El Fin

As I sit here writing the final blog entry and think back on our time here, I can’t believe the two weeks have gone by so quickly. We were exposed to new foods, new culture, new people, and new surroundings, but something that was not new was the group of people that shared the same faith that we do. Those are the people that we got to know during our time here. We had so many gracious people that prepared food for us. That made things so much easier for us and for that, we are extremely thankful. We had many people plan out the entire two weeks for us. That made things so much easier for us and for that, we are extremely thankful. These kids had the opportunity to go to a different part of the world and share God’s love with many children and for that, I know, they are extremely thankful. So as we sit here today packing and cleaning, we prepare to get back to the “daily norm.” Some of us will be preparing for our first year of college, final year of high school, or second year of teaching. As we sit here today and think about the friendships that we made, the memories that we have, we look back and see the gracious hand of God as he continues to shower all of us with blessings. As we heard yesterday in the sermon from former Prep student Ron Pile, remember to pray. We were reminded that God is our best friend and we should talk to him. Talk to him not only in times of need, but also in times of happiness and thankfulness. Today, we pray for the many people with whom we became friends with. We are thankful we had the opportunity to make new friends and see old ones. Today, we pray as we are thankful for the opportunity we had to come to Antigua and share his word. Please keep in your prayers the congregation of St. John’s Lutheran as they continue on their mission to bring God’s Word to as many people as they can. Pray for us that we have safe travels back to our families and friends. And as we were reminded yesterday, God promises plenty when prayer is practiced. We have much for which to be thankful.

Thanks for following.

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:31

Day 14

Today was the last full day here in Antigua. We began the day with the most important thing: church. This was another amazing experience. I am not sure how many of the kids have done something like this before. I know I haven’t, and I was incredibly thankful that we had the opportunity to do so. All our kids had some part in the service whether it was playing piano, steel pans, or greeting. It was a good opportunity to show them the importance of becoming leaders in the church and helping out in whatever way they can. After the service, we stayed for a little bit of the Spanish service at church. It is yet another way St. John’s works to bring the Gospel to people. After church we came back home for a short time and did a little bit of cleaning so that it would lighten our cleaning load for tomorrow. At three o’clock, we headed back to church for our final outing. Today, it was Shirley Heights. In my opinion, it didn’t get any better than this! There were some pretty incredible views and I know a lot of photos were taken here. Some people walked on a trail that gave many more good views while other relaxed as they watched the sun set one final time in Antigua. There was a steel drum band playing at Shirley Heights and Kareem told us that was how they were supposed to sound because our steel pans were not completely in tune. This place was packed. Our group got everyone going as we started a conga line followed by a dancing circle as we showed off our Midwestern moves. We listened to a band play some music for a little bit, but then it was time to head out so we could get to the Johnston’s for the cookout. At the Johnston’s we ate a lot of food, played some basketball, soccer, volleyball, and visited. It came time to say the goodbyes. It was a bittersweet time as we were saying goodbye to people we had never met as of two weeks ago, but now, they are people with whom we can surely call friends. Hopefully we will get a chance to meet up with them soon, but we know there will be a time when we all will be reunited with each other eternally.

Day 13

As Vacation Bible School came to end, we began the final days here in Antigua with our final pan practice before the youth service on Sunday. We have come A LONG way since first picking up the sticks for the first time. We were reminiscing about some of our first practices and how awful we were. There was one point where we finished a song and Kareem just kept saying, “no no no no no no…what was that?” We feel pretty good about how far we have come in a short amount of time. We have received compliments from people about how quickly we picked up playing the steel drums. In my opinion, I think that can be attributed to the music program at Prep (obviously apart from the talents with which the PT students have been blessed.) The music department at Luther Prep generates an incredible love for music as well as prepares them to be leaders in music in the church someday. After we finished pan practice and running through the youth service, we went on an island safari in the afternoon. Originally, the tour was only supposed to be an hour long but the company increased it to two hours without even notifying us. I think that speaks a lot about the tour company. We made three stops on the tour. The first stop was at Waling’s Dam. There we walked around and saw the dam and took some photos. The second stop was at the donkey sanctuary. Unfortunately, none of us adopted a donkey (which was possible), but did get some great pictures as we roamed the living quarters. The third and final stop was Devil’s Bridge. This was a pretty fantastic place! Right on the Atlantic Ocean, this rock formation offers opportunities for some great pictures. After we took our time walking around and watching the waves crashing against the rocks, we headed back to school. After we reenergized with some dinner, we headed up to the Johnston’s humble abode to do some yard work and some other work in preparation for the final barbecue on Sunday.

Day 12

Today was a great day! This blog post is coming to you from Jake. Today was a blast, we were blessed with the final opportunity to teach the young children about the love that the Lord has for them! We also invited them to church, hoping to see many of them there. After a successful morning at the church, we headed to the beach for the last time. It was a fun time. Most people got in the water for a bit and then relaxed in the shade. After the beach, we came back to the house to shower and get ready for karaoke at Castaways. That night was a blast! We arrived via a big bus and were ready to jam. To kick things off, Bekah and Laura sang together and from there, the songs just kept on coming! The night was capped off by a lovely duet performed by Mr. & Mrs. Danell. They sang “Baby” by Justin Bieber - it was done very well. We then made the trek back to the house and all collapsed into our beds for the night. It was a fun filled day and felt good to finally get some sleep. 

Day 11

Hello to everyone from Antigua! Today’s blog is written by Alana and Betsy, as Tutor and Phil deserve a day off. We headed off to our fourth day of VBS, and the theme today was “The Flight.” The story was Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus and all the students were visited by Emily Margraff (an LPS alum and one of the new teachers at St. John’s) dressed as Saul. The kids loved her dramatic acting! After devouring our lunch of homemade pizza, we broke into small groups, each with an LYC guide and walked into town to do some shopping. Many souvenirs were purchased including steel pans, six soccer jerseys (guess who), and numerous bracelets. Many of us also stopped by the ice cream shop Ron Pile works at, Gelato, and enjoyed some gourmet ice cream. It was a great afternoon! After walking back up the hill to the church, we had another pan practice and practiced singing our songs for the youth service on Sunday. For supper, we were served an authentic Antiguan meal of ducana, cooked spinach, breadfruit and salt fish. Ducana is a mixture of sweet potatoes, coconut, sugar and flour that is baked in aluminum foil and tastes something like oatmeal. After dinner, we came back to the house accompanied by our two friends Laura-Lee and Lesroy and enjoyed the evening playing games and listening to music. The most eventful part of the evening was the slaying of a whole whopping five cockroaches (a record high for one day). There was morning and there was evening, the 11^th day.

Day 10

It was another exciting day on the beautiful island of Antigua! VBS continued as usual with Day 3, themed “The Ticket: A Necessity”. The lesson mirrored Jesus’s crucifixion, and just as the ticket is the key to an earthly destination, so also Jesus is the key to our dream destination of heaven. For lunch that day we had another beautiful rendezvous with the beloved schwarma; a mixture of chicken, lettuce, special sauce that we can’t describe, and a whole lot of love wrapped in a flat bread shell. After lunch followed an afternoon where we were free to do what we wanted. Some took catnaps while others walked up the hill to the Johnston residence for a wi-fi session. Around three o’clock, we noticed quiet meows coming from an old projector box on the patio. The Sternhagens’ pregnant cat had crawled in and gave birth in this beat-up rusty box. Amongst all the “ews” and “aws”, we watched six kittens being born! We had made a unanimous decision to name them after the six PT kids, so our legacy can continue on this island. In the evening, the group was off to Family Bible Night at the church. I (Phil) wasn’t feeling so golden and decided to hang back and hold down the fort. Overall, it was a very eventful day for everyone.

Day 9

Greetings from Antigua! There has been a little bit of author switch-up, and this blog entry is brought to you by Phil Waldschmidt. Today was a fun day! We started it off with Day 2 of the Eagle Express. The theme of the day was “Jesus, Our Trusted Pilot” and revolved around the story of Jesus overcoming temptation in the desert. Overall, the day went swimmingly. Speaking of swimmingly, after VBS we were off to the beach! Jake stayed home to hold down the fort and tend to his wicked sunburn. This beach was right down the hill from the Sternhagen home. Although there wasn’t much sand, it made up for it with the beautiful water and sublime weather. We even had our own little scuba adventure finding several treasures like conch shells and pieces of coral. After the beach we came home to a spectacular KFC dinner (sidenote: KFC is significantly better here than in the states. It is described by the Antiguans as “The Best Chicken in the World”, and we would agree). In the evening, we went to “Caribbean Cinema” to catch a movie with the LYC members. We had a couple options, and after deep consideration, we went with “White House Down”. Good movie and a good time had by all.


Please "enjoy" the picture of the "horse spider" that was found in the bible study room we had been in at school all night last night. 

Day 8

Today was the first day of VBS. It felt good to get to this day because we spent all last week preparing for it. The three hours seemed to fly by. There were about 80 kids that showed up today which was encouraging. We are hoping that number increases as we continue on through the week. We hope to have 100 or more kids. The day started out with everyone in the church as Miss Christmas, one of the Antiguan teachers, led the children in some songs to get everyone warmed up as well as talking about the theme for VBS. Then the children were divided up into their respective age groups and were led off with their teachers. Next, the teachers used the next hour and a half to teach the lesson for the day, complete the craft, and have snack time. The day ended with some more songs in the church followed by the skit which reinforced the lesson that was taught. After we made sure the kids were picked up to go home, we had lunch. As we had lunch I asked everyone what they thought about day one. I thought I would share some of the quotes that I wrote down from different people. Here are some of the things that were said: “So this has confirmed that I want to teach.” “After this I’m not even scared to teach. I love my kids so much.” “I loved it and I’m excited to do it again.” As a teacher, this was pretty incredible to hear! We always hope that this is an encouraging time for these students as they consider preparing for the full time public ministry. To hear that they loved it, were excited, and couldn't wait to do it again encouraged me. Continue to pray for them as they use their God-given gifts to serve him. Tonight we had pan practice with Kareem. We continue to improve and everyone is enjoying the opportunity as we prepare for the youth-led worship service. After pan practice was “Old Time Something.” This was a night in which we learned about Antiguan culture through different games that used to be played as well as try different Antiguan dishes. It was fun to be able to spend more time with the LYC and learn about new things.

Day 7

Today completed our first week of being in Antigua. It was a very brief day today. We had church this morning and that was a great experience. It was the same in content but different in culture. The thing that made me really sit and think about was what happened during the offering. As the offering was gathered, we sang a song. I had never heard of it before but it was a song about giving thanks. After we were done singing it, the musicians started to play music for the last hymn. As that was being played, I could hear people both around me and all over the church hum or even quietly sing the song. Now this was something totally different than what I have experienced in worship. I think it is safe to say that is not the culture we are used to in worship. I think I can even go as far as saying that if that would happen in church, people would look around and possibly even frown as to why someone would be humming so loudly or singing out loud during the offering. But what a great way to let your light shine! Also, before the last hymn, there was time to greet those sitting around you. This is something that I have seen before. But the way in which people have done this is simply turn to each side and greet those sitting next to you, in front of and behind you. This morning people were all over the place. There were people going both next to you and also across the aisle. I even saw people come from the back of church up to the front where we were scattered just to greet us. The congregation is incredibly friendly and it left us feeling very welcomed there. After church we visited with a few members and then went back to our residence to eat. We spent the afternoon at the beach as we walked down to a smaller beach where we baked in the sun, did a little swimming, and even ate a coconut that was found. This was the last relaxation before our week of VBS and it was much enjoyed!

Day 6

This morning we went canvassing as we advertised for the VBS next week. Before we went out we all sat down and talked about different reasons why people don’t like to go canvassing. There were different reasons people came up with ranging from dealing with rude people to being afraid of being rejected or made fun of. There is that part in all of us that doesn't want to go because we are afraid of people making fun of us, but it was a great experience for everyone. We were split up into eight different groups that went around different parts of the island. Everyone had a great time. It was another great opportunity for us to practice our communication as we planted the seed for sharing the Gospel next week at VBS. There were some groups that had good prospects. In the afternoon, we went to the beach. This time, it was Half Moon Bay. This place was absolutely gorgeous! You would not believe the views just as you are driving, let alone once we got there. The pictures attached here just don’t do justice, but we hope that you still enjoy. Some people spent time “riding the waves” which were pretty intense at times while others just enjoyed the beautiful water and great photo opportunities. Some of us even got to try some sugar cane. It was delicious! Although we did have a licensed life guard and registered nurse on hand (THANKS, Mrs. Johnston) everyone did stay safe. We are all very tired from a long day and a lot of sun and we are all looking forward to a relaxing night. Some of us will spend some time tonight contacting/talking with our families back at home. As always, thanks for reading and continue to keep us and St. John’s in your prayers as we have the opportunity to share the most important message with many children next week. God’s Blessings!

Day 5

Since we worked so hard in the days leading up to today, we were able to push the start time back to 10:00. That meant a little extra sleep which was nice. We started off with pan practice. We are improving at a quick pace. Later on I will hopefully post a video once we have a song learned and mastered. In the afternoon we enjoyed going zip lining. One of the Lutheran Youth for Christ (LYC) members got us a great discount so we were able to enjoy this activity at a very minimal cost! We had lots of fun going on 9 different lines. The lines were part of a course through the Antiguan Rainforest. There were a lot of screams by people, maybe some more than others, but we all had a blast. It was just another great way for the Project Timothy kids and the LYC kids to continue forming bonds with each other. Enjoy some pictures from our adventure!

Day 4

Today was a fun day! In the morning we finished up our different preparations for VBS next week with our respective groups. For those that are wondering, Jake is teaching 9-10 year olds, Phil is teaching 11-12 year olds, Betsy 3-4 year olds, Rebekah is teaching 5-6 year olds, Alana is teaching 7-8 year olds, and Tabitha is also teaching 9-10 year olds. Instructor Danell is helping out with crafts for 3-4 year olds and Tutor Danell is helping out with skits. In the afternoon, we had Amazing Race: Antigua. We were split up into five teams of two people each. Each team had a “guide” that was not able to help us or give us directions. It was very hot, but it was a lot of fun. Teams visited places such as the “Papa Bird” statue, Antigua Grammar School, YMCA, Otto’s Secondary School, and the Recreational Grounds. Some teams even stopped by the local fish market and bought a fish to carry around for the race to get extra time taken off. Fortunately, the Tutor/Instructor team won an extremely close race. Needless to say, it was a great way for us to get to see different parts of the island as well as practice our communication with some locals.

Day 3

Today was a very long day. We got a lot accomplished but we are extremely tired. Last night was a late one as we stayed up playing games and having a lot of fun. Last night also came with a surprise. As we were sitting around playing cards, the wind kept blowing doors open and shut continuously. We started joke about someone coming in. Then, someone saw a car pull up to the house and asked who it was. All of a sudden we heard a loud pounding on the door. Someone jumped in front of the screen door and it is safe to say the entire island heard us yell. Much to our surprise it was Ron Pile, a graduate of Luther Prep and a current MLC student. It was good to see him! As far as today goes, we had plenty of time to work on our different duties for VBS next week. We also had an intense steel drum practice session today. You can definitely tell that we are beginners. Tonight we had family bible night with Pastor Richards, the Antiguan pastor. This was truly an amazing thing. People had many deep questions they asked and there was a lot of talking that went on. I think the people that were in attendance talked more than Pastor Richards did. It was a great experience to have people from different cultures to gather together to study the scriptures and recharge our faith after a long day. The Holy Spirit is definitely working here in Antigua and it is a great privilege to be a part of it. Thanks for reading!

Days 1 & 2

Monday was a very long day for us. We left Watertown at 12:30 am and did not end up going to bed Monday night until about 11:30. When we arrived we were picked up by our personal driver for the two weeks, Taisha. She is incredibly nice and we are very thankful that is willing to drive us around for the two weeks. Speaking of the driving, it is very different than back at home. First, the driver is on the right side of the car. Second, you drive on the left side of the road. Third, the roads are incredibly narrow and it looks like the two cars will collide. We are glad that nobody here has to drive! The day concluded with us eating, relaxing, and talking with Pastor Johnston about what these two weeks would entail. Needless to say, we were very glad to get some sleep.

Some of us were awakened by the friendly neighborhood rooster. No need for an alarm clock down here! We started at the school this morning at 9:00 with devotion and a couple mixer activities so that we could start to learn some names. We spent some time in our separate groups working on VBS preparation. It is going to be a great experience getting to work with people from a totally different part of the world while knowing that they share the same faith and believe the same thing that we do! We also got our first taste of the steel pan drums. You could definitely tell that it was our first time. Our gracious teacher, Kareem, was very patient with us and we were very thankful for that. We will be playing two songs on the pan drums for the youth service on the 28^th. We spent the afternoon at Runaway Beach. The water is clear, the sand is white, and the temperature is HOT. We won’t make it to all 365 Antiguan beaches but we will make it to our fair share. Tonight we are going to relax playing some games here at our place because tomorrow will be a long day. Enjoy the pictures from today!

#PTAntigua13

The Beginning

Our trip has officially started! We are on our very early drive down to Chicago O'hare airport for a 5:30 am flight down to Miami and then to Antigua. As I sit on the bus and look over my devotion about sharing, I can't help but get excited about the opportunity we have not only as a Project Timothy group, but also as Christians as we have the opportunity to share with others the greatest message there is! As we travel down to Antigua to serve the people at St. John's and glorify our Savior, please keep us in your prayers. Pray that the message we share is able to reach as many people as possible!