Tropical Island Turmoil

This afternoon we heard lots of cars honking out behind the property here at Youth With A Mission. As we went to check on the noise we saw a large group of people who appeared to be protesting. They were heading towards the hospital just up the road from here. Yesterday 86 people were laid off from their jobs at this government owned hospital. Car after car was following the group with loud horns blaring and soon they were heading back down the road. My camera had a glitch and by the time it was fixed the group had passed by. But you could still hear them as they headed west.

Now it has quieted down. But one thing we have noticed is that the sound of sirens has increased over this island during the last month. We praise God we live in a gated area and have watch dogs at night. We are hearing of break ins and shootings. Darkness comes early on the island and seems like that's when life changes here.

I am so glad my trust is in the Lord and He is my Protector!

Photo update on day 2 of protest. Over 100 people with children showed their concern for the layoffs.

January ~ February 2012 Newsletter

Recent Headlines

Hovensa, the large oil refinery here on St. Croix is closing it's doors. 2500 people will be out of work. For an island this size, it has a huge impact. Unemployment is already high, the government is dependent on the tax revenue from Hovensa, several private schools benefit from this company and it's donations, and the ripple down effect is already being felt. Gas prices have jumped $.40 a gallon this month. In June they anticipate much higher gas prices since gasoline and oil will have to be shipped in. Of course that affects food prices, cost of utilities, etc.



Hugo was the hurricane that devastated the island in 1989.

The Big Question is "How are families going to survive?"

Many people are talking about leaving the island in search of work and a new beginning. Many have mortgages, children and roots deep here on the island. The older workers will have a tougher time making the transition after years working for the refinery. Our hearts go out to the people of St. Croix. Having been in the midst of the decline in the construction business in the states, two years of trying to sell our house, and starting over in a different life, we know some of what the people here will be going through.

The ANSWER?



The only answer is placing our trust in God, the creator of the universe, Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit, who comforts, teaches and guides in our lives.

Does that mean there won't be tough times ahead? NO! It just means that during the tough times there is Someone who WILL be there every step of the way.

What Are We Doing?

We are finding ourselves praying more, taking more time for Bible study, and trusting God more than we have ever done before. There is plenty of work to be done if you are willing to volunteer your time and energy.

Billy recently laid some tile in the Director's house at Youth With A Mission. He also continues with his van ministry. Seems like when a bill is due, the Lord opens the door for another paying work project. He recently has done some work for Altona Baptist Church. Cecilia continues to work part time as a school nurse at a mission school.

God is STILL at Work!

Joo, our new brother in Christ, lives in Korea. While here on a mission trip he prayed with Cecilia and made a decision to invite Jesus into his heart and life. He is a young man seeking after the heart of God. We look forward to hearing how God will use him!

Good News! D"Andre does not need surgery at this time. Thanks for your prayers!

Ky'Danya is back with us in Children's Church!! God has answered the prayers of His people.

School Supplies

School nurses from Chattanooga sent 5 boxes of school supplies, toys and candy to the children here on the island. More school supplies are being gathered as we write this newsletter. A Family Partner Specialist is working hard in the Chattanooga area to gather much needed items for the 2012-2013 school year. God's perfect timing with the closing of Hovensa!

Children's Ministry

Children's Church continues to be a joy. The children are eager to worship God on their level. Several of the children have prayed the prayer of salvation and we are working with them one on one to make sure they understand true salvation. Their little hearts are much more open and tender for the things of the Lord.

CEF Training

We both attended a Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) Training Workshop. The new director is in Missouri for 6 weeks of training. Plans are under way to start Bible Clubs on the island. What an exciting time! More news to some!

Our New Phone Numbers

340-643-0820  Billy

340-643-0821 Cecilia

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."  Psalm 46:1

Praises

Salvation of Joo

D"Andre's health

God's faithfulness in providing for our needs.

Prayer Requests

Safety with rising crime

Joo and his ministry

The young people to seek God and His ways

Ministry opportunities

Affordable Housing

CEF outreach

We thank you so much for your prayers and financial support. It is the perfect time for us to be here on this island and there is a lot of work ahead.

Billy & Cecilia

Tax deductible contributions may be sent to

YES Ministry

P.O. Box 700697

St. Cloud, FL  34770

or

http://www.yeservants.org/

My New Brother In Christ!

Sometimes in life you find yourself in a position to make a difference in another person's life. It's usually not those earth shattering, seeing fireworks moments. It's during the simple day to day activities of life. A young man here at Youth With A Mission knocked on my door a week ago and needed someone to look at a broken leg on a table. Since Billy, the expert at those things, was not here I took a look. Later while walking in the yard we stopped for a while and talked. God quickly became the center of our conversation. I look back now and see that God had our paths cross and that nothing happened out of coincidence. Without going into detail, this young man made a personal decision to invite Christ into his heart and life to be His Lord and Saviour. A week later I am still in awe of God and how He works through our lives...



Joo, my new brother in Christ!



Some Good News!

The school nurses in Chattanooga sent some much needed school supplies to our students at Free Will Baptist Christian School here in St. Croix. Some items have been distributed and some will be given out in February during National Dental Health Month. This group of 5th and 6th graders were all smiles when I gave them crayons and colored pencils. I made sure they knew who had sent them from miles away!

Happy 5th Grade Students...Happy Teachers!

6th Graders

Kids are always happy to get a surprise!

Thank you Chattanooga School Nurses!

Answers To Some Of Life's Questions

Sometimes in life you go through some experiences and wonder how it will all work out but most of all you wonder why this happened in the first place. This week God has answered that question for one of those journeys for us. As I had written recently Hovensa, the oil refinery here on the island, is closing in a month, leaving many without jobs and possibly any hope of finding another one. The job opportunities are quite bleak here to be honest. God IS able to provide one, but maybe there is some work that needs to be done in the hearts of those losing the jobs. Maybe God wants us to have a deeper closer walk with Him. He knows that when things are going well our relationship with Him is not as close. Maybe God has a work He wants to do through you and the only way He can do that is to have a broken heart.

God allowed us to go through the job loss experience. Billy had a good business building homes, with employees, making a very good income. The bottom fell out in the home construction business and the small businesses could not keep going. Some major adjustments had to be made in our lives. We still had a mortgage payment, the regular bills that go along with life, and auto repairs, etc. Now many would be quick to ask "What did you do wrong?" We also asked that question. Things in life just happen sometimes!

But God had a plan, which at the time we couldn't see. We were actively involved in our church, reading our Bible, and felt we were doing what God wanted us to do. God began to rekindle the fire in our hearts for missions. It made sense to put our house on the market to sell. We contacted a realtor and soon people were coming to look over our house. Now that was uncomfortable at first. We had built the house from the foundation up ourselves and still had mixed emotions about selling it. Months went by and no sale. Since the housing market was not good for the seller, we kept reducing and reducing until finally after two years it sold. We came out debt free with very little profit. That still hurts today!

During those two years, work projects came in to help us keep our head above water. The bank worked with us so we could pay interest only on our house mortgage. It was a rough two years...but God was faithful! As our hearts were breaking, He began to mold and shape our hearts to line up with His desires for the plan He had for our lives. All we could do at times was to just trust and obey...seemingly with no answers.

But God still had His plan He was working on. We came to St. Croix as missionaries in November 2010. Both of us have been working while trying to raise support to stay here. God gave us the opportunity to start a Children's Church and be involved in the bus ministry for children. The other morning before going to work, I felt God clearly speak to my heart. It was like He was saying you KNOW what it feels like to lose a business, have to sell your home, and start over. You need to help those and show them there is hope. The only hope is in Jesus Christ!

What an AWESOME God we serve!

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

The Island of St. Croix Needs Your Prayers!

These were the headlines this morning in our island newspaper. Yesterday we heard the news that Hovensa, the oil refinery that employs about 2500 people on the island, will shut down in a month. To some it may not seem like a big deal but remember we are a small island and a large business closing the doors leaves many unemployed. The job situation here is not good, and recently the government announced laying off 1000 people. The Virgin Islands is also the 8th most deadliest place to live according to recent news.

This island is in urgent NEED of prayer. The loss of jobs has a rippling effect that at this time is hard to describe. For instance I work at a Christian school where parents pay to send their children for a good education. Many of these parents work for Hovensa. What does that mean for the school? For the students? For us? There are a lot of unanswered questions at this time.

Hugo was the hurricane that devastated the island in 1989.



We have and continue to learn that during any crisis, God is STILL IN CONTROL!
Our church has a sign for the year 2012 that says

 Can God?     God Can!

We have been praying for a revival on this island. God is doing a work here! When things appear to be spiraling out of control...remember God knew this was coming and He has a plan. Our responsibility is to pray, be obedient to what He says to do and keep our eyes on Him!

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."       2 Chronicles 7:14



Chattanooga School Nurses Are The Best!

For ten years I worked in the Chattanooga/Hamilton County School System as a School Nurse. Along the way I met some of the best nurses, one especially is Sheryl Rogers, my former supervisor. She has a heart for meeting the needs of children. Last year, when I first came to St. Croix, all I had was a stethescope to practice nursing with. She, and the rest of her school nurses gathered supplies and helped me get off to a good start as a School Nurse here.



This year at Christmas they chose my school and the children of this island as recieptants of 5 big boxes of school supplies, toys, candy, personal hygiene items, and lots of toothbrushes and toothpaste.

It was like Christmas all over again! I had such a good time unpacking and sorting through all the things. They sent me hand sanitizer...even some Bath & Body Works scented type! What a treat! 

There were stickers to hand out to sick or injured children. It makes coming to the nurse a lot more pleasant.

The children will be delighted to get these much needed supplies! And of course a sweet treat!

I do a personal hygiene class for the fourth and fifth grade students. They think I am wonderful when I give them a paper sack of soap, washcloth, deodorant and a comb, even though I explain it comes from the school nurses in the states.

Enough colored pencils and crayons to be divided among the students!

In February I do a dental health class at the elementary school. There are enough supplies for each child to receive a new toothbrush, toothpaste and floss. Some of these items were donated by Chattanooga area dentists.

Children love to get surprises! These items are a great way to develop personal relationships with the children. They see the school nurse as a person who can teach them about health issues, a person who cares for them and someone they can trust.

More pictures and information will follow once the items are sorted and given to the children.

Thank you to the Chattanooga School Nurses!

Your hands of love have reached to the children here on St. Croix!

"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:10