My Date with Sadie

One of my "must haves" on my trips back to the states is a Sadie day. A time where we can both just stop, talk, vent, share, laugh, cry, get it all out. We start out our time sitting up strait and talking nonstop while we get some food, and by the time we are done at the end of the night we are usually at a coffee shop practically laying down, tired, and feeling 100% better. Thanks for the share time Sadie! I love you.
Be blessed and be a blessing
Erin

Afternoon at the Park

Thursday afternoon I had the privilege to meet with friends at the Park to just hang out and have fun. What a blessing they are in my life. I love you!

Be blessed and be a blessing

Erin

Kelsey Ann and I
Kelsey taking pictures for me and Kristy

Kelsey, Me and Abbi Grace

Ok... a nice picture

Me and the kiddos, Abbi, Josiah, and Kelsey

Time Back in the States and Ohio Weekend Pics!

I don't fully understand why I was asked to come back to the states to sit for two weeks. BUT I know without a doubt this is where I was supposed to be, and praise God for the opportunities that were presented to me while I was here. I was able to see and catch up with lots of friends at Brooke and Johns wedding. I was here for fathers day, and last weekend I was given the opportunity to go out with friends to Cedar Point. From Cedar Point we were able to go to the testimony and baptisms of a good friend out in Ohio. Praise God for all the Amazing ways He continues to bless my life.

Be blessed and be a blessing

Erin

Enjoying Cedar Point

Blake and Matt on the Dragster

Katie, Jaimie, Kaitlyn, and I waiting for the dragster to take off

playing cards while waiting in line for the roller coasters

napping after lunch

group shot after the maverick

running off energy Sat. afternoon

our team picture

The car ride home

stopping for a picture with the beautiful sunset on the side of the road.

Praise God!

I just wanted to let you know everything went GREAT at the Jamaican consulate. It was a very simple process... we slid our papers across the desk, then went out into the sitting room part of the consulate, and talked together until all our paper work was processed and our passports were stamped. With this stamp we will now be able to get into the country I love with No Problem. Now all is done on the U.S. side and we just have a couple of long days in Kingston to actually get our visa into our passport. After that we should be set for the next couple of years. Thanks so much for all your prayers and support. Thanks for being part of this with me. The Plattners are flying back right now. I fly back tomorrow, and the Hubers fly back July 4th. Please continue to pray.
Be blessed and be a blessing

Erin

Please Pray

Tonight at 6 p.m. the Plattners, Hubers, and I have our meeting with the Jamaican consulate in Chicago. Please be praying for a good meeting and a smooth process. God is Good all the time... All the time God is Good!

Be blessed and be a blessing

Erin

Graduation

Top Row: Jermaine, Miguel,Trishana,Sabreke, Diane, Damion, Dennis

Bottom Row: Toni-Marie,Latricia,Sheldon, Keisha,Shawnette

Graduation is this week for some of the kids and my heart breaks that I will miss it, and that I can't be there for them. Many of these kids are the ones that keep me going, keep me on my toes, daily challenging me to be better, and bringing SO MUCH joy to my life. Graduation is Thursday the 26th and after that these kids are done and out into the real world. If you could please pray for them. Things are not going to be easy for many of them, but GOD is Great and can do mighty things through each of them if they draw close to Him. Have a great day!

Be blessed and be a blessing

Erin

To fill you in

So because God is good and we don't always understand His ways I am once again sitting in good ol Goodfield! Wefound out Wednesday the 11th that SURPRISE we have had work permits since Feb. 28th but since no one told us, and our permits were locked in some desk at the ministry of labor... we sat there and continued to wait.The other Surprise was because we had this work permit that no one new about since Feb. we have to have our passports stamped by the beginning of July other wise we have to start the entire process over. So I got the opportunity to bring the paper up so the Hubers, Pattners and I can all be on the island together again! YAY! Hurry up and wait has been my life in JA and I love my life there, but hurry up and waiting it the States is not so much fun when you have so much to do at home. We were hoping to get in this week to the Jamaican consulate to get our passports stamped then back to JA but another surprise the Jamaican Consulate is closed for the next week they are going on Holiday. We then got an appointment for June 27th and I am planning on flying back the 28th. SO... that's whats going on if you could pray for this situation I would greatly appreciate it. Through this entire process God has been showing his goodness and power. He alone can see the big picture and though it may seem completely chaotic at times in our eyes it seems to be falling perfectly in place in His time. Thank you for all your prayers, love, and support. Please keep them coming they are what get me through many days. I love you.

Be blessed and be a blessing

Erin

Pictures from the PSS Work Team

Mariel one of the summer interns at JDV jumping in and helping the team
Digging out more rocks from the pit

Digging out trenches to pour footers

Pouring the footers Lindsay and Mica being the stoppers on the cement chute that was

constructed to get cement into the pit to pour the footers

2 of the 4 footers poured in for the pit footers

A JDV sunset

game time with the deaf

OFF TO A GREAT START!

So now that I am back at KP for hopefully a long period of time i was hoping to settle in a bit, and catch up on things. Well when you wake up to NO water that's kind of hard to do :) So I have probably about 3 weeks worth of laundry that I was planning on doing today and now that's not going to happen. And without water you can't do much else... God is good and He will provide. I also lost my phone. I don't know where it is or if i have missed any calls or texts but I have searched all over and for the life of me can't find it. Now looking to the positive if I don't have laundry to keep me busy and No phone to interrupt me I might just get myself an afternoon nap! I hope you are all having a great day I miss you and Love you.

Be blessed and be a blessing

Erin

Meet the Princeville Team

I'm finally back at KP. and settled in to the Plattners Apt. while they are gone so the bugs and other Jamaican creatures don't take over it for them. I was just blessed with an GREAT week serving with the Princeville Sunday School. They were a fun group and I praise God for the opportunity to Serve and get to know them. I now have a group here at KP that I will start working with tomorrow. Thanks for all your prayers and please keep them coming. Things are busy and not going to slow down anytime soon. Praise God for His Greatness and all that He is doing down here.

Be blessed and be a blessing

Erin

More Changes

In just a little bit the Plattners will be taking off to MoBay so that tomorrow morning they can fly back to the states until this entire paper work mess is taken care of. They have become such a big part of my life and have blessed me in such amazing ways that I am already missing them. I love walking in and having Truitt scream EEENNN! and crawling as fast as he can to see me, and Drews sweet smile as he looks at me and says Hi Erin:) or calls me over so I am able to see what great things he is working on now. Please keep them in your prayers as this is a time of limbo for the family. Thanks. I love you and Miss you.

Be blessed and be a blessing

Erin

Posting Pictures

Good Wednesday Afternoon! I am So behind in getting things posted and for that I am sorry. Here is the last of the Pictures from the team 2 weeks ago. Both pictures at work and play. Now I have lots of pictures from the Princeville Sunday school to start posting. I hope you are having a great week. I love you so much.

Be blessed and be a blessing

Erin

The BEST rebar crew EVER!

Jack Hammering Rocks and hauling them out of the "Pit"
so we can pour and construct a cistern for water.

our pit crew

Jami ready to haul rocks from the pit

Making cookies for the infirmary and orphanage

Kristen and Anna laying block

Packing up bags for the orphanage

Hanging out at KP with Greg

Shopping in Mandeville

Free Time

The tree which under many great talks are had

Me and Matt

Jaimie and I

Rhoda's artistic picture

Group worship and share time

Blessed Beyond Words

Thank You! to everyone who called, sent cards, emails, sang and embarrassed me horribly. I truly appreciate all of you who helped me celebrate my birthday. In Jamaica it is a custom/tradition/prank (whatever you want to call it) to get water thrown in your face then people come out and throw fist fulls of flour in your face. So all day sat. I was waiting for it knowing enough of the deaf (the ornery ones) knew it was my birthday. Thankfully I got through the day without a face full of flour and only once close call with me begging Ms. Pamela when she found out to have mercy on me and not to throw flour in my face:) I lost count of how many times I was sung to (turning bright red and trying to escape from the room). I love how much relationships matter down here. So many deaf would pull me aside to wish me happy birthday privately or give me a card or what ever but they want to do it in person and just so you know how special you are in their lives. I was truly humbled by everyone down here. About 10 at night i thought i had made it through it all and was in bed praying when a knock came at my door and Keri informed me that Felicia wanted to see me about Sunday school papers (that we had already talked about?....) So I kind of had a feeling something was coming then walking over to the other house its kind of hard to have the deaf throw you a surprise party when they can't hear you coming so someone has to stand at the door and watch and because it was dark they could not tell for sure who it was till i was right there by the door then that one person runs in to tell everyone to hide so I could see them all lay down on benches or get behind tables real quick. They are just the best down here and they were so excited to jump out and sign SURPRISE. They had made me a beautiful cake and WOW. I don't know how I got blessed with such a great friends down here but I praise GOD for each one of them. I hope you are all having a great week. Its been cool and rainy. Not good for the Princeville Sunday school who came to work. God knows best!

Be blessed and be a blessing.

-Erin-