Hey everyone, today was our last day serving with Just One. In the morning, we had a time to discuss and debrief our trip to help us in our transition home. We had the amazing Just One Staff deliver arroz con pollo for lunch at the hotel, we are so thankful for all the amazing service they have given us. Next, Bella got to share our last devotional about “Loving in Action” and had a very entertaining lesson about how we can serve others. The team also made affirmation cards to each scholars and staff to remind them of who they are in Christ. We then had some time to spend with the staff and scholars before a delicious dinner of pupusas and ending the night by the bonfire. We all got to share our highs and lows of the trip and what it has meant to us, and say our goodbyes. Our whole team can agree that serving with Just One has been such an inspiring and life changing experience. We have enjoyed getting to know each one of them and will forever keep all these memories in our hearts. Please join us in continuing to pray for Just One and the beautiful people of this country.
Jirise, friends and family! This is Noah writing on behalf of the team here at Hands of Hope.
Today we finished up the last day of our first week of VBS. Tomorrow morning, the kids from this camp will head home, bringing the Biblical truths we taught them back to their home environments. We’re ending on a high note to be sure!
To start the day, Natalie and I told the story of the Good Samaritan to the kids. We had a good conversation with our group afterwords about what it means to be a good neighbor. After that, we had some morning games like tug of war and duck duck goose, followed by a craft where kids made bags to put all their other crafts in.
After lunch (and after Holly, Liv and I found some kittens), we played a game of four way capture the flag between our four teams. It was fun, chaotic, loud, confusing… all the things you would expect! It was great seeing all the teams work together and strategize.
We started ending the day with evening praise and a game from Alyssa and Natalie. Then, one of our leaders, Uncle Stewart, led us to the bonfire for s’mores and a story. While roasting s’mores, the kids were dancing to all sorts of music from Macarena to popular in-country favorties. They started singing traditional songs on their own after the music ended, and I was struck by how in tune they were with one another (literally and figuratively)! I looked around and all I could see were kids in harmony with one another. The fellowship was beautiful.
Uncle Stewart ended the night officially with a moving story that I hope I can remember and retell back in the States! Overall, today was an amazing day full of kids working together and being shown the love of God. Thinking about how we have positively affected these kids lives is truly heartwarming. This first week has reminded me how important it is to focus on the big picture that God has, and to work to follow His plan above any plans I could ever make. I mean, my team all followed His nudging to Africa, didn’t we? I can’t wait to see what’s next.
This is Noah signing off for the night – God Bless!
Happy Thursday! Today our team took a trip to Pulhapanzak where we visited the largest waterfall in the country! Fun fact: this waterfall is thought to have inspired some animated scenes of Disney’s 1967 film, The Jungle Book. How cool! Several team members and Just One staff were brave enough to zip line over the waterfall, capturing some beautiful photos and lasting memories. We then took a swim in the river and enjoyed the scenery. We had lunch at a car museum and restaurant where we ate the most amazing fish/chicken and had fun playing pool. After some free time, we enjoyed dinner with more Just One staff and scholars. The night was filled with stories, laughter, and love. At the restaurant, a beautiful mural caught our eye. We learned that Mizael, a local pastor and Just One staff member, painted the mural. He shared the inspiration behind the piece which captures several aspects of Sigatepeque’s history. It is amazing to see how much impact Just One has on the community and how each person’s talents are used to bless others. We look forward to seeing what our last full day in Central America will bring.
Mambo! It’s Carolina! Welcome back! Today’s adventure was absolutely beautiful full of unique tastes, breathtaking views, and unforgettable moments. We started the morning with breakfast. I had a fun mix of Chips Ahoy and Pop Tarts. While others enjoyed pork sausage and boiled eggs. After breakfast some of the girls came over and we gathered for worship. We praised together and had a devotional that really set the tone for the day. Then it was time to head out for the day’s adventure! We all packed into the vehicles and drove to a local coffee plantation. The people from the village were so welcoming and showed us how to make a fresh cup of coffee from scratch. First we beat the coffee beans to break the outer skin then roasted them to release the second layer. After that we ground the beans and finally boiled them to make a rich fresh cup of coffee. No milk needed just one teaspoon of brown sugar and it was absolutely amazing! After the coffee experience we hiked to a hidden gem marked with an X marks the spot dream a waterfall that was truly breathtaking. No words can do it justice. It felt like checking off a dream from my bucket list. Once the hike was over we returned to the hotel, changed and went out for dinner. I had chicken tacos so good! While others had pizza and sandwiches. We all finished the night with ice cream sundaes for dessert. The perfect sweet ending to a perfect day. If anyone has any special requests let us know! Stay tuned tomorrow’s adventure hint is Hakuna Matata!
After two different countries in two weeks, our Central America B team is officially back in the US! The team was able to distribute water filters and the good news of Jesus to so many families in Central America and they have countless stories to tell about all that the Lord did in their two weeks overseas. Join us in praying for them as they navigate reverse culture shock and new rhythms back home. Pray that they would remember the stories of God’s goodness and faithfulness and carry the boldness of their faith with them in their everyday life. Don’t forget to ask a team member how they’re doing, and ask to hear about all of those stories!
Today was our first day of VBS at our second location of Courage House. Already, this location has been wildly different than our last, but it has just been so cool to see the Lord moving here and among our team!
Our morning started off slowly- we began with a devo and a huge breakfast of bread, mixed fruit with chia seeds, cheesy omelettes, juice, and of course, coffee. Our bus to Courage House was late (we’re on Africa time now!) which, after such a jam-packed week, ended up giving us just what we needed in terms of a quick recharge.
Once at Courage, we started off with a time of worship led by the girls there. Their voices were absolutely jaw-dropping, and even though we could only understand a few words of the Swahili songs, the joy and presence of Jesus was SO strong! After that, we spent the rest of the morning dancing together, which everyone loved. Our team came with prepared songs and choreography (Goodbye Yesterday, Bless Me, I Thank God) but the girls also had requests of their own (Every Move I Make, the Macarena, and Evidence by Moses Bliss).
We were pretty exhausted after all that dancing, so lunch was very welcome. We ate heaping plates of rice, beef stew, beans, cabbage, and avocado, topped with a super spicy chili sauce (this is starting to be one of my favorite meals here!). The older girls here tend to be pretty good at English, so we chatted while we ate. Many of them taught our team bits of Swahili and helped us translate phrases we had questions about.
Soon, we transitioned into what turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the day: our Bible teaching. Bogey and Cheyenne led a sort of “Bible scavenger hunt” with the first three fruits: love (upendo in Swahili), joy (furaha), and peace (amani). We broke into small groups and each group found at least one verse mentioning each word from anywhere in the Bible. Then we came back together and the teams shared their verses along with a quick explanation of why it was important. It was such a fun and impactful way to dig into the Bible in both Swahili and English! We read each verse in both languages, and the girls even helped translate for each other, which was just amazing to watch.
We concluded our time at Courage House with our activity stations: friendship bracelets, a Fruit of the Spirit-themed craft, and volleyball. Then we said goodbye and headed over to Courage Cafe, where we wrapped up the day with a dinner of spaghetti and banana bread for dessert. After eating delicious but unfamiliar food for a week, many of our team said it tasted just like home!
Like every day so far, I’ve been so grateful for the work that God is doing here and the way these girls touch our hearts. God is definitely teaching us to trust His intention for each day as it comes, whether that be through shifting plans, unexpected situations, or obstacles popping up – but His plans and provision have turned out to be so, so good! From the moment we step foot at the Courage houses to the moment we leave every day, I’ve felt so much joy and peace and love for these precious girls. I cannot wait to see what amazing surprises He throws at us next!
Today we served breakfast to the kids once again, but forming an assembly line. All the food has been very good so far. The first day we got to try the local food but then the rest of the food was fairly familiar to us. I was surprised to find that I loved sudza, a starch like dough that you eat with meat, sauce and greens. A few of the nights I was able to get more since we fed it to the kids. One of my favorite dishes she made am was a salad that had pineapple, red onion, and bell pepper with a chutney sauce.
I was in charge of leading today’s story/ lesson and I was quite nervous before hand, but it turned out really good. We acted the story while I narrated. In the discussions we asked the kids what their favorite part of camp was so far and a lot of them said the stories. Which was encouraging because it showed they were listening to us and getting something out of it. The games were really fun as well today. We did a lot of relay race games and it was super funny to watch the kids. One game they had to blow up and try to pop a balloon by sitting on it which made us all laugh. The craft today was a picture frame the kids got to make and keep with a photo of themselves in it. They all loved it.
During free time I spent time learning Shona words with the kids and teaching them some English. We also shared dance moves and I got even the shy ones to dance with me. Later I learned some hand games and then we taught them “down by the bank” which they all loved playing. At one point the kids stared filling buckets with water and had a water fight. I got caught in the middle and the the kids wanted to get their “Auntie Teagan”. I tried to fight back but there were too many after me. After that Farnum and I played volleyball with the kids and taught them how to hit the ball properly.
For our closing story Farnum ended the night with a story about a boy and his boat that he made. He tied this story into how God made us and then paid again with Jesus’s death on the cross. Then we closed in a team huddle and prayer.
After the kids went to bed we ended with our usual leader meeting with the local team and Jessup team. It has been really fun becoming true friends with them as well. For Myrna’s birthday today they surprised us with a delicious chocolate blackberry cake. We all agreed the cake was one of the best we tasted, as it was super light and airy and not too sweet. They then sang happy birthday in English, did the song and dance they do for birthdays here, and Alyssa sang to her in Spanish. I thought it was a very cool moment to have her birthday celebrated in three different languges.
Overall our time here has been super fun and I have loved getting close to the kids. Today was the first day they ran up and hugged me when they saw me. Often times hugs are saved for people you are very close to in this culture so that made me really happy. Near the end of the day it stared to hit me how our time with the kids is almost over. After tomorrow we will get a whole new group of kids which is bitter sweet. I have grown to love these kids so much in just 3 short days so it shows how much more God loves them. Today it hit me how hard it will be for these kids again after this camp when they will have to go back to eating only one meal a day if they are lucky. It hurts to think of these kids we now know and love struggling in ways we can’t imagine. So this is a reminder to be praying not only for the team here in Africa, but also for the kids and their lives after we are gone.
Specific prayer requests for our team would be:
– Olivia: who had been feeling really tired and has had trouble sleeping
– Teagan: I am feeling much better but still have a sore throat and am loosing my voice
– Holly: who is starting to feel homesick
– The whole team: to be able to rest and serve well and to stay healthy. It is the winter season here so many kids have colds, making some of us nervous we will get sick.
We are officially on our way home from Central America! We finished ministry on Tuesday which meant yesterday was our FUN DAY! After breakfast we headed on the bus to the rainforest, where we spent the day visiting the Ẽmbẽrä tribe, an indigenous tribe who still lives the tribe lifestyle here! When we got there, it was raining (surprise surprise). Some of us came prepared and others (myself included) simply embraced our fate: being completely drenched.
After loading into canoes, members of the tribe guided us through the rain down the river. It was such a serene experience! The sounds of the rainforest surrounding us and the breathtaking view made us feel like we were in a movie. They lead us to a spot where we got off, hiked about 10 minutes into the rainforest, and got to swim at a waterfall! We then took the canoes to their village and learned all about their tribe lifestyle! They fed us delicious fresh-caught tilapia and fruit. The tribe members are very crafty so we had a chance to buy some fun souvenirs, and then a bunch of us got temporary tattoos! We learned that many of the tribe members tattoo themselves for bug and sun protection! Before taking the canoes back, the tribe showed us one of their traditional dances and even invited us to dance with them at the end! We loved getting to see and learn about their culture. It was an incredible experience!
We finished the day with some souvenir shopping, dinner at the hotel, and an end-of-the-trip pizza/pool party with everyone! We are all so sad to end our time together. The bond that we created with the Palm Beach Atlantic and Westmont students is so special—and stronger than any of us expected!
I am so grateful for the opportunity to lead this team and so proud of them! I got to watch as each of them stepped outside of their comfort zones in their own unique ways, and it was beautiful to see God working through them. I know I can speak for all of us in saying we have grown so much from this ministry, and feel so much more confident to go home and spread the Gospel! I thank Jesus for all of the miracles He allowed us to be a part of over the past two weeks. It was truly a blessing!
Hola familia y amigos, Today we were able to join Just One in another area of the great work they do for their community. We packed food and supplies to be delivered to a local nursing home and we sorted and packed essential medicines to be delivered to the only medical clinic in the area. At the nursing home, we taught the residents a song about God‘s love and shared a short message on how much Jesus cares about all people. There are no mental health facilities in the area so some of the residents are elderly with dementia, some are suffering from severe mental illness. Some residents have been living at the facility for a long time without visitors, so the opportunity to talk with and pray with them was very meaningful for all of us. At the medical clinic, we learned about the scarcity of medical services and the incredible challenges locals here face to obtain even basic medical care. Some of Just One scholars are nursing students who will soon be stepping in to fill some of that gap. We had yet l another amazing lunch at Just Café, then continued our earlier project of sanding and staining the outdoor furniture. In the late afternoon, we walked with the older scholars to deliver food to the people in the community who live in remote areas. The weekly “no hungry home” project is a favorite of the scholars and has become a Jessup team favorite also. Once we came back to Just One, we got to play games with the scholars. Some teammates played soccer and volleyball, while other played card games. We had a relaxed evening of sandwiches at the hotel for dinner. Buenas noches everyone, we are exhausted 🙂
Hey compadres. It’s Luke. I’m so blessed to be on this trip with such amazing people. Quick little personal update,
-I’ve seen Joel explode into a impactful leader. His personal relationship with God is coming to fruit.
-I’ve seen Jett using his gifts of God to connect so intense and personal to each individual house, providing an image of Jesus.
-I’ve seen Andrea becoming a voice for God, speaking the convictions we all had, but weren’t brave enough to say.
-I’ve seen Grace being like the hands and feet of Jesus. Always willing to endure and take on more.
-I’ve seen Isabella become so enthusiastic and passionate and bold for the Lord. Her soul seems filled and is just pouring out.
-I’ve seen Jailyn become comfortable sharing the gospel in any situation. Her stories of her houses always blessed my day.
-I’ve seen Diana be the motherly touch we need, while also pushing us to be better, and simultaneously sharing incredible Godly Wisdom.
-I’ve seen Macie show a side of humility that I’ve never seen before while also having this deep power and strength in sharing the gospel.
Before I went on this trip, I thought very little about the people I’d be with. I honestly was a bit skeptical and thought they were a little weird. But God couldn’t have picked a better team to be with me. Each one is here for a specific reason. Thank you parents and grandparents for raising such fire-filled missionaries.
Now as for the trip, yesterday was the last day we shared filters in houses. Personally the last half of sharing in country #2 has been difficult at times to connect. I felt exhausted and discouraged, but this last day was exactly what I needed.
I met a man who is part of some revolution. I shared a bit of my testimony and to my surprise it hit home with him. He broke down and said. “My life now, was your life in the past.” He was so ready for the pain and misery to end. The crazy part is that his sister was praying earlier that day for him. Just a perfect moment of peace where the Lord provided.
The other guy I saw was my friend Nelson. He lives here and just has a heart of gold. I requested him to be my translator almost every day. His passion and zeal for the Lord is unheard of.
Anyways 2 things happened. Firstly he shared his testimony and started singing at one believer’s home and it was so powerful. All of my group just broke down in tears. (Or at least I did, ha)
Secondly, he gave me an amazing haircut and gave me the brotherly encouragement I needed. My soul felt refilled after this day. As if the Lord knew we are nearing the end, he is sending me off with a bit of hope.
