:1
 

Crystal Punch and Theology

Since we have been in Jamaica we have not lacked visitors at our door.  Kirsten and I have counted this as both a tremendous blessing and an answer to prayer.  We had hoped that people would feel comfortable being around us, and it is evident by our visitors that they do.  So, as they come we serve them some cool "crystal punch" (also known as water) and get to know our new friends as they get to know us. 

The conversations so far have been surface level types of conversations.  However, this weekend conversations became heavier, deeper.  We were able to talk with high school-aged twins (Jason and Jermaine) about how a good God and going to Hell is not a contradiction.  Not only with the twins, but across the board it seems that conversations are becoming more significant, which is really exciting.  We feel like our house is a comfortable place where people like to come and share what is going on or voice their opinions freely, or volunteer questions, which is a great blessing. 

Continue to pray with us that our house is a place where people feel comfortable and want to open up.  Also pray that we will point people to Jesus in our conversations and attitudes.  Many Jamaicans have grown up in the church, just as in the States, but still have questions (who doesn't?!).  We obviously do not know all the answers, but please pray with us that we are able to guide people wisely, again, while pointing them to Jesus.  In Him is the fullness of truth, beauty, and goodness! 

 

The World's Greatest Invention...

Well, it is my great pleasure to inform you that we finally have the internet!!!  This means a couple of things: 1) we now feel connected to the rest of existence 2) we are no longer breaking commandments by stealing our neighbor's wireless signal and 3) we can keep in more regular contact with all of you back home! As we have said before we intend to post once a week, and if we get really "wild and crazy" sometimes more. 

Since the Mega-Post we have been getting settled with our duties as best as we can.  The rain typically keeps people in because the temperature drops considerably and sickness abounds when people go out and get wet and catch a chill.  Being that the past couple weeks have been very rainy, many of our weekly meetings/lessons have been canceled.  The meetings and ministries that we have had, though, have gone pretty well, and we praise God. 

2 East Ave (Buff Bay, Portland Jamaica-our proper address if any is interested) definitely feels more like home every day, and the smell of rice and peas simmering is becoming the smell of a proper meal.  I am also getting pretty skilled at making the chicken "boneless" (there is still room for growth).  Kirsten was very encouraged when we had about 12 people from Youth Fellowship over for dinner last Saturday night when all of her curry chicken, rice and peas, mashed potatoes, cabbage salad, and fried plantains were gobbled up!  Many people commented on her fast transition or were stunned that someone definitely not Jamaican could make some legitimate Jamaican food! 

In more serious news, please pray for our work permit.  We are currently listed as extended visitors but are waiting to here if we have been approved for the work permit.  The work permit is not necessarily the problem, but the fee that comes with it is.  The fee is $1200/permit!  We have applied for an exemption, and a government committee met to revue our application about a week ago, but we have still not heard their decision.  We are positive about the exemption and trusting in God's sovereignty.

You can also pray that we continue to adjust well.  We have found that even though days may not be hard physically, our bodies and minds tire quickly.  In trying to get a better understanding of the culture and trying to read people, our energy is zapped at the end of the day (that and the rosters at 3AM!).  Also continue to pray for the various ministries (preaching, Bible studies, music lessons, discipleship, and relationship building).  We are learning that we can do these incredibly well and cleverly, but if God is not at the center or is not the power it is worthless.  Lastly, pray that we will continue to grow in our love for the Lord, our desire to see the Gospel proclaimed, and our trust in Him for all our needs.  

More to come...more regularly! 

Grace and peace,
Jon and Kirsten

PS--We will work on getting some pictures up.  They are hard to get because not all Jamaicans like having their pictures taken.  However, we will certainly work harder to share our views and experiences with you all.

The Mega-POST!

We have been slowly turning into Jamaicans over these last three weeks in Buff Bay.  Our sincere apologies for not getting you updated sooner, but the internet connection from our neighbor has been fickle. 

This is a longer post than normal, but there is much to share from arrival, to getting settled in, to our ministry (so far)…

Arrival
As many of you know, our plans to arrive on the 14th of December were foiled by American Airlines.  As a result, we spent our last night in the States eating hamburgers and french fries that were incredibly greasy and wonderfully tasty at the airport hotel lounge; it was the only venue open that would take our food vouchers.  We also enjoyed some Monday Night Football as we ate, which we have been really missing.

Our Tuesday morning flight was much better, and we arrived in Montego Bay, Jamaica with no problems, in good time, and into great weather.  Our immigration officer let us pass through without difficulty as did our customs officer!  The lady at the customs desk saw two people with 14 bags with only books, clothes, and random personal effects and was bewildered at best.  After looking through two bags she decided it was better not to bother!  We attribute these to God’s faithfulness and provision.  We praise God for all of our luggage arriving and going through so easily without having to pay any duties. 

Pastor Allen, his son Marc-Andre and our friend Marcel met us at the airport.  We had a long drive to Buff Bay that was broken up by a lunch stop for our first Jamaican meal...Burger King!  There are no fast food places in Buff Bay, so when people leave the town they love stopping at BK or KFC!  On arrival in Buff Bay, we were met by a decorated guest house, the GLOBE, and a wonderful dinner hosted by the Women’s League Fellowship of the church.  They greeted us and gave us the key to Buff Bay (pictures of the key are forthcoming), a few house-warming gifts, and genuinely showed they were happy for our arrival!  Kirsten and I praise God for this gift from Him in that many of the church are excited that we are here to work alongside them; we had prayed for those sentiments exactly!

Settling In
We stayed at the GLOBE for a week while Pastor Allen graciously drove us around the island helping us get all of our household items.  The day after we arrived we were able to purchase living room furniture, a refrigerator, kitchen table, bed, and some other items in Port Antonio (the parish capitol).  We had to make a couple other runs after this, but we were able to work quickly (mostly because all of your gracious and incredibly kind gifts) to get set-up and move into our new house in a week! 

So, for the last two weeks Kirsten and I have been living in the house and are beginning to feel like it is home.  We certainly miss some of the aspects of home that we do not have here (like packaged boneless chicken breast, American football, strong water pressure in the shower, etc), but our house is great, our landlord a great blessing, and our neighborhood a place where we feel like we can do ministry. 

Please pray that we will use this house as a place of refreshment to our souls and to bless those who come.  Almost every night people from church come and stay late talking and hanging out, which has given Kirsten and myself good company and great relief.  We have said from the beginning that we believe that God has blessed us so that we may be a blessing to others.  Please pray with us that we will continue to be reminded of that principle, especially as it connects to our home. 

The Ministry
Upon arrival, Pastor Allen wanted us to get familiar with the lay of the land for a couple weeks so we could get our house in order and our sea legs underneath us.  This Saturday gone (as the Jamaican say) we sat down with Pastor Allen to lay out the areas for which we will be responsible. 

Kirsten will:
    Lead the adult choir at church and play the keyboard (when we are able to be at the Buff Bay church in the morning). 
    Help me in the overseeing of the Youth Fellowship (YF)
    Lead a young ladies Bible Study for those in the YF
    Assist occasionally with the children’s choir
    Teach some piano and general music classes at the church and the church’s Basic School
    Tutor some young people in English and some other subjects

I will:
    Oversee the YF and be its primary teacher
    Preach on the circuit of churches on Sunday mornings (There are six churches on this circuit; I will be one of 5 men who are in a rotation for teaching in these churches)
    Teach at the Tranquility (see blog title picture) church prayer meeting Thursday nights

We typically have mornings and afternoons off, which allows us to prepare for lessons and responsibilities.  Please pray for and with us as we officially begin these ministries this week! 

Pray that we minister only after we have met with Jesus in study and worship ourselves, that we may be able to break through the cultural barriers quickly, that hearts may be changed and even saved by the hearing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that the church is blessed by our being here, and that some pressure of responsibility is relieved for some of the church members.  As always, pray for God’s grace as we are in way over our heads and need His Holy Spirit to guide, minister, encourage, and work!


Grace and peace,
Jon and Kirsten

PS-Sorry for the length of the post.  When we get our email they will be weekly updates and not as lengthy!