Today was our first day with mission work and multiple concerts. But even the morning started with an opportunity to be a witness. One of the ladies in charge of the breakfast in the hotel told Kendell and Peter how well behaved and friendly our group was. She note. d she had seen many church groups that did not live up to their speech about Jesus, but she felt our group did. She asked if she could hear them sing. So, as we got ready to leave the hotel, the group broke out with Bonse Aba right in the lobby. She grabbed Kendell's hand and gave him a big hug, and others in the lobby and the staff there were beaming when the choir finished. It was a palpable reminder that we are ambassadors for Christ where ever we are - even when getting a cinnamon roll at breakfast!
Our mission project is helping Central Baptist Church. Central Baptist has a long history in Daytona. When we offered to help them, we offered to do things that they would love to have done but may be outside what members would normally want to do. They took us up on it. We had teams just uncovering all their sprinklers and replacing the heads, clearing a field, and killing many weeds. As time went on, our group had a good time with each other doing this mundane work. They worked hard and made a huge difference. One of the members at Central almost cried when he saw how much one team did with the sprinkler system. He told Kendell it would have taken him a week or more just to take care of one zone on their property. Our team did 5. He couldn't get over how much they did.
We learned that Peter Haley and Yates Collier have futures as lumberjacks if they need a new career path. We also learned Florida has lots of lizards.
Our afternoon included 2 concerts. The residents were clearly moved by our singing. One concert included a man and his wife who just keep saying over and over to our youth that he loved them. They touched his heart and he touched their hearts! One of the best comments of the afternoon were from two women talking to Kendell. One turned and said, "There's one thing I don't like about your group. You don't live here where I can hear then all the time."
By the way, we highly recommend Caribbean Jack's for anyone coming to eat at Daytona. Delicious Caribbean pork and chicken made us wish they opened one back home! Then it was back to the hotel for some beach fun.
As the day closes, one of our songs comes to mind. Draw the Circle, Draw the Circle Wide. It reminds us of our drawing others to Christ as Jesus himself opens wide his arms. We drew a circle that included a lady serving breakfast, a circle that included a man who came to Christ to fight alcohol addiction, a circle that included residents of retirement homes, a circle that included the fellowship with each other. Pray for us as we continue to draw the circle wide.
Pictures
Our mission project is helping Central Baptist Church. Central Baptist has a long history in Daytona. When we offered to help them, we offered to do things that they would love to have done but may be outside what members would normally want to do. They took us up on it. We had teams just uncovering all their sprinklers and replacing the heads, clearing a field, and killing many weeds. As time went on, our group had a good time with each other doing this mundane work. They worked hard and made a huge difference. One of the members at Central almost cried when he saw how much one team did with the sprinkler system. He told Kendell it would have taken him a week or more just to take care of one zone on their property. Our team did 5. He couldn't get over how much they did.
We learned that Peter Haley and Yates Collier have futures as lumberjacks if they need a new career path. We also learned Florida has lots of lizards.
Our afternoon included 2 concerts. The residents were clearly moved by our singing. One concert included a man and his wife who just keep saying over and over to our youth that he loved them. They touched his heart and he touched their hearts! One of the best comments of the afternoon were from two women talking to Kendell. One turned and said, "There's one thing I don't like about your group. You don't live here where I can hear then all the time."
By the way, we highly recommend Caribbean Jack's for anyone coming to eat at Daytona. Delicious Caribbean pork and chicken made us wish they opened one back home! Then it was back to the hotel for some beach fun.
As the day closes, one of our songs comes to mind. Draw the Circle, Draw the Circle Wide. It reminds us of our drawing others to Christ as Jesus himself opens wide his arms. We drew a circle that included a lady serving breakfast, a circle that included a man who came to Christ to fight alcohol addiction, a circle that included residents of retirement homes, a circle that included the fellowship with each other. Pray for us as we continue to draw the circle wide.
Pictures