Mission Trip Update

Mission Trip Update

The first order of business was to run temporary water lines from the library/chapel building to the ladies dorm where two water pumps provide water to students and staff.

Then 30,000 gallons of water were drained overnight from the cistern. Many people would gasp at this thought. Why? Water is such a precious resource on the islands and water is never wasted. The good news is that we were there in the rainy season so the cistern would easily fill again.

Once the cistern was drained, it had to be cleaned, and a 32 inch wall built to divide the area. 

Student Help

Grafton Jack, a second year student, would help with cleaning, carrying blocks, building the wall, and plastering. It is very warm inside the cistern and masks were needed because of the strong odor of the plaster. Dr. Bellew, the interim president, as well as Pastor Whyte and Pastor Saunders also had their hands in the work at times. At the end of the day clothes had to be hosed off before they could be washed. 

Gravity

Once the cistern was done, some water was drained from the library/chapel building up the hill down to the dorm building. Gravity, one of God's forces, made that job easier!

Since there was some time and since we did not have to buy water, we purchased additional plaster and did half of the cistern in that building.

The final days found us cleaning up and packing away supplies. The PVC pipe will come in handy for the next project.

The picture below shows the new wall built in the cistern. This will help the next time it is cleaned. The water will have to be drained from only one half of the cistern rather than wasting all the water.

Billy also did some work on some of the dorm windows and did some major weed whacking. The picture below shows just a taste of the type of hilly terrain there is on the college campus. It is a challenge to keep it mowed and cut as the rain and warm sunshine make it grow very fast!

We have found that since coming home, flooding rains have come to the west end of St. Thomas so the cisterns are filling up once again!

Our trip was from October 25 to November 17. While on St. Thomas we had the opportunity to worship with our church family at Grace Baptist Church. We had truly missed the people there and again it was hard to say good bye to them.

Billy faced some health issues that made it quite a challenge. A dry socket from a tooth extraction required pain meds and antibiotics for two weeks, and then a severe cut in the cornea from a piece of concrete caused him to be on antibiotics another week. But God gave him the strength and endurance to finish the project and then some.

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

Philippians 4:19

We would like to thank those who gave and prayed for this trip to Bluewater Bible College. Your generous gifts made it possible for a much needed project to be completed and now the students and staff have a fresh, clean cistern for water.

Blessings,

Billy & Cecilia

Summer-Fall Newsletter 2016

What's Happening

Spring found us finishing up a work project for YES Ministry, visiting several different churches in Central Florida, and packing up our belongings and moving them into storage for our journey home to Maine. After visiting our sending church in Tennessee, we traveled several days to reach home. For the first time in a long time we were cold, experienced Spring and saw our family. 35 degrees sure feels different in real life than seeing it on TV!

Celebrations!

We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on June 1st. Where has the time gone?

Our first shipment of clothing for the children in the Caribbean was mailed to St. Croix for distribution in early June. God continues to provide cloth for Cecilia to keep busy sewing!

Mission Project

Billy started tearing apart a 100 year old camp near ours.A missionary couple, who will be retiring in the near future, needed their small camp repaired and updated.

Heavy clothing was needed the first few days as the weather was cold and blustery. It has since warmed and the building has progressed nicely.

News Of Faith

After a 1500 mile road trip from Maine, we are settling into a place in Kissimmee, Florida. We praise God for safety as we traveled and for this nice place to live. Billy is working for a family here on some renovation projects and Cecilia is busy unpacking and sewing clothes for needy children in the Caribbean.

Our hearts are still in the islands though our primary residence is in the states. We believe this is where the Lord wants us at this time. Our connections with churches and individuals will help in raising awareness of the needs of Bluewater Bible College.

We sense the Lord would have us to do some short term mission projects and our first one is scheduled!

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here an I; send me."

We leave October 25th for a 3 week trip to Bluewater Bible College on St. Thomas. The first much needed project is working on a 30,000 gallon cistern which provides water for the women's dorm and 5 apartments. It needs to be drained, cleaned, repainted, and filled with water. Once that is done, if there is any time left, we will work on other small projects. 

We are asking you to pray along with us as we seek the Lord for the $2000.00 needed.

The college is a mission school so our responsibility is to bring money for what projects we do. We will also be looking for individuals, couples, or small groups to so with us on some projects there in the future. If this is something you feel the Lord would have you do, contact us and we will make plans. The work is hard as you will notice in the picture below, but the rewards and blessings are too numerous to count!

Gifts for the project can be sent to:

Billy & Cecilia Stone

PO Box 700933

St. Cloud, FL  34770

We will update you on the project when we return or follow along on our blogspot. Thank you for your prayers! Hope to see you on a mission trip in the future!

Blessings,

Billy and Cecilia

340-643-0820 Billy

340-643-0821 Cecilia

www.CaribbeanMission.blogspot.com

Packing Once Again!

Packing Once Again

We find ourselves in a familiar place once again. Packing up our things and ready to head out on a mission project in Maine. Does this get weary? To be honest it sometimes does. But then again the excitement of the next adventure makes it worth it all. 

The Lord brought us back from the Caribbean for a season. He provided a good truck for transportation, a roof over our heads (though the small efficiency apartment was tight at times), a time of visiting family, friends and connecting with many new people and churches here in Central Florida. 

But now it is time to move on. Our lives, as follows of Jesus Christ, mean we are on a journey and home hasn't arrived yet. We know there is a place far greater than our imagination can take us. Is it real? Yes, Yes and Yes! The Bible clearly states that when Jesus left this earth, He plans to return for those who have put their trust in Him. He is preparing our Heavenly Home and to be honest at times, can not wait until that day. Until then, we will keep on packing, moving along on our journey until the Lord says to stop again.

"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
John 14:2-3

Winter 2016 Newsletter

Stateside Ministry

For the first time in over five years we were able to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with some of our family and friends. What a blessing!

The property we are staying in, which belongs to YES Ministry President, is for sale so we have been busy with painting, cleaning and repairs. We have visited several churches and Billy has had the opportunity to preach several times on Sundays and Wednesday evenings. We have also shared our slide presentation to some churches.

A mission project we helped with was fun as well as a lot of hard work. Seedline Ministry came to a local church and we helped with putting together over 50,600 Spanish books of The Gospel of John and Romans. They will be going to churches in Mexico and then distributed to the people there.

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." 

Isaiah 55:11

Cecilia has been busy sewing children's clothing for the needy children in the Caribbean islands.

Christmas packages were sent to the students at Bluewater Bible College. A big THANK YOU to New Beginnings Baptist Church for all their gifts to help fill those 8 boxes!

Community Project

Just before Christmas, a group of us spruced up a family's yard with mulch, trimmed bushes, mowed the lawn and hung Christmas lights. One of the women in the house spoke with the associate pastor and accepted Christ as her Savior. All the hard work was worth it to see her become part of the family of God!

Never Too Old To Learn

Both of us have had a desire to learn Spanish, but always thought we were getting too old to learn. Surprise! We are NOT too old and with beginner books, flashcards and Apps for the computer we are slowly grasping basic words. We don't ever expect to be fluent but hope we will be able to communicate as we interact with those who do speak Spanish.

Adios!

What's Next??

In late Spring we will secure or belongings here and drive to Atlanta to visit family, then to our sending church in Tennessee to share our ministry. It has been 4 years since we have seen them so it should be a great time of fellowship! Then we drive to Maine after a brief visit with family in Massachusetts and Vermont. We will be at our cabin for awhile this summer. We will be helping out a missionary couple from New Tribes Mission. They are nearing retirement and need their cabin fixed upso will be working on that. Since it is as old as ours (over 100 years old) it will require some major work. We also will visit family (two years is too long a time in between hugs from grandchildren!) and supporting churches and individuals. We are open to speaking engagements as they arise so it will be a busy time for sure!

Praises & Prayer Requests

Praises

Opportunities to Share our Ministry

Health & Safety

Mission Projects Here in the States

Prayer Requests

Opportunities to Present Ministry Needs

Safety as We Travel

Spanish Studies

Lord's Direction After Maine Ministry

Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support. They truly are a blessing and encouragement!

Billy & Cecilia

Contact Info

Billy 340-643-0820

Cecilia 340-643-0821

www.CaribbeanMission.blogspot.com

StoneJuicePlus@aol.com

Temporary Mailing Address

1715 Jersey Avenue

St. Cloud, FL  34769

Tax deductible contributions may be made online at

www.YEServants.org

or mail to

YES Ministry

PO Box 700697

St. Cloud, FL  34770