Well, today the Thurstons will stroll through the Montego Bay, Jamaica airport with a team of 16 students and leaders from Edinbrook's SWAP youth group. It was five years ago that the youth served in Jamaica as Praying Pelican Missions' first team to serve on the island!

Eric Slegh and myself are waiting for the team and excited for their arrival! We've got an exciting week of ministry ahead of us, highlighted by VBS and a work project during which we'll help construct a church outside of the city. Please pray for our team's health and safety and most of all pray for success in ministry. Keep pastor Alfonso Barrett and his wife in your prayers as they host our team and as we get to know this couple dedicated to serving God in ministry. We'll put up some pictures and updates all throughout the week!

Our team has arrived. Yes, Susan lost her passport in the Minneapolis airport, only to be returned by a security agent. And yes, Mark's passport got wet and he had a hassle at immigration in Jamaica. But we're here, and that's what's important. Eric and myself (Jon) were waiting for the team at the airport along with Andy and Al, our Jamaican leaders. We walked over to the Flanker's New Testament Church of God this afternoon to check out the church (our partnering church and where we're leading VBS). We were blessed to try some guinup, a small tangy fruit that is popular in Jamaica! After getting settled in a bit at the school we we and grabbed some jerk chicken and festivals and ting (Jamaican grapefruit soda) at a local Jerk restaurant. We enjoyed a time of worship tonight and began to think about and discuss our purpose here and what God has in store for us as a team and individually. Tomorrow we'll worship at the New Testament Church of God in Flankers and some will go to Pastor Barrett's other church in Anchovy. We're excited for tomorrow and what God has in store! Of course we're all tired but we're catching our cold showers before bed and will be prepared for a great week ahead of us! Will keep you all posted! God bless!

It's Monday morning. Here's an update from what we did yesterday... We had the privilege to worship at the Flankers New Testament Church of God in the morning. Some of us went out to the Anchovy Church prior to the worship service for a Sunday School service with a youth focus. Church was different from what we're used to, but we loved it. Definitely longer than what we're used to as well! Ha! In the afternoon we walked through the community of Flankers a little and invited children to VBS while also spreading word about services at the church. Last night we went back to church in Flankers and shared through more music, testimonies, and a skit from Channing and Rachel. After spending some time putting the final touches on our VBS program, we're ready to roll this morning! Looking forward to an awesome day serving God through the VBS and also through some work in Anchovy this afternoon!

A number of our students shared testimonies in church yesterday including Derek.

Walking the street in Flankers ministering to the folks in the community.

This morning we had a great turn out at our VBS program in Flankers. Over 50 children showed up according to our estimates! Despite a couple of trouble makers, we really had a great time and the children were receptive and for the most part quite well behaved also. It was a privilege to get to know them and serve them as we focused on the story of creation today.

After our wonderful lunch of Jamaican patties we went up the hill to the Anchovy New Testament Church of God. Here we spent a few hours digging, passing, and pouring buckets and wheel-barrows of earth, rock and stone. Our task was filling the future stage at the church so that concrete can be poured on top of it. Everyone worked super hard, especially Derek who really had a different color shirt after the afternoon due to all his sweat!!

We're excited for another great day tomorrow as we continue to serve!

Our Monday VBS in Flankers

Yes! Juicy Patties for lunch!

Our crew after finishing our time of work up in Anchovy- along with the Barretts and some other church members!

We spent the afternoon on Tuesday at a home for mentally and physically disabled children

Mark made a new friend at the home.

It wasn't easy late afternoon having to leave...

Yesterday we had a really strong day at VBS. We had about the same number of children attend- around 60-70. They were attentive and seemed to soak in our discussion based on the fall of man, sin, and redemption. Today we're going hard again at the Flanker's New Testament Church of God with our final full day of VBS. Tomorrow we'll wrap up with an abbreviated time at the church.

This afternoon we'll return to Anchovy to finish our project at the church filling the stage so the concrete can be poured. We're excited about what God is doing. Continue to pray for us. We're all healthy and having a blast!

After another great day of VBS today we had PIZZA HUT! Everyone enjoyed the welcome site of good ol American Pizza! After lunch we went straight to Anchovy for more work on the church building. We pretty much accomplished what we set out to do- fill the stage and pastor's future office with fill dirt so it can be poured with concrete after the roof is put on the church. The students worked hard! We had a great church service tonight in Flankers and we're prepping for our last morning of VBS tomorrow before heading to the beach! Good night everyone!!

Just kidding.

We'd all like to though. The last couple days have been amazing. From our time at the Flankers church leading VBS to our time up in Anchovy helping with church construction to our worship time together in the evenings- God is working in our lives and using us for His purposes. Today we wrapped up our ministry time by saying goodbye to the 80+ children at VBS. We said formal goodbyes to the kids and to the folks at the church who assisted with VBS- Tanita, Jodi Ann, Kayan, Mrs. Atkins, Bro. Barnes, etc. Pastor Alfonso Barrett and his wife Sharon presented us with lovely mugs and showed their gratitude for our team's contribution to ministry within their churches and communities.

This afternoon we're at the beach having fun in the sun mon! We'll be on our plane tomorrow afternoon although many would love to stay. We'll definitely never forget our experiences here and the people who have blessed us in so many ways.

Yes- Guinep. It's a Jamaican fruit that grows on trees all over the place. Kids sell them in the street at intersections. It's like natural candy and a gift from heaven!!! We've definitely had our share this week.

It wasn't easy saying goodbye today at the Flanker's church.