Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head...

The phrase "When It Rains It Pours" has taken on a new meaning! I will be inside minding my own business and then a very loud sound grabs my attention and I realize it is raining outside...I am not talking drops...I am talking torrential rain. It stops as quick as it starts but if you were out in it, you would get soaked to the bone:)

Speaking of rain...It's raining "dogs and dogs" here in Trinidad! There are dogs everywhere! My understanding is that you don't have to keep your dog locked up here. A few do...I have seen one dog actually on a chain and I have seen a few locked in yards, but most take to the streets. Dogs here are for the most part, not house pets. I haven't seen a cat yet:)

Yesterday(Friday) was a very long day...We started at the Immigration office at 8 a.m. for a couple hours waiting for a piece of paper required to secure a bond that will cover return tickets. We then waited at the bank for a long time waiting on the paperwork to show Immigration on Monday. Pastor Andy Homer(director of Open Bible here in TT waited with us (Lord Bless Him!) and he was in the midst of Board meetings. What a gracious man. We enjoy him and his wife Sister Anne Marie very much and look forward to spending more time with them.


We skyped Jonathan (oldest son) on his 30th birthday. It was fun watching him open his gift. Thank you God for skype!!!


Mike preached his first sermon at Windsor Park Open Bible yesterday. He did a great job. The hospitality of Windsor Park was AMAZING! Everything from getting us water or hot tea to carrying Mike's things up to the podium when he went up to preach to an amazing meal afterwards...and great fellowship with Pastor Jagdip and his wonderful wife, Sister Shara and some of the leadership at their church. Ashleigh connected with the pastors daughter, Sarah. They are two peas in a pod (watch out world!) We came home and rested abit and then went to a youth conference at First Church in San Fernando. It was amazing!


Today was a very long day....We had what we thought was an appointment at Immigration at 8 a.m. It turned out it meant we had an appointment sometime during the day...(sigh) After sitting for two hours, I began praying that the Lord would cause someone to "see" us and bend a knee to the will of God. Within seconds, our name was called. I prayed for God's favor to rest on us, and even though there were a few kinks by the end of the day...we had our two year visas and had applied for a multi-entry visa which allows us to travel two and from Trindad on mission trips and to the States. We are getting that in the mail in the next two to three weeks.


This Wednesday, we continue to travel with our Realtor to check on some other possibilities for housing. We need resolution quickly! Lord give us an answer.


My heart is heavy for my children tonight. I remember how blessed I felt knowing I had a mom who prayed for me. I guess I'm that mom now! I still have a grama who prays for me (she is almost 103 years old) and of course my Mom in Love prays for me and my family. I am blest. I hope my kids feel the way I have always felt. I wish my Mom had lived to know about Trinidad. She would be one of our great prayer warriors. 


When I feel frustrated that I am not physically there to help my children or I don't have the answers for their situations, I am reminded that there is a God in heaven who know them by name". He sees them and hears them and has wonderful plans for them. Right now, Eyes of Faith are required and without Faith it is impossible to please God. 


Well...that's it for now...until next time...that's my take on it.

Refreshment for the Soul!

We are quickly learning that when someone offers you "refreshment" in Trinidad they are offering more than a "snack". After church this morning, Sister Anne Marie Homer told us they had refreshments for us and brought each us us a fruit drink and a submarine sandwich! What a blessing!

We visited Marabella Open Bible Church this morning, pastored by Dr. Andy and Sister Anne Marie Homer. They had the Caribbean Nazarene College visiting and WOW! God knew exactly what the Lumbards needed this morning! We experienced a different kind of refreshment...Refreshment for the soul! The worship was amazing and anointed. The message was challenging. As we left, two girls from the church came up to Ashleigh to introduce themselves. They invited her to their youth meeting next Friday night...I think it meant alot to her.

Earlier in the week we got our mandatory check ups for immigration. Our debit cards for our new Trinidad account will be activated by this Tuesday. Yesterday we found a "Cold Stone Creamery" and had wonderful ice cream!

We will try to make a decision this next week on the area we will live. This is an area we are believing God to make clear to us.

We skyped with Dad and Mom Lumbard for the first time on Saturday, went through a bunch of mail with Mom and sang Happy Birthday to Dad. This skype thing really helps the homesick heart. So many important dates coming up that I won't be there for...Our Son Jonathan's 30th Birthday...our granddaughter Madison's 3rd Birthday...other family occasions...it's so hard. This I know... I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. (2 Timothy 1:12)

Tomorrow Sister Anne Marie Homer is going to take us to check out PriceMart (Similar to Sam's Club in the States) We also pick up our papers from the Doctor for our Visas...

That's it for now...until next time...that's My Take On It!

Watch Out Trini's!!!

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010
Mike is driving! We have been blessed with a loaner car for a month to help us get around...Yesterday Mike took to the road (on the other side of the road!) I am really proud of him, no scratches on the car and no pedestrians injured!
We have been warmly received by so many here in Trinidad. Different pastors are driving us around to get a feel of the Island. We need to decide where students are going to live and where we will permanently live (we are in temporary facilities). We have seen a lot of the Island. Today we were on the beach which is closest to Venezuela. On a clear day you can see it from Trinidad.
Today we went to Point Fortin and had lunch with the Pastors. We also got to know the pastors daughter and her husband, Sheldon and Maraneesha Lawrence. They were a blessing. Ashleigh really connected with Maraneesha and I think they will be good friends! They also have a darling three year old daughter named Trinity and if you know Ashleigh...(she loves children!) it was a blessing to spend time with them!
We bought our first umbrella today!!! I think we will need more than one:) When it rains it pours! Now that we have wheels, we are investigating stores...pharmacy, grocery...mall:)
Our Airconditioning hasn't been working in our bedroom for the past few days...not too bad but it got fixed today and so tonights sleeping will be a little more comfortable.
We get up early tomorrow to go to the bank to open an account. We then go to the launch of the Margaret Crandahl Senior Activities Centre. I believe Margaret is the oldest Open Bible American Missionary alive. We look forward to meeting her tomorrow!
We have lots of new details regarding Visas and medical check ups here in Trinidad. If you are following my blog, please pray for the Lord to go before us and work out the details.
Well, it's getting late...Skyped with my kids and grandkids tonight. I read a book to Madison. It was a very special time. What a day we live in...not as good as a real hug, but an amazing way to connect across the miles (and ocean). That's all for now...until next time, that's my take on it!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Thursday, July 08, 2010

I am sitting at the Open Bible National Office using their internet on our second full day here in Trinidad. We are in temporary housing for a month and will have internet there in a few days. Everything feels abit surreal...a bit like a dream. One thing that helps me is that I have been on the road, staying in many places for the past year, so being in one more place, one more bed...is familiar. I do look forward to settling into a permanent location. It's hard to believe that we are really here. My heartache is still fresh from leaving my family, especially my granddaughters. I close my eyes and see Madison's and Maiah's faces and yes...tears flow (like now!) I look forward to the first time we can skype!

Our good friends, Jack and Laurel Ancone hosted a family reunion on their ranch in Texas before we left the country. What a gift to our family! There are no words...Jack and Laurel drove us to the Houston Airport on July 6th. Here are some interesting moments on our trip...

As we were landing in the Miami Airport, our plane pulled up quickly and had to circle around again due to another plane on the ground crossing the runway...Thank you Jesus for safety!

We were getting ready to go through security and a lady started screaming, "Somebody help me!" Never saw her, just heard her...others went to help...still don't know what was wrong.

As we stood in line at the Miami Airport getting ready to go through security, a man in front of us left his suitcase and walked off...hmmm...we told the security officer. I kept thinking, we need to be farther away from that suitcase than we are! It was good to get through security.

Flight from Miami was uneventful (Yeah!) Landed in Trinidad at about 10:30 p.m. Stood in long lines to go through customs. Got up to the window and we didn't have the proper paperwork, so we were sent back to call our contact in Trinidad, who had the proper paperwork on the otherside of the wall but there was no one free to go get them. We waited...finally an officer who saw us waiting came up to us and asked why and how he could help. He was able to get us temporary entry into the country with the understanding that we would go to Immigration as soon as possible. (We went this morning to start the process) We ended up getting to our temporary housing at 2 p.m. (very tired). Our wonderful brothers and sisters in Trinidad had sandwiches made and a few groceries to get us started! Our housing is very nice and comfortable and we have air conditioning!

So far we have been to the National office for Open Bible and visited with President Andy Homer and his assistant Pastor David. We have been to the bank to exchange the small amount of cash we had into TT dollars, to the mall to get a cell phone, the grocery store to get a few things, the immigration office and back to the National office today to use their internet. We will get internet at our temporary lodging in a couple of days and then Ashleigh will back to school!

Our son Jordan left this morning for a missions trip to Jamaica. We made our first international call from our cell phone to let him know we will be praying for him. He left Texas with a serious sunburn and has been suffering since. He finally went to the doctor before leaving the country and found out he has 1st and second degree burns. He now has medicine to put on the burn and some for the pain. Hard on a Mom's heart!

I don't know how often I will blog, but this is a beginning...God's is writing a new chapter in my life!

Hello World!

We have internet!!!! It isn't wireless...hopefully that will come...but we are able to connect with the world again! What a day we live in. I already skyped Lindsey (no webcam until next week) but it was great to hear her voice and Madison's and Maiah's! I tried skyping our son's but they didn't answer...how dare they!!!! :) Our service man came mid afternoon instead of the morning which changed our plans to go out to hear several choirs at First Church in San Fernando... but we are connected!

We went last night with Ashleigh to the youth service at First Church. Pastor Mark David spoke. It was a good messeage with over a hundred young people in attendance.

Our morning starts early...we are picked up at 6:45 a.m. for an early service at First Church, then we are going to check out their deaf service. Over the past several months more than one person has expressed interest in reaching the deaf people of the world. This is one of the largest unreached people groups! So we thought it would be good to go. We then go to a mass baptism service at the ocean!

Mike just got back from walking to the store for a few things. He stepped in a deep hole, fell forward along with the groceries and skinned his hands and knee. It's a miracle he didn't break his leg! Thank you Jesus...Again!

Mike has his first preaching gig...He has been asked to preach on July 25th (which happens to be our son Jonathan's 30th Birthday) at Windsor Park Open Bible. He is excited to preach!

Well, that is it for now. I have a mixed bag of emotions these days...friends and family praying means ALOT! Until next time...that's my take on it!