New plan of attack!

This morning I started a new reading plan.  It is designed to go through the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice in a year.  I have attempted the read the bible in a year thing before, but stalled out through the Old Testament.  I figured this might change things up a bit for me and keep me on the right track.  I am especially feeling convicted due to the fact that my 8 year old son is in 1 Chronicles on his way to reading through the bible.  I was talking to him a couple nights ago about how he is doing in his reading and he asked me if I had caught up to him.  I humbly had to say no.  So, I am now back at it again.

This reading plan take you to 4 books of the bible each day.  2 Old Testament and 2 New Testament.  Right now we are going through a lot of beginnings.  The beginning of the world, the beginning of Jesus's live on earth, the beginning of the disciples journey without Jesus on earth, and the beginning of building the Lord's house in Jerusalem.  What was so awesome about these beginnings is that they all began because God did something.

When it was time to create the earth, God spoke.  When it was time for Jesus to be born, God made Mary with child.  When it was time for the disciples to begin there journey, God had given orders through the Holy Spirit.  When it was time to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, God appointed Cyrus and stirred the people to build.  It is pretty apparent that none of these things would not have happened without the sovereign power of the Lord.

I know this might seem pretty basic, especially to the believer.  We have been taught from the time we enter the doors of the church that God is powerful.  That God is the creator of all things.  That we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.  So, I know that this is no huge revelation.   But, what keeps coming to mind and is impressed on my heart is how often we forget this.  Despite the fact that it is ingrained in us from the beginning of our life with Christ, we tend to forget about the absolute power of God and begin to live our lives based on our own understanding.  We find ourselves in situations that we have no clue which way to turn and instead of drawing on that awesome power, we lean to personal logic and the worlds definition of understanding.

Acts 23-25 spoke to me this morning.  It says, " So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas ( who was also called Justus), and Matthias.  And they prayed and said, 'You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.'"  This was Peter speaking and his heart was to truly see direction from the Lord.  How many times are we faced with decisions that we never stop and pray and ask the Lord for direction as Peter did here.  What an example for us to be completely dependent on the Lord for guidance.  I know that I fail at this more often then not and my prayer is that the Lord stirs my heart to seek Him at all times.

My prayer is that God continues to stir me as he stirred Cyrus and the people to build the house of the Lord.  God has given me a house and has blessed me with the awesome responsibility to lead and teach them in the way of the Lord.  I believe the only way that I can do that is to be faithful in my reading and time with God.

I also pray that the Lord is working mightily in your life and I hope to encourage you in your time with the Lord.

BLESSINGS..... Billy

Where do we put our faith?

One of the things that God calmed my heart about while in American Samoa was the possibility of getting sick or getting some sort of infection.  The Lord protected me while on the island and brought me home before anything happened.  When I am in a situation where it is hot and I sweat a lot, I tend to get these little bumps on my skin that appear to be something like an ingrown hair.  I had a few on my arms that I was able to "pop" and they went away.  But, there were a couple that were a little more stubborn.  It started on my right elbow.  After being home a couple of days, I noticed that there was a bump and it was quite red.  It started to get quite sore and after a couple more days, it was also quite big.  There was another one developing on my right forearm as well.  I had bandaged them up with some Neosporin and hoped that they would just go away.  Well they didn't.  By Monday, they were pretty red and huge.  I was so sore that I couldn't straighten my arm out without it hurting pretty good.  After some  convincing from my wife, I know... just don't like to go to the Doctor, I went to the Doctor on Tuesday.  One look at them and she said that bumps were some sort of bacterial infection that entered into the pours of the skin and began to do its magic.  The treatment for this was to slice open a whole in the bump, squeeze out the puss, and let it drain for a couple of days.  She would then put me on a couple of antibiotics to kill the infection.  She said they have been seeing some pretty stubborn skin infections lately and didn't want to take the chance with just one antibiotic.  

So, after the cutting had been done, they bandaged me up and told me to come back in a day or two to get it drained again.  Not really looking forward to that, but I will be there bright and early in the morning to get it done.  Hopefully I was not too graphic in my explanation, but I wanted you to completely understand what was going on...... :) 

After thinking over the past week of events, especially the arm, it got me thinking.  Were do we put our faith and why?  Since my return, God has been speaking to my heart to not just go back to doing things the way I used to just for the sake of doing them.  He has really given me a motivation to search out what He wants me to do and work towards that.  You see, before the blessing of going to American Samoa, I would have been relying a whole lot more on my own understanding and comfort levels than I feel lead to now.  But, He continually showed me on the trip that He is in control and that I need to have joy no matter how things turn out.  Please understand I am not saying this to say that I have some great knowledge or that I am some sort of scholar on the subject, I am just sharing with you a testimony of what God has done in my life.  

So, here I am, looking at the storm of life in front of me and I am thinking, what am I to do next?  There is a pretty big storm out there right now and the waves are bigger than I have ever seen.  I am pretty sure that when they hit the shore the waves will create a lot of damage and dis-pare.  I am going to experience something more devastating than I have ever experienced in my life...... or am I?

I was reminded of a sermon I heard by a friend of mine Matt regarding the power of God.  Forgive me if I get the details wrong, but the message is still the same.  He stated by telling a story of a man who was a champion chess player.  The champion was at an art show one evening with some friends and happened to see a painting with the title "Check Mate".  It was a depiction of a chess game that was about to end and one player had check mate.  Something struck the chess champion odd about the painting.  He know something was wrong, but he couldn't place his finger on it right away.  After contemplating the picture, it finally came to him.  He said, "It is not check mate, the King still has one more move."  You see, this is what the Lord does for us.  When Jonah went into the belly of that large fish, we thought "Check Mate."   But no, the King still had one more move.  When Daniel went into the lions den, the people thought, "Check Mate."  But again, the King still had one more move.  When Shadrach Mishach and Abednego were sent into the blazing hot  furnace, the people also thought it was "Check Mate."  And yet again, the King still had one more move.

What this shows me is that God is bigger and greater than any storm or wave that could ever come my way.  As Jesus showed us in the book of Mark, he has the power to calm the storm and lower the waves.  He also showed us when Jonah was released from the huge fish, when Daniel was not eaten by the lion, and when Shadrach, Mishach and Abednego were not incinerated in the fire.  No matter what storm you are in, what fish has swallowed you, how big the lion is that is looking at you, or how hot the furnace is that you are in, the KING STILL HAS ONE MORE MOVE.  

Now, we don't know that move is, but what we do know is that in Romans 8:28 God's word says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."  You see, God has a plan for me and you.  And no matter what we must put our faith in him in order to get through the things that life throws at us.  

Again, I am no scholar and far from perfect at applying this to my life.  But, God has encouraged me to stay faithful and trust in Him and I hope that  if you are facing some difficult times, that you can take refuge in the fact that God is in control.  Please know, that God still has one more move and that whatever that move is, God knows what is best for you.

One last thing before I go.  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful wife to go through this thing we call life with.  Thank you God for giving me someone who I can grow with and deepen my relationship with you together.  She has supported me greatly through this trip and I know that it took a lot of faith on her part to do that.  Thank you Sara for who you are in Christ and I can't wait to see where God leads us to in this season of life and into the next.

God Bless... until next time... Billy

Getting Adjusted and another Cyclone

Well, I have been back home 4 days and I am finally feeling normal again.  Was having a hard time getting adjusted again.  I had heard people talk about jetlag and to be honest I thought it was a bit overplayed.  But, I am a believer now.  This was my first long trip and I really felt it.  Oh well, at least things are going in the right direction now.

I have been doing my best to try and keep up with what is going on back in American Samoa.  I received an email from Elaine and Larry our incident commanders that are still on the island that there is a cyclone headed their way.  I have been following it throughout the day and finally decided to Skype them and see if I could get through.  I spoke with Larry and he said it hadn't hit them yet, but it looks like it will at 9pm local time (that is 1:00am our time).  The reports are rain and wind around 75 miles per hour.  Please pray for their safety and the safety of all of the people on the island.  We are hoping that this does not create too much damage as you know they are still rebuilding from the tsunami.  A lot of people are still living in the FEMA tents that are not anchored down to anything.  People could lose everything again.

I will be trying to contact them in the morning to see how things are.  I will let you know what I hear.

God Bless and Good Night.... Billy

Sunday and Home!

After last Sunday, I was looking forward to going back again and hopefully experiencing the same kind of worship and praise as last week.  I was not disappointed.  The social worker Roy that we have built a good relationship with invited us to his church and to his home for lunch after the service.  The congregation was a bit larger than we experienced last week, but the heart was the same.  This service was 2.5 hours of complete focus on the Lord and what he is doing in the lives of His people.  The praise was beyond anything I could put into words.  When the singing was done, the pastor asked a few of the men in the congregation to sit next to us to help interpret what he was speaking about.  He brought an awesome gospel message to the people and you could see the Lord at work in their hearts.  He spoke about how we needed complete dependence on Jesus and that He is the only thing good within us.  Jesus is what makes our works good, not of our own doing.  When the service was closing, he provided and opportunity for people to come to the altar and pray.  He made is what the 45 foot wide, 5 rows deep of people who come up to pray and worship God praying with them.  It was an awesome thing to see people crying of for the Lord.

It was a great reminder for us there from the Disaster Relief Team that the work that we were able to accomplish was only by the grace of God.  He provided the means and opportunity and we are thankful for it.

After the service, it was off to Roy's house.  Roy has a catering business with his wife and it showed.  There was enough food to feed and army.  Fried chicken, chicken curry, shrimp, brisket, salad, potato salad, rice, and I know I am forgetting something.  It was all amazing!  Well, I can't speak for the shrimp, but the other guys said it was good.  The best part of the afternoon was getting to know his family.  He is married with 5 kids.  One of them is autistic and his name is Caleb.  If you don't know, my son's name is Caleb, so I took a special liking to him.  He had such a tender heart and love to give you random hugs.  It was fun to watch him interact and get to know us as well.  We were are so thankful for their hospitality and their friendship.  We all will miss him and hope to keep in touch.

After lunch, a couple of us drove around to do a little shopping.  The Queen Victoria had docked and they setup shops for people to buy souvenirs.  We thought we would go check it out before we had to leave.  The shops were okay, but that ship was huge.  I had never been that close to a cruise ship.  You could get lost in one of those things.... :)

Before we left, the church we were staying at wanted to present us with a parting gift.  The people at Happy Valley Baptist Church (in AM Samoa) were amazing.  We started off with another time of praise and worship.  I could sit and listen to them all day.  Their desire to obedient to God's calling is so apparent in the way the show reverence to the Lord.  After another 2.5 hours of praising God, the congregation presented us with a traditional Samoan designed table setting.  They gave testimony on how the Disaster Relief Team had touched their life and were thankful for our arrival.  What a humbling experience to see how we were able to touch their lives knowing that it was God who brought us to American Samoa and God alone who did the work.  I can't say enough about how loving these people were and how at home they made you feel.

After another awesome Sunday, it was time to head to the airport.  Nothing too exciting there other than just getting checked in.  Once we were checked in, we all decided to get a bite to eat being that they were not serving a meal on the plane.  Once the meal was done, it was off to customs.

While standing in line for customs, a surprise came our way.  First, Roy and his wife showed up to wish us off.  To tell you how special this was, it was 10:30 at night and Roy won't even take his own family to the hospital.  He does not do well sending people off, but felt that he wanted to be there to see us go.  They presented all of us with a shell necklace and his contact information which I will be using for sure.  Then we turned around and a couple ladies from Happy Valley were their to wish us well too.  We had just left their service a few hours earlier, but wanted to give us another small gift.  Again, we were so humbled.

Nothing exciting to report about the flight to Hawaii other than it was late and caused us to miss the connecting flight to LA.   Fortunately they had a flight 30 minutes later that was going to San Francisco and we could connect to Phoenix from there.  It put us home a couple hours later, but that was okay with us.  We finally arrived home to see that in all the flight changes, our bags didn't make it.  Not a bit deal other than a few things I brought home to give to the family.

I was so excited to see the family.  I know it was only two weeks, but it is amazing how much they can change so quickly sometimes.  I missed them tremendously.

Well, I have so many things going through my head because of the events over the last two weeks.  I have been unable at this point wrap my mind around the experience.  I am looking forward to spending time with the Lord in reflection and also seeking what He has in store next.  As I believe I stated in another post, I am planning on keeping this blog updated and the Lord leads.  Not sure that will be everyday, but my goal is to keep all updated on what the Lord is doing in our family.  My hope would be that it might be an encouragement to someone and that it may be a tool the Lord can use to move people into service for Him.

GOD IS GOOD..... ALL THE TIME!!!

May God continue to bless you and your families.  Thank you again to all of you who have been following and I hope you are able to continue.  You have been such a blessing to me.

Until next time...... Billy

A Day to see the island.

Since our arrival, we have not had a chance to see much of the island other than where we were working.  So, today we were able to go to parts of the island that we hit the hardest by the tsunami.  As you can see in some of the pictures, there was a lot of damage in some villages.  One village was completely wiped out. It was such a sight to see when on once side you see the beautiful ocean view and then turn around to see the destruction.  It was like a ghost town at times.  No one around and all you see is crumbled buildings.  It was pretty humbling to see the kind of damage that was done.

We wee also able to drive around the mountain areas and see some wonderful views.  See some pictures below of today's adventure.

(Village wiped out - Where the FEMA tents are used to be houses)

(More of the same village)

(Cars in the village)

(The school in the village)

(Inside the school)

(Encyclopedia found in the school)

(Church in the wiped out village - only building standing)

Now for some of the more pleasant sights:

(Starkist cannery is hear)

(The village below had a significant amount of damage)

(Water is falling off of the mountain)

Those are just a few of the things we saw today.  It was a long and amazing day to see all parts of the island. 

Tomorrow (Sunday) is our last day on the island.... or should I say, last planned day on the island.  The flights in and out of Pago Pago tend to not be on time.  Last Sunday the flight scheduled to leave at 11:15pm didn't leave until 3am.  If that happens to us we will miss out connecting flights.  I am not worried about it at all because I know that God has it in His control and we will get home right on His timing.  Just ask for your continued prayers of support and safety.

My goal is to continue on with this blog after I return home.  Not sure how that will go and how often that will be, but that is what I feel lead to do at this time.  So, I should be able to give one more update about Sunday before I go, then it is a day of travel. 

Thank you again and God Bless... Billy

Last official day of work complete... but the work has just begun...

Today was a productive day overall.  We knew that this would be the last day we would be on the job site, so we focused everyones effort on the job Steve and I started and one of the new jobs.  We were hoping to get the first job complete, but were unable to due to materials.  So, a few of us moved to one of the other houses to get some things done.  All in all we had 14 people on the jobs today.  We were able to get a lot accomplished.

One of the greatest things we were able to experience, was getting to know the local workers that were on the job sites.  We had multiple opportunities to share with them about why we are here and spoke about the love of Jesus.  This is where it gets a bit tough because of the culture.  Because the island is respectful of religious customs and most people recognize God, it is hard with the language barrier to completely understand if they have had a conversion.  They say the right things because God is spoke about openly on the island and most of them at one time in their life have attended a church.  You speak about the love of Jesus and their need for salvation and they will nod their head yes.  You are not even sure if they are saying they have a relationship with Him or if they are just acknowledging they understand.  God has given me a peace to understand that it is not our place to reconcile that.  Our job here is to present the Gospel and let God do with it what He will.

In that time we have been able to share with them, we have been able to get to know them pretty well.  Being that this was our last day working with them, they were asking a lot of questions about who the next team will be coming in.  I shared with most of them that we didn't know who they were and they expressed to me that they were going to miss us.  On worker, Soli (not sure of the spelling) said that he really enjoyed working with us and is going to be sad to see us go.  He shook my hand and wished me a safe trip home.  I was amazed by how they truly appeared to be impacted by us.  It was a very humbling experience and it really lifted my spirits about what we have done here.  It is always said that sometimes your greatest testimony can be how you work with people and handle the situations.  That people are always around you watching and that at times you can impact them more by your actions than by your words.

With that being said, I think it is important to go back to the beginning of how we start our days.  We have been getting up and having a devotional time before we go about our day.  Today was my day and I had been seeking the Lord on what it was that he would have me to say.  He lead me to two verses.  The first was Mathew 25:10.  This is the parable of the 10 Virgins who were preparing to meet the bridegroom.  5 of them brought their lamps with oil and the other 5 did not bring their oil.  The verse says, "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived.  The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.  And the door was shut."  5 of the virgins were unprepared to meet the bridegroom.  That is what I have felt like everyday has been about while we have been here.  To be prepared when God provides an opportunity to share.  I also needed that encouragement to know that God is in control because later in the chapter in verse 13 he says, "Therefore, keep watch because you do no know the day or the hour."  It reminded me that God is supreme and as long as I am walking with Him daily, he will work through me in any situation and I need to be prepared to do so when He calls.

In that, God also lead me to Philippians 3:11-14.  It says, "Not that I have already attained all of this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and staining towards what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus..  Our job is to bring the Good News to the people we interact with and know that God will handle the rest.  We are to continue to watch and strive to accomplish that Goal.

This reminder was just what I needed at the perfect time.  If I continue to be prepared for God's will and press on to win the prize, God will handle what is necessary for His will to be fulfilled.  I was reminded that we are constantly effecting the lives of people around us and that my faith needs to continue in God to do what He will with that seed.  There was definitely a seed planted with these men and my prayer is that if salvation is not present in their lives, that it will be soon.  As I was singing with our social worker Roy.... He's an on time God.... yes He is!"

So as my brother Ace stated in one of his comments, although we have finished the physical work we will be doing on the island, the work will be just beginning when we leave American Samoa.  The Lord will continue to do with that seed what He wills.

God has been so good and faithful on this trip.  I hope in someway by hearing how He has been working in the almost two weeks of us being here that God has touched your life in some way.  He is an awesome God and worthy to be praised.

My God Bless You... Billy

Two more have arrived

Today was another day of feasting.  First, we were treated to breakfast by the church to say thank you and to send off the Alaskan Team that left.  Then, we were blessed with another bay side lunch.  Today was chicken & rice, hot dogs, and bread fruit.  Good stuff.

Today, two men from North Carolina arrived.  They will be getting into the flow of things so that they can get the other members of their team squared away.  They will be arriving right before we leave on Sunday and continuing on the work we started.  Our prayer for them is that most of the "Red Tape" has been pealed away and that they will be able to get more homes repaired.

I can not believe that we are coming up on the weekend and that we will be heading home in a few days.  These past two weeks have flown by.  It seems like we are just getting into the routine of island life and helping the people of American Samoa and we have to leave.  There is so much to do here and it seems like so little time.  I guess that is why they have scheduled teams through at least May and possibly through the end of the year if there is a need.

Tomorrow will be our last official day we will be working on the houses.  There are some members of our team that will not be coming home to happy campers if some souvenirs are not bought.  Plus, we have really been limited on what we have been able to see on the island.  The hardest area hit was what they call Western Samoa and we haven't been able to get over there to see any of it.  We are also hoping to head to the Eastern part of the island.  We are told that the Eastern side is the most beautiful.  I feel I have seen some pretty awesome things, so it must be pretty amazing.  I would be very content with only seeing what I have seen.

I was looking forward to informing everyone that today was our first day in American Samoa that it didn't rain. Well, that all changed when we were driving to the airport to pick up the gentlemen who came in.  There is a hurricane off the wester coast of American Samoa.  At this time, it doesn't look like we are in any kind of danger, but it will bring us some more rain.  So, it looks like it will have rained every day I was here.  For the most part I like it when it rains because it keeps the sun from coming out and making it more humid.  It is still hot and sticky any way you look at it.

I hope all are well and are looking forward to a great weekend.  May you all be blessed.

Billy

They LOVE to eat...

When the Lord provided the opportunity to come to American Samoa, one of the first things I did was to check a map to see where it was.  The second thing I did was check the weather.  After realizing it was going to be hot and very humid, I figured I would be sweating a lot and losing some weight.  Well, only part of that is true.  Yes it is hot and I am sweating constantly, but the losing weight is not happening.  The people of American Samoa love to eat and share that tradition with you.  I am sure you have figured that out if you have read any of the previous blogs.

Today was not was no exceptions.  We attended the Wednesday night service at Happy Valley Baptist Church. (American Samoa for those of you in Arizona)  It was a great time of worship as usual and the message was outstanding.  It was given by Pastor Mark from the Alaskan team and it was refreshing and encouraging.  He was speaking from Hebrews chapter 10 from verse 1-14.  These verses speak about how the law was a shadow of the good things to come.  What was really refreshing to me was the fact that the law required an annual sacrifice that was a reminder of our sin, but with Jesus Christ there is not need for that annual reminder.  Verse 14 says "... because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."  What spoke to me about this verse was that the sacrifice of Jesus is what makes us perfect in order to step into the Holy of Holies and have a relationship with a living God, but the process of being made holy is still going on in our lives.  That process is exactly why God has me in American Samoa.  He has given me an opportunity to step out on faith to trust in Him and lay all of my worries and concerns about this trip at the feet of His Son Jesus.  What an amazing thing.  The perfection and the being made holy is all done by God.  We must respond in obedience and allow him to do an amazing work within us.  Thank you Lord Jesus for allowing us to have a personal relationship with you that is perfect and on going.

After that encouragement from the Holy Spirit, another pot luck.  Pastor Elise wanted to show his appreciation for the teams being here and helping out on campus.  So, they invited us to their Fali (House) and along with the other missionaries who stay on site and teach at the school, they provided an awesome time of food and fellowship.

The testimony in all of this is that going back to when the opportunity arose and we were getting information on the trip, a certain dollar amount was recommended for us to bring along to take care of our needs while on the island.  This included food.  I had even confirmed that the original amount would be okay.  So, when we first arrived, we were eating out at every meal.  The kitchen in the mission house was torn apart and we were not able to prepare meals like we had thought.  God had provided double what was recommended I take and I was starting to get a bit worried that the funds would not last.  Especially being that if we need tools or items on the jobsite, we were to purchase them and get reimbursed when we returned to the states.  The reimbursement is great, but it doesn't do much for me while I am here.  Also, the credit/debit systems here are not reliable, so as they say..."Cash is King".  I remember doing the calculation on how much I could spend per day with what I had left at the 4 day mark and I was a bit anxious.  I prayed right then and the Lord gave me a peace that he had provided for this trip and he would continue to provide while I was here.  That is when we started actually working on the homes and lunch was provided daily.  It seems that above that, once a day, someone was either taking us out for a meal or cooking for us.  God has not only been sufficient, he has provided plentiful.

I am looking forward to Thursday.  We are back at the house of the High Chief to hopefully finish up the job. We have been waiting for more material that has arrived and we have been waiting for a good break in the weather in order to do some work on the roof.  The forecast is mixed at this point, but it appears to be the best day of the week.  Please pray that the rain ceases for the day in order for us to completely finish the job before we leave.

Thank you all again for your continued prayers and support.  I know the Lord is hearing them and acting upon them during this time.

May God Bless you and I look forward to updating you again tomorrow.... Billy

Rainy day schedule

The heavy rain was back again today. The schedule today (Tuesday) was to work at the two new projects in Fagasa. There were a few things that could be done in preparation for the materials to arrive, so that is what we did. The building supply companies here do not have any type of box truck to deliver materials, so if what you ordered needs to stay dry, you won't be getting it until the rain stops. That was the case today. The concrete, drywall and wood doors would not have done well in the heavy downpour we received today. At one point, we were done with what we could do until the material arrived and we just sat there and watched the water come down in the bay. It was pretty amazing because the clouds came over the tips of the mountains and created a mist. I was unable to bring my camera today because I forgot to charge the battery. I will try and get some pictures posted tomorrow of the mountains. I still am enjoying how pretty the island is.

While I was standing there waiting for the rain to die down a bit, I was able to talk with the social worker from the Volunteers Organization that stays on our jobsites while we are working. We were speaking about the local customs and how a lot of them seem to be based on a reverence for God, but in reality have nothing to do with God. I was able to hear his testimony of his love for Jesus and he invited me and my "partner in crime" Steve to the church he attends on Sunday and then lunch at his house afterwards. If you can't tell by now, feeding a guest is an important tradition in the American Samoan culture. Of course we accepted...... :) I am excited for another Sunday to come and another opportunity to interact with the people. His name is Roy and my prayer is that God blesses him and his family. He has been very helpful to us while we have been here and had been a key factor in us being able to actually get these jobs to work on. God is using him in a mighty way. Even more so than I believe he realizes.

Today after we were done working, we were invited to the Korean Baptist Church for a potluck dinner. They wanted to show their appreciation for coming and helping the American Samoa people. It was a really fun and uplifting experience. It turns out that not only was the Korean Baptist Church there, they had people from the Chinese Baptist Church and a couple from Fiji. When the dinner was over, Pastor Elise stood up and wanted to teach the Arizona and Alaskan teams how to sing God is So Good in Samoan. By the time it was all over, we were singing God is so good in English, Samoan, Korean, Chinese, and the native tongue of Fiji. It was so awesome to hear God's people singing praises to God in their native language. They were so welcoming and the food was awesome. I am continuing to receive more blessings than could ever be given.

Here are some pictures from the evening:

(Good time of fellowship)

(The women who prepared our meal... it was great)

(Everyone)

Tomorrow is much of the same.  We are hopefull that the materials arrive and we are able to have a productive day.

God bless.....

Back at it...

After a great Sunday, we were able to get back to the house we have been working on.  There were a few items to be finished included laying the tile flooring and finishing up the windows.  We were short some of the items, but we were able to complete all the material would allow us to.  It looks like because of the rain that has come upon us today and will continue into Tuesday night, we will not be able to return to the site until Wednesday at the earliest.  One of the things we need to do is paint the roof and we will need it to be dry to do that.  Wednesday and Thursday look clear at this point in the forecast. 

The good thing is that we won't be idle.  There are two more homes to begin work on that will take us through our time here and continue on with the next crew coming from North Carolina.  Material is expected to be there tomorrow and we can begin working. 

Okay, I have figured out where the confussion was in regards to the Korean service.  We are actually going to be going to the Korean church tomorrow (Tuesday) for a youth rally.  After the rally, they will be having games and a potluck for us to fellowship with them.  I am really looking forward to seeing what God has in store.

At this point in the trip, I am feeling a bit bitter sweet.  I am truly enjoying myself and am excited about what God is doing.  I wake up expecting to encounter the Lord each day and am ready to interact with the people.  Yesterday gave me such insight into the culture in which they live and the expectations they have living on the island.  But, on the other hand, I miss my family terribly.  I have yet to be away from my wife and kids this long and am longing to be home with them.  Throughout the week though, God has given me and incredible peace to know I am right where he wants me to be and has also given me a wonderful sence of assurance that our famly is being blessed because of this experience.  As they say in the beginning of the service in American Samoa, "God is good...... All the time....... All the time..... God is Good!"

Thank you again to all of you who are following and commenting.  Your encouragment is a blessing to me.

In Christ..... Billy

Sunday!

What a great Sunday.  First off, I was a little off on the Korean church.  It wasn't Korean at all.  Must have got lost in translation somewhere.... :)  We went to a traditional American Samoan Church today and I will do my best to explain to you what we experienced.  Three of us went from the team.  One of which was giving the message.  Not one of us had even met anybody from the church and were going in completely blind as to what we were going to experience.  When we arrived, we were warmly greeted and introduced.  They were finishing up bible study and getting ready for the morning worship time.  One thing about the American Samoan people is that music is a bit part of their lives.  As were are sitting down, they are already singing praises and worshiping the Lord before the service started.  Once the time arrived to start, worship continued.  They began be reading the Word in both Samoan and English.  They then proceeded to sing songs of praise.  Let me tell you, I don't think there are any words to describe what I heard and saw.  I can just imagine the Lord sitting on His throne and listening to them sing His praises with a smile.  Yes, the Samoan people have beautiful voices and the harmony was outstanding, but what brought me to tears was the sincerity in worship.  You could see the Spirit working in them and the joy worshiping the Lord brought them.  The were truly reverent towards the Lord.

I also noticed while they were singing, they can't stand still.  They were swaying back and forth and bringing a joyful noise.  Then something that reminded me of home happened.  One of the things that we do at Morristown Christian Fellowship is that when you have a birthday or an anniversary, you come up to the front of the worship center for the congregation to sing to you.  When your day comes, you are to bring a dollar with you and put it in a jar.  Pastor Mike always says we must be the only church where you have to pay to have a birthday.  I am not sure if anyone knows when or why that practice started, but it did and it is still observed.  So, as a song ended, a woman form the congregation walked to the front and gave a quick testimony in Samoan.  Once she was done, the congregation began to sing happy birthday to her.  As they were singing, everyone walked up to her and gave her a hug and placed money in an offering plate.  You see MCF, we have it all wrong.  We are supposed to get paid not pay out.... :)  Anyway, it was a nice reminder of home.

Once that was over, the songs continued.  It was also amazing to see that the whole family was in church.  The American Samoan people are very family driven and there was not other area that they sent their kids for church.  Little ones walked around and the school aged kids were expected to worship along with the adults. No one was bothered by the little ones and all the other kids we singing as loud as anyone.  We had two boys that sat behind us that were about 7 or 8.  We could her them sing out every song.  They did however have a fascination with our arm hair.  It appears that the Samoan men do not have much arm hair if any at all.  This seemed to intrigue them to the point where the pulled on the arm hair of brother Don as he was sitting and listening to the sermon.

Brother Marvin did and excellent job giving the message and his testimony.  He is a new chaplain and this was his first time giving a message to a congregation.  The Lord blessed him beyond measure and blessed the ones listening.

When the service was over, the pastor invited us to lunch.  We had an awesome time getting to know them and hearing about how the Lord is working in the lives of the people at their church.  They were so appreciative of us coming to American Samoa to help, but what we wanted them to know is that we were blessed by their people and they way they worshiped the Lord.

Sunday is considered a day of rest and worship on the island.  In the past, all businesses shut down and the day was spent at church and with the family.  Things have loosened up of the last few years, but it is apparent that the focus has changed for the day.  Every restaurant and store we went into was playing Christian music.  And when I say every, I mean every.  I asked the pastor about it and he said that all of the radio station play Christian music on Sunday.  The people that you did see out and about, were dressed up in their traditional Sunday dress which is a Lava Lava (skirt) and dress shirt for men and a dress for women.  It was pretty neat to see.

After lunch, we didn't have much time before the evening service started at Happy Valley Baptist where we are staying.  We have two of the team members that have been here for three weeks that are leaving today and they were having a special presentation for them.  What happened at the service was an awesome time of testimony and worship that lasted 3 hours.  It was one of the quickest three hours I have ever had.  The Lord was moving in the lives of the workers and the people.  They shared from their hearts and began to sing songs of praise.  I was blessed beyond words.

It was a pretty awesome day and I am looking forward to getting back out to work tomorrow.  I hope all had a wonderful Sunday and I look forward to my next update.

God Bless.... Billy    (Check out the Pics below)

(The Emanuel Baptist Church)

(Me and Marvin.... yes, I am actually here and that is a Lava Lava)

Looking forward to Sunday

(New Door... Thanks Kendel)

Today was a good day of work on the island.  Because of the delay in getting multiple jobs going at the same time, we were able to get a little more help today.  It looks like we will be able to finish the job up on Monday.  That is good news because we finally have approval to start two more jobs on Monday in the same area.  It looks like my postcard view will remain. :)  Here are a few more pictures from our day of work.

(Roof Repair)

(Steve working and Kendel making fun of his Duct Tape boots)

(The local workers on the other side of the roof)

(Kendel working on the front door)

(Finished Roof Repair)

(Other side of the finished repair)

The weekends are pretty low key in American Samoa.  Most families spend the day outside playing volleyball or their version of cricket.  It was also the first time I saw people swimming in the bay.  Most buses stop running on the weekends and most of the stores are closed.  We also had to ask permission from the homeowner to work on Saturday.  We are glad he gave us permission because we did not want to waste a day of our limited time here.

I am really looking forward to Sunday.  Part of the responsibility of a pastor or a chaplain on this disaster call is to preach at a local church on Sunday.  We have one pastor and one chaplain on our team, so they will be preaching at different churches.  I have enjoyed getting to know a brother named Marvin on our team and he will be preaching this Sunday.  I am excited about going with him to where he will be giving the message.  It is a Korean Baptist Church, so I am very interested about how a Korean church worships in American Samoa.  I can't wait to experience a new style of worship.

Being that Sunday and it we are taking the day off, we are hoping to be able to go sight seeing a bit.  There is a call for a good amount of rain, so we will see how much we will be able to see.  If we are able to, I will be uploading the pictures.

May all of you have a great day of worshiping the Lord.  Until next time.....

Blessings...... Billy

A great testimony of Gods Love

We were a little later getting started today.  We had to pick up a few items at the hardware store to be productive today.  The owner of the house was meeting us there to pay for the items, but we had to make a stop at the bank first.  I tell you that because that is where Steve and I received a great testimony today.  We were riding in the pickup truck "Samoan Style".  That just means in the back.  As we waited for the homeowner to go in the bank, the woman who was driving the truck stepped out and began speaking with us.  I wish I could remember her name, but even if I did, I would most likely not be able to spell it.... :)  She gave her account of the tsunami, which was pretty similar to the others we had heard.  But, what stood out was her perspective on the whole thing.  She stated that it was widely professed throughout their village that God must hate them to have sent the earthquake and the tsunami.  She continued on by telling us that she saw it as a blessing.  She  felt the earthquake and saw the water head back into the ocean.  And as that was happening, she ran towards the top of the hill.  She said that if God wanted her dead, it didn't matter how high she was able to get, God would have found her.  One of the things that happens on the island are boat races between the villages.  This is taken very seriously and she professed frustration because they expect the members of the village who are in the boat race to be there above and beyond church.  These boats are really long and we have even seen one named satan.  The lady continued to share that the boat in their village was destroyed and she was kind of glad.  She was hoping that people would stop taking their focus off these boat races and begin to focus more time and energy on God.

Another testimony she gave was that she had been praying for a block home.  That is the most common type of home on the island, but for some reason hers was a stick built.  When the tsunami hit, it wiped out her house completely.  They were able to take the relief money and build a block home for her and her family.  I just kept thinking that here is someone who lost of earthly possessions and all she was thinking about is how God has answered her prayers.  She was very careful to not say that God sent the tsunami to answer her prayers, but I am sure you understand her heart.  That delay at the bank was the best part of the day.

We arrived at the house and began to work.  The volunteer workers were there ready to go and go we did.  One of the projects I am working on is replacing some of the masonite in the living area.  I had a couple of sheets to go and then I could move on to the next thing.  Well, the last piece had to be cut and trimmed and it took me a bit to hit right.  After getting it adjusted just right, I installed it in the right position.  A few hours later, on of the workers was looking for  a pry bar we have.  After all of us looking around for it, Steve stated that the last time he remembered seeing it, it was on top of a 2x4 that is now covered by that "special" piece of masonite.  It didn't take long for me to realize that I have left them in the wall and the only way to get them out was to remove the panel.  It was a bit difficult because the masonite just rips a bit when you are trying to remove it.  I was able to get what ended up being four items left in the wall.  Needless to say, this took a lot of time, but I was able to get it done with a minimum amount of damage to the masonite.

Tomorrows plan is to do some more work on the house.  We should have the same crew of Steve, the VOAD worker, local workers, and myself.  But, it looks like we will have another guy from our team show up to make some good progress.

I was hoping to upload more pictures this time, but my camera battery was dead when I arrived at the job site. I am charging it now and hope to have more pictures tomorrow.

Thank you all again for your support and I look forward to updating you again.  Until next time........
God Bless You.....Billy

What a great Day!

We got up early this morning and were on our way. Cheerios for breakfast and and MRE for lunch. I have never had an MRE, but most of the people with us are ex-military and they seem to eat these on a regular basis. I have to say that overall it was not bad. I could eat it in a pinch if I had to. Others seem to like them way too much.... :)

We have seen some pretty awesome sights while here on the island, but I think today has topped them all. As we drove over the hill down into Fagasa, I felt like I was in a movie. The tropical vegetation was so thick and green and the view of the bay was amazing. As we drove up to the house, the first picture was our view of the ocean. God's creation is so beautiful I almost forgot how hot and humid it was. Just to give a little idea of what the people in Fagasa experienced, after the earthquake shook them long and hard, the ocean water reseeded to beyond the opening of the bay. All they could see was the rocky bottom knowing that the next thing that was going to happen was going to be a huge wall of water. They ran to a two story house in the village and all of the family was safe. Cars were swept into the ocean and houses were damaged or completely destroyed. Just looking at it now, it is hard to believe that such a peaceful view could bring so much havoc. I was able to sit and talk with the daughter of the High Speaking Chief that we are working for. She was able to give me a play by play of what she went though. She was also able to share with me a lot of the familiar customs that I found amazing. I wouldn't mind being a part of that kind of tradition and respect the American Samoan people practice. For instance, one of traditions and expectations is that when you have someone working at your house, paid or not, you are to prepare a meal for them. This is especially true if they are from another part of the world. They want to share with you there culture and give you the opportunity taste their food. So, at about 2:30 local time, two younger gentlemen began to setup a table right on the edge of the shore and fill it with local food. On the menu was Yellowfin tuna, breadfruit, a sweet coconut mixture to dip the breadfruit, and a fresh coconut to drink. He also included some tacos and spaghetti because as I found out later, he was worried we might not like it. All I have to say is that I am glad he did. If you don't know, I do not like fish at all. Add to the fact that my stomach was upset today for some reason, I was not up for trying anything new. But, because it is considered disrespectful if you do not at least try something, I gave the breadfruit a try. It actually tasted pretty good, but because of not feeling so well, I was not able to eat anything else. So, a bit of taco and spaghetti was all I could handle.

With that being said, the practice of tradition and respect replace the presence of God in their lives most of the time. The hierarchy is not much different than the family system represented in the bible and a lot of those traditions came from some sort of spiritual influence. But, there is a greater focus on the High Chief than on God. Getting a good perspective on how they live their lives has given me great insight on how to be respectful to their customs, but also share the Love of Christ.

We also have three local men working with us that are very knowledgeable and hard workers. They really help out with understanding the building procedures and how things are done here on the island. We have found that they do not pay a lot of respect to codes or safety. A lot of the materials, especially the concrete, is not up to the standards we are bound by in the mainland. Along with the sea air that deteriorates the building materials, it really makes it nice to have a local there to give us some direction. We are not bound to any type of inspections, but are doing our best with what is available to rebuild the homes in an up to date fashion.

(The House we are working on)

We were able to make good progress on the home today. As with most construction projects I have been involved with, we didn't have everything we needed, but will be able to pick it up in the morning. We are installing new electrical service, repairing some interior walls, installing some tile in one of the rooms, framing and installing the local type of windows, repairing the rusted roof, and installing some doors. Considering that this home was almost completely submerged by the tsunami, it is in good condition. The funniest thing that happened today was when I was removing the old masonite on the walls. As I was pulling away one of the sheets, a few cockroaches jumped and scurried away. The locals were laughing at how far I jumped away from the wall. I was not expecting anything to jump out of the walls and it completely surprised me to say the least.

(The wall I was working on)

(My partner in crime Steve)

(Our VOAD representative Roy)

                                                                                

God is so good and faithful. After a few days of feeling like we were running in a bed of sand, we were not only able to go out to the job and begin to work, we were able to begin to build relationships with the locals that I know are reflecting the love of God. I thank you Lord for blessing us with your power to accomplish Your Will.

I want to thank all of you who have been showing your support through your comments on the blog. It is very encouraging and an hope the testimony of the Lord is encouraging to you as well. I also want to thank all of those that are praying for me while I am gone. Your intercession is evident every day.

Thank you again and God Bless. I look forward to updating you again tomorrow.

Billy

Did he say cyclone warning?

Things started out pretty good this morning.  As we were sitting at breakfast getting ready to get going with our day, a warning came over the radio.  Heavy rain, flash flood, and cyclone warnings on the island.  All schools were shut down and they highly discouraged any travel along the coast.  Well, that put a pretty big damper on our plans being that most of the travel on the island is coastal and one of the flash flood areas was right were we were supposed to work.  So, needless to say, work was pushed off another day.  


The winds were high and the rain came down hard for about 6 hours straight.  It was a pretty amazing sight to see and we are glad that the cyclone did not actually hit the area.  When it was all over, it was beautiful to see the mist covering the mountains and the wild chickens come out for food.  That was the moment when I realized that I am definitely not in Kansas anymore.


At this point, things look pretty good to get the project started tomorrow.  The best thing about the delays is the relationships we have been able to build with the team here at the church and the other team here from Alaska.  They have been able to share some amazing testimonies that are really encouraging.  Especially being that we have been frustrated at times with not being able to get to the job.  It has helped me keep focused on the real task at hand and know that God is in control.


We attended our first church service today.  The Wednesday evening service is not well attended by the locals, but between us, the Alaskan team, and the volunteers on site that work at the school, we had a great time of worship.   Although things have been slow going, we really feel that God is doing a mighty work here and that the next week and a half will be great.  I am sure we will still run into some road blocks, but God will work them out as He sees fit.


I hope to have some pictures of the house we will be working on and look forward to updating you on the progress.  Thank you all for your continued prayers.  The evidence is seen everyday and I appreciate your continued support.


God Bless.... until next time... Billy

Wrapping up Day 2...

Today ended up being another day of preparation.  We met up with the home owner at the building supply store to purchase all of the items needed for the repair work.  They are set for delivery tomorrow, so it looks like the actually work will begin on Thursday.  


After realizing that we were not going to be able to work at the house of the High Chief today, we went back to the mission house and helped out with the kitchen remodel.  The area we stay in is on the second floor and there are several spots that are week and about to fall through.  As a matter of fact, one of the workers fell through today.  He is alright, but the water pipe is not.  Not a major fix, so all is good.


I had another opportunity to hand out a gold coin.  Here on the island, there is an a group call Volunteers Organization Active in Disasters.  There role is to locate people on the island that are in need of assistance and get facilitate us evaluating the property and giving them and estimate of what it would take to get the repairs completed.  They also are there on the job sites and serve as our interpreters.  Although most of the people on the island speak English, there is still a good amount of people in the villages that do not.  So, back to the coin.  The social work assigned to us form VOAD was giving us a bit of history of the island.  There was an opportunity to ask if she had ever seen a gold $1 coin before.  It took a bit of convincing, but she eventually believed us that it was real currency.  The conversation lead to talking about how we live our lives and in the end, she said .... "I really like working with the Baptists."  As before, I pray that the seed planted will flourish and eventually lead to a relationship with Christ.  After all of the running around this morning, it made it all worth it to be able to be in the situation to share.


The schedule for tomorrow is to verify the delivery of the materials purchased yesterday.  If they arrive in enough time, then we can begin the work.  If not, then Thursday it will be (unless things change).  We will continue to work on the mission house as well.


Thank you all for you comments and prayers.  I know that God is working and I hope that the opportunities to share continue to arise.


In Christ..... Billy