We are Here!

Tuesday, 9 February 2016

Our dear friends, those who have been thinking of us, praying for us, wondering about us, giving to us...we are here and we thank you!

Your care and support mean a whole lot to us.

This post will contain no photos as I'm not equipped to include any now; all I will do is say that ISCF Grenada is alive and we are seeing God at work in the Ministry.

The past term was a learning experience for us as we tried to meet the students and plan activities that brought them together. It has not been easy, and each day we see the need for at least one full-time staff worker so that we would be more effective.

There are many obstacles including the fact that many Christian students seem to not want to be identified as Christians. Additionally, in most schools, there is a large number of believers yet we find it difficult to find persons willing to even sit in at meetings much less consider becoming a sponsor. There are many extra-curricular activities too, and these seem to attract a growing number of our students. 

We are forging ahead, despite, and with each meeting we find nuggets of encouragement. The Wesley College group, for example, consists of mainly boys! In fact, at some meetings there are only boys! We praise God for them; they are consistent and participate well. At Grenville Secondary and Grenada Boys Secondary, we were able to form executives and we look forward to working with them. At Westerhall Secondary, the Lord provided someone who is willing to be a sponsor! We have held at least two joint executive meetings on Saturday mornings and students were excited about meeting, learning and planning together. Out of one of these meetings our students identified a plan to promote ISCF so that persons they meet will no longer be asking, "Wah is dat?" The plan is to hold a walkathon with students wearing t-shirts with ISCF logo and motto, handing out mini-flyers, answering questions and in the process strengthening our $1 drive. :)   

In the near future, we expect to start groups at three new schools and restart in one that has become dormant.  This term is a little crazy with heats, march past practice, school sports, parent-teacher conferences and so on, and this makes it a little difficult to meet with principals and teachers to hold discussions and even conduct group meetings. We are doing what we can to keep in touch and ensure that something is happening.

We are thankful to the Board which continues to support to the best of its ability. The Camps and Finance Committees have already begun to get things going for Camp 2016. Keep praying for us that the Lord will grant us great health and the wisdom do right in all things. 

There's a lot more to share so we promise that we will keep you updated as things unfold (with photos too!) 

God bless and thank you for being there.

Arlene & Cheryl

A September to remember

I must say that during my last two weeks in Grenada, I was totally BLOWN AWAY by the expressions of love and appreciation that I received from those who have become my Grenadian family! I can't remember any other time in my life when I was showered with so many gifts, and had so many people crying over me... it was like a combination of a wedding and a funeral LOL

It first started with a farewell organised just for the ISCF students. The Board knew that I may not be able to visit all the schools "one last time" before I left, so they organised an event to bring together the students from all the different schools, so the students could have an opportunity to share their tributes.

It was a lovely event, with 27 students from 5 schools coming out to share words of appreciation for my contributions to restarting the work of ISCF Grenada. They spoke about how I believed in their worth, even when they doubted themselves, always encouraging them. Some of the sponsors and volunteers also spoke of how they appreciated my faithfulness in serving the movement, and motivating the students and living a consistent lifestyle.

What was most touching were the gifts given by the students. They gave what they had, and I know it was from their heart. Those who had the means bought beautiful gifts; those who didn’t gave generously of what they had – their talents (dancing) and abilities (writing and painting) and whatever tokens they could find to express their gratitude. I really felt the love!

In planning my official farewell ceremony from ISCF Grenada, the Board members deliberated for a while about the format it should take until one person who knows me well said, what about a beach lime? The idea was warmly embraced and as such, many of the supporters of ISCF Grenada joined together on Saturday 26th August for my official send off.

Many persons worked tirelessly to ensure that the event was a success. Calls were made to invite persons, food was lovingly prepared, a sound system with DJ was set up - they really made a commendable effort to facilitate a wonderful time of food, friends and fellowship.






After filling our bellies, it was time for the tributes. It was humbling to hear the tributes of the impact I had in Grenada after two years of service. Apart from my involvement in ISCF Grenada, some friends shared of how they were enriched by our friendship. I give God all the glory for the using me to bless so many lives, and I am grateful that I was able to hear these testimonials while I was still around to appreciate them!







I was overwhelmed with all the tokens that were given as expressions of thanks, not just during the event, but even afterwards: souvenirs from Grenada, store bought and hand made gifts - each one acting as a reminder of friendships formed. Thank God for my two Trini family members who had come up that weekend with just a carry on, and so were able to help me take all my gifts back home!

Apart from these big limes, there were a few friends who made a special effort to share one last (for now) meal or memory with me: a Sunday lunch, an evening dinner, an afternoon beach bath until sunset, and one final sleep over at my apartment. I appreciate all these expressions of love, and will miss you all very much.

During my last few days I was also able to visit some of the schools which I had been working with for the past two years. Many of the students asked if I really had to go. At one school, they held a special meeting in my honor, with songs and poems and tributes. At another school, I was presented with a lovely array of Grenadian souvenirs. I truly felt the love.
When I agreed to move to Grenada, I did not expect that I would fall in love with the people and the country as much as I did. It certainly has a very special place in my heart, and I thank God for giving me the opportunity to serve there, and for the beautiful people He brought into my life. Some of them made the early morning trek to the airport to bid me farewell (no tears this time though - it was too early in the morning for that :)

Will I miss Grenada? Of course I will! But that is not a good enough reason to stay. As I shared with someone who asked why I didn't stay, there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens... a time to weep and a time to laugh... a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing... a time to keep and a time to throw away.

I will always treasure my memories of the experiences over the past two years, and I must say a heartfelt THANK YOU to all who made this ministry possible, and who made my stay in Grenada such a wonderful experience. 

World Assembly Experiences: Hope Mitchell

My trip to Mexico is one I know I’ll never forget ever in my life. It was a trip filled with excitement, joy and learning. A journey to remember.

I have to say first of all World Assembly was completely different from what I thought. It is a gathering of the I.S.C.F. groups around the world. It only takes place every four years and next time it will be held in South Africa.

Praying in small groups at Student Gathering

During the first couple of days a Student Gathering was held where we got to talk about our different I.S.C.F. groups. Can you believe that most people don’t even know where Grenada is located, or what a nutmeg even is?

Sharing about Grenada at Meet the Regions

At first a thought occurred to me that everyone here seemed somewhat older than me. This suspicion was soon confirmed when I realised that I was indeed the youngest person at World Assembly. There were over 1,500 people here at Mexico and I was the only one in secondary school. You could just imagine how I felt: overwhelmed and scared. I even felt like I wanted to return back home, because I was certain that I would not make friends with anyone.

But that changed when I met the other delegates from my region. My lasting impression will be the friendliness of the different Caribbean people. The way they greeted and accepted everybody. The way they made me feel like part of their family like a long lost cousin or something.

Meal time with Caribbean friends

Every day we had a schedule of different activities we were to attend. There was worship every morning and it was really good. It felt like God was right next to you.

Time of worship at Student Gathering

We had small groups, scripture readings, and since the meeting was held at a hotel, we of course had time to go swimming in the pools! J

Chilling in the pool during free time

I met so many people from places I didn’t even know existed like Germany, Singapore, Brazil, Venezuela, Japan, Suriname, Martinique, Antigua and Barbuda… almost 150 countries were represented.

Some of my new friends

Some of the things I learnt were:

• We are blessed as a country to be able to pray and read the Word of God without fear of persecution and rejection from family and friends. Some of the countries represented at World Assembly weren’t so fortunate. Some of the representatives actually snuck away to be able to attend.
•  I learnt about different cultures and backgrounds
•  I learnt about standing up for God, no matter how small or weak I may seem
• I learnt that through challenges and bad times, God is there too. He promises to be there even though He may not always deliver us.

Helping set up the prayer room

How I have been changed:

•  I now have more confidence in myself and what I have to say because, although I am young, my opinions and views do matter
•  I am more thankful to God and appreciative of what our country and people have

Playing a flute solo during worship

In conclusion, I’d like to say a very heart felt thank you to everyone who donated in one way or another. Without your help this trip would not have been possible. Thank you so much and may God bless each one of you J

ISCF Camp 2015 Testimonies

These accounts of how God moved over the weekend were too incredible to include in the camp overview so I decided to create a second post to testify of God's working on our behalf.

Testimony #1:

As we began planning for this year’s camp, we hoped that many of the workers who served so faithfully last year would have been available, but this was not the case. For a variety of reasons, many of them were not available. However, God sent new workers, who integrated beautifully with those who remained, and we were able to execute camp smoothly with these wonderful people of God. The workers were few, but everyone pulled their weight and executed their duties diligently while building relationships with the campers.

Testimony #2:

When school ended the week before camp started, there were only six camp forms submitted. We made a decision in faith to proceed with camp, trusting God to provide at least 20 campers to make it enjoyable for all. Nineteen students from nine different schools eventually made it up to Morne Longue and we thank God for every one of them.

Testimony #3:

On the morning that camp was to begin, we contacted our speaker Evangelist Abraham Regis aka Dry Peas to confirm his session the following morning, and were told by his wife that he had absolutely no voice, due to a very heavy speaking schedule earlier that week. Immediately we got our intercessors praying, and later that afternoon when we called he was actually able to answer his phone. By Saturday morning, he was able to deliver a dynamic message about the power of a renewed mind.

Testimony #4:

After lunch on Saturday, the campers played some fun sports, then went to the river for a swim. While we were there, one of the campers complained of feeling unwell so we took her back to camp. She vomited twice but we were not sure what caused it so we prayed and put her to bed. She proceeded to sleep for 13 hours until we woke her the next morning – she was that tired. We thank God that she was recovered quickly, and was able to partake in the activities the following day.

Testimony #5:

For the entire weekend, rain had been falling intermittently. We had a camp fire planned for Saturday night, and although the rain fell before, it was not heavy enough to dampen our spirits, or the wood needed for our camp fire J

Testimony #6:

On Sunday morning one of the campers was not feeling well – he was up all night coughing, as he was asthmatic, and he did not have his pump. We prayed and used some hot water and scented oil therapy and by chapel time he was singing lustily during worship, and by lunchtime had resumed his usual mischievous behaviour.

Testimony #7:

After the altar call on Sunday morning, one of the campers asked for permission to address the other students. She shared with them the burden she was feeling because some of them were not willing to yield themselves fully to God. They were holding on to things from the past instead of being open and surrendering to God. An invitation was given for those who were struggling to come up for prayer, and the Holy Spirit began to convict hearts and the majority of the campers again went forward for prayer. Many of them received their breakthroughs as counsellors ministered to them. It was incredible to see how one student’s obedience to the Spirit’s prompting led to so many of her peers being freed from bondage.

Here are some of the comments the campers had about what impacted them the most:

• ·         The chapel and devotional morning impacted me the most. The other campers and counsellers were warm and welcoming. I enjoyed the camp.
• ·         How the Lord spoke to me
• ·         I benefitted by being close with my God
• ·         The sessions impacted me the most – I learned to put God first
• ·         I benefitted by the renewing of my mind. I’ve changed the way I used to behave
• ·         When everybody started to feel God’s goodness and power, and the early morning group coming together to talk about the Bible

We thank God for the exceptional ministry that the campers were exposed to over the weekend, and pray that commitments made at camp would result in genuine, life-long change in their lives. 

ISCF Camp 2015

God really blew our minds for ISCF camp 2015 #mindBlown… From providing the finances, to ensuring we had sufficient workers and campers, to restoring our camp speaker’s voice on the day he had to minister, God came through in amazing ways, as only He can do.

Campers enjoying sporting activities

On the first evening, we played some getting to know you games that helped the campers from the different schools feel more comfortable and interact with one another. After dinner, we showed the movie “God’s Not Dead” which highlighted the stories of young people who stood up for their faith instead of compromising like those around them.

If you had a million dollars what would you do?

On Saturday morning Evangelist Abraham Regis delivered a dynamic message about the power of a renewed mind. He challenged them to not be limited by their present realities, but to see themselves the way God sees them, and understand their identity in Christ. He then encouraged each person to share what they wanted to be when they got older, and he assured them that with God’s enabling, they would be able to achieve great things despite their humble beginnings.

"You cannot change your beginning, but you can change your destiny"

After lunch on Saturday, the campers played some fun sports, then went to the river for a swim. Dinner on Saturday night took the format of a campfire, with campers roasting hotdogs and marshmellows over the open flames. God held back the rain sufficiently that night to ensure that the campers thoroughly  enjoyed their camp fire. Afterwards, they went into their dorms to discuss what does it really mean to renew your mind, and how they could renew their minds and maintain a renewed mind.

Roasting hot dogs over the camp fire

For chapel on Sunday morning we had a new speaker, Eric Marshall who challenged the campers to renew their minds in practical ways, by resisting the temptation to listen to ungodly music, partake in drinking alcohol and viewing ungodly things on the internet and television. He made it clear that the things we hear and watch, as well as the company we keep, affects how we think and our behaviour. After the message, there was a call for campers who knew they needed to renew their minds in these areas, and who were willing to do so, to come forward for prayer, and the entire camp came up.

"What you hear and watch affects how you think and behave"

After spending some quiet time receiving counselling one on one, the campers then got ready for the  Royal Luncheon. As part of having a renewed mind, the campers were encouraged to see themselves as royalty, as they were now children of the Most High King, so they were encouraged to dress as such. They were really creative in their costumes, and had a great time partaking of the banquet and dancing which followed.

Campers in their royal wear

The final item on the program was talent afternoon, where each team presented an original song based on the memory verses Romans 12:1-2 and a skit which demonstrated the theme of camp. We thank God for the exceptional ministry that the campers were exposed to over the weekend, and pray that commitments made at camp would result in genuine, life-long change in their lives.

ISCF Graduation 2015

ISCF Graduation 2015 exceeded all expectations! There were 12 graduates and 18 guests - board members, sponsors and supporters - in attendance, and we all had a great time of fellowship. 

Fun from the start!

The program began with a welcome and prayer by our Board Chairman, Rodney Mc Intyre, and chairperson Cheryl Jessemy guided us through the program smoothly. There were some really fun icebreakers which facilitated interaction between the graduates and the guest. 

Winning team celebrates

This was followed by a time of praise and worship led by Princess Jaggassar, a graduate from TAMCC. 

Graduates lead in worship

Hearts united in praise

Two students shared their testimonies about the impact of ISCF on their lives as students. Jayna James from Anglican High School spoke about how much she learnt during the meetings, and how she understood better how to interact with students who had different beliefs than she did. 

Jayna James representing ISCF at
Anglican High School

Outgoing CCCF President Kishell Ruben
 shares her testimony

Kishell Ruben, past president of CCCF shared how her involvement in the ministry helped her to take her Christian life more seriously, and to grow spiritually in her walk with the Lord. Shanika and Loraine sang ‘Carry your candle’ to encourage their peers to represent Christ wherever they ended up, and certificates were distributed to all the graduates.

Beautiful rendition of the challenge
to light your world

Jamie receiving his certificate from faithful sponsor
Mae Patterson

We had the privilege of having Eric Marshall as our speaker for this year’s graduation ceremony. As one of our earliest and most consistant supporters who resided in New York, we were pleased to invite him to share his heart with the graduates. They were encouraged by his testimony of God’s provision for him when he had to advance his studies, not knowing where the funds would come from. He also encouraged them to keep serving the Lord, and to not allow the distractions of the world to lead them astray. He ended his message with the words of Psalm 1:1-2, challenging the students to remain connected to Christ long after they left school.

Eric Marshall sharing his testimony with the students

Board Director Joan Purcell prayed over our graduates, asking God’s provision and direction for them as they moved on to this new phase of their lives. Following a group picture, we enjoyed a sweet time of fellowship over refreshments that no one wanted to end. On top of all of this, we were able to christen our P.A. system, which was donated by ISCF supporters living in the States! 

Covering our graduates with prayer

We give God thanks for the great time of fellowship, testimonies and encouragement which was enjoyed by all who attended.

The proud graduates

Estamos listos para Mexico

Some members of the Grenadian delegation to World Assembly journeyed to St. Lucia to obtain their Mexican visas. God also granted us travelling mercies to and from St. Lucia. In an effort to minimise costs, two members of the team purchased staff tickets, which meant that they were flying standby. God graciously ensured there were at least two free seats to each flight (from Grenada to Barbados to St. Lucia) coming and going, so there were no unnecessary delays. 

Hope excited about her first trip on an airplane

We were greeted at the airport by Josephine Romain who was our most gracious hostess for the duration of our trip. She provided meals, accommodation, transportation and also took us sight-seeing while we were there.

Enjoying a hearty breakfast before setting out for the day

All the necessary documents were scanned and emailed from Grenada long before and had been approved, so the purpose of this trip was to present the original supporting documents and interview the applicants. We were not expecting any difficulties, but we still prayed for favour before going to the Embassy.

Mexican art work inside the Embassy

The workers there were very welcoming and attended to us promptly. After filling out parts of the forms which were missing, all the documents were taken indoors for examination while we waited outside. After a while, they asked if we had the national identification card for Hope’s mother, since she was considered a minor. Although we had a letter and an affidavit from her, giving Hope permission to travel with us, we did not have the ID card. 

The clerks were helpful, suggesting that we could contact her and ask her to scan and email it to us, but we knew she did not have the technical capacity to do so. We were really hoping they would go ahead with the application, but they seemed to be determined that Hope’s application would not be processed without the missing ID card. Then one of them asked if we could get her to take a picture of it and send it to them via whatsapp – this we could do, so we quickly made arrangements for this to be done and sent to the relevant authorities. Within the next hour, all three applicants walked out of the embassy with their newly issued Mexican visas – gracias a Dios! We give God thanks that the authorities were willing to accept an electronic version of the ID card, so we did not have to make another trip to St. Lucia.

Ready for Mexico!!!

This was a clear assurance to us that God is most definitely in control of this trip to Mexico. He has worked out all the details so far, and we know He will take us safely there.

As an added bonus, and just to show that God cares about the 'little things' too, Hope was able to satisfy her passion for Audi cars by visiting the showroom in St. Lucia, where the manager was more than happy to show us around. She even got some magazines to go home with, and he encouraged her to dream big, because you never know when they can come through...

Elated to be in the driver's seat of a brand new Audi

Hope shared this about her experience:

"Being one step closer to our destination is a great feeling. To know that we aren't that far away from our goal. Receiving our visas even though we acquired some difficulties was a blessing. The process was speedy and the attendants were friendly. The whole experience here was amazing. Even when challenges arose out of no where, we always had this feeling, this faith that God will work things out.

Even though being one step closer is a great feeling, I know that without the favour of God, without His mighty help we would not have been here. We owe great thanks to our Father, through Him all things are possible!"