Senior Class Trip - 2016 Update #3

No work today – everyone was thankful as it was more humid today than previous days. We spent the morning and early afternoon at Ft. Myers beach (see pictures below.) Some were lucky enough to see a stingray, and porpoises.
Lunch was served from the back of the van. Almost 40 veggie hotdogs gone in a matter of minutes, not to mention baked beans, other types of sandwiches, various types of chips, and Little Debbie Nutty Bars!
DQ ice cream came just as we left and headed to an outdoor mall at Coconut Point. We enjoyed dinner and worship together tonight, singing songs about Grace, followed by a short worship thought on the same topic.
Here are a few pictures from the beach. 
We should see Shawn McGuire tomorrow, as the band from the school he attends now, is playing at the Ft. Myers church.

Here’s a weekend update for you all. We enjoyed Sabbath with the Ft. Myers church congregation. The service consisted of a sacred concert by the Forest Lake Academy band, with Shawn McGuire. It was great to see Shawn again after they departed Maine not too long ago. 
The band was great and everyone enjoyed the music and renewed friendships!

After FLA finished their meal, the team of cooks proceeded to supplement the food we had already made with delightful salads, entrees, and desserts they had left over. No one went away hungry.

​We then spent the afternoon at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve (http://www.sloughpreserve.org/) where we saw many snakes, turtles, cranes, white ibis, snowy egrets, and everyone’s favorite, the American Alligator. 

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We heard him bellow back among the Cypress, and waited 15 minutes before he swam out for us to see. If you have wondered what sound an alligator makes, especially during mating season right now, play the attached .mp3. The .mp3 does not do justice to the loud level that we heard. It was like a motorcycle trying to start about 10 feet from you. Very loud, and the first time you hear it, a bit unsettling!
Here’s a Cottonmouth, or water moccasin slipping through the slough (pronounced slew.) 

And one of the female alligators that came right up to the viewing dock for us. She was there over an hour, just watching us. We were about eight feet away. She was not aggressive, but very alert while we photographed her.  She was about 6 feet long.

We finished the day at the home of our new friend, Monica, who has made authentic Mexican dishes for use all week long. She is quite the cook, writer, and poet. She shared poems, stories of her Mexican heritage, and the difficulties she encountered growing up in America, giving glory to God for her family and success as an independent businesswomen here in Florida. 

Tomorrow, we are working at a home for teenage, unwed mothers.
God Bless!
Mr. Pierce and Mrs. Gold