Advent Lutheran Church

It is a beautiful Sunday morning. Cloudy with no chance of rain, and a great breeze comes from time to time, which makes the day even better. Huge blessings from God. 

The team has it's breakfast at the church. Afterwards they join the congregation of McCabe Memorial for their Sunday morning service. The team enjoys the Bible study, the worship service, and the message God put in Pastora Luisette Beranstain's heart to bring for all to hear. God's call to missions and unity is the main topic in the whole service. The local church and mission team are excited to see what God has in store. Glory to Him be!!!

It's lunch time on Sunday, and the wonderful Jacky has prepared an awesome, delicious, and typical Puertorican dish for the team. White rice, pink beans with pumpkin squash and jam, Puertorican fried chicken, and green beans for the main course. The team just devours this homemade meal. Nobody does it like Puerto Rico. Thank you Jesus.

The mission team poses quickly before heading out to various houses in the community to pray. They are joined by Pastora Luistte and a few church members who lead the teams to various homes with many physical, economical, and spiritual needs. It's the first step they take to the mission field in La Playita, Ponce. This is a time for them to meet members of the community who do and do not attend the church. It allows the team to know what the church does and with whom they service.

Everyone gathers together at the sanctuary after breakfast, where they receive a cordial and warm welcome to the VBS. Pastora Luisette allows the kids and local staff to present each other to the missions team and vice versa. Later, the kids take their class with the local teachers. During this moment, the missions team prepares themselves for their part in the VBS schedule. They have been preparing for months for this moment. God will do His will for His glory. We will share His love to all of them and everyone else.

The missions team divides the children from VBS into two groups to do two activities at the same time.  This group of children are doing the crafts activities set up by the missions team for them. 

After the morning is over and the kids have had their lunch, a young man's birthday is celebrated by those that love him: his family, his friends, the church, and the team. Music, chips, cake, soda, and candy make all the kids smile... and some adults as well. Is just an environment of festivities and celebration for those who have another year of life and thanks to give.

The team embarks on it's mission of the day, but this time through work projects. The team is tasked with painting various classrooms for the school, a few outside walls, and clean a small yard. This group has finished the few outside walls the church needed to be painted and has started painting the classrooms. All the walls inside are being painted and finished for this one room today. God is good giving us the strength the team needs to continue with this schedule.

The young artists of the group start drawing their design for the mural they will do of God's Creation at the school. It is going to be a beautiful piece of art. God is who giveth us our talents. Praise be to He, and all those give it to Him when they see this mural.

Part of missions is to explore the culture and what the land offers. It's more than just about the food one should enjoy, sometimes it is just about standing on a beach after a hot day and enjoy getting your feet wet and the breeze that hits you. God created this Earth for our pleasure. We join Nature in harmony to praise and worship Him for all of it.

The team momentarily poses after getting ready from the water to walk along the boardwalk and have their team meeting. Beautiful night.

It's still a beautiful day in Ponce. The missions team help make the bracelet design for the kids at VBS outside the classroom. It is a great moment for everyone to use their creativeness.

Inside the classroom, the kids work on their family tree craft and share with the team about themselves and vice versus. 

Later in the afternoon, the team finishes painting the classrooms. They went above and beyond the expected. New paint, clean rooms, organized for use, and all the materials still in tip-top shape to use again and lots of paint leftover for the school to use for their other five classrooms left. The team from Advent Lutheran Church is completely amazing in whatever they have done. True servant hearts and to be admired, modeled after, and envied. May God continue to pour His blessings upon them.

The team enjoys another moment exploring the island. This time they do it by going to the bio bay at "La Parguera". This is one of three bio bays Puerto Rico has. They enjoy local meals like empanadas and pop. They get a history lesson about the bay and dinoflagelants. It was an awesome and unique experience seeing these little sea creatures glow at night. God was so good that He hid the moon and let the stars shine for the bay to glow. God is in the details.

It's the last day for the Advent Lutheran Church missions team to participate at the McCabe Memorial Methodist Church VBS and they are going out with style. The team sets up the final craft for the day. The kids will take the individual snacks and learn what they represent in God's creation. It is a fun way to teach, knowledge with great food.

The missions team paint the kids' faces (with washable paint) before heading out to do the craft.

Everyone poses together for one last shot before the week is over. The kids head home. The team has their lunch. But before all that happens, the team and kids say goodbye to each other with everyone in tears. The love that has been poured on one another, the fellowship developed, and the addition of new family added to the hearts makes it hard to let go and say goodbye. No matter how short a trip might be, when these things flow together; it becomes part of you, it seems like you've been here forever. That is what God does. He allows things like this to happen. He shows us His way, His plan. He brings us all together. It might be a short trip here on this Earth, but we will all gather together in Heaven as one family. Thank you God and we love you.

The Mural of the power of God. He has this world in His hands and control of what happens. Thanks to the team and children who participated on this, but a shout out goes to Charlotte and Lily who designed and drew this piece of art. It is a testament to all those who walk into the school and church of who God is and of his immeasurable power. McCabe Memorial is thrilled to have this. The hands are from the kids and missions team with a few others. 

After morning VBS, the team enjoys themselves at the beach. It has been both hot and cool with breeze on both days, but today it doesn't matter. The team cools of in the cool sea. Everybody enjoyed themselves and had fun. Plus, the team meet the other PPM team that was enjoying their beach time as well.

A look at the delicious and awesome meal the team had with Pastora Luisette, her husband Rafael, and son Rafi, Jr. at the "La Guancha" Boardwalk. It is the final meal the Advent Lutheran Church and McCabe Memorial Church has together before they part ways the next day. It's an emotional night as both team share their appreciations of everything that has happened during the week and exchange gifts. The environment of lights, music, cool breeze, and great music just makes the night more special and unique. God is beautiful. 

This great looking dish is stuffed mofongo with chicken in red sauce with a side of salad and mayo-ketchup sauce. 

Before the missions team leaves to the airport at San Juan, they say their final goodbyes to the children and church. It has been an amazing, unique, and beautiful trip. God had His hands from before the trip started and will have long after it ends. To Him be the glory and praise. 

  People say things happen for a reason, and they do. The group gets their faith tested when a tire from the driver's side blows up and shatters completely, leaving the groups, since their is another PPM team also serving in Ponce, stranded in the highway. An hour later of waiting, the teams get picked up and head to San Juan, only to find two traffic jams along the way. The pressure is on. Only one hour to do everything.

Unfortunately, the team misses their 1:15 pm flight. But God was in control for His glory. The team gets everything fixed. First they get put on the next flight out at 3:30 pm with no charge, which is usually $200 per person. Second, the flight which is usually full was empty. Third, the team would make it on time for their flight connection in Pennsylvania. Finally, the ladies at AA that  helped do this testified that we had angels on our side. God is just great. 

The final moment just before the missions team heads through the gate to finally go home. Mission accomplished.