Hurry Up and Wait!!!

Add my type A personality and my western mindset and you get frustration!!! I could mention many "hurry up and wait" moments while living in Trinidad, but the one at the forefront of my mind is a 12 passenger van we are waiting to get possession of so our team can travel at the same time to ANY PLACE!!! We have heard later today, tonight and tomorrow so many times that you have to laugh or cry. I am not laughing...

I realize all this is the making of "missionaries", but let's move on to the next lesson...sigh...

We had a wonderful time with the TT National Board this last week. Their support is vital to what we are doing here and we are excited about our partnership with them.

We have our first missions team from Oregon coming at the end of this week. We have a full itinerary of ministry planned. They will experience a water baptism at the ocean, Caribbean style worship services, preaching in services, prayer meetings, they will sit in on a class of perspectives, visit a crisis center, a children's home, soup kitchen, children's outreach and evangelism at a church outpost (church plant) and a traditional Thanksgiving meal with our team (with perhaps a Trini flair)!

Christmas is BIG in Trinidad! We heard our first Christmas music in a store in September, Sang our first Christmas song in Church in October. We will have Christmas dinners to attend, special Christmas services and a huge Christmas Village event put on by First Church that goes for several days. The School of Global Leadership is also putting on a Christmas Open House on our top patio to say thank you to many!

We are still in the rainy season, in fact, the team played football (that is soccer here in Trinidad) in the rain and mud last Saturday at Operation Smile Children's Home. We are told it will start drying out and getting hot in December/January. That is when it is really getting cold and snowy back home:) I do miss Fall. I won't miss ice. There is something soothing about staying inside with a cup of hot cocoa and looking out at a blanket of white...getting out in it is a different story. Here, the only thing that might keep you home is torrential downpours that lead to flooding, mudslides and horrific traffic jams.

It won't be a "white" Christmas for us, but Jesus is Celebrated all over the world in every type of climate... Hot or Cold, Wet, Dry or Snowy. From grass huts, to dilapidated shanties, under trees and in mansions. From Turkey to lamb, Roti to rolls, a clear broth with little else, food purchased, grown or donated...believers will worship the same Christ this Christmas. I encourage you to "shake up" your Christmas a little this year. Do something outside of your normal routine, do without so someone else does with. Christmas is about Christ, not about our traditions, comfort or presents. Celebrate Christ. Do whatever you have to do, to make this happen!

Until next time, that's my take on it!