This is an email from Steve Rosier, a Shared Blessings board member, on the ground in The Gambia:

Dear Friends and Family,

Our internet is sketchy as the “Guest House” we are staying in does not have internet, and we have to go to another hotel nearby to download emails. Even then it is extremely slow, so I apologize for the long email. I came a couple of days before the team and helped Sol and Manuela get the last details ready for the team.

We hit the ground running and began the work on Thursday, the 24th-no time for getting used to the 8 hour time change. We were glad when Sunday came around so that we could catch up on some sleep. We seem to have different team members get sick for several days. We all have recovered except Dave B., who has bronchitis, something he keeps working with. Please pray for him!

The work is progressing faster than we calculated as everyone is working hard. Today, Tuesday, the 29th, we put up 2/3s of the trusses and if the metal roofing comes tomorrow we will start installing that. This is only 5 days into the project! We are looking at some other smaller projects to complete our time as we will have a few days available.

Mostly the Lord is really blessing us as a team. Someone started telling their story of how the Lord brought them to know Him, we enjoyed it so much that we have continued to share at each break and meal of God’s intervention and saving grace. It has been the highlight of each day. Our desire to serve God and be obedient to His voice is growing!

We continue to pray for the six Gambian workers who are working along side of us. We are having a great time with them and they are moving along with us in the masonry work. Please pray that God will be revealed through our lives to these men.

One Muslim worker in particular, was at our “Discovery” class last Sunday. This class is designed to help our Muslim friends who are interested in the Bible to “discover” for themselves who God is by reading the Bible together and discussing the passages. “O” and a young man, “A” (who has been reading the Bible for a year), have been meeting with Sol and Manuela for a few weeks now. We are excited about what God is doing and are anticipating some baptisms in the near future.

Another ministry opportunity we had was both last Friday afternoon and at 2pm last Sunday. We met with about 20 Christian pastors and church leaders and shared some scripture and personal life stories about “Christian leadership”. They are hungry for more understanding of the Bible and invited us to do the same next Friday and Sunday. We are delighted to share our lives and the Lord with them.

Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray that our lives will grow together in God’s grace and love and that the heart of this nation will turn to the true God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Blessings on you and your families,

Steve