Alexis B

Today as the other 17 members of my family and me woke up; we awoke with much anticipation of how the day would end. You see as I mentioned in my last blog out family were to leave on a Caribbean Cruise. We were to fly into Fort Lauderdale, sail to Key West, Cozumel, Belize, and back to Key West. Our cruise was redirected and now we are to sail the Bahamas, just as exciting.

The major worries are we able to fly into Ft. Lauderdale or what our options since the direction of Hurricane Wilma & Omega are so uncertain. As of 12:30, 3:30 everything is a go and our travel agent worked hard to get us rooms in Ft. Lauderdale since the ship was now due to sail Tuesday instead of Monday.

All the children are so excited about this fabulous trip that they have been talking about it for months. The whole family planned to go to Toronto this evening stay at a hotel and fly in the morning.

Well today at around 4:00 pm the news of the cruise has been cancelled and Ships sailing from Port Everglades posted the following update.
UPDATED - Enchantment of the Seas - The Tuesday, October 25, sailing of Enchantment of the Seas - originally scheduled to depart on Monday, October 24 - is now cancelled. The ship will now be used to bring humanitarian relief supplies to the victims of Hurricane Wilma in Mexico. Enchantment of the seas will resume its normal sailings on Saturday, October 28, departing from Port Everglades.
So as this door was slamming shut for this week, the family has decided we would try to rebook for a Christmas Cruise or an Easter Cruise. So to unpack or not unpack? HUMMMMMMM what shall we do.

This question was quickly answered for me. You see I have always had on my heart for as far back as I can remember that I would like to go to a 3rd world country and help with rebuilding from disasters or to help build schools, hospitals and teach. Just to do what ever was needed from me.

Since I joined the Salvation Army almost 4 yrs ago and even more recently from when Tsunami hit it has even been heavier on my heart. I found myself left with the question of what can I do to help and how can I help. I found myself putting my name on a list of volunteers who were willing and ready to go and help. Now up to now there has not been a need for my help other than thru prayer. Today around 3:15 before we knew our cruise was cancelled I received a call from my contact with in the Salvation Army asking me if I could go to Texas as early as this Wednesday if a team is sent. I said no because we were still planning on going on our cruise.

While at 4:00pm when we were told that the trip was cancelled and we would have to rebook I started calling back my contact. As of 6:30 this evening it is confirmed I am on the list of people who will be heading out this Wednesday to help with the hurricane relief work.

So you see if you believe that all things happen for a reason and that as one door closes another one will open well then in his time it will. I have said all along if it is his will well then it will happen. Now I have been told to wait for the email or call tomorrow to tell me yes or no if we are going and what the next steps will be.

God is awesome and I am so grateful that this is looking like it will happen. I am so glad to be being called to do work for him. Our God is a powerful wonderful God who I love getting to know more and more each day. I am looking forward to this new, exciting, challenging, wonderful God experience that is about to happen. I know it will be another life changing experience for me.

Please pray for me and the team I am on and keep coming back to see my reports from Texas. I will take my laptop with me and hopefully have the opportunity to update you all on this experience as often as I can. I will get lots of pictures and will be looking forward to receiving your comments of support and encouragement. Please feel to email me often, will love to hear from you all.

God Bless