The new day dawned with bright sunshine and the promise of good things to come. Donning our swimming attire and hats, stuffing towels and sunblock into a small bag, we left our suite for the buffet for a quick breakfast. We sat in the section nearest the door and scouted for the items we wanted to eat. At most every meal, we bow our heads to pray together. We didn't think twice about this practice. But this morning our simple acknowledgement of God made an impact.
The server for this section of the buffet came directly to our table to pour coffee or juice. Before we had barely lifted our heads after saying grace, Jorge Luis said, "Are you guys Christians?" His English was very good, with a slight latino accent. Surprised, we both nodded and said, "Yes."
This began a relationship and gave us the rich opportunity to find out what God was doing in Cuba! We were curious at what the long regime of Fidel Castro had done to the work of the Gospel. In Jorge's village, there were a couple of Baptist churches, a Pentecostal congregation and the church he and his wife attended, the Seventh Day Adventist. He also mentioned how much the Kingdom Halls were expanding...we weren't sure if our understanding of evangelical ministries was the same as Jorge's, but he seemed to insist that the Jehoveh's Witnesses were spreading the Good News.
Our new friend invited us to sit in his section as he was working breakfast and lunch shifts for the next four days. We agreed and left him a tip that we hoped would bless him and his family!
We made it to the lobby with a few minutes to spare. Several tour buses were pulling up to pick up groups of tourists for various excursions. We had our ticket to present to the bus driver or tour guide (we had to pay 10 Cuban Pesos to change the date due to sickness). Finally, a double-decker bus drew up and our group was called. We chose to ride on the top level, which was open to the breeze and sunshine.
After stopping at two more resorts to pick up folks, we drove along the causeway about 10 minutes to the launching place for the catamaran tour. The winding road off the main highway was narrow and lined by trees on both sides. It was nice to be up high and be able to see above the tree line and catch glimpses of the ocean. Arriving at the launch dock, we lined up and soon boarded one of three catamarans. We found a spot on the boat under the canvas shelter, not wanting to be out in the open on the mesh at the front of the vessel. Many were shedding layers and lathering on suntan lotion to do some serious tanning. Not us!
Our boat also was equipped with washrooms-down in the pontoon area. Nice to have that option but we didn't actually need to use them. (We were thankful our tummy troubles had settled down!) The tour guide, Boris, was friendly and outgoing, but also stressed the safety aspects of our trip. Noel was the captain and I can't remember the name of the bartender, but he of course was the most popular person on the excursion! After the little speech and welcome, Boris played some party type music and we all settled in for a pleasant ride on the ocean along the Cayo Santa Maria shoreline.
After half an hour or so, we stopped at a spot where another of the catamarans had anchored. We were given our snorkeling gear and a quick lesson. Walter had gone before so he helped me put on the gear and gave me some tips of breathing through my mouth!
I wasn't as nervous as I thought, but at one point when the mouthpiece slipped out and salt water leaked in, I felt a little panic. Walter tried to help me adjust things and as he rested his hand on my shoulder, I felt like he was pushing me down! I pulled away, and regrouped. Then I took a few good nose breaths and calmed myself before putting the goggles and mouthpiece back in place. I was able to see a whole new world below the water-so clear! Several species of colourful fish, and a small boat that had been shipwrecked came into my view. It was amazing to have some fish swim around and underneath me! The water was about 10-15 feet deep.
I felt I had a successful run of snorkeling for my first attempt so I swam back to the boat. Walter stayed out longer-so I took a picture or two of him, one small speck among many other snorkelers in the sea!
Once I stowed my gear for a later opportunity in the afternoon, I took a couple good swigs of water to get rid of the salty aftertaste in my mouth! I dried my hair with a towel and put my hat back in place. The warm sun soon dried me off and I felt pretty pleased with my accomplishment!
More about the excursion next time...
Sunday 26 February 2017
Saturday 25 February 2017
Well, it was my turn to have gastrointestinal issues!
Who knows what may have caused this challenge for me? I was careful not to even brush my teeth with the tap water, or not to eat anything slightly greasy at the buffet. Alas, it is good that we were already familiar with the resort - the location of the "banos" (washrooms), in particular.
Our plan had been to hang out around the resort anyways, so no big change to our schedule. Walter was feeling back to normal. After breakfast, we went to the main lobby area for a cup of coffee or tea and to investigate the Internet options.
For 2 Cuban pesos, Walter purchased a card with a passcode to access the Internet. Unfortunately, the service was either overloaded by guests at the resort or just had poor connections. So it took several tries and holding our tongues just the right way before we got onto the system. It was already Wednesday and we hadn't been able to contact family to let them know we were all right! Third world problems!
One of the first things we learned from back home was that a young woman who had been part of our youth group in our Morning Star Ministries days, had passed away Monday. We had heard she had very advanced cancer and was given 2 months to live. The first chance we got, we went to the hospital to visit her the Friday before we left for Cuba. It was very emotional to see her in the condition she was in: no hair, swollen from the steroids and lying in bed, too weak to be up and about. But we had promised to come back to visit her and her husband when we got back in a week's time. I think she had hoped for the chance to talk with Walter and ask him to do her funeral service. But that promised visit was not to be...
Walter left her mother a message on Facebook that we heard the news and would be home on the Monday if there was anything we could. (As it turned out, her husband was waiting for us to return to Canada and did hold off making plans for the service until we were home. Walter and I did the service, using Morning Star Ministries' building and having their pastor and his wife participate, as well.)
The day was another hot and beautiful one so we packed up a few things and went to the pool. It was right behind the bushes that surrounded our block. On our side of the resort was the "relaxing pool", as opposed to the family area that had play equipment and splashing and music. I guess we are getting old to be thankful that we are on the quiet side of life. It was so nice to just relax, read, dip in the pool and swim up to the "bar" for our lemonade slush drinks!
This night we had a late supper reservation at the Italian a la carte restaurant. Being the scheduled person I am, I needed a late afternoon snack to tide me over. So we found the 24-hour snack bar and ordered quesadillas and fries. Tv's showed soccer matches, Spanish music videos and the "Alaskan Bush People" from Discovery channel! Something for everyone. Again, we were enjoyed a leisurely snack and didn't rush anywhere.
We showered off our sun block and dressed up for the dinner out. I had purchased some local jewelry and wore the necklace with my sundress and light sweater for the occasion. It was lovely to stroll out along the paths in the darkness, be waited on and pampered. Again, the restaurant atmosphere was quiet and romantic. We ordered salads, pasta dishes and they served some flat bread, as well. No room for dessert, even though it was tempting to have tiramasu or ice cream.
The evening entertainment was warming up as we left the restaurant and we found ourselves drawn to the centre square to see what was up. A big crowd was gathering so we quickly found some seats on a bench. It was a local rock band from the city of Santa Clara (where we flew into) and they played 60's, 70's and 80's rock music! Lots of seniors and ourselves, even families, were singing along and dancing around. It was a fun atmosphere!
We went back to our room early as we knew the alarm would ring at 7 am - tomorrow would be our re-scheduled catamaran adventure!
You won't want to miss this next blog...
Who knows what may have caused this challenge for me? I was careful not to even brush my teeth with the tap water, or not to eat anything slightly greasy at the buffet. Alas, it is good that we were already familiar with the resort - the location of the "banos" (washrooms), in particular.
Our plan had been to hang out around the resort anyways, so no big change to our schedule. Walter was feeling back to normal. After breakfast, we went to the main lobby area for a cup of coffee or tea and to investigate the Internet options.
For 2 Cuban pesos, Walter purchased a card with a passcode to access the Internet. Unfortunately, the service was either overloaded by guests at the resort or just had poor connections. So it took several tries and holding our tongues just the right way before we got onto the system. It was already Wednesday and we hadn't been able to contact family to let them know we were all right! Third world problems!
One of the first things we learned from back home was that a young woman who had been part of our youth group in our Morning Star Ministries days, had passed away Monday. We had heard she had very advanced cancer and was given 2 months to live. The first chance we got, we went to the hospital to visit her the Friday before we left for Cuba. It was very emotional to see her in the condition she was in: no hair, swollen from the steroids and lying in bed, too weak to be up and about. But we had promised to come back to visit her and her husband when we got back in a week's time. I think she had hoped for the chance to talk with Walter and ask him to do her funeral service. But that promised visit was not to be...
Walter left her mother a message on Facebook that we heard the news and would be home on the Monday if there was anything we could. (As it turned out, her husband was waiting for us to return to Canada and did hold off making plans for the service until we were home. Walter and I did the service, using Morning Star Ministries' building and having their pastor and his wife participate, as well.)
The day was another hot and beautiful one so we packed up a few things and went to the pool. It was right behind the bushes that surrounded our block. On our side of the resort was the "relaxing pool", as opposed to the family area that had play equipment and splashing and music. I guess we are getting old to be thankful that we are on the quiet side of life. It was so nice to just relax, read, dip in the pool and swim up to the "bar" for our lemonade slush drinks!
This night we had a late supper reservation at the Italian a la carte restaurant. Being the scheduled person I am, I needed a late afternoon snack to tide me over. So we found the 24-hour snack bar and ordered quesadillas and fries. Tv's showed soccer matches, Spanish music videos and the "Alaskan Bush People" from Discovery channel! Something for everyone. Again, we were enjoyed a leisurely snack and didn't rush anywhere.
We showered off our sun block and dressed up for the dinner out. I had purchased some local jewelry and wore the necklace with my sundress and light sweater for the occasion. It was lovely to stroll out along the paths in the darkness, be waited on and pampered. Again, the restaurant atmosphere was quiet and romantic. We ordered salads, pasta dishes and they served some flat bread, as well. No room for dessert, even though it was tempting to have tiramasu or ice cream.
The evening entertainment was warming up as we left the restaurant and we found ourselves drawn to the centre square to see what was up. A big crowd was gathering so we quickly found some seats on a bench. It was a local rock band from the city of Santa Clara (where we flew into) and they played 60's, 70's and 80's rock music! Lots of seniors and ourselves, even families, were singing along and dancing around. It was a fun atmosphere!
We went back to our room early as we knew the alarm would ring at 7 am - tomorrow would be our re-scheduled catamaran adventure!
You won't want to miss this next blog...
Friday 24 February 2017
Heat and sunshine.
We could almost feel our frozen Canadian cores melting away!
I turned over on the lounging chaise to thaw the other side of my body. But soon I would be able to resist no longer-I stood and gazed at the tempting waves of the ocean that promised to cool my sizzling skin to a normal level! I stepped forward and met the lapping waves. Sigh! The warmish water cooled me down as I waded deeper and deeper. A huge wave rolled me back towards the beach but I fought its surge and continued deeper. I turned back to signal Walter to join me but he was engrossed in his book. He still had his t-shirt on!
Another big wave caught me unprepared as I was about to call out to Walter and filled my open mouth with salty sea water! Ugh! I spit and spat as the unexpected flavour permeated my taste buds. I quickly waded back to our spot and grabbed my water bottle! I rinsed a couple times, then swigged back a good mouthful to satisfy my thirst. There. That was better.
After a couple of hours on the beach, Walter went looking for the snack bar and stood in line for "paninis" that were being made. He brought back one for each of us, wrapped in paper. They were ham and cheese with peppers and raw onion and some mayo type sauce. Very delicious. A waiter had come by and brought us some lemonade or pina colada slush - in small plastic disposable cups. We saw others more experienced guests carrying travel mugs around; they would have their mugs filled rather than carry around tiny "shot glasses" that were gone in two swallows! Next time...
Soon, we were done with laying around the beach. We packed up our things and wandered up the beach towards the sailboats. We would find out how to secure a boat. We found out a flag was posted to show sailing conditions: green was good sailing, yellow was windy and needed a guide to take you sailing and red was NO ONE is allowed to go out! Today was yellow so the guides were busy.
Heading west, we followed the shoreline and came upon the family area, nearest the family section of our resort. Kids splashed and called out. Various sand castles and creations were scattered along the sand. It was a perfect day for the beach.
By the time we reversed our path and headed back to the boardwalk, we were both hot and thirsty and tired. We found the ice cream shop and I indulged. Then we headed back to our room to shower and get ready for our seafood restaurant evening at 6:45.
With a quick consult to our resort map, we located what we thought was the seafood restaurant. It was a fair hike from our room. My toes were a little sore from wearing flip-flops, which I hadn't worn in five months! With all our snooping around and wandering the beach, we put on 12,000 steps that first full day at the resort. Finding the restaurant, we were seated in the spacious dining room where only a few tables were occupied. We were waited on immediately. The menu consisted of one choice of salad, soup, entree and dessert. We had expected more options. Oh, well, they sounded tasty. The entree was lobster so we enjoyed our quiet meal. We both felt a little sun-baked and so we didn't linger long at the restaurant. Strolling back to our room in the black of night, the paved stone paths lit by two-foot tall white lanterns, we finally collapsed on our bed and called it an early night.
***** ***** *****
The alarm went off at 7 am. Walter was dozing but I jumped up with a start. Although we had been quite excited to go on our excursion, there was no way we could go.
Walter had been up off and on during the night with the urgent need to use the washroom. He felt OK otherwise but a case of the "runs" on a day-long catamaran trip was not our idea of fun! So we rolled over and went back to sleep for a couple more hours.
I woke up again and knew I better grab breakfast. Walter was sleeping soundly. So I went to the buffet alone and scouted out dry toast and fruit to bring back for my poor hubby. When I returned, he was feeling a little better but not sure he wanted to eat. Soon he rallied. Then housekeeping came so we vacated the room. But Walter began to feel poorly again, so we didn't stay in the main lobby area very long. I scrounged for Gravol and other tummy remedies. No Imodium. That was a tragic omission on my part. You can't get such items in Cuba (or many other foreign countries). But with a Gravol and bottle of water sipped, Walter soon settled down for an afternoon nap.
I read, did crossword puzzles and quietly occupied myself. About 3 pm, I decided to take a walk to the market that was located between our resort and the neighbouring one. I left a little note by Walter's bedside.
It was Valentine's Day. What a bummer! We had hoped to spend the day on our excursion and then a relaxing evening together. But true romance is not about perfectly orchestrated days together; it is about "better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health"! I found more food for Walter and by supper time he was significantly improved so ventured to the buffet. We figure he had a touch of food poisoning, as he had the salad with tuna on it and I had the soup as an appetizer the night before. Maybe?
And thus ended our second day on the Cayo Santa Maria!
We could almost feel our frozen Canadian cores melting away!
I turned over on the lounging chaise to thaw the other side of my body. But soon I would be able to resist no longer-I stood and gazed at the tempting waves of the ocean that promised to cool my sizzling skin to a normal level! I stepped forward and met the lapping waves. Sigh! The warmish water cooled me down as I waded deeper and deeper. A huge wave rolled me back towards the beach but I fought its surge and continued deeper. I turned back to signal Walter to join me but he was engrossed in his book. He still had his t-shirt on!
Another big wave caught me unprepared as I was about to call out to Walter and filled my open mouth with salty sea water! Ugh! I spit and spat as the unexpected flavour permeated my taste buds. I quickly waded back to our spot and grabbed my water bottle! I rinsed a couple times, then swigged back a good mouthful to satisfy my thirst. There. That was better.
After a couple of hours on the beach, Walter went looking for the snack bar and stood in line for "paninis" that were being made. He brought back one for each of us, wrapped in paper. They were ham and cheese with peppers and raw onion and some mayo type sauce. Very delicious. A waiter had come by and brought us some lemonade or pina colada slush - in small plastic disposable cups. We saw others more experienced guests carrying travel mugs around; they would have their mugs filled rather than carry around tiny "shot glasses" that were gone in two swallows! Next time...
Soon, we were done with laying around the beach. We packed up our things and wandered up the beach towards the sailboats. We would find out how to secure a boat. We found out a flag was posted to show sailing conditions: green was good sailing, yellow was windy and needed a guide to take you sailing and red was NO ONE is allowed to go out! Today was yellow so the guides were busy.
Heading west, we followed the shoreline and came upon the family area, nearest the family section of our resort. Kids splashed and called out. Various sand castles and creations were scattered along the sand. It was a perfect day for the beach.
By the time we reversed our path and headed back to the boardwalk, we were both hot and thirsty and tired. We found the ice cream shop and I indulged. Then we headed back to our room to shower and get ready for our seafood restaurant evening at 6:45.
With a quick consult to our resort map, we located what we thought was the seafood restaurant. It was a fair hike from our room. My toes were a little sore from wearing flip-flops, which I hadn't worn in five months! With all our snooping around and wandering the beach, we put on 12,000 steps that first full day at the resort. Finding the restaurant, we were seated in the spacious dining room where only a few tables were occupied. We were waited on immediately. The menu consisted of one choice of salad, soup, entree and dessert. We had expected more options. Oh, well, they sounded tasty. The entree was lobster so we enjoyed our quiet meal. We both felt a little sun-baked and so we didn't linger long at the restaurant. Strolling back to our room in the black of night, the paved stone paths lit by two-foot tall white lanterns, we finally collapsed on our bed and called it an early night.
***** ***** *****
The alarm went off at 7 am. Walter was dozing but I jumped up with a start. Although we had been quite excited to go on our excursion, there was no way we could go.
Walter had been up off and on during the night with the urgent need to use the washroom. He felt OK otherwise but a case of the "runs" on a day-long catamaran trip was not our idea of fun! So we rolled over and went back to sleep for a couple more hours.
I woke up again and knew I better grab breakfast. Walter was sleeping soundly. So I went to the buffet alone and scouted out dry toast and fruit to bring back for my poor hubby. When I returned, he was feeling a little better but not sure he wanted to eat. Soon he rallied. Then housekeeping came so we vacated the room. But Walter began to feel poorly again, so we didn't stay in the main lobby area very long. I scrounged for Gravol and other tummy remedies. No Imodium. That was a tragic omission on my part. You can't get such items in Cuba (or many other foreign countries). But with a Gravol and bottle of water sipped, Walter soon settled down for an afternoon nap.
I read, did crossword puzzles and quietly occupied myself. About 3 pm, I decided to take a walk to the market that was located between our resort and the neighbouring one. I left a little note by Walter's bedside.
It was Valentine's Day. What a bummer! We had hoped to spend the day on our excursion and then a relaxing evening together. But true romance is not about perfectly orchestrated days together; it is about "better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health"! I found more food for Walter and by supper time he was significantly improved so ventured to the buffet. We figure he had a touch of food poisoning, as he had the salad with tuna on it and I had the soup as an appetizer the night before. Maybe?
And thus ended our second day on the Cayo Santa Maria!
Thursday 23 February 2017
A faint glow seeped around the curtains of our patio doors. Walter and I stared at each other as we woke up, grinning sleepily. Could we really be in Cuba right now?
We showered and got dressed for breakfast, which was served from 7- 10 am. At 9 am we had an orientation with "Air Transat", where an agent would give us more information about the resort and our excursion options.
The buffet was already busy at 8 o'clock. I did a survey and decided on toast, hard boiled egg, fruit and yogurt. Not too adventurous! The coffee was delicious. Walter did see an omelet station, but the lineup was too long for this morning's schedule. Another breakfast...
We wiped our mouths after a final gulp of coffee and walked down the stone paved pathway to the theatre area of the main lobby. A handful of fellow Air Transat guests were gathering and the lovely, olive-skinned woman in the teal blue uniform, stood down near the front row of seating.
Things we learned at this orientation:
1. Don't drink the water from your hotel room sink
2. Mealtimes, bank hours and guest services at the resort
3. The usual fee to leave the country is 25 Cuban Pesos but is included in the all-inclusive fees
4. Talk to her afterwards to book an excursion
Everyone in our group was from Canada, either Saskatchewan or Toronto area. So we chatted with a couple next to us and they were from Newmarket/Aurora area where Walter had framed houses in the summer of 1987. We talked with them about a possible excursion to Havana and planned to maybe book it at the same time. Rosie and Marco.
The lineup at the agent's desk was increasing, so we decided to find a second cup of coffee and relax a bit. All food and drinks are limitless and free at an all-inclusive. So we sidled up to the bar counter and ordered a black coffee and a cafe latte. The server would bring it to our table. So we wandered over to a couple of wicker chairs with a coffee table between them and sighed. Being served, having a leisurely cup of coffee in the cool and airy open lobby...it couldn't get any better than this! Our coffees were served with a stick of sugar cane. Yummy!
When we were finished our beverage, we strolled back to the Air Transat desk. We found out Havana day trip options were either 6 hour bus ride one way or a 300 Cuban Peso flight per person! Yea, NO! I guess not this time to Cuba! So we booked a Catamaran ride, snorkeling and dolphin show excursion; the shuttle left the resort at 8 am and came back about 5 pm. Included lunch at the dolphin centre. Sounded fun but not hours of bus transportation. The Catamaran launch place was only 15 minutes from our resort and it all took place along the Cayo Santa Maria. Perfect. We booked for Tuesday, the next morning.
We also availed ourselves of the 2 Peso Internet cards you could purchase. Not that we needed to be on Facebook or check emails, but to communicate to our kids that we were safe and sound. Walter went one way and I went to book our "a la carte" restaurant reservations. I chose Seafood for tonight, Italian for Wednesday and Oriental for Friday dinners.
The beach was calling our names. So we decided to change into our beach attire, grab reading materials and claim a spot. The resort is huge and we had to navigate one of three boardwalks to the beachfront. The main one led by a bar and snack booth and had blaring salsa or latino music. We found that one easily but decided to head away from the noise and hope for a couple of open beach loungers. There were several along the shore but the thatched roof shelters were up on the "cliffs" that could be accessed by climbing up some rocky steps. Those shelters were all occupied. We grabbed the first available loungers as a couple were just packing up their things and vacating. It was busy at midday!
The turquoise ocean, with a few colourful sailboats dotting the expanse, made a breath catch in my throat. Absolutely stunning! Again that surreal feeling struck both Walter and myself as we settled our pasty white bodies on the blue loungers. Slathering on the 45 SPF sun block, we sprawled out to catch some glorious sunshine.
More next time...
We showered and got dressed for breakfast, which was served from 7- 10 am. At 9 am we had an orientation with "Air Transat", where an agent would give us more information about the resort and our excursion options.
The buffet was already busy at 8 o'clock. I did a survey and decided on toast, hard boiled egg, fruit and yogurt. Not too adventurous! The coffee was delicious. Walter did see an omelet station, but the lineup was too long for this morning's schedule. Another breakfast...
We wiped our mouths after a final gulp of coffee and walked down the stone paved pathway to the theatre area of the main lobby. A handful of fellow Air Transat guests were gathering and the lovely, olive-skinned woman in the teal blue uniform, stood down near the front row of seating.
Things we learned at this orientation:
1. Don't drink the water from your hotel room sink
2. Mealtimes, bank hours and guest services at the resort
3. The usual fee to leave the country is 25 Cuban Pesos but is included in the all-inclusive fees
4. Talk to her afterwards to book an excursion
Everyone in our group was from Canada, either Saskatchewan or Toronto area. So we chatted with a couple next to us and they were from Newmarket/Aurora area where Walter had framed houses in the summer of 1987. We talked with them about a possible excursion to Havana and planned to maybe book it at the same time. Rosie and Marco.
The lineup at the agent's desk was increasing, so we decided to find a second cup of coffee and relax a bit. All food and drinks are limitless and free at an all-inclusive. So we sidled up to the bar counter and ordered a black coffee and a cafe latte. The server would bring it to our table. So we wandered over to a couple of wicker chairs with a coffee table between them and sighed. Being served, having a leisurely cup of coffee in the cool and airy open lobby...it couldn't get any better than this! Our coffees were served with a stick of sugar cane. Yummy!
When we were finished our beverage, we strolled back to the Air Transat desk. We found out Havana day trip options were either 6 hour bus ride one way or a 300 Cuban Peso flight per person! Yea, NO! I guess not this time to Cuba! So we booked a Catamaran ride, snorkeling and dolphin show excursion; the shuttle left the resort at 8 am and came back about 5 pm. Included lunch at the dolphin centre. Sounded fun but not hours of bus transportation. The Catamaran launch place was only 15 minutes from our resort and it all took place along the Cayo Santa Maria. Perfect. We booked for Tuesday, the next morning.
We also availed ourselves of the 2 Peso Internet cards you could purchase. Not that we needed to be on Facebook or check emails, but to communicate to our kids that we were safe and sound. Walter went one way and I went to book our "a la carte" restaurant reservations. I chose Seafood for tonight, Italian for Wednesday and Oriental for Friday dinners.
The beach was calling our names. So we decided to change into our beach attire, grab reading materials and claim a spot. The resort is huge and we had to navigate one of three boardwalks to the beachfront. The main one led by a bar and snack booth and had blaring salsa or latino music. We found that one easily but decided to head away from the noise and hope for a couple of open beach loungers. There were several along the shore but the thatched roof shelters were up on the "cliffs" that could be accessed by climbing up some rocky steps. Those shelters were all occupied. We grabbed the first available loungers as a couple were just packing up their things and vacating. It was busy at midday!
The turquoise ocean, with a few colourful sailboats dotting the expanse, made a breath catch in my throat. Absolutely stunning! Again that surreal feeling struck both Walter and myself as we settled our pasty white bodies on the blue loungers. Slathering on the 45 SPF sun block, we sprawled out to catch some glorious sunshine.
More next time...
Tuesday 21 February 2017
We're a little more rested, a little more tanned.
I have sand in the bottom of my suitcase and souvenirs covering our coffee table in the living room.
CUBA was a really great country to visit and Air Transat treated us well.
We flew out direct from Regina to Santa Clara Abel Airport on Sunday morning at 9 a.m.(February 12) and landed at 3:10 p.m. Getting through the Cuban customs involved our passport, a visa card which we filled out on our flight, and the question: have you been to Brazil in the last five months?
The right answer to that question was 'no'! Not sure why.
And then the heat of the caribbean island hit us like a wall and felt so good!
I found a stand selling beverages-of course, Cerveza or beer is the number one seller, and found ice cold water for us to take on the shuttle bus. Then we boarded an older, Japanese tour bus, making sure our luggage was being put in and away we went on the hour and a half drive to Cayo Santa Maria.
Our resort was on the "keys" or "cayo" and so we had to drive on a causeway built specifically for tourism to be developed on this island. The tour guide described scenes along the way, pointing out tobacco, sugar cane and banana plantations. We saw tiny, concrete homes, some small farms with thin cows and little goats. Most places along the highway and in the villages were tidy and well-kept. Laundry hung out to dry at many homes. We passed through three communities that would have been interesting to explore and tour but we sped on through to our destination.
The causeway was 48 km long with 45 bridges along it. There are no alligators in Cuba. Good to know.
The thing Walter most wanted to see were the old cars from the 1950's and he was not disappointed. Besides bicyclists and folks on carts drawn by ponies, we encountered several Chevy's and a few Russian cars, mostly Lada's. Such a unique sight!
Our shuttle dropped off guests at a couple of resorts before we reached Melia Las Dunas, our home for the next 7 days. The hot sun was already descending as we arrived in late afternoon (about 5:30 p,m,). Check in was painless and a porter packed us and our luggage into a golf cart (with 3 rows of seats) and delivered us to our block - 67 - he opened our door and a lovely, cool room emerged before us. The suite looked like the pictures I had discovered online when I "googled" the resort. Yellow walls, dark wooden furniture and tiled bathroom. We tipped the porter with the Cuban Pesos we had exchanged at the airport.
We quickly shed our long pants and replaced them with shorts. And off we went to explore the resort and especially find the "International Buffet" for supper.
More Cuban experiences in the next few blogs...
I have sand in the bottom of my suitcase and souvenirs covering our coffee table in the living room.
CUBA was a really great country to visit and Air Transat treated us well.
We flew out direct from Regina to Santa Clara Abel Airport on Sunday morning at 9 a.m.(February 12) and landed at 3:10 p.m. Getting through the Cuban customs involved our passport, a visa card which we filled out on our flight, and the question: have you been to Brazil in the last five months?
The right answer to that question was 'no'! Not sure why.
And then the heat of the caribbean island hit us like a wall and felt so good!
I found a stand selling beverages-of course, Cerveza or beer is the number one seller, and found ice cold water for us to take on the shuttle bus. Then we boarded an older, Japanese tour bus, making sure our luggage was being put in and away we went on the hour and a half drive to Cayo Santa Maria.
Our resort was on the "keys" or "cayo" and so we had to drive on a causeway built specifically for tourism to be developed on this island. The tour guide described scenes along the way, pointing out tobacco, sugar cane and banana plantations. We saw tiny, concrete homes, some small farms with thin cows and little goats. Most places along the highway and in the villages were tidy and well-kept. Laundry hung out to dry at many homes. We passed through three communities that would have been interesting to explore and tour but we sped on through to our destination.
The causeway was 48 km long with 45 bridges along it. There are no alligators in Cuba. Good to know.
The thing Walter most wanted to see were the old cars from the 1950's and he was not disappointed. Besides bicyclists and folks on carts drawn by ponies, we encountered several Chevy's and a few Russian cars, mostly Lada's. Such a unique sight!
Our shuttle dropped off guests at a couple of resorts before we reached Melia Las Dunas, our home for the next 7 days. The hot sun was already descending as we arrived in late afternoon (about 5:30 p,m,). Check in was painless and a porter packed us and our luggage into a golf cart (with 3 rows of seats) and delivered us to our block - 67 - he opened our door and a lovely, cool room emerged before us. The suite looked like the pictures I had discovered online when I "googled" the resort. Yellow walls, dark wooden furniture and tiled bathroom. We tipped the porter with the Cuban Pesos we had exchanged at the airport.
We quickly shed our long pants and replaced them with shorts. And off we went to explore the resort and especially find the "International Buffet" for supper.
Thursday 9 February 2017
Some thoughts on Romans 5:1-5.....
My Hope
You love me
with full knowledge of me
and receive me
through this faith -
Faith in Jesus,
drawn by mercy
I am called to
this saving grace.
I have peace now
through my Jesus,
I am fully
justified.
There is therefore
no condemnation;
I am free in Jesus Christ!
Here I stand
with key in hand,
the access to a door of grace.
Opened wide by
the key of faith
and strength to stand
before His face.
We rejoice in hope of glory
God our Father, all majesty.
I have hope to be like Jesus,
to reflect His glory!
We rejoice
also in suffering;
through endurance, perseverance
You transform our hearts of stone,
giving us a new nature-
Christ our Saviour on the throne.
I have hope, no fear of shame
because God's love is flowing in...
poured into my heart by grace,
I stand exposed but
not ashamed.
Holy Spirit,
Come and fill me.
I am waiting near Your throne.
Even suffering
cannot steal Your precious love-
I am Your own.
My Hope
You love me
with full knowledge of me
and receive me
through this faith -
Faith in Jesus,
drawn by mercy
I am called to
this saving grace.
I have peace now
through my Jesus,
I am fully
justified.
There is therefore
no condemnation;
I am free in Jesus Christ!
Here I stand
with key in hand,
the access to a door of grace.
Opened wide by
the key of faith
and strength to stand
before His face.
We rejoice in hope of glory
God our Father, all majesty.
I have hope to be like Jesus,
to reflect His glory!
We rejoice
also in suffering;
through endurance, perseverance
You transform our hearts of stone,
giving us a new nature-
Christ our Saviour on the throne.
I have hope, no fear of shame
because God's love is flowing in...
poured into my heart by grace,
I stand exposed but
not ashamed.
Holy Spirit,
Come and fill me.
I am waiting near Your throne.
Even suffering
cannot steal Your precious love-
I am Your own.
Tuesday 7 February 2017
This morning we left the house before 9 a.m. and didn't get home until 4 p.m.
I know. Our son leaves for work at 6:15 am and gets home at 4 pm - so what's the big deal?
We don't have the "usual" work hours; certainly not office hours. So to leave the house early and get home later in the day is unusual for us!
We had our weekly staff breakfast at Nicky's Cafe and discussed whatever ministry business and concerns were relevant. By 10:15 we all left to attend the funeral of one of our Healing Hearts members. Janet Neergaard, a single mom and social worker, who was part of our church for many years, had heart problems and succumbed at the age of 56. She was just a couple months older than Walter and he often joked about having to listen to her because she was his "elder" sister! Her daughters had to plan the funeral service and they are only the age of our children. It was a tough day in many ways.
Then we stopped by the ministry centre to check in on "the boys". The wood shop is progressing. Always tasks to be done. The sewage/plumbing part of the project is still to be determined so the concrete work has been put off until absolutely nothing else can get done without it! The guys were having lunch break so we chatted and took a quick look at their work.
We drove downtown then, to get our criminal record checks done for both of the mission organizations we are now working for...and yes, we passed!
We grabbed a quick lunch, then swung by the General Hospital to have coffee with our friend. It was a very encouraging visit and we are thankful for the friends who support us.
Once we got home, Walter started up the printer to get our next newsletter going. It seems we just finished our Christmas mailing and now we have the update of our new ministry position to communicate to our family and friends.
Needless to say, I didn't have much time to make a gourmet dinner, so waffles and bacon were whipped up. And then back at the newsletters...
Daniel was home but quietly reading. Caylea was very tired - day after her Interferon shot- so was watching Netflix and then went up to her room early.
About half an hour ago, Walter declared, "I've hit the wall!"
Its been a long day.
There is tomorrow to carry on with the details of our transition.
Good night!
I know. Our son leaves for work at 6:15 am and gets home at 4 pm - so what's the big deal?
We don't have the "usual" work hours; certainly not office hours. So to leave the house early and get home later in the day is unusual for us!
We had our weekly staff breakfast at Nicky's Cafe and discussed whatever ministry business and concerns were relevant. By 10:15 we all left to attend the funeral of one of our Healing Hearts members. Janet Neergaard, a single mom and social worker, who was part of our church for many years, had heart problems and succumbed at the age of 56. She was just a couple months older than Walter and he often joked about having to listen to her because she was his "elder" sister! Her daughters had to plan the funeral service and they are only the age of our children. It was a tough day in many ways.
Then we stopped by the ministry centre to check in on "the boys". The wood shop is progressing. Always tasks to be done. The sewage/plumbing part of the project is still to be determined so the concrete work has been put off until absolutely nothing else can get done without it! The guys were having lunch break so we chatted and took a quick look at their work.
We drove downtown then, to get our criminal record checks done for both of the mission organizations we are now working for...and yes, we passed!
We grabbed a quick lunch, then swung by the General Hospital to have coffee with our friend. It was a very encouraging visit and we are thankful for the friends who support us.
Once we got home, Walter started up the printer to get our next newsletter going. It seems we just finished our Christmas mailing and now we have the update of our new ministry position to communicate to our family and friends.
Needless to say, I didn't have much time to make a gourmet dinner, so waffles and bacon were whipped up. And then back at the newsletters...
Daniel was home but quietly reading. Caylea was very tired - day after her Interferon shot- so was watching Netflix and then went up to her room early.
About half an hour ago, Walter declared, "I've hit the wall!"
Its been a long day.
There is tomorrow to carry on with the details of our transition.
Good night!
Sunday 5 February 2017
Brownies are baking in the oven.
Baby potatoes are ready to be made into a roasted and seasoned side dish.
Lettuce is chilling for a salad.
Protein?
Mark & Amy are bringing over some steak and we shall stoke up the smoker!
Our family is gathering tonight for a Superbowl party and although football is the excuse, and food is part of the fun, just being together is the reason we are celebrating!
Also, we are following the Tankard final this afternoon: Adam Casey is facing Steven Laycock and it looks like Team Casey will be representing Saskatchewan in the Canadian Men's Curling Champion, the Brier. As I type, the score is 9-3 for Casey in the 8th end. There is the potential for another 2 ends to be played, but that lead is pretty significant and I would call that they will shake hands after this end.
It was a great morning at HHM Regina! The usual: Nick did the opening, with a minute's notice. He shared on the eternal Word of God, thoughts on Psalm 119. Ed led worship and the songs were full of praise, energy and yet a spirit of dependence on our great God. The little ones marched out as we sang "We are marching in the light of God..."
Walter led the sharing time, starting with our announcement to be taking on NCEM directorship. We felt supported. And Thomas, our faithful van driver, shared how at our grand opening of the HH ministry centre, we were marveling at how far God had taken us - just imagine where He is taking us in the future! (Later, Thomas told me how proud he is of Walter and I and how exciting it is that Healing Hearts is being blessed to help and serve others.)
Bob preached a powerful sermon on I John 4 on testing the spirits. In our ministry context, there are plenty of opportunities to experience spirits that do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh and it was a very practical and applicable message.
We met after service for our staff meeting. It was so good to share and pray for one another. Again, I felt so supported as we move forward into this new venture. Our team all have needs and we also prayed for them. Team is good!
Well, that's our news. I gotta go...the steaks are almost ready!
Baby potatoes are ready to be made into a roasted and seasoned side dish.
Lettuce is chilling for a salad.
Protein?
Mark & Amy are bringing over some steak and we shall stoke up the smoker!
Our family is gathering tonight for a Superbowl party and although football is the excuse, and food is part of the fun, just being together is the reason we are celebrating!
Also, we are following the Tankard final this afternoon: Adam Casey is facing Steven Laycock and it looks like Team Casey will be representing Saskatchewan in the Canadian Men's Curling Champion, the Brier. As I type, the score is 9-3 for Casey in the 8th end. There is the potential for another 2 ends to be played, but that lead is pretty significant and I would call that they will shake hands after this end.
It was a great morning at HHM Regina! The usual: Nick did the opening, with a minute's notice. He shared on the eternal Word of God, thoughts on Psalm 119. Ed led worship and the songs were full of praise, energy and yet a spirit of dependence on our great God. The little ones marched out as we sang "We are marching in the light of God..."
Walter led the sharing time, starting with our announcement to be taking on NCEM directorship. We felt supported. And Thomas, our faithful van driver, shared how at our grand opening of the HH ministry centre, we were marveling at how far God had taken us - just imagine where He is taking us in the future! (Later, Thomas told me how proud he is of Walter and I and how exciting it is that Healing Hearts is being blessed to help and serve others.)
Bob preached a powerful sermon on I John 4 on testing the spirits. In our ministry context, there are plenty of opportunities to experience spirits that do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh and it was a very practical and applicable message.
We met after service for our staff meeting. It was so good to share and pray for one another. Again, I felt so supported as we move forward into this new venture. Our team all have needs and we also prayed for them. Team is good!
Well, that's our news. I gotta go...the steaks are almost ready!
Friday 3 February 2017
Today an announcement was made that affects our lives significantly.
Walter and I have accepted the position of General Director for Northern Canada Evangelical Mission, as well as carrying on with our directorship of Healing Hearts Ministries, Inc.
When the board member from NCEM called Walter to ask if he would consider this ministry possibility, Walter's first reaction was "NO!" How could we leave Healing Hearts without leadership while still expanding and catching up with the growth we've experienced in recent years? So although Walter wanted to be respectful of the request, he promised to pray and get back to them in a week, fully expecting to say "No" but thank you for the incredible honour.
We discussed this opportunity and I, too, felt it wouldn't be reasonable. So as we prayed together, we sought God's direction and prayed for His choice for their new Director.
The next day, Walter read Scriptures in Psalm 133 as part of his regular Bible reading and verse 1 grabbed his attention. "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!" Was God challenging Walter to be reaching out to a sister mission organization?
I had been reading in Isaiah around that time and a passage I had marked the year before came to light again. "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes." Reading this several months ago, I thought it was about the growth of Healing Hearts and the adding of new staff. But as I read it in the light of the new situation in our lives, I could see it as God preparing us for even more expansion of our "tent".
So as we sought the Lord, we didn't hear Him say "No", as much as we thought He would! We sought some other counsel and each one encouraged us to pursue this course and at least see what the expectations of NCEM would be.
We met with their board and got acquainted. They were not hurrying the process to find a new director, but were prayerfully considering our name as it had come forward. After this meeting, we again just left it in God's hands and would wait for the NCEM board's discussion and our own direction from the Lord.
Just before Christmas, the chairman of the board called Walter to say they wanted us to come on board. We were both excited and nervous as to what this would mean! The next step was for the Healing Hearts board to meet with them and discuss how this role could be shared by both organizations and if it was a reasonable expectation. So this meeting was held Saturday, January 28, 2017. The decision was made for us to begin our new role on March 1. All the board members of both missions gathered to pray for us and it was a surreal moment. God had certainly given us a task that is bigger than we are but we were surrounded by godly folk who cared very much.
As I sit at my laptop and type these words, I am feeling a little overwhelmed! The enormity of the task and the huge responsibility for many missionaries across Canada is hitting me. But a verse that the Lord gave me is what I am hanging onto for now: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord Almighty..." Zechariah 4:6 How the details will work out and how we will manage this expanded ministry is by God's Spirit, not by any ideas or abilities we may have. This gives me great peace.
Thank you, my blog-readers, for your prayers and support.
Walter and I have accepted the position of General Director for Northern Canada Evangelical Mission, as well as carrying on with our directorship of Healing Hearts Ministries, Inc.
When the board member from NCEM called Walter to ask if he would consider this ministry possibility, Walter's first reaction was "NO!" How could we leave Healing Hearts without leadership while still expanding and catching up with the growth we've experienced in recent years? So although Walter wanted to be respectful of the request, he promised to pray and get back to them in a week, fully expecting to say "No" but thank you for the incredible honour.
We discussed this opportunity and I, too, felt it wouldn't be reasonable. So as we prayed together, we sought God's direction and prayed for His choice for their new Director.
The next day, Walter read Scriptures in Psalm 133 as part of his regular Bible reading and verse 1 grabbed his attention. "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!" Was God challenging Walter to be reaching out to a sister mission organization?
I had been reading in Isaiah around that time and a passage I had marked the year before came to light again. "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes." Reading this several months ago, I thought it was about the growth of Healing Hearts and the adding of new staff. But as I read it in the light of the new situation in our lives, I could see it as God preparing us for even more expansion of our "tent".
So as we sought the Lord, we didn't hear Him say "No", as much as we thought He would! We sought some other counsel and each one encouraged us to pursue this course and at least see what the expectations of NCEM would be.
We met with their board and got acquainted. They were not hurrying the process to find a new director, but were prayerfully considering our name as it had come forward. After this meeting, we again just left it in God's hands and would wait for the NCEM board's discussion and our own direction from the Lord.
Just before Christmas, the chairman of the board called Walter to say they wanted us to come on board. We were both excited and nervous as to what this would mean! The next step was for the Healing Hearts board to meet with them and discuss how this role could be shared by both organizations and if it was a reasonable expectation. So this meeting was held Saturday, January 28, 2017. The decision was made for us to begin our new role on March 1. All the board members of both missions gathered to pray for us and it was a surreal moment. God had certainly given us a task that is bigger than we are but we were surrounded by godly folk who cared very much.
As I sit at my laptop and type these words, I am feeling a little overwhelmed! The enormity of the task and the huge responsibility for many missionaries across Canada is hitting me. But a verse that the Lord gave me is what I am hanging onto for now: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord Almighty..." Zechariah 4:6 How the details will work out and how we will manage this expanded ministry is by God's Spirit, not by any ideas or abilities we may have. This gives me great peace.
Thank you, my blog-readers, for your prayers and support.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)