Another Visit to LOL

We just returned from spending a couple more days at LOL. We took our first load of stuff to what will be our new house. We were also able to meet with Jervis and Melissa to begin planning our joint priorities for the first part of 2014.

Sarah's first priority will be taking over logistics for incoming mission teams. This will help to remove these time consuming duties from Melissa's plate, freeing her to focus on other areas.

LOL learning center and playground

I (Mark) will begin revamping the ministry website, with a focus on improving aesthetics, updating content, and creating a focused SEO (search engine optimization) plan. (This will coincide with a revamp of the ministry logo.) I will also be working to get the garden started as soon as possible. Currently LOL is spending over $500 every month on produce. The majority of these costs can be offset by production through a new garden.


In addition, by producing our own fruits and vegetables, we will be able to increase the amount of each consumed by the children. Currently the use of vegetables in the menu is quite limited. Snacks such as cookies and chips will be able to be replaced with much healthier alternatives. The most commonly used vegetables currently include onions, bell peppers, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes,

Tutoring at the LOL learning center.

cilantro (gross), and ca-rrots.

We will begin by producing these in the garden in order to quickly lessen the produce bill. Once back, I will be meeting with the operators of a nearby resort who has an amazing vegetable garden in order to glean local insight into the challenges of gardening in the tropics.

Our excitement for this upcoming year grew during our visit. It was great talking, planning, and dreaming with Jervis and Melissa. The Lord is moving at LOL, and we feel honored to be a part of this ministry.