Final Post from this Little Island

I can't believe its over! Yesterday we had our final assembly at S.P.I.C.C. with all the students, teachers, and parents. What a precious experience! Such beautiful costumes, dancing and songs! The presentations, performances and gift-giving from the children were sweeter than I even expected! I will miss these children so badly!

Today a friend of the family gave us more of a tour of the island. We went as far as we could east until the road ended. There, we had a great view of tiny, 100+ population island of Aunu'u which is a 20 minute boat ride away from our very own Tutuila island. We also hiked up to Blunt's point, an old, U.S. military sight where they have 2 canons that were used back in WWII. Such a neat historical place! It was also especially fun to go there since everyone back home will be celebrating our Independence Day tomorrow. I'm sad I'll have to miss it again!
Lastly we drove up to see some of the villages on top of the island where it stays cooler year-round from the wind. The view up there was beautiful! We could see the ocean on both sides.

Tomorrow we will attend church with the family, have a final traditional Samoan meal and then clean up the school, hopefully leaving it looking better than when we arrived. We leave Monday on the island hopper plane back to Apia, Western Samoa. There we'll have a layover for roughly 12+ hours and then a 10-hour flight, arriving back in the states mid-day Tuesday (Lord-willing).

I'm looking forward to seeing my family after this difficult month away, but I will miss the fellowship we've shared with the people here! It's incredible to have family (brothers & sisters in Christ) all over the world though! Such a sweet taste of heaven!

I'm just so grateful for all the experiences we've had here! Wonderful people, sights to see, children to love, lessons to learn and to continue learning... God truly blessed us over and over and over again! It's overwhelming when I think about all the ways He provided and blessed our time here more than we ever ever deserved or could even imagine! I'd heard that sometimes when people go on mission trips they return home feeling more blessed from those they met than feeling that they blessed those people. I definitely feel that way tonight! The Samoan and Tongan people we've spent time with here never stopped serving and giving! Its a cultural thing, but still, what a great example of selflessness! It definitely tugs on my heart, spurring me on to want to serve God through serving people more and more and more! Praise the Lord for that!

Well everyone, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for following me through the ups and downs of my journey this summer!!! I wish I could express how grateful I am for your prayers and support from the states! God knows I needed you all! I look forward to seeing you all and being able to thank you in person! God bless you!!



PLEASE PRAY FOR:

1.) A wonderful final day with the family here. Pray that we leave them feeling blessed and encouraged to continue their work for the LORD in this religious, yet Godless & dark island.

2.) Safe travels as we leave from here Monday to return to the school Tuesday night and then home to our families Wednesday after our debrief.

3.) Our hearts & minds as God continues working on us and teaching us through everything we've learned and experienced here this summer.

4.) The children we had contact with during our stay. Pray that God would water the seeds that were planted in their hearts during these four weeks.

5.) The people we don't even realize we have impacted through this trip. Pray that they can see Christ in us and desire to know Him because of it.


THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH!!! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!