Come and Learn More About It

So what's it like to go on a Mission Trip to Bahamas Methodist Habitat?

What are you guys going to be doing there for two years?

We are answering these questions and more

THIS SUNDAY 

September 28

at the Lancaster Church of the Brethren 

1601 Sunset Avenue, Lancaster 17601

Join in at 11:30 for the Youth Fund Raising Soup and Salad

About 12:30 we'll begin to share about our plans and the ministry at BMH

Hope you can make it!

How to Join in Our Mission

Donations to support David and Linda in their Missionary Service:

Make Checks to: (tax deductible donation)

Lancaster Church of the Brethren
1601 Sunset Avenue
Lancaster, PA   17601
(MUST write in the MEMO - for Byers' Mission)

We hope to raise $6,000 by December 31, 2014

Camp Symonette - James Cistern - Eleuthera - Bahamas

Going World Wide

OK, I must admit, I am new to the world of blogging.
I had no idea how exciting it is to be able to look at the statistics of a blog page.

You can see how many people have checked out your page. It even tells you where they are when they are viewing the page.
It is just the coolest thing to see the map where people live who have seen the blog. (and this is just after one day)

Pageviews by Countries Entry Pageviews United States 212 Bahamas 8 Germany 4 Austria 3 Singapore 3 Brazil 2 Switzerland 2 Netherlands 2 Colombia 1 Czech Republic 1

Of course, we can guess who those people are in those foreign countries logging in to the site! They are all of our former exchange students plus students we have had connection to through exchange. We have a whole family of friends around the world.

I just can't help but feel so international right now! I guess this really is how hosting exchange students touches the world!

We can't wait to share all about our mission and calling with ALL of YOU!!!

When God Calls

We are Getting Out of the Boat

Headed for Bahamas Methodist Habitat

Linda, David and BMH Executive, Abraham McIntyre - Jan. 2014

We are so excited to share what God is doing in our lives!

Going in to mission work, as a volunteer, is an interesting call to hear and follow. It's one thing to do this at "20 something" when you are fresh out of school, and not much life luggage taking up space. Our story is a little different. We've had much to do and plan for to get us this far. God's put a multitude of situations, circumstances, thoughts, prayers, feelings and emotions into our lives to lead us in this direction.

Sort of like the fishermen who became disciples of Jesus when they immediately dropped their nets to follow.... we too are changing our lives to follow this call.

Bahamas Methodist Habitat is located on the island of Eleuthera a family island of the Bahamas.
They do disaster relief work, community outreach, and repair of substandard housing. BMH does this work by hosting volunteer work groups to come and serve for week long mission trips. We plan to work along side of those volunteers and the full time staff to help in hosting camps and serving in whatever tasks we are called to accomplish.

David and I have both discovered how faith building, faith inspiring and God honoring going on missions trips can be to your life. We can't wait to get started to help share in a ministry which leads people through the mission experience and service to others in need.

Before we can get there, we have to leave here...

We put our trust in God to complete the plans. Our house is for sale, we are packing boxes, and helping our young adult son, Mason, arrange to stay local.
Deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. Simplifying our stuff. Waiting for God's timing

We plan to be ready to leave in January and we are asking other to support and prepare us to go.

We want to TAKE YOU WITH US ! Join us in the mission!

In simple terms, it will take 50 people to support us with $22 a month for 2 years.

$6,000 in donations and pledges is our goal to meet before we leave.

For the full two years it will take about $26,000 (minimum) and that seems so huge.
We like to think of it in realistic small steps.

It's going to take support of our friends, family and church to help us reach the goal.
This is the hardest thing we have done so far in life. (Raising Mason has been a close second!)

We want to share with you the Beauty of the Island and the Beauty of the People we encounter.
We'll need your prayers and your encouragement.

Donation arrangements will be posted soon. We'll set a place for your tax free donations to go to support us on our mission.
Consider a one time donation OR arrange for a monthly online deposit.
(do not send funds directly to us - they will not be tax deductible)

New Beginnings and New Adventures

New beginnings and new adventures... with it comes a new blog.
This is most likely more my speed than posting on facebook because I get to articulate more about the thoughts traveling around in my head.
We'll give this a go...

This is one of the benches in the breezeway at BMH (Bahamas Methodist Habitat) on Eleuthera. The wise words attributed to Gandhi embellish the frame - "Be the Change You want to See"

So, I like to be sure of things and check sources and well, I discover this popular quote is a "bumper sticker" version of a much longer quotation and it may not have the same meaning as the original.

According to an article in the New York Times written by Brian Morton in Aug of 2011 - Sure enough, it turns out there is no reliable documentary evidence for the quotation. The closest verifiable remark we have from Gandhi is this: “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. ... We need not wait to see what others do.”

I must say, I like the bumper sticker version much better.

However, in the real quote, Gandhi starts with the phrase "If we could..." He saw in his world the difficulty to change. 

Change is not easy. Whether it's a new haircut to a total makeover. 

Sometimes God gives us those "new haircut" moments. Like going to a conference or a weekend retreat or on a mission trip. It's new, sometimes we like it, sometimes it is challenging to get used to, sometimes it makes us look like someone new or gets us going on changing our image. We realize it may just be temporary. We are hoping the new hair style will make us feel good. But we all know we'll need another haircut in a few weeks. Conferences, retreats and mission trips can be this way. It's a boost, maybe challenging, maybe inspiring, they can give us a push to make a change or engage in a new way of thinking or living when we return home.

Now the total makeovers God plants in life - those need preparation. New clothes, new style, new look. And for it to last - the makeover better help you to be who YOU are, not someone else's version of who you think you should be. God's total makeovers could begin in reading the Bible daily, changing something in your lifestyle that holds you back (getting healthy) or following a call to ministry.

If we change our nature...
our habits, our negative thinking, our fear, our insecurity, ...
We can make a difference n the world.
Step out in Faith, Get out of the Boat!

by Linda