Trinidad 2006

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2006-07-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

Trinidad 2006

2006-07-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

Trinidad 2006

Coming Home

2006-07-08T19:09:00.000-07:00

We have finished the work the Lord has set before us and we are coming home tomorrow. Our team will be traveling to the airport at 5:00 am and arriving around 7:00 am. Our BWIA flight #484 is scheduled to depart at 9:05 am and should arrive in Miami International Airport at 12:50 pm.
Due to the delay of our departure flight and a tip from Pastor Yogi that BWIA is know for delaying flights, I am giving you the phone number for BWIA to call in the morning to confirm the arrival time. The number for BWIA is 1 800 538 2942. Again the flight is #484 departing Piarco Airport in Port of Spain at 9:05 am and arriving in Miami at 12:50 pm. Please make sure you call to check on the flight times before leaving for the airport.
Your students have done a marvelous job, learned many things and are eager to head home to see all of you. You can be very proud of them.

see you in the morning!!

Trinidad Team

"What should we do?"

2006-07-08T06:35:00.000-07:00

Hello friends, family and prayer warriors: This is just a quick note to update you on the events of Thursday through Friday evening. It has been a very busy couple of days as we finished up the Gospel crusade and shared life with the Yogi family. Thursday afternoon some of our team played soccer with some of the local boys. They had a great time and after the game was finished our group gave the local boys our soccer ball. They were thrilled!! They had been using an old beat up ball for some time and now had a brand new futbol. We have seen them using it with the whole neighborhood the last two days.
The evening programs were great. Thursday evening many returned from the previous nights and Pastor Yogi spoke about assurance of faith. A few people confirmed their commitment to Christ. Friday morning our group heard the testimonies of the Yogi family and were very moved at their lives of faith and dedication to Christ. Friday afternoon the group had a little free time and visited the mall purchasing souvenirs and gifts for supporters, family and friends. Who knows, they may have been thinking about you!!
Friday evening was our final outreach at Borde Narve. It was great to have another church that the Yogi's pastor join us for the event. Our groups partnered together in music, drama, testimonies and laughter as we creatively presented the Gospel. Several more folks accepted Christ as savior. Praise be the Lord of Lords!!!! The night ended very late and we did not return home until close to midnight. This morning we have packed up and are preparing to head out for a trip to the beach!!! As Christian would say, "It will feel amazing!"
Again, thanks for your prayers and keep up the good work. Pray especially that our flight is on time returning home and for safe travel to and from the beach today. God is working and we are filled with joy to be in the middle of his movements.

lots of love from the Trinidad Team........ Pastor James

The Last School Ministry

2006-07-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

Hello Again from the Trinidad Team... We had another wonderful morning, waking up to the birdÂs chirping and the dogs barking. Like every morning so far the Yogi's made us another wonderful breakfast eggs and toast and so we ate that and than we were off again to do another day of school ministry. Today we went to a Elementary school. The school was a lot bigger than yesterdayÂs school. We started off the presentation with telling everyone our names and what out favorite color was and than we sang our MILK song... all the kids love that song. Than we performed out new Tennis skit.. They thought that it was really funny. Next we sang another song and played "Simon SaysÂ, followed by Kellie Harford who got up and gave her testimony followed by the Sin skit, and Dan gave his testimony. Then like always we finished our program with the Redeemer Skit.. Pastor James came up and explained what went on in the Redeemer skit and then Christian came up and explained "Good News" band and we gave the school a box to give out to the students... After we were finished we had time to hang out with the kids and get to know them better and they all wanted to take pictures with our cameraÂs ( because most of our group has digital cameraÂs) The kids were all so cute and they didnÂt want us to leave. We got back to the house about 10:30 a.m. and many people did their quiet times and hung out. Once quiet times were finished we had team time where we talked about what God is doing here in Trinidad and also what God is doing in the team and the heart of each individual person. Meanwhile Pastor and Mrs. Yogi and their daughter made us a wonderful lunch which consisted of soup and bread.. It was sooo good!!! Right now it is free time and everyone is sitting outside and talking, playing futball (soccer)/ running laps around the soccer field, or taking the time to get caught up on their sleep... That is where we are now. Please keep us all in your prayers as we have another wonderful crusade tonight...
Love,
the Trinidad Team

P.S. We all LOVE to read the comments everyday so please write to is and we will try to write back if we can. Also we are sorry that we can not post any pictures we are working with a older computerdoesn'tdoesnt allow us to do it... Sorry, more so see when we get home :)

Now for some SHOUT-OUTS:

James and Tanya say hello to Nana, Bre and Gaby. They love you, miss you and hope you are having fun while they are away serving Jesus. Lots of love, xoxoxo. p.s. to Nana, thanks for taking care of our precious ones, p.p.s. Bre, daddy saw two lizards so far here in Trinidad. :)

Hey Mom, Dad, and Jeremy I just wanted to say hi and I miss you so much cant wait to show you all the pictures...and dont worry mom I am drinking A LOT of water and using bug spray I think I only have 2 bites the whole trip so far...LOL... I am also journaling everyday so I dont forget anything.. I LOVE YOU keep in touch.. Hey Jer I MISS YA!!
Love ya always and forever,
Kellie

From washing the van to 6 decisions

2006-07-05T20:04:00.000-07:00

It is 11 pm and we have once again found our way into the computer. The last you heard from us the girls finished describing our preparations for Tuesday nights Gospel Crusade. What you missed from the girls is that at the time of their last blogging all the guys were outside cleaning and detailing Pastor Yogi's Toyota van. It came out beautifully and he felt very blessed. Mrs. Yogi created a wonderful dinner of spaghetti for the group along with garlic bread. Around 6:00 pm were headed out for the church at Borde Narve once again for the Gospel Crusade. For the crusade we performed the doctor's office skit, the heart skit and the redeemer drama. Dan Braga and Lisa Naus did a powerful job of sharing their testimony. At the end of the night 2 people make a decision for Christ. Pastor Yogi and the church had been praying for the one man named Anthony for several months (he is the next door neighbor). Another lady named Carolyn was led to the Lord by Tanya Nolette while Micalya Doremus held her 8 month old baby. It was a precious sight to see. The body of Christ working together to tell the world about Jesus. We celebrated on the van ride home and wre then treated to a special dessert of chocolate ice cream (MMMMMMMM!!!!). It seemed like a quick nights sleep and we were up again getting ready for our third school ministry. The school was very close to the Yogi's home and was called the Canaan Presbyterian School. The mood was lifted right away when we had the opportunity to mingle and talk with the students before the program. Greg Calder played soccer with a soda bottle cap, the girls played rock-paper-scissors and the boys played the slap game. We started the program with introductions and a game of Beach volleyball which the students loved as our students acted as the net. We followed with the sin skit, simon says, the doctors office skit and testimonies by Ben Braga and Tyler Jett. As usual we finished off with the Redeemer and then handed out some tracks to the kids. The smiles were great and we were sad to have to leave. The school greated us with some "Chubby" drinks, a local favorite. They also gave us some watermelon as a thank you. As we arrived back to the Yogi home, Mrs. Yogi, Tanya and Lisa Naus were getting ready to host a women's Bible study. The group went with Pastor Yogi to the San Fernando bluff. It is a local park and the highest point in southern Trinidad. Most of the group climbed up the bluff and took pictures from the scenic locations.
Lunch was sandwiches and chips with baked beans. They are treating us like true Americans. :) The afternoon involved switching some guys and girls rooms to moderate the fairness regarding the air conditioning, extra drama practice for redeemer and the learning of a new skit for the evening performance. The skit was about a movie set for tennis match. Purely humorous. Normally in fast forward, slow motion, cheerleader style, hip-hop, ballarena and then underwater.
We finished dinner at 6 pm and headed out for the church once again. The evening program was once again a success as we performed drama's, Bianca Ramos, Micayla Doremus and Josh Colucci shared testimonies and Pastor Yogi provided the invitation. This time 6 people accepted Christ. Another victory for the kingdom of God. We are all doing well and missing all you back home. Now for some personal messages:

From Greg: I really miss you Maggi, Sydnee, and Ian. I have been greatly blessed during our time here. I look forward to the day that all of us can minister on the mission field together as a family. My connection to many of the boys here has been football (soccer). The transition to spiritual topics from football has been smooth and natural thanks to the Holy Spirit. Please pray for me and the team to continue to be spiritually prepared to minister, as it is very tempting to rest on the early success of the trip so far. I love you and pray that I see you soon.

From Josh: To my family I say hello and I love you!

From Micayla: Hi Mommy, Myles, and Dad! I love you! I'm having a great time. I met alot alot of new people. I have many stories. Continue prayers for me (and the rest of the team). See you Sunday. p.s. Say "HI" to Grandma and the rest of the family for me. I hope you had a great 4th of July without me. Cant wait to hear about it. xox =]

From Brooke: Hey Mom, Dad, & Brandon! We've been having a lot of fun, as you can probably tell from the information above...I've really enjoyed all the kids we've done programs for! They're soo cute!!! Can't wait to tell you all about it and show you pictures! Love always! xoxoxoxox

Sunday Afternoon -- Tuesday Afternoon Update

2006-07-04T12:12:00.000-07:00

"Hey everybody!!! We're having a great time here in San Fernando, Trinidad. Sunday afternoon we played a futbol game with the locals, and had a blast! We even scored 3 goals against them!!! Following the game, we split up and went door to door handing out flyers about the gospel crusade. We had some positive responsives from some of the locals. We even met some Christians who were encouraged by the fact that we came all the way from the U.S. to share with them.
On Monday, we went to a place called St. Stephens College and we put a program on for kids from the ages of 11 to 18. It was great fun! Micayla, Josh, and Kellie Harford gave their testimonies, and we also did a couple dramas and songs. Monday night we had our first night of the gospel crusade at the Borde Narve Church. Greg, Brooke, and Christian gave testimonies along with some more songs and dramas. Pastor Yogi concluded the night with an invitation and 2 people came to Christ!!! That was very exciting and encouraging!
On Tuesday, we went to a government elementary school and put on a program for them too. The children were so cute, happy, and polite! Kelley Naus and James Cressman gave their testimonies, and we did some fun songs with the kids. They loved them and made it so fun for us too! There were also some dramas, and after the program, the kids flooded us with hugs and asked us all for our autographs! So adorable! They just absolutely loved having us there and enjoyed our company. Then we took a short trip to Pitch Lake to see the natural wonder of a lake made entirely of tar!
We are now excited about our second night of the gospel crusade, and we can't wait to see what the outcome will be!
Love,
the Trinidad Team

SHOUT-OUTS:

Hi mom, dad, & brandon!
I'm having a great time and miss you! Continue to pray for us!
Love always,
brooke
xoxoxox

Hey Mom, Dad, & Myles;
I'm having a great time. This is an experience I wont forget. It's so different down here. Anyway, I miss you, BUT I'm still not ready to come home. =] I love you!
Tell everyone that I say hi and that I cant wait to taste Titsie's pasta again (and cant forget the 'bones') ;)
Love you lots, Micayla

Hi,
Daddy: I'm very very happy! I miss you!
Danny: Have tons of fun raiding my room with all your freinds... hehe! I miss you!
Teta & Giddo: I cant wait to see you! I miss you!
Love KK

Honey -
I think about you alot. We were eating peas the other night and I missed you!
Love you, Lisa
Daniel -
You are on my mind alot! Miss you heaps!
Love Mom

Hi Andrew, we miss you!
- Daniel & Ben

Hey Mom and Dad!!!
I am having a great time here it is a lot of fun!! But we some are getting tired... ut over all we are doing grea... I am healthy and have not gotten sick at all!! YAY I have been drinking a lot of water and using all the bug stuff that you sent... it has been raining though but it is ok... I MISS you and LOVE very much and I am taking a lot of pictures for you dad LOL.. Please tell Jeremy that I say hi and that I LOVE him very much .. hope all is well there and How is Sadie doing??? Oh yea the food there is AMAZING!! I hope you have a great day adn Keep in touch... I LOVE YOU !!!! cant wait to tell you all the stories from here I have to go I am missing the soccer game!! Write as soon as you can xoxox
Love ya always and forever,
Kellie

Dear Breanna and Gaby Nolette,
We miss you soooo much and think about you all day! We hope you are having a great time with Nana and that you are behaving well! We love you LOTS and will see you in a few days.
All our love,
Mommy and Daddy

Our First Day

2006-07-02T10:28:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for your prayers and support as we departed for Trinidad. I am happy to say that everyone arrived safely in Port of Spain yesterday very early on Sunday morning. Our check in process was smooth and we had some time to kill in the airport terminal. That time was soon filled with dinner and conversation as we awaited boarding. The plane was pretty much on time taking off around 8:50 pm on Saturday night. We had one small scare on the plane as Kellie Harford somehow "misplaced" her passport, which we soon found out was hiding in Mrs. Naus' back pocket. Upon arrival we headed through Customs with little problem and picked up our luggage. We were out on the curb awaiting our pick-up by Pastor Yogi around 1:15 am. We all piled into the van, cramming luggage in the far back and headed south to the Yogi's home. It was hilarious to watch some of the students fall asleep in odd positions as they fought sleep deprivation during the ride from the airport. When we arrived at the Yogi's home we were quickly assigned rooms and headed off for a "power nap" of 3 hours before waking to get ready for Church. The whole crew arose on time for breakfast and headed off to church. It was great to finally be here and ministering with the people of Trinidad. It was a great service as Tyler Jett, Bianca Ramos and Ben Braga shared testimonies, the group performed the sin skit and Pastor James preached the Word. Toward the end of the service you could see the weariness in everyone's eyes from the long nights travel but they remained strong and had a great spirit. After church we introduced ourselves to the church members and headed home for lunch. This afternoon we will meet for a soccer game between our team and some of the church members and neighborhood residents. It will be a great way to break the ice with the community. Following the game we will all hand out flyers for the Gospel Crusade that will be happening each evening at the church. Pray that the community is receptive and will attend the meetings during the week. The Lord is faithful. We will most likely turn in early tonight to catch up on rest and get prepared for our week of ministry.
So for now, the group has arrived safely, begun their ministry and ready to see what the Lord has in store.

Departure Flight Delay

2006-06-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Trinidad Team,

The first chance we have to be flexible on this mission trip has already presented itself. I just received word from our travel agent that the departure flight has been delayed a few hours.

Here is the new departure schedule for Saturday, July 1st:

Meet at the Ministry Center at 4:30 pm. Please make sure that you eat before you come to the Church and bring a snack for our waiting time in the airport and on the flight.

We will depart for the Miami International Airport at 5:00 pm

The new flight itinerary is as follows:
BWIA flight 483 departs Miami International Airport at 8:30 pm and will arrive in Port of Spain Trinidad at 12:10 am.

I apologize for the delay and ask you to be understanding. Please make the appropriate changes to your schedule to match our new departure time.

Thank you,

Pastor James Nolette

Preparations

2006-06-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

This is the first of several entries that you will read regarding the Boca Raton Community Church Student Mission Trip to Trinidad and Tobago in the summer of 2006. For months the students and leaders have been training, praying, raising support, reading and getting ready for our journey to be with pastor Siddhant Yogi and the national people of Trinidad. It is a pivotal time in the World scene right now as we find ourselves in the midst of the World Cup finals. We will try to use this World theme to our advantage as we travel there with out team from July 1st to July 9th. WE hope that our team can do a responsible job of ministering to the people of Trinidad and bring them the good news of Christ Jesus through warm smiles, drama, testimonies, singing and games. While on the trip the team will be working in primary schools, parks, and tent revivals. We will partner with the national people to draw the neighborhood surrounding the church to some gatherings at which we will share the saving news of the Gospel. Please begin praying for us now if you have not already that the Lord will do an amazing work in our midst. We will be finishing our preparations with an all day training on June 29th and we will depart for the airport on Saturday, July 1st.

Our team members are:
Pastor James Nolette - leader
Greg Calder - leader
Tanya Nolette - leader
Lisa Naus - leader
Dan Braga
Ben Braga
Josh Colucci
Kellie Harford
Christian Heidgerd
Kelley Naus
Brooke Taddonio
Tyler Jett
Bianca Ramos
Micayla Doremus
and James Cressman

We are thankful for many of you who have given financially to this trip and for those who have been and will be praying for God's blessing upon it. I invite you to post comments, encouragements, greetings and prayers throughout the week of our trip. (remember to keep them short for time sake) We will do our best to update the blog throughout the mission as the internet is available to us. Thank You.