First, we wanted to thank everyone for their prayers, they were both needed and felt.
Second, multiple praise reports.🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Michelle’s jaw was not dislocated and felt better by morning. Ate’ (ah-teh) Beth who had been punched by a child in the children’s group the day before was cleared of any concussion and all the bruising was gone by morning, again, thank you Jesus, she was back in stride, Jaydon and Maddie were released from the hospital and though they were and are still weak, were able to make it to the youth event.
The Christmas event for the youth at ACYC ( Access Center for Youth and Children) went very well. Thank you Jesus. Several parents showed up along with 29 of the 34 youth. We had an amazing time. Alex “Pastor Tasker” did his Christmas story teaching again, we did games ( I am still the reigning champ at “cookie face”, checkout Mountain and Valley testimonies on YouTube or Instagram to see the videos and a bunch of other videos from the trip), shared a meal with the youth and parents and handed out the backpacks. For me, handing out the backpacks was very emotional, probably more so with the youth. A lot of the youth, boys and girls, are fairly hardened. Their lives have not been easy. Physical, sexual and mental abuse are by and large the norm not the exception. The evidence is clearly visible on some of them. But to see their faces light up with joy to receive a gift, let alone a backpack full of gifts, these genuinely tough kids just melted in the floor. And this tough kid was right there with them. I am tearing up right now as I think about it.
Today, Saturday, we ALL got to go Carmen and Pastor Andy at Calvary Chapel Community Church. Alex, Daniel and Michele got to go there last weekend. It was a real blessing to see the kids and youth singing Christmas songs and getting a chance to hang out and talk with Carmen and Pastor Andy and the rest of their crew. We got to look at a couple of possible new buildings for them because they have completely and totally outgrown their current location.
We got back to our apartment around 4 pm. Alex, Daniel and Michele are heading back to the mall (ask me about the whole teams visit to the mall Friday night after the Youth Christmas event) and Melissa and I plan to hang out at the pool for a couple of hours. Once we regroup later this evening, we will pack up, clean the apartment and get to the Manila airport at around 2 am Sunday (Manila time) to start our trek home. We should be back in Lynchburg by around 11 pm- midnight Sunday. We are all sad to leave but happy to be coming home.
We thank all of you for your prayers and support.
We love you and may God bless you.
Derek and Melissa
Buchanans in the Wild
3 Responses
I’m definitely happy that your coming home, cuz we got some Christmas to do.
I work on Christmas eve and I’m altar serving for the 10pm mass on Christmas eve. So if we do Christmas together we’re gonna have to do it on Christmas day. And idk if you’re planning on having us doing it with Grammy and Gale. Cuz they’re gonna take me to the Charles Dickens festival in downtown Roanoke this coming Friday.
Well God just bowled over the enemies plans. Thank you Jesus for reaching all those kids with your Mercy, Grace and Love. May it all last in their hearts forever, and change their lives to follow You, and rest their restless lives. Amen!