Greetings From St. Vincent!

Sara's Salutations   Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from St. Vincent! Since arriving on the 11th, we've had fun trying to learn the Vincy culture! St. Vincent is a beautiful nation that is rooted on God and His Word and I've been delighted each day as I learn more about the nation and their people!    But even though St. Vincent is rooted on God and His Word, there is a lot of backsliding that has occurred, especially among the men. We have gone street evangelizing with the YWAM KC Discipleship Training School that is here on outreach, and we run into men all the time who know what God's Word says (and can quote it to you quite well!), but because of sin don't feel like they can go to church or be forgiven. It's heartbreaking to see, knowing that most of the men we pass smoking weed or drinking, know who God is, but for one reason or another have turned from Him.    Part of this campaign initiative is to disciple men, women, and children in their relationship with the Lord through discipleship programs. Through the one-on-one encounters we've had while street witnessing, the guys have been able to share their testimonies of drinking, smoking, etc. and how God has saved them and we are able to see a glimmer of hope in the local men's eyes as they realize there is hope for them. I am so excited to see what God is going to do in the nation as the large scale discipleship programs begin! Mom praying for Virginia at one of the houses we went to. Dylan is one of the students in the YWAM KC DTS that is here, and he led Akeen to the Lord! The DTS has seen over 200 salvations in the last 3 weeks! Christmas Happenings....   Christmas here was a roller-coaster ride! We ended up having 4 of the guys from the YWAM DTS stay with us the 24th-27th as we hosted them for Christmas. The rest of the team was split up into different homes. On Christmas we attended the 7am Christmas service and after having lunch, we went to the beach and spent the day in the water! It was only our second time to go to the beach since arriving here. The first time the pastor took us to the beach to go swimming I got 9 urchin spikes in my foot (7 of them are still in there). Back to our Christmas adventure, the cool water was a wonderful respite from the humidity here, and we all enjoyed jumping the waves and body surfing! When we were walking from one beach to the other, we were stopped by one of the locals who goes to our church and he offered fresh coconuts to drink and shade to rest in. The coconuts were absolutely delicious! The locals are extremely nice and every time you pass someone, even if you don't know them, you call out “Good Day” or “Good Evening” or whatever time it is. And sometimes, if you're feeling up to it, you call it out twice! eg “Good day, Good day!”   On Boxing Day (the 26th) we met up with 10 of the other DTS students. We wanted to make their Christmas away from home more pleasant and so we took them to a beach resort suggested for us, and then went to one of our new friends, the Sutherland's (missionaries with Child Evangelism Fellowship from Canada), for a day of games and dinner! The Sutherland's have been extremely helpful in helping make sure we have everything we need, and for giving rides to and from church and other areas! I am so grateful for them! Side one of the ferry that we took on Boxing day to get to the beach. Side two of the ferry that we took on Boxing day to get to the beach. Teacher Training When we arrived here in St. Vincent, all the churches were in full swing preparing for Christmas. And because of that, our training for teaching adults how to teach children was postponed until the beginning of January. We were able to do one training the first Sunday evening we were here, but we have been anxious to begin it again! In January we are also going to begin the Good News Clubs for children in the schools. Since we have the opportunity to teach GNC's in all 100 schools on the island, we have to teach a lot of teachers because we can't be in all 100 schools at once! I'm looking forward to getting to work and meeting more of the island children! For His Glory, Sara Allison's Announcements Hello from St Vincent! This has been quite an experience so far. The Lord has given us time to become friends with some of our neighbors and other missionaries and get acquainted with walking about the island and the public transportation system. We have walked miles and miles the last week, or so, and it has been wonderful. Showers on Sundays before church are cold showers due to the water heater being solar, but it is quite do-able. I love the geckos in the house and talk to at least one each morning. We have bats flying around outside at dusk which is another delight, but their food is less than a favorite – mosquitoes! There is no A/C, so the windows without screens are the source of a cool ocean breeze, but not too good after dark with the mosquitoes! The view from where we're staying   We were taken to their traditional Christmas celebration called Nine Mornings. It is every morning the nine mornings before Christmas, starting at 4am and going to 7am, so that people can then go on to work. The celebration is centered around Christ and begins with worship and a message. Then there are games and skits on stage. Each one is God-honoring and He is continually exalted during the morning. Parents are publicly shunned, all in fun, if their kids don't know a Bible story, or how to pray, or something like that while on stage. Pretty amazing! I wish America had a 200 yr old tradition like that! Joshua Klaus has proven to be an asset to our outreach teams and continues to maintain a good attitude regardless of the temperature, or lack of rest, food, or water! It is always a joy to serve with someone who does not complain! Joshua and I got to experience a “party club” with Vance and Wendy Sutherland (who moved here this year from Canada with their two teen-age daughters) there were three other local people on staff with CEF running this club. The children ranged in age from toddler to 20's and there were about 50 children present. They all sat quietly in their seats and listened attentively and were very respectful during and afterwards. It was very nice to see children like this and not quite what I am accustomed to. They acted like children, but with better behavior than the children we normally work with. They do not appear to be prejudice, either, which is such a blessing. I am very grateful to be welcomed here and I look forward to seeing the Lord 's work as it unfolds. As Sara has said previously in this newsletter, it is important that we are here. This nation still allows God into their schools, but one Caribbean nation over, the gay agenda is being embraced and taught at the primary school level. This nation is only one generation away from being hot, or cold concerning the Lord Before making my plane reservations to travel to this nation, I had asked God about doing so. The only thing that He told me was, "These 30,000 children are critically important." I did not need to "hear" anything else. I invested our family's money into plane tickets for Sara and I and we headed for the unknown, not knowing the people we would minister with, or where we would live. I really only knew that God had invited us and He is more than faithful. I am grateful that I was able to have ears to hear and to receive His message. There is much to be done here and as always, the laborers are few. I am trusting the Lord to make me useful to these dear adults and children. I am thanking the Lord for the Lone Oak Assembly of God Church who has sown into this field and for the two young men and their families who are also willing to give of themselves. I also give thanks to God for the sacrificial giving of David and Brittany, Robert and Miriam and Uncle Bob and my cousin Bobette. My Uncle Bob, the most important man in my life, who led me to the Lord 30 yrs ago and brought salvation to our family, passed on to be with his Father in heaven New Year's Eve morning. Please pray for his daughter, Bobbi as she continues in the loving efforts on his behalf. It breaks my heart to not be there, yet fitting that I am on the mission field at the time of his reward and joyous homecoming. As my Uncle would say each morning as he would recite Psalm 103: Bless the Lord, oh my soul and everything within me bless His holy name. We pray you all have a very wonderful New Year in the Lord! For His Glory, Sara and Allison