Signs, wonders and miracles. Miracles. Yes, we saw many of those! Being in a country where the cheapest hotel costs R1 500 a night, per room, camping is illegal and prison ministry isn't something we want to attempt - yet. (For any parents reading this, don't worry, your kids are still happy, safe and in very good, responsible hands!) So yes, our Global budget isn't able to stretch that far, so what do YOU do then?? Well, it's simple. You pray! And God works. Oh man, and He did! God provided in so much abundance!
Not only did He send a South African across our paths that booked us into a hotel for the first night, but He sent us another South African that took us to our 3 bedroom house for the 2 weeks. Here we were met by our Lady of Peace, who is also in charge of her church's missions board. She immediately linked us up with individuals in the church.
In the 2 weeks we were here, we were able to:
Do devotions, dramas and songs at a couple of schools
Clean up a house that was damaged by Hurricane Ivan
Share about GCEX and living a life of faith, trusting the Lord for everything, for a whole hour on Cayman FM's radio talk-show (this was another first for me)
Easter Sunday we had the opportunity to do a whole service, with testimonies, dances, dramas, videos and preaching. A lot of our time went into practicing a new dance and drama for this. It was a very blessed evening, with all our new Caymanian friends coming to support us.
Our lady of peace, Miss Erna, encouraged us that there is a time to give and a time to receive. This should be a time for us to receive, and to be blessed. As I mentioned previously, Caymans is really expensive, but we experienced God's provision in absolute abundance. He is a Father that knows how to give good gifts to His children! She even arranged for us to have a tour of the whole island, stunningly beautiful.
Starting out, we had to catch chickens and even an iguana to complete our meals (or maybe it was more for the experience) and then one afternoon 2 men showed up with 23kg of rice, 6 packets of chicken, cooldrinks, oil, spices... We almost started crying at the way God provides! We still haven't been able to finish all the food we were blessed with. And we were invited to a birthday party and a few BBQ's, where we could have amazing fellowship with the locals, and be reminded of braai "cuisine", which is so near to our South African hearts. Just look at this plate of food!
Looking back now, and sharing with Miss Erna, I realise how God planned all of this out, way in advance! Nothing is coincidence! The blessings we receive will spill over and in the abundance of it, bless others as well. Thank you, Jesus! Thank you Lord for way in advance already planning out our salvation by your Son, Jesus Christ. And that it's only by Your GRACE that we are saved, through FAITH. Not from our works, so that we can't boast in anything, except Jesus: The Hope of Glory! Thank you for rising us up with Jesus, so that we can also live in victory! That's what Easter is all about! Thank you Father God! (Ephesians 2:1-10)
So Thursday we are flying to Jamaica for 3 weeks. Please continue to pray for us and our finances, that we'll be where God wants us, when He wants us to be there, ready to do what He calls us to do! Greater things are yet to come, I can feel the anticipation in every fibre of my being... What a privilege!
Blessings!*