JUNE 2012

A Living Act

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 6

Our school principal, Ms Maria Lawrence, proudly leads in our graduating class at the beginning of the commencement ceremony. Congrats to our nine graduates!

In Acts 18:24-26 we hear of a young man named Apollos, full of passion and boldness in proclaiming Jesus, though he only knew of the baptism of John. What was he lacking? Aquila and Priscilla, mere tentmakers, hear him teaching and recognize that Apollos needs further teaching. So they pull him aside and mentor him, solidifying his foundation. This account is a whopping three verses! And yet in contains such a powerful and kingdom building principle, as well as is the fulfillment of the Great Commission! (Matt 28:19-20) DISCIPLESHIP! It is the great Living Act that we are called to live in our very own journeys. Both being discipled (learning) and discipling (mentoring others). Will we ACT?

SNAPSHOT OF THE LAST MONTH 2-9 Rockdale Baptist team from the Atlanta area blesses us with their friendship and service 9-10 Tashi and I spent the weekend with the AC Morton team led annually by Ted Hirstein and enjoyed the fellowship and friendships 11-15 Scrambled like crazy to get the sea container documents in-line, but unfortunately we did not get the papers with enough time to do delivery prior to our June 16 teams arriving 16-23 Mount Zion UMC, a first-time team, arrived on campus not knowing any of us, and when they left our children were crying because they were going to miss their new friends 21-22 Thursday night Tashi and I drove across the island to Montego Bay and crashed at the CCCD campus. Friday morning we headed to the port to receive the sea container. After waiting and nudging the process along, we got clearance and then began distribution early in the afternoon. After delivery we made the trip back home, arriving in Kingston at 10pm. 23-30 Covenant Presbyterian of Naples, Florida came for their 8th in a row trip to CCCD! 24 CCCD Kingston Class of 2012 graduation ceremony! Congrats to Petrona, Semaj, Cristina, Latoya, Chuntell, Tiasha, Gelisa , Kimmarley and Michael

Kemoy is Going to College on a Full Ride!!!

Lord willing, Kemoy will receive an F-1 student visa in the coming weeks and then fly up to Indiana with Tashi and I on August 1. The journey has been incredible to watch from my perspective. We knew that Kemoy was going to have a good shot at getting accepted into Rochester Institute of Technology, but what we didnt know was what was coming in this June 15 e-mail Hi Blake! Today I received an exciting news from RIT. I got the Scholarship!!! Here is the email I received from Vicki Liggera, the admission counsellor: Hi Kemoy, you got the Sasakawa Scholarship. This will help with your tuition, fees, health insurance, room, board and some books. Youll be required to be here for summer orientation on Sat. Aug. 18th. I would suggest you fly in on Friday 17th and make your own lodging arrangements for the 17th before getting your dorm keys on the 18th. Vicki She also informs me that they are working on my I-20 and will mail it to my home address when completed!!! GOD IS GOOD!!!!! I read the e-mail and was excited, but I didnt know what it meant. The scholarship will help was great news, but how much? Some books? So I emailed the admissions lady along the lines of thats wonderful news that Kemoy received the Sasakawa Scholarship but does that mean it covers everything? 100% tuition, 100% room and board, 100% fees except for a few books that Kemoy will have to purchase on his own? Please clarify. She replied: Thats correct, 100%. Hell only need money for some additional books and any other necessities that may occur during the year. I have to be honest. Reading that e-mail it all sunk it. This was the Lords doing, and it was marvelous in my eyes. It still is. Wow. God you are SO good!!!

BLAKE AND TASHI WIDMER

49 Ziadie Avenue, Apt 2 Kingston 20, Jamaica, W.I. 876.587.3833 cell blake.widmer skype www.blakewidmer.blogspot.com www.blakesjamaicapics.shutterfly.com

JUNE 2012

A Living Act

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 6

Crazy Busy Team Season! Here goes

June is always our busiest month of the year, and this summer was no different. Its amazing that each time I face the impending reality of a team week I still get worried and worked up that things arent going to work outbut they always do. The Lord always provides. He always works. He always holds the whole thing together. Here are some highlights of the month!

Ephesians 5:15-18

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be not unwise, but

Above: Before and after shots on a face-lift at Youth for Christ Jamaica offices, thanks to Mount Zion UMC mission team for their service and great work!

understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit

Above: Pizza party thrown for the kids by the Rockdale Baptist teamyummy!!

A PRAISE REPORT Kemoy was accepted into the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology and granted a full-ride scholarship for the duration of his program. Release of our sea container and delivery of the aid to the ministries we support. A productive work team season! We made progress on our campus development projects and continue to learn how to make small changes to decrease negative consequences.

Above Left and Right: Fun n Games with the kids, favorites were Wink Em and Ninja

BLAKE WIDMER
US Address: 9036 Northridge Lane Battle Ground, IN 47920

A Living Act
Graduation 2012
Commencement ceremony for the Class of 2012, which for one of our students, was 17 years in the making (1995-2012)! It was a beautiful day full of joy and celebration as we watched these nine young men and women take that next step in life! Thanks to Mark Geib and team for helping to make this an extra special day!! PRAYER REQUESTS: Pray for Kirk and Keri Plattner as they move back to the States on July 18, the Lord has opened a door for them to transition to the US and serve in a new role with ACWR and AC Mission Committee Pray for our Team Jamaica and our obedience to the Lords direction, especially during this challenging time of losing both the Huber and Plattner families Pray for Semaj Barrett to use her time here in Jamaica to develop her leadership skills and to challenge her peers to a closer walk with Him Pray for Kemoy Campbell and his July 24th Visa interview Cheyenne is still hoping to receive one or two scholarships to help with tuition, please pray for the Lords direction and provision Pray for our kids camp being held July 21-28, that seeds would be planted and truth realized Pray for Tashi and I to get a few days to rest and relax. It has been a wild 6-8 weeks and the next few months arent looking any less eventful. We are thankful for Gods provision and know that He will continue to be faithful. Pray for us to be prepared for 3 weeks in the States in August and everything that entails

Above: We had a full crowd for the ceremony Below: Michael Broderick and Kimmarley Wright, our two male graduates, perform a song

Above: Graduates singing the national anthem Below: Petrona Dolphy walks towards the stage

Abovet: Semaj Barrett smiles broadly as she approaches the stage

Above: The Class of 2012 exits the church following the ceremony

BLAKE AND TASHI WIDMER

49 Ziadie Avenue, Apt 2 Kingston 20, Jamaica, W.I. 876.587.3833 cell blake.widmer skype blakewidmer.blogspot.com

BLAKE WIDMER Work Team Coordinator 49 Ziadie Avenue, Apt 2 Kingston 20, Jamaica, W.I. 876.587.3833 Cell Blake.Widmer Skype blakewidmer@gmail.com BLOG: BlakeWidmer.blogspot.com PICS: BlakesJamaicaPics.shutterfly.com

Serving Through:

Serving With:

The Day We Thought Would Never Come

ACWR has been sending sea containers to Jamaica since the late 80s, making it close to 25 years probably. Unfortunately, in the last year we have faced increasingly difficult circumstances. The last two containers have been held in port for nearly 3 months while the Ministry of Finance processes our paperwork. This process used to take a few days. In fact, before we had a team here on island full-time, ACWR reps would fly down to Jamaica, do all the paperwork in the first couple days, then deliver the contents of the containers and return to the States. That is impossible now. We have been trying to document the process as we go to make sure that we learn the best ways to get through, but changes will need to be made to how we conduct our material aid. One option may be to purchase goods here locally on the island instead of shipping them. We will also be decreasing the frequency of sending containers as a result of these delays because the storage cost for 3 months in port is several thousand dollars. Pray for wisdom and discernment as we strive to be stewards of what God has given us while keeping in mind the desire to help those in need.

Stacking material aid in the library with staff of the Waldensia Primary School, where Usain Bolt attended as a child