Welcome to Calvary Chapel Cousins Cove

Mission to Jamaica Earlier this year three families went on a trip to Jamaica. It was not merely to taste the finest jerk chicken and bask in the tropical sun.... we went to spy out the land after some years of sensing that the Lord was calling us to this Caribbean island to fulfill His purposes in some way.

We are all a part of the Calvary Chapel South London (CCSL) fellowship in England. Robert and Helen Prendergast have two children - Renee (15) and Jordan (12). Robert is one of the associate pastors of CCSL. Helen supports him in this role and (amongst many other things) also oversees children’s ministry and leads women’s bible studies and discipleship. Prior to pastoring at CCSL, Robert and his family were an active part of the Calvary Chapel Westminster fellowship for seven years where they served under Brian Brodersen. Michael Prendergast is Robert’s cousin. He and his wife, Denise, have two sons - Perry (11) and Ricard (9). Michael and Denise serve at CCSL with much passion. Michael is a natural evangelist and serves in the tabernacle team. Denise has the gift of hospitality and administration and serves in children’s ministry.		Mark and Tabitha Fyffe also have two children - Jordan (15) and Mia (10). Mark is an elder, he leads men's bible studies and serves in the youth ministry and the tabernacle team. Tabitha serves in children’s ministry, in the prayer team and is involved in women’s bible studies and discipleship. Hearing the call Several years ago whilst on a family holiday in Jamaica, Robert began to hear the Lord calling him and his family to Jamaica on a long term basis. This was a real turn in the road for them so he and Helen prayed for several years, seeking the Lord to make sure they were hearing right. They were wisely advised that “If it is God, it won’t go away”. Well... it did not go away... and as they prayed the Lord laid the other two families on their heart and they were lead to to ask them if they felt the same call on their lives. “If it is God it won’t go away”

Jamaica... an island in need “The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire” Nehemiah 1:3

		“...the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire...” (Nehemiah 2:3) Soon the three families were meeting regularly to pray and seek the Lord to see what He would have them do. The Lord led us to the book of Nehemiah and this book became like a map for us. As we read it seemed that the Lord was definitely speaking to us and, like Nehemiah, was sending us back to the land of our ‘fathers’. Robert, Michael and Mark all have Jamaican fathers. Apart from Robert, the other two men had never been back to their fathers’ land but had heard that, like Jerusalem, the people of Jamaica were in “great distress and reproach”. “the survivors who are left from the captivity...are there in great distress and reproach”. (Nehemiah 1:3) Although Jamaica is a stunningly beautiful island, it is no secret that it has its’ share of troubles. The crime rate is high and there is extensive poverty throughout the island. You can swim with dolphins, snorkel with tropical fish, enjoy the most beautiful sunsets and be thrilled with a landscape that takes your breath away. But the stark contrast of real life for the natives of Jamaica is that life is tough, food is scarce and jobs are poorly paid and hard to come by. As we prayed and studied Nehemiah we felt more and more of a burden for the people of Jamaica and felt sure that the Lord was calling us to help rebuild the walls that were broken down. “send me to ...the city of my fathers’..that I may rebuild it”. (Nehemiah 2:5) After a year of praying and listening we made our first visit to ‘spy out the land’. We expected the Lord to speak to us and to help us to know what it was that He was calling us to more specifically...what were these ‘walls’ that needed rebuilding...and how? The Lord did indeed speak to us in more ways than we could have imagined. He led us unexpectedly to a fishing village on the north west coast called Cousins Cove. Here we met a number of local people and began to get a real sense of the needs of the community. In turn we were able to ‘inspect the walls’.

Like sheep without a shepherd
Arriving in Jamaica and observing the scattered neighborhoods, broken down shack houses and seemingly wandering pedestrians that meander along the long main roads there was a real sense that the country was in a state of brokenness and disorder. The Jamaican people are very faith based. There is a wonderful openness and affinity to the things of God. Most people would profess tobeing Christian and many others are God-fearing.		The harvest is ripe, the soil seems good. However, the current relationship between the church and the people appears very weak. The numerous churches are not accessed by a large proportion of the population. Religious attitudes and empty traditions have created barriers that push many away. An example of this is the emphasis on dressing up to go to church. We spoke to many people who said they cannot afford to go to church because they cannot afford any smart clothes. Rather than embrace the people there are many barriers that keep them away. There is a real need for good shepherding...for the Word of God to be taught without error and for the embracing love of Christ to be shed abroad.

Faith		Hope		Contentment
We were so blessed to meet some wonderful local people who shared with us some of what their lives are like in Cousins Cove. This is Vincent. He is a mature man and lives in a broken down shack made from wood and corrugated iron. He lives mostly off the land, feeding on fish he has caught and vegetables and fruits that grow nearby, or those given to him by friends in the community. He is always thankful for whatever God provides for him, however small, but he is regularly faced with the prospect of a day without food. He is trying to build a new house, but it is taking some time. It would cost only $130 to finish the new house. He was very encouraged by the prospect of being able to go to church without having to dress up. He cooks outside on a fire - you can see his ‘kitchen’ on the bottom right of the picture.		Pet is Vincent’s neighbor. Her wooden home is in need of much mending and renovation and she has only recently had a source of electricity installed as “things are getting so civilized now”, she told us. Pet is a single mum raising three children on her own. She expressed how hard it is to provide for herself and her family as she does not have a job. Even finding food for herself and her children is a daily struggle. Her faith in God was very humbling. She shared with us how desperate she feels at times because of her circumstances but that she always cries out to God to help her and she trusts Him to meet her needs and to deliver her out of her difficulties. She does not have a bible at present but would love to have one.		This is the Shaw family. Mr Shaw has diabetes and has lost part of his leg so cannot earn a wage. His daughter, Opal, also has diabetes and is very unwell. She is rapidly losing her eyesight due to the illness and so she is not able to support herself or her family. They have to live off the land and unfortunately do not have the privilege of choosing the type of diet that both father and daughter so badly need. Their diet consists of yams and other sugar rich vegetables that cause their health to deteriorate further. Again, we were blown away by the faith of this family. Despite adversity they remain genuinely content with and grateful for Gods provision in their lives. Mr Shaw reminded us that... ‘having food and clothing, with these we shall be content’ (1 Timothy 6:8).

Rebuilding the wall
Our trip to Cousins Cove has had a great impact on us all. It is impossible to share the many ways that the Lord spoke to us while we were there but, step by step, He led us to His Word and instructed us, confirming His will. He has laid a burden on our hearts for this community and we believe He is calling us to serve Him there. It is clear that the people are in need of spiritual strengthening with access to a church that reflects the heart of Christ and does not reject the poor. To bring the rightly divided Word to this community is the primary aim. We believe God's Word will bring forth much fruit in their lives and we are excited to see what the Lord will do.		There are many social and economic needs in Cousins Cove that we cannot ignore. Our desire and our prayers are directed towards the provision of a church outreach centre that would help to build a stronger community. It is hoped that the centre would become a focal point in the community that would serve to build strong links between the body of Christ and the local people. We are also praying for personal provision for us as families. These communities are very undeveloped and there are no suitable properties available to rent so it seems that the only option is to purchase some land and build suitable accommodation for our families and other prospective missionaries. We are preparing to move to Jamaica soon and expect to be settled and beginning the work in Cousins Cove by summer 2009.

Help with the building “half of my servants worked on construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows and wore armor;” (Nehemiah 4:16) If you sense that the Lord may be calling you to co-labor with us in this work in some way we would greatly appreciate your support. We covet your prayers - for our hearts to be made ready to serve the Lord in this new venture and to love the people with His love, for the Lord to prepare the hearts of the people of Cousins Cove, for favor with the local people and with officials, for unity amongst us, physical and spiritual strength and protection and for provision. There are many financial needs too - including the purchase of land and building materials for the church outreach centre and for missionaries’ homes. Personal support is also needed for the three families and other missionaries preparing to move to Jamaica soon. Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you for your prayers.

In the USA, please send donations or correspondence to: Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa (marked Cousins Cove) PO Box 1234 Costa Mesa CA1234 001 678 91011 www.calvarychapelcousinscove.com		In the UK, please send donations or correspondence to: Calvary Chapel South London (marked Cousins Cove) PO Box 59625 London SE22 8WL Phone number info@calvarychapelcousinscove.com