Faces of Jamaica

Aren't they just the sweetest...

Jamaica 2007

Sorry it has taken me so long to report on Samuel's trip to Buff Bay Jamaica. We have been catching up.

Samuel returned from Buff Bay Jamaica with many stories to tell. He had a great time and Grammy and Big Daddy said he did a great job. Samuel's says his favorite part was Family Day. This is kind of like our Homecomings at church, each of the six churches in the Buff Bay Circuit of churches gather together for one service and have lunch following the service.

The team was able to to take Upward coins. These coins have the plan of salvation through colors and scripture printed on them. Tommy said one day, they were helping out with the blood pressure and bloods sugar clinic and Tommy ask Samuel to give those waiting in line a coin. Tommy thought that Samuel would just hand them the coin, but no - Tommy said that Samuel was sharing what the coin meant to each person he gave one to.

Big Daddy sharing the plan of salvation through Upward coins

Samuel giving out Upward coins

Tommy also shared another story about Samuel at one of the evening services. It was the end of the service and Pastor Vernon was giving the invitation. He had told the people there that the team members were down front if anyone needed to speak to someone. Samuel was sitting with the team on the front row. Tommy looked over at Samuel and he had pulled a tract out his pocket and was looking over it to be ready if anyone came.

This makes me cry as I type, just thinking that Samuel knew the reason why he was there - to share the gospel!!! He knew he was to be ready just as everyone else.

I can't express how proud of him we are are. We may never know the seeds that were planted the past week because of a sweet nine-year old boy, but we know that he did the job he was sent to do.

Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of a wonderful week in the life of our son.

Samuel and Preacher Clark on "Rocky Beach"

Samuel and Fire; pray for the salvation of Franklin Wrigley Daniel

Samuel and Grammy ready for Family Day

Many of J's (Jamaica currency) have been spent on Ting and Cream Soda at this little store by the Sparks Family.

Samuel and Big Daddy

Samuel and his (and his Mommy's) favorite Jamaican food, patties

There're Home!

Samuel and the Mission team returned home last night around 7:45. Samuel is very tired, but I have gotten him to talk to me a some and he seems to have had a great time. Hopefully, over the week-end or next week I will have pictures to show you. Thanks again for praying all week. Please continue to pray for the people of Jamaica and Pastor Vernon.

Have a great week-end!

Coming Home!

Samuel and the Jamaican team are headed home today. We did not talk with them yesterday, but Cathy called Amanda and told her that Samuel was ready to come home. We haven't gathered that from talking with him, but I know that his sister's are ready for him to come home; they have missed him. I can't wait for him to get home and hear him tell his side of the trip and I can't wait to see Jamaica through his eyes with his pictures.

I haven't share much about our past week, I wanted to focus on praying for Samuel and the team, but I wanted to share these few pictures with you. This past Saturday morning, I went to some yard sales with Aunt Cindy and Aunt Lois. We found some cute dresses for the girls and they couldn't wait to wear them Sunday morning.

Evening Update

We did not expect to talk to Samuel tonight, but we were surprised by a phone call from him, Big Daddy and Grammy tonight.

Samuel is doing well. They visited two schools today and delivered school supplies and visited the hospital and delivered supplies and gave out stuffed animals. He said he gave a little girl who had just came out of surgery a stuffed animal. I am so proud of him!!

Besides letting Samuel talk to us the main purpose of Tommy calling was to ask us and everyone we know to pray.

There is a man who visits each Mission Team and sells them Blue Mountain coffee beans. Tommy has been building a relationship with this man for 11 years now. He goes by "Fire", but his name is Franklin Daniel. He came by today and told Tommy he wanted to come by tomorrow and talk to him - no business - he wanted to talk to him about some things. Please pray tonight and tomorrow for the salvation of Franklin Daniel. Pray that God would open his eyes to His salvation. Pray for Tommy as he is used by God to share with Fire. Pray for the other team members that they would respect what God may be doing. Pray that Samuel would not interrupt, but maybe Samuel would see God's hand in Fire's life. Thank you for your prayers and we would ask that you share this request with those you know. We know that God is in control and is in control of this trip - we pray that the team continues to seek His will.

In His Grace - Travis and Alyssa

I Finally Talked to Him!!!

I am happy to inform you that I finally talked to my son yesterday. I was so relieved to hear his voice. I admit to you, I am missing him and not being able to talk to him was getting hard. He had talked to his Daddy a couple times, but we had not had the chance to talk, so I praise God that He allowed me to talk to him yesterday.

I had several people tell me, "Don't worry, he's fine". I was trusting God that he was fine and doing great, but what kind of Mommy would I be if I was not missing him or wanting to talk to him myself. So again, I thank God that He allowed me to do that yesterday. His Big Daddy said, he got a little homesick yesterday morning, so they let him call home last night. I'll admit something else to you too: I don't want him to be homesick because that is a terrible feeling, but I am glad to hear that he misses us...

I am happier to inform you about what the Lord is doing in Jamaica. The team began their evening services at Mt. Vernon and Tranquility on Sunday night and God saved two people at Tranquility!!! The ladies class began yesterday morning and God saved one lady in that class. Isn't God amazing to allow the team to see fruits of their labor and bring people into His kingdom?

I asked Samuel if he had made any new friends and he said yes, there was a little girl who came to where they are staying each day. Please pray for this little girl, (I don't know her name, but God does) that God would use Samuel to share His love and salvation.

We don't expect to hear from anyone until tomorrow, but thanks for you prayers. God is answering them!!!!

Jamacia Update

Good morning! We continue to thank you for the prayers the prayers for Samuel and the entire team. We talked to Samuel for just a moment yesterday afternoon. They were suppose to have the "fun" day on Saturday and go swimming and eat jerk chicken. Samuel told his Daddy that he tried Jerk Chicken, but they didn't get to go swim because it rained all day Saturday.

They had Family Day yesterday and we beginning evening services last night. They will begin the class for the ladies this morning and visit a school this morning and continue to evening services.

We don't expect to hear from them until later in the week, put please continue to pray.

Happy Memorial Day!

And There're Off!

Thank you for praying for Samuel and the Jamaica team so far this morning. We had a safe trip to the airport and there were no problems with check-in, Praise the Lord! We talked to Samuel around 11am and they were on the plane getting ready to take off. William had made his flight to Atlanta and was in Memphis, last we heard. As of right now, he should be in Montego Bay and the rest of the team should be arriving very soon.

Thanks for praying for Travis and me, me especially, as Samuel left this morning. I did pretty good. A lot of times dreading something is much worse for me than the actual event. And today, that was the case. I dreaded today, all day yesterday. Samuel was just excited to get on the plane, so he did well. His sisters kept hugging and kissing him. Anyway, we hated to see him go, but we know that he is in God's hands and God will protect him and take care of him.

I'll update as soon as I can. Thanks again for praying!

Jamaica Commisioning Service

Last night the Jamaica team was commissioned to go and share the gospel with the people of Jamaica.

2007 Team Members:

Kristen, Tommy, Cathy, Lou, Ashley, William, Samuel, Brad, Amanda, Richard and Dennis

I was not able to go, Hannah Grace was sick with her third round of what ever it is, all day yesterday, but Memama and Granddaddy were here to support and pray for Samuel.

After church the team packed their extra suitcases with the collected supplies. Travis said it all went well and the weight of each of the suitcases seems to be great.

I guess I need to explain about the extra suitcases. Each person is allowed two suitcases, weighing 50 pounds each, a carry on and a personal bag (purse, book bag). Each team member will use one of their suitcases to carry collected supplies and the other for their personal items.

Week of Prayer for Jamaica Missions

Next week, I was going to starr posting on the sidebar a prayer request for the Jamaica Team each day, but Travis' cousin just e-mailed and ask me to pray for her son Brad that he would receive his passport today so I decided to started posting requests today.

I will be posting specific request for the Jamaica Team as they prepare and are serving in Buff Bay, Jamaica. I will also post updates as we receive them.

Thank you for taking part in Samuel's trip by praying.

A Month Away

Samuel's Jamaica trip is less than a month away; it was a month yesterday. I can't believe it and he is getting excited. We received his passport in about two weeks, so that was an answer to prayers. We had a joint service with Christian Faith Assembly this past Sunday - that gave Samuel an idea of the size of the church he will be working at in Jamaica.

On Sunday evenings, we have been doing a study on Spiritual gifts. Samuel took the "test" and two of his highest gifts were Mercy and Evangelism. I praise God that Samuel will be able to use those gifts in Buff Bay, Jamaica.

Please continue to pray for him and the entire team (and us) and they make final preparations.

Love to you all!!!

The picture was taken the day we went to get his passport at the post office. He and his Daddy both thought this mailbox was cool.

Exciting Summer

Samuel had a big summer planned; he is going to RA camp in June and then the 22 Member Family Vacation to Walt Disney World. This week his summer got even more exciting. On May 26th he will board a plane with his Grammy and Big Daddy and seven others and travel to Buff Bay, Jamaica for a Mission Trip.

I want to share with you some of a letter a wrote to our family this week..

...Samuel was 10-months old when we took our first trip, now, he will turn ten this summer and he is planning his first trip to Jamaica.
When plans began for the trip to Jamaica this years we had no idea that Samuel would be making the trip, but the Lord seems to be planning otherwise. Someone has backed out and Tommy and Cathy have asked that we allow Samuel to go with them. As his Mommy, my first reaction was NO WAY! No way, am I putting my ten year told son on a plan and send him across the ocean without me. But as the days have passed, the Lord has reminded me of something he taught me ten years ago: As much as I love Samuel, God loves him more. So, as I much as I want to scream NO - I know that God loves Samuel and has special things planned for his life. When I was in the hospital giving birth to Samuel, Eddie stood outside my room and prayed that God wold use the little boy that He was bringing into the work in a special way. This is just another way God is answering that prayer.
God has given Samuel such a wonderful sweet, caring and loving spirit. He has given him such a love and concern for people; it is wonderful to see him get excited about going visiting with Big Daddy and to see the excitement in his eyes when we talk about him going to Jamaica.
...please pray as we handle all the details of the trip, his passport mainly. As his parents, we ask that you pray for us and we prepare our hearts for the day he gets on the plane. We know that God will handle every detail.

We ask all who read our blog that you begin praying now for Samuel and the others on the team and for the people of Jamaica, that God would begin now to soften their hearts to hear the gospel and open their eyes to His salvation.

We will keep you updated...

In His Amazing Love - Travis and Alyssa