SERVING GOD IN SOUTH CAROLINA

JULY 2008

A big hello to our family and friends from Hunting Island, SC!! The weather is typical – hot and humid – and a REAL change after spending the past four summers in West Yellowstone, MT. Of course the weather there has been quite different with snow on into mid –June so we would have been wearing jackets and definitely not shorts!!

What a joy it has been to return to this area and reunite with friends we first met here in 1992. We came to Hunting Island to serve as chaplains in May following Butch's triple bypass surgery in March of that year. The local Baptist church in St. Helena became our church for the next four summers and many of the people we came to know and love are still members there. Some of those we knew as teenagers are now married with children of their own which makes us realize thirteen years has passed since we served here. Hunting Island is on the Atlantic coast and we can view the ocean and even some dolphins playing as people are enjoying the beach.

The schedule for Day Camp or Backyard Bible Club is not full this year and we never experienced that in the past. Larry Lemming, DOM, says this began after hurricane Katrina when so many churches began sending their youth groups and adults to the coastal areas to assist in damage repairs or VBS at churches there. We have had three different groups so far and the fourth is scheduled to be here on July 7 th . . We have no groups scheduled for the rest of the summer but Larry has some college students who are serving as summer missionaries and trying to fill the gaps here. They do a good job but have limited resources and were not expecting to do this. The group we had last week was from Jonesville, VA and serving for their 11 th

Year. Their leader sent us an email and they are praying for funds and God's guidance in trying to return for a second week. We have also contacted a group that served with us here in 1994 and it is possible a young adult Sunday School Class will come and serve for a week. If you read this and are looking for a mission trip please contact us. The church has a mission house with kitchen, showers, and day room that is available for five dollars per day, per individual. The house will sleep 20 and is divided in order to house male and female volunteers.

Our services on Sunday morning are held in the playground area under a roofed pavilion. The building we enjoyed so much in the past is a part of the Atlantic now and we certainly miss that convenience. We had been able to get ceiling fans installed so it wasn't too uncomfortable. The history of that building dated back to the civil war so it was sad to see it destroyed. Several movies including Forrest Gump were filmed in this area of SC and the shrimp boats used in the movie belonged to a church member at St. Helena Baptist. We often had 100 to 125 in the services there but our largest group so far has been 66 in the pavilion.

Please know that we miss you all and appreciate your prayers and support as we serve God amidst His beautiful creation. Hunting Island State Park is a great place for camping and we meet people from many states here. We are thankful that we are allowed to conduct worship services here and see so many children excited about the Bible club and learning about Jesus during their vacations. People will often attend services in this relaxed atmosphere but will not get dressed and attend churches in town. God allowed Butch to baptize three ladies in the ocean here in the 90's and we pray others will be reached as God again placed us here.

Please check the pictures to see some of what is happening here. You will be surprised as many gather to enjoy hot dogs and 10 foot BANANA SPLIT provided by FBC, Jonesville, VA.

Love, prayers, and hugs,

Vi and Butch

It's what we do for CHRIST in the here and now that will make a difference in the then and there. (Max Lucado)