Fall Newsletter 2013

Worship At Altona Baptist Church

 

 

Myrna and Stephanie, worship leaders at Altona Baptist Church, also wear many other "hats" in ministering at our church and in the community. They have servant hearts and are also wonderful cooks.

 

 

Altona Baptist Church, the oldest Baptist church on the island,

celebrated it's 55th Anniversary in October.

 

 

Before & After

The Sunday School Room

 

 

 What a joy to start the fall off in our new classroom upstairs. The mission team from Faith Baptist Church in Kissimmee, Florida did a great job!

 

 

  

This group of young people are busy practicing puppetry and singing for the Christmas program on December 15th. Fluffy fabric has come to life and we are looking forward to the debut of

 "Patchwork Pals" puppets.

 

  

A Tragedy At School

 

A week before school started two of our teachers had to suddenly go back to the states for a medical emergency. The husband was diagnosed with metastatic cancer.

On October 14th, one of our ninth grade students tragically drowned. That was and still is a very difficult time for our students and school staff. It is as times like this that it is hard to understand but at the same time we know that God does not make mistakes and he is still ultimately in control. This was an opportunity to share the love of Christ with students and each other.

 

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9

 

 

Moving Into Our New Apartment

Once again we found ourselves looking for a place to live. The homeowner was returning to the island (which we knew was going to happen). Both of us were ready to move into a place that did not require work in exchange for a place to live. With our work and ministry schedules, it was becoming too much. We prayed about our needs and brought them before the Lord. In early November we moved into a downstairs, two bedroom apartment. It is very private, safe and hurricane ready. It even has a view of the mountains and sea. The owners have two dogs which are an extra blessing. Rentals and electrical bills are high on the island so we find our budget is tight. But overall we believe this is where the Lord would have us live. With a high crime rate on the island and hurricanes, safety was our first priority.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Different Cultures

 

 

People from all over the world have made St. Croix their home. Just as these eggs are a variety of color, size and shape, so are the cultures here on the island. Each offers it's own unique characteristic but inside each one is the same. Each person has a soul that Jesus died for. He desires a close personal relationship with each one.

 

 

Praises

&

Prayer Requests

Praises

Ministry opportunities

Quiet hurricane season

Housing

Prayer and financial supporters

 

Prayer Requests

Ministry at Altona Baptist Church & Free Will Baptist Christian School

Opportunities to share the Gospel

Health & Safety

Wisdom & Guidance

 

Thank you so much for your prayers for the ministry here on St. Croix.

May you have a

Merry Christmas

&

A Blessed New Year

 

Love

Billy & Cecilia

 

 

Tax deductible contributions may be sent to

YES Ministry

P O Box 700697

St. Cloud, FL  34770

or

www.YEServants.org

 

 

 



Summer 2013 Newsletter

Mission Team

Faith Baptist Church

Kissimmee, Florida

 

 

On Wednesday July 17th we headed to the airport to pick up a 14 member mission team from Kissimmee, Florida. They arrived with suitcases full of food and materials and lots of energy and a heart's desire to do service for the Lord.

 

Worship service at Altona Baptist Church


 



The men tore up a classroom floor, damaged by termites and put down new plywood. The temperature in that room must have been close to 100 degrees! A new light/ceiling fan was also added.

Pamela and Kristie painted a wall mural for the new classroom.

 

Painting, painting and more painting. The outside of the church is completely painted and looks so bright and clean.

 

 

The kitchen and bathroom were painted as well.

 

 

The men installed 7 ceiling fans/lights in the fellowship hall, replacing lights that were old and working occasionally.

 

 

New shelving was made for a downstairs closet. For a week they worked in hot, humid weather, some sleeping on air mattresses without the luxury of air conditioning.

 

"...for the people had a mind to work."

Nehemiah 4:6

 

Mission Team Memories

 

 

Daniel, age 15 and Joshua, age 11 were busy hauling old brush and watching for centipedes.

 

 

 

The women painted and cleaned as well as prepared 3 meals a day for 16 people. New tablecloths along with the ceiling fans made for a bright and welcoming fellowship hall.

 

 

Meals, snacks, drinks, and paper products as well as money for meals and food were donated by Altona Baptist Church members. What a huge blessing to have everyone working together in the Lord's House.

Testimony Time

The team sang as well as shared testimonies of what the mission trip meant to them.

 

 

Some much deserved beach time!

 

Words can not express our thanks for all the mission team meant to us. They accomplished so much work for our church, provided the supplies needed, and added some wonderful friendships to our lives. It was a sad day when we dropped them off at the airport but the wonderful memories will last forever.

 

The Days & Weeks Ahead

 

Both of us are back at work, involved in ministry at our church and with the school. We anticipate a move in the future as the homeowner of the house we are staying in returns to the island. We both are anxious to settle into a house that is a little more long term. We are working to expanding Family Night at church and doing the weekly church bulletins. Our desire is to not only have a close personal relationship with the Lord, but to encourage and lead others to do the same. We appreciate your prayers and financial support. We especially need your prayers as we work here on the island. God opens the doors but it is up to us to go through them. May our eyes and ears be open to His leading and directions.

Praises & Prayer Requests

Praises
Ministry Opportunities
Mission Team Success
Prayer and Financial Supporters

Prayer Requests
Ministry at Altona Baptist Church & Free Will Baptist Christian School
Housing
Safe Hurricane Season
Opportunities to Share The Gospel
Health & Safety
Wisdom & Guidance

Thank you so much for all you have done. We look forward to seeing what God has ahead.

Billy & Cecilia

Contact Information
340-643-0820 Billy
340-643-0821 Cecilia

Tax deductible contributions may be sent to
YES Ministry
P O Box 700697
St. Cloud, FL  34770
or
www.YEServants.org

 

 

 

 

 

God Cares About The Little Things

God Cares

 

So many times people feel like they don't want to "bother" God for the little things in life. But we have found that some of the greatest blessings can be found in the normal needs of everyday life.

 

Our refrigerator has been slowly getting warmer and warmer to the point that the freezer was no longer freezing. It is old and we're thankful it lasted as long as it has. Today we said we would check out the prices and see what it would cost here on the island. Home Depot had some nice ones, though their appliance sale was a couple of weeks ago.  So onto Sears I went. SALE on appliances! I found a refrigerator that was within our budget. Delivery is not free here, neither is the removal of the old one. As I talked to the salesman I told him that just a few days ago the Lord had provided some money for our ministry. Come to find out he was a pastor of a church on this island...

 

The frig could not be delivered until Saturday. Hmmmmm. He said let me check to see if one is in stock, came back and said he could deliver it himself on his lunch break for less than the contract delivery drivers could do it AND he could do it today.

 

God DOES care about the little things. We bought a refrigerator on sale, the pastor made some money delivering it (which is okay in my book as they are underpaid for the work they do) and we now have a new frig in our kitchen....all for LESS than the ministry money given to us. This was a double blessing.

 

Isn't God Amazing!!!

Back on The Island!

Back On The Island!

 

 

We arrived back on St. Croix on Friday June 21st. An overnight flight and long layovers made us eager for showers and a change of clothes. The temperature was in the 80's and humid when we arrived. It was a little of a shock as it had been in the 60's and 70's with some very cool nights in Maine. But it always good to get back home and into a normal routine.

 

Life out of Fluff??

 

Some of our boxes have arrived from Maine. We were especially anxious for two boxes full of fluff and stuffing. What is so important about that? We are going to be working hard over the next few weeks to bring life to the contents of these boxes.

 

 

Patchwork Pals Puppets

will make a scene on St Croix, bringing laughter to children and adults of all ages. Not only will they make you smile but they will teach some Bible truths through music and song.

 

Provision

 

We needed some puppet CD's so we made out our wish list. A stop at the post office to pick up the boxes brought another surprise. A check in the amount of what we needed came in the mail. Talk about God's timing and confirmation!

 

So, stay tuned to see little critters come to life!



Spring 2013 Newsletter

God Provides Again!

 

 

In our last newsletter we had shared the good news about housing...to our surprise the house came under contract! Within a week the Lord gave us clear direction on a house closer to the center of the island as well as work and church. During Easter break from school we packed up and moved again. This seems to be a much better fit for us and it still has a view of the Caribbean Sea!

 

 

 

Mission Team From St. Cloud, Florida

 

New Beginnings Baptist Church from St. Cloud, Florida sent their first mission team to St. Croix in April. Five energetic, fun loving friends stepped off the plane and began a week long ministry that has blessed many. They painted the upstairs and downstairs at Altona Baptist Church, Pastor David Beal did the Passover Meal Presentation, Pat E Kake, the clown, entertained the children at Free Will Baptist Christian School, Wordless Books were made and passed out to the children, some Cruzan foods eaten, and a whirlwind tour of the island. What a blessing and encouragement they were for us and the people they connected with. It was a sad morning when we took them back to the airport but we are looking forward to a trip in the future, Lord willing.

 

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor." Ecclesiastes 4:9

 

 

Billy, Paul Sham and Pastor David Beal painting the inside of the church.

 

Susan James, Pat Sham and Wanda Lehman making Wordless Books to give to the children in Chapel. (In between painting!)

 

Pat E Kake and Nurse Stone

 





 

Passover Meal Presentation

 

 

Our final night together before they headed home. They accomplished far more than we anticipated!

 

 

 

Thieves

It seems like no sooner than the team left and another team came, a team of thieves. They cut the electrical line from the pole to the church. Then pulled it from underground, more than 100 feet in length and more than likely sold the copper that was in the wire. Sunday morning services were broadcast on the radio via a generator.

 

 

Prayer Breakfast

Altona Baptist Church had a Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, March 23rd. Billy spoke on the importance of prayer in our daily lives. There were about 35 present and lots of praying for needs of our nation, island, church and families.

 

Heading Home

Tuesday, May 28th we leave St. Croix at 5:30 pm and will arrive in Maine on a morning flight the next day. We will be there just three weeks this year. We will try and pack in time with family and friends, presenting the ministry to several churches, work, purchasing items needed here on the island and hopefully a little kayaking on Maine's beautiful waters!

 

Praises & Prayer Requests

Praises

Ministry opportunities

Housing

Mission Team Ministry

Prayer and financial supporters

 

Prayer Requests

Ministry at Altona Baptist Church

Power to be restored

Trip to Maine

Opportunities to share the Gospel

Health & Safety

Wisdom & Guidance

Mission Team coming in July

 

We would like to thank each of you for your part in this ministry here on St. Croix. Some pray, some give, and some come. All are needed to make it effective.

 

Love

Billy & Cecilia

 

Tax deductible contributions may be sent to

YES Ministry

PO Box 700697

St. Cloud, FL 34770

or

www.YEServants.org

 

 

 



 

 



Another Move!

Packing, Packing, and More Packing!

 

 

Life has been busy with more packing and moving. Less than 6 weeks after we moved into an "unmarketable house", it came under contract. Talk about being in a whirlwind...but then we are learning to trust in the Lord and His plans and timing, even when we don't understand (and to be perfectly honest sometimes don't like.) But we know He doesn't make mistakes and we have seen so many encouraging events which confirm His leading.

In less than two weeks God has provided an even better place than we could have envisioned or asked for. It is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home just across the road from Cecilia's work and a short drive to Altona Baptist Church. It has some garden spots and lots of fruit trees. Out in the country and some pretty landscaping make this an enjoyable spot to call home. And we even have a sea view.

 

 



 

So on March 26th, during the school's Easter Break, we began the process of moving into our new home. Many boxes were still unpacked from the previous move so that made it easier. Billy will be doing some work on this house for the homeowner who is back in the states.

 

Mission Team Coming

On April 20th a team of five people from New Beginnings Baptist Church in St. Cloud, Florida will be flying in for 6 days. They will be helping with some of the needs at our church as well as ministering here on the island. Please pray for a safe and prosperous trip.

 

Plane Tickets!

 

 

We have booked our plane tickets to Maine!! We leave on May 28th and will return to the island on June 21st. Not as much time in Maine this year, but it will have to be enough!

Interesting Update!

 

Yesterday we posted our latest Blog Spot and sent out our winter newsletter.

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

Just a little Gomer Pyle humor...but then in life you need that sometimes.

An offer was made and accepted on the house we just moved into. It had been on the market several years and when we moved in we had no idea it would sell that fast.

Needless to say we are disappointed...but our faith still stands strong in the Lord. We know without a doubt we were to come here, and since He has allowed it to be under contract we know He has something more planned for us that at this time we do not see or understand. Again, we say our faith in the Lord still stands strong. He does NOT make mistakes so we are trusting Him, maybe even more so than we did before.

We met the lady who is buying it and enjoyed hearing how she wants to restore this old captain's house. We feel blessed to have been here as long as we have.

So stay tuned for the next step in our journey. It will probably be an interesting one!



Winter 2013 Newsletter

 

God's Provision

 

 

 

 

 

We have seen God's Hand of provision time and time again. We had been staying in an apartment on the east end of the island. We had done work to help get the house ready to go on the market. We knew at some point we would have to find another place to live. After Christmas we talked to a realtor we knew and she connected us with the owner (off island) of a home in downtown Christiansted. It was up for sale but needed a lot of work to get it marketable. Again, the Lord provided a place for us to stay in exchange for labor. And it has a view of the harbor! So in just a few days we had our things packed and moved. Our commute to work and church and weekly gas budget has been cut in half. The negative is living with "house under construction!"

 

 

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:19

 

Family Night

Family Night still seems to be quite popular. In December we showed "The Nativity", in January we watched "Facing The Giants" and February brought a large group out to see "Fireproof." A good time of fellowship and refreshments make for a good evening for families. We will continue this til May and then take a break during the summer months while people are away from the island.

 

Chapel

 

Cecilia taught this mission story from Child Evangelism Fellowship to the elementary students during chapel service. This is a blessing to the students as well as the presenter. Children are so open and their hearts fully trusting to the things of God.

 

Mission Teams Coming

We have two mission teams coming to St. Croix. A group from New Beginnings Baptist Church in St. Cloud, Florida will arrive in April all ready to help in any way they can. In July a team from Faith Baptist Church in Kissimmee, Florida will be here for a week. There is a lot of work that needs to be done and we are thankful for the help.

 

Miracle

Early one evening we heard a loud crash and screaming just outside our window. A SUV had rolled back into another SUV. A little 4 year old girl escaped what could have been a disastrous situation. She was getting in the back seat and there was about a foot of space between her and the other car. She was able to crawl to safety in her mother's arms with only a scrape on her arm. We stayed with the family til help arrived.

 

Youth Sunday & Sunday School

The second Sunday of the month is set aside for Youth Sunday. The young people sang, read Scripture, and took the tithes and offerings. What a blessing to see the young people serving the Lord as a young age. The director of CEF, Sam Bronigan, here on the island was the special speaker that day. Billy is scheduled to speak during March's Youth Sunday. We continue to teach Sunday School and work on the Church work projects.

 

 

No Water!

For 7 days we were without city water as downtown construction affected our water pressure. Billy converted the pump to cistern water to get us by for a few days. Once the water pressure came back up to normal, he worked on our pipes to clear rust and dirt before it reached the pump.

 

Praises & Prayer Requests

Praises

Ministry Opportunities

Salvation of an older lady during the morning message

God's provision of a house

Safety of a little girl

Water once again

 

Prayer Requests

Ministry at Altona Baptist Church

Opportunities to share the Gospel

Health & Safety

Wisdom & Guidance

Mission Teams Coming

 

We thank you so much for your prayers and financial support.

 

Billy & Cecilia

 

Contact information

Billy ~ 340-643-0820

Cecilia ~ 340-643-0821

StoneJuicePlus@aol.com

 

Tax deductible contributions may be sent to

YES Ministry

P O Box 700697

St. Cloud, FL  34770

or online at

www.YEServants.org