We have been running, running since the Crossway team arrived two days ago! Let me give a shout out of thanks to the Seeleys once again for loaning me their car to get the girls and me back and forth to camp each day for meal prep. Otherwise, we would not be seeing much of our dear Lancaster folk! So far, the Crossway team, divided up into two groups, has been able to multiply their ministry. One group has been working out at the All Saints Camp (a residence for men, women, and even families dealing with the reality of AIDS and other debilitating diseases) and the other group helping to roof our church building. Then, last night and tonight, the team has joined up with some from our church to reach out to people at Goodman's Bay...a park/beach where many locals can be found. Last night was packed with many gospel-driven conversations, invitations to stop by our free hot dog and drink table, and invitations to visit our church.
I (Kristin) teamed up with my good friend here, Faye Bascom. We encountered a young couple working out at some exercise bars. I have to say I appreciated their honesty. When asked "are you Christians?" by Faye they replied "no." They also said they attended no church. Now this may not strike you as strange if you live in America, but I can assure you this is not the norm for Bahamians. Here, similar to the "Bible belt" of the southern United States back just a few years ago, most people would say they are "Christian" and that they do attend church. So this couple, in a sense, was being humble with us. They listened attentively as I explained our plight as humans...the bad news: all of us have sinned and are on a hell-bound race. The good news: God has provided a way to cover our sin, forgive us, and give us eternal life. Though there was no prayer for conversion, these two young people were attentive and seemed to be thinking as we talked.
Our next conversation was much more pointed. We met Celeste sitting on a bench texting someone. She was very nice, and though she herself could quote the gospel to me verbatim (remember, children here are taught religious instruction from Kindergarten through 12th grade!), she had no personal relationship with God. By the end of our time together, she admitted that she was on the other side of the cavern, away from God. She wasn't ready to "cross" by giving her total life to Jesus. But she was very engaging, she listened, and she asked for prayer for family members. It was a wonderful time. A wonderful reminder that in the gospel work some plant, some water, but God gives the increase.
Today, realizing I would not be able to do the evangelism night due to one of our girls being ill, I began asking the Lord to keep my heart soft toward sharing the gospel. Then it hit me: the gospel doesn't just speak, it acts. There were two Haitian gentlemen, hired by our landlord, out working in our yard. They have been working the last few days. I have taken them water each day, but today, I felt impressed to do all I could. I made them lunch...just some sandwiches and popcorn, cookies and lemonade, and motioned for them to sit up on our porch out of the sun. They speak almost no English, so communicating was hard. Then I had the idea to give them a shirt someone gave Keith recently that was a tad big. Then I began thinking of all the clothing I could find that we were either wanting to give away or just don't need. I motioned to one man's wedding ring and said "Wife?" "Clothing?" He smiled and nodded. I said, "I'll be back!" I filled a box and a bag with shoes and clothing for women and children, then found all of Keith's shirts he no longer needs. The men seemed a little at a loss for what to say or do, but I noticed they bundled up the box tightly, so that the people transporting them would not see inside. One thing many people don't realize is the hatred that exists here for Haitians. Many of them are illegal aliens and many Bahamians resent them residing here, trying to make a better life for themselves and their children. Well, legal or illegal, they are in need. I have never been able to enter the portals of a "Haitian settlement" here, where the poorest of the poor dwell. They live in wooded areas out on the south side of the island. Making shelter with pallets, cardboard, tin, plywood, and whatever else they can find, these people are desperate...yet still prefer life here to back in Haiti. I wept as I packed up the clothes, realizing God had given me the desire of my heart: just to touch the poor in the name of Jesus. And I never even left my yard. God brought them right to my doorstep.
Tonight, whatever your prayer in the way of "living a more gospel-centered life," remember God delights in that prayer. He is working. He will bring fruit in its perfect season. And you may never even leave your own yard.
Showing posts with label daily life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label daily life. Show all posts
Thursday, 22 May 2014
Tuesday, 20 May 2014
Let the missing begin
Though I really don't think I (Kristin) will be as emotional before we leave as some members of our nest, I am beginning to take pictures of things we have enjoyed for the last two years.
.JPG) |
| Kendall and Darnell |
.JPG) |
| evening sky out our front |
.JPG) |
| Our mango tree...more fruitful this year than ever! |
.JPG) |
| the palms and bougainvillea |
.JPG) |
| The twins |
.JPG) |
| driveway/front yard |
.JPG) |
| frangipane (amazing smell) |
.JPG) |
| More bougainvillea |
 |
| Good friends the Seeleys (with Francis Chan) |
 |
| Church life |
 |
| Our friends the Deans...Katie and CJ...these kids are like our own |
 |
| Kingdom Life Ladies and kids |
 |
| Time at the Mosses (from our first visit, this feels like 2nd home) |
 |
| More beautiful sky at our home |
.JPG) |
| More Kingdom Life friends |
As you can see, the beach hasn't really factored into the "missing" pictures. It has always been so comical to me that God sent us to a beachy island when we aren't really "beachy" people! Not that we don't love the sights and water...but we really can go a good long while without it and be just fine. And more comical still is that we are moving to a place in the U.S. where the beach is one of the most beautiful in the country...Destin Beach is only 30 minutes from Crestview. Perhaps the reason God matches up "non-beachy" people with "beachy places" is that he knows we won't be distracted by it. I never sit here homeschooling the girls and think, "Boy I wish we could just lay it all down and go to the beach." Neither is it a distraction for Keith at work, though he literally works 5 minutes from Paradise Island, where Atlantis sits. As we reflect on our time here, it is predominately the people and not the place we will miss. We do enjoy the perfumed night air scented of jasmine, frangipane, and other delightful scents. But the flip side is the smell of dead rat festering in the heat on a 90 degree day...which is quite common! Anyway, we know there will come many days in the future day when we will reflect back on our life here and all God has done in and with us. The highlights for us will always be Sunday mornings, our time spent serving in various ministries, and fellowshipping with our church both in our home and at church. This week we look forward to the Crossway Church of Lancaster e-team coming! The girls and I will be serving out at the camp which will serve as their "home base." Making breakfast and dinner and helping serve it will be a highlight for us as it was last summer when we served in June. We leave here in just a few hours to begin preparing dinner! Keep posted for pictures of the team as they land on our island!
Tuesday, 22 April 2014
8 weeks now
Eight weeks from yesterday the Buntings will board a plane that takes us home to the U.S.A. This is a loaded thought! So much emotion in the reality of that. We will be leaving pieces of our hearts here, without a doubt. We love our people. But we believe the Lord has used us in these two years to help strengthen this church, and for that we are grateful and glad-hearted.
We are forever changed by all we have seen and experienced here. Our spoiled days of having everything at our fingertips ended the moment we landed here. Compared to many countries of the world, the Bahamas has plenty. But compared to the U.S.A, well...there's no comparison. One trip to Wal-mart when we are back in the states and our entire family is in shock! "When did they start making this?" "Did you know they had THIS flavor now?" "I didn't even know this many varieties existed!" "Look at this price! What a deal! Let's get 10 to take back..." We were recently in Florida and just didn't make it to Wal-mart until the day we had to head back to Nassau. BIG MISTAKE. Kendall and I (Kristin) were the only two who could go during that timeframe and we had only 30 minutes to shop. Again, BIG MISTAKE. We couldn't even get through the snack aisle in that time! Not to mention, since our bags were already packed and Delta has a "No free checked bag" rule we couldn't get much to take back. I just kept reminding Kendall that we would be flying back to the US permanently in 10 weeks.
Our girls have become very frugal since living here. Their practical math skills have blossomed. They can recall prices better than the top contestant on "The Price is Right." They know a deal when they see it. Wal-mart only gets the nod if Goodwill doesn't have it...on discount day. This is all something that might have come much more slowly had we not lived in the Bahamas these last two years! However, there are other effects too. They wonder if they won't fit in well in the U.S. They wonder if their friends here will be closer than any friends there. They wonder if the U.S. kids will be laden with i-phones, the latest fashions, and heaps of friends that won't allow room for them. They wonder if the church won't worship as vibrantly as they do here, that they won't be calling their parents' friends "Auntie" and "Uncle" or "Sister...." and "Brother..." They wonder what homeschooling co-ops will be like. They wonder where, for sure, we will live.
And so each day is usually filled with some questions and answers. So in this, you can be praying. That God will quiet hearts. That God will make clear and straight paths. That God will provide for every need and beyond. That God will be glorified in the way we finish our time here. We covet your prayers. We feel them. Thank you for every thought, word, and prayer you've made to bring encouragement to us. God has seen and He will bless.
We are forever changed by all we have seen and experienced here. Our spoiled days of having everything at our fingertips ended the moment we landed here. Compared to many countries of the world, the Bahamas has plenty. But compared to the U.S.A, well...there's no comparison. One trip to Wal-mart when we are back in the states and our entire family is in shock! "When did they start making this?" "Did you know they had THIS flavor now?" "I didn't even know this many varieties existed!" "Look at this price! What a deal! Let's get 10 to take back..." We were recently in Florida and just didn't make it to Wal-mart until the day we had to head back to Nassau. BIG MISTAKE. Kendall and I (Kristin) were the only two who could go during that timeframe and we had only 30 minutes to shop. Again, BIG MISTAKE. We couldn't even get through the snack aisle in that time! Not to mention, since our bags were already packed and Delta has a "No free checked bag" rule we couldn't get much to take back. I just kept reminding Kendall that we would be flying back to the US permanently in 10 weeks.
Our girls have become very frugal since living here. Their practical math skills have blossomed. They can recall prices better than the top contestant on "The Price is Right." They know a deal when they see it. Wal-mart only gets the nod if Goodwill doesn't have it...on discount day. This is all something that might have come much more slowly had we not lived in the Bahamas these last two years! However, there are other effects too. They wonder if they won't fit in well in the U.S. They wonder if their friends here will be closer than any friends there. They wonder if the U.S. kids will be laden with i-phones, the latest fashions, and heaps of friends that won't allow room for them. They wonder if the church won't worship as vibrantly as they do here, that they won't be calling their parents' friends "Auntie" and "Uncle" or "Sister...." and "Brother..." They wonder what homeschooling co-ops will be like. They wonder where, for sure, we will live.
And so each day is usually filled with some questions and answers. So in this, you can be praying. That God will quiet hearts. That God will make clear and straight paths. That God will provide for every need and beyond. That God will be glorified in the way we finish our time here. We covet your prayers. We feel them. Thank you for every thought, word, and prayer you've made to bring encouragement to us. God has seen and He will bless.
Friday, 17 January 2014
fast and furious
Wow. Coming home to Nassau has us off and running! Beginning Sunday, we will be at church every night next week for "Consecration 2014," a yearly week of fasting and prayer in our church. Sunday afternoon, we will also be hosting the College of the Bahamas students for lunch. Then we have Kendall's 11th birthday on the 31st, a men's speaker arriving February 1st for a mini-conference, the Waite family arriving February 15th (also Keith's birthday) and the Planks arriving later in February. Phew! February promises to be fast and furious folks!
And in the wake of our two recent losses, our beloved pet and our dear Keva Poitier, we are still grieving, trying to put away Christmas decorations, and get back into the swing of school. There are many other items on our plate as well right now, but we will be informing you of those in the days to come.
God is near to us in our broken-heartedness. His Holy Spirit is our Comforter. We see the goodness of God. We are excited for the days ahead, though the "last days" of late have been difficult. It is a new year and we know God's mercies await us each day of it. Here are some sunset pictures I took back in December. Though they cannot capture the glory of God, they speak to it.
Psalm 19:
"The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above
proclaims his handiwork.
And in the wake of our two recent losses, our beloved pet and our dear Keva Poitier, we are still grieving, trying to put away Christmas decorations, and get back into the swing of school. There are many other items on our plate as well right now, but we will be informing you of those in the days to come.
God is near to us in our broken-heartedness. His Holy Spirit is our Comforter. We see the goodness of God. We are excited for the days ahead, though the "last days" of late have been difficult. It is a new year and we know God's mercies await us each day of it. Here are some sunset pictures I took back in December. Though they cannot capture the glory of God, they speak to it.
Psalm 19:
"The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above
proclaims his handiwork.
4 Their voice goes out through all the earth,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Tuesday, 26 November 2013
it's actual, it's factual
Recently, an American friend made a comment on our facebook page asking, "Aren't there any Taco Bells there?" Well the answer is "No." So in this little lighter-side post, I thought we'd just give the run-down on what American things there are and are not in this new country of ours. Today is our 17 month anniversary of living in Nassau, so in honor of those months, here we go!
American restaurants:
Wendy's
KFC
McDonald's
Burger King
Marco's Pizza
Domino's Pizza
Dairy Queen
Dunkin' Donuts
Starbucks
Johnny Rockets (Atlantis area, prices are of course NOT American prices! But not astronomical)
Carmine's (Atlantis area. Looked in, too expensive)
Subway (this one is back and forth, has been called "Bahamas Subs" and "Subway")
Sbarro
Outback (Woo-Hoo! This is brand spankin' new. Cheapest dinner is $19, but maybe for a special night like our upcoming anniversary?)
I think that's all. Quite a few, actually. As long as you like fast food!
Now as for stores, SORRY. Nothing American here. NO WALMART. NO TARGET. If those things existed here, Bahamians probably wouldn't leave the island nearly as much!
The closest thing we have to Walmart is a place called Solomon's. It actually looks like the old blue Walmarts, with the little red star under the word "Supercenter." Unfortunately it doesn't have the Walmart prices or variety! We also have a CostRite, which is like a Costco, but obviously much smaller and with much less variety. The prices are of course, not American either, but there are some deals to be found. Some simple price comparisons for you are as follows:
gallon of Milk: $7 and up
loaf of bread: $3.40 and up
doz. eggs (on sale) $1.87
Coffee, small can of Folgers Classic Roast $7
Starbucks small bag of coffee: $12
5 lb. bag sugar: $2.49 and up
8 oz. bag choc. chips: $6
10 oz. bag of chopped walnuts: $9
1/2 gallon Breyers Ice Cream: $11 and up
Small jar of Peter Pan Peanut Butter: $4.79 and up
6 oz. bag of Doritos: $5
Pack of Oreos: $7
individual cup of yogurt: $1.21 (.89 on sale!)
Pack of Andy Boy Romaine lettuce: $4.89 ($3.69 on sale)
Apples: .89 a piece
Grapes: 3.99 a lb., $2.99 on sale
12 pack of soda: $13.49
Spaghetti sauce: 2.79 for Can of Hunt's
All in all, not terrible for most things. You can see that snack foods (or junk food) is where they really get you, as well as certain produce like apples. The only time I buy apples is if I see them on clearance, packaged together. The only time we buy things like Doritos is for Birthdays or if they go on major discount. We never buy anything like Breyers ice cream. Chocolate chips are only bought if it's someone's Birthday or a special holiday.
We so appreciate all of our friends who willingly bring us treats from the states! We would feel much more "cut off" from normalcy if there weren't some occasional times where we get to have the treats we once took for granted back in the U.S. God is good.
American restaurants:
Wendy's
KFC
McDonald's
Burger King
Marco's Pizza
Domino's Pizza
Dairy Queen
Dunkin' Donuts
Starbucks
Johnny Rockets (Atlantis area, prices are of course NOT American prices! But not astronomical)
Carmine's (Atlantis area. Looked in, too expensive)
Subway (this one is back and forth, has been called "Bahamas Subs" and "Subway")
Sbarro
Outback (Woo-Hoo! This is brand spankin' new. Cheapest dinner is $19, but maybe for a special night like our upcoming anniversary?)
I think that's all. Quite a few, actually. As long as you like fast food!
Now as for stores, SORRY. Nothing American here. NO WALMART. NO TARGET. If those things existed here, Bahamians probably wouldn't leave the island nearly as much!
The closest thing we have to Walmart is a place called Solomon's. It actually looks like the old blue Walmarts, with the little red star under the word "Supercenter." Unfortunately it doesn't have the Walmart prices or variety! We also have a CostRite, which is like a Costco, but obviously much smaller and with much less variety. The prices are of course, not American either, but there are some deals to be found. Some simple price comparisons for you are as follows:
gallon of Milk: $7 and up
loaf of bread: $3.40 and up
doz. eggs (on sale) $1.87
Coffee, small can of Folgers Classic Roast $7
Starbucks small bag of coffee: $12
5 lb. bag sugar: $2.49 and up
8 oz. bag choc. chips: $6
10 oz. bag of chopped walnuts: $9
1/2 gallon Breyers Ice Cream: $11 and up
Small jar of Peter Pan Peanut Butter: $4.79 and up
6 oz. bag of Doritos: $5
Pack of Oreos: $7
individual cup of yogurt: $1.21 (.89 on sale!)
Pack of Andy Boy Romaine lettuce: $4.89 ($3.69 on sale)
Apples: .89 a piece
Grapes: 3.99 a lb., $2.99 on sale
12 pack of soda: $13.49
Spaghetti sauce: 2.79 for Can of Hunt's
All in all, not terrible for most things. You can see that snack foods (or junk food) is where they really get you, as well as certain produce like apples. The only time I buy apples is if I see them on clearance, packaged together. The only time we buy things like Doritos is for Birthdays or if they go on major discount. We never buy anything like Breyers ice cream. Chocolate chips are only bought if it's someone's Birthday or a special holiday.
We so appreciate all of our friends who willingly bring us treats from the states! We would feel much more "cut off" from normalcy if there weren't some occasional times where we get to have the treats we once took for granted back in the U.S. God is good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)