How have I seen God this week?
I have seen Him in meeting with me personally.
This is very egocentric. But on Monday, chronologically speaking, I experienced an answer to prayer. With all our travels and no Curves franchise in Prince Albert, I was sure I would have to give up my membership. I have enjoyed this physical outlet and also realize I need to be disciplined to exercise. So I wrestled with the Lord; I talked with the Curves coaches. Finally, I was able to meet with the owner directly and make an arrangement to keep my membership even while not being able to be participate regularly. She was very supportive of the ministry we do and encouraged me to keep blessing those who are needy!
Another way I have seen God this week is in the freedom He gave me to settle into what I feel He is leading me to do on a daily basis, not what I think others are expecting of me. So one morning, I stayed in our suite at Prince Albert (NCEM Headquarters) and had my devotions. I also typed up some notes and accomplished some other communications. Although I did feel a little guilty for not offering to help around the office, Tribal Trails or the printshop until the afternoon, I feel I won a small victory in discovering my new role.
I saw God in our meetings with people this week. Everyone has a different story, a unique journey that God is taking them on. I have been praying that the Lord will give me the grace and love to listen well and we had several opportunities to see His Spirit at work. And this gives me the greatest joy; spending time connecting with people is really the heart of what our ministry is about!
I saw God at Big River Bible Camp yesterday! We have heard of the building project that was happening and we have met the staff couples serving there. But to see the chapel/dining hall complex in reality and to see what God provided through many miracles is a huge faith-builder! We love Bible camp ministry and see the potential for so much more in that beautiful facility.
I see God in my husband, Walter, as well. As he is bringing leadership to two mission organizations, functioning in the sweet spot of his giftings and showing patience as He waits on God, I am so blessed! As I pray for him, I see God answering my prayers. And in all the newness and uncertainty of our ministry journey, Walter takes time to see how I am doing. God is so good to me.
That is only the tip of the iceberg! God is at work all over and His glory is displayed in big and small ways...if only we are quiet and take a look.
Saturday 25 March 2017
Sunday 19 March 2017
Although spring in Saskatchewan can seem to arrive in March, I don't trust it to last!
Today was sunny, with a cool breeze that let us know winter wasn't letting go quite yet. But with some heat in the sun, snowbanks were melting and water was running. A taste of spring.
My daughter in law and I took a drive down to Weyburn on this fine day. We talked all the way and it was a pleasant trip along highway 33. At Francis, I stopped to fill up with fuel. The little gas station and cafe/convenience store has wonderful baking for sale; I resisted, as I knew we would be well fed at Grandma's house.
Amy had not been to Weyburn since Grandma was in the hospital a few Christmases ago so she hadn't really seen the city, nor spent much time at Grandma's home. It was a nice opportunity to enjoy a smaller gathering of family.
The occasion? My Mom's birthday. She turns 71 on March 21. I brought down an angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream. Mom wanted to simply order pizza in and have as little muss and fuss as possible. My sister Paula had driven down earlier in the morning, and my cousin Chris and his girlfriend, Tracey were also there. We all quickly sat down, as the pizza had arrived and they wanted to eat while it was hot!
Grandma has a wonderful house, built in the 1980's. The front double doors open to a lovely foyer with an open staircase and railing upstairs. The formal living room is to the left, with a cathedral ceiling. The dining room is beyond the living room and that is where we all gathered for the birthday lunch.
Mom said she would order pizza from "Baa Baa's" and I thought her cell phone had auto-corrected from "Boston Pizza"! I was wrong. Apparently "Baa Baa's" is the best pizza in town. It did taste delicious! Soon, everyone was ready for cake, so my sister whipped up the cream and I cut the spongy cake into individual pieces. I also sliced a bowl of the fresh strawberries so everyone could put on their own toppings. When everyone had their dessert in front of them, we sang a lively rendition of "Happy Birthday", with my sister and I adding harmony on the last line! Mom seemed pleased!
After a while, we cleared off the table, and someone suggested putting the tea kettle on. We moved into the family room, which was sunken one step down from the kitchen. The afternoon sun was streaming in the patio door that faced west and we enjoyed telling stories and teasing among the cousins. Grandma sat in her recliner with her feet up and a small blanket across her lap. But she kept awake and engaged in the conversation. Not bad for 92 years old!
Mom grabbed towels from the dryer in the main floor laundry room. I helped her fold them while we kept visiting. Chris and Tracey were doing a grout/mudding repair in Grandma's basement bathroom so they went downstairs to finish the project. We sipped our tea.
By 4 pm,, I was thinking we should head back to Regina. But then Chris and Tracey left, and my sister was taking her dog for a walk. So Amy and I stayed a few minutes more - half an hour more! After some hugs and more birthday wishes, we finally made our way through the melting snow and ice to our car parked up the street.
We toured part of Weyburn and I pointed out the fairgrounds, the DQ and then we drove to the south end to "Signal Hill". We then took the other highway, 39 that turns into highway 6 going north to Regina. The return trip went by quickly as we chatted about various topics, mostly our families. And then I dropped Amy off at the ministry centre, where Mark was also just pulling into the parking lot. He had been to our house to print off his sermon notes as he is preaching tomorrow morning at Healing Hearts.
The sun was low in the sky as I pulled into our garage at 6:45 pm. My husband was in the garage, working on preparing a new car stereo for the Toyota Corolla that I had been driving. He was ready to install it so I went in to prepare a late supper.
I am just feeling kind of nostalgic as I think of both my Mom and Grandmother aging. I am now 50 years old. Time goes by. I am glad we could take some pictures together today.
I am very thankful for this lovely day and the family celebration that I could share with my daughter in law.
Today was sunny, with a cool breeze that let us know winter wasn't letting go quite yet. But with some heat in the sun, snowbanks were melting and water was running. A taste of spring.
My daughter in law and I took a drive down to Weyburn on this fine day. We talked all the way and it was a pleasant trip along highway 33. At Francis, I stopped to fill up with fuel. The little gas station and cafe/convenience store has wonderful baking for sale; I resisted, as I knew we would be well fed at Grandma's house.
Amy had not been to Weyburn since Grandma was in the hospital a few Christmases ago so she hadn't really seen the city, nor spent much time at Grandma's home. It was a nice opportunity to enjoy a smaller gathering of family.
The occasion? My Mom's birthday. She turns 71 on March 21. I brought down an angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream. Mom wanted to simply order pizza in and have as little muss and fuss as possible. My sister Paula had driven down earlier in the morning, and my cousin Chris and his girlfriend, Tracey were also there. We all quickly sat down, as the pizza had arrived and they wanted to eat while it was hot!
Grandma has a wonderful house, built in the 1980's. The front double doors open to a lovely foyer with an open staircase and railing upstairs. The formal living room is to the left, with a cathedral ceiling. The dining room is beyond the living room and that is where we all gathered for the birthday lunch.
Mom said she would order pizza from "Baa Baa's" and I thought her cell phone had auto-corrected from "Boston Pizza"! I was wrong. Apparently "Baa Baa's" is the best pizza in town. It did taste delicious! Soon, everyone was ready for cake, so my sister whipped up the cream and I cut the spongy cake into individual pieces. I also sliced a bowl of the fresh strawberries so everyone could put on their own toppings. When everyone had their dessert in front of them, we sang a lively rendition of "Happy Birthday", with my sister and I adding harmony on the last line! Mom seemed pleased!
After a while, we cleared off the table, and someone suggested putting the tea kettle on. We moved into the family room, which was sunken one step down from the kitchen. The afternoon sun was streaming in the patio door that faced west and we enjoyed telling stories and teasing among the cousins. Grandma sat in her recliner with her feet up and a small blanket across her lap. But she kept awake and engaged in the conversation. Not bad for 92 years old!
Mom grabbed towels from the dryer in the main floor laundry room. I helped her fold them while we kept visiting. Chris and Tracey were doing a grout/mudding repair in Grandma's basement bathroom so they went downstairs to finish the project. We sipped our tea.
By 4 pm,, I was thinking we should head back to Regina. But then Chris and Tracey left, and my sister was taking her dog for a walk. So Amy and I stayed a few minutes more - half an hour more! After some hugs and more birthday wishes, we finally made our way through the melting snow and ice to our car parked up the street.
We toured part of Weyburn and I pointed out the fairgrounds, the DQ and then we drove to the south end to "Signal Hill". We then took the other highway, 39 that turns into highway 6 going north to Regina. The return trip went by quickly as we chatted about various topics, mostly our families. And then I dropped Amy off at the ministry centre, where Mark was also just pulling into the parking lot. He had been to our house to print off his sermon notes as he is preaching tomorrow morning at Healing Hearts.
The sun was low in the sky as I pulled into our garage at 6:45 pm. My husband was in the garage, working on preparing a new car stereo for the Toyota Corolla that I had been driving. He was ready to install it so I went in to prepare a late supper.
I am just feeling kind of nostalgic as I think of both my Mom and Grandmother aging. I am now 50 years old. Time goes by. I am glad we could take some pictures together today.
I am very thankful for this lovely day and the family celebration that I could share with my daughter in law.
Monday 13 March 2017
I yawned and stretched. The morning light was seeping around the curtains on our patio/balcony door. It was the last morning in this comfortable bed and luxurious room. A twinge of regret struck my heart as I prepared myself for our departure today. But there was no rush. We could enjoy these last hours before checkout at 11 am.
I gathered stray items drying on the balcony. Leaning on the rail, I listened to the small birds that sang in the bush surrounding our hotel block. The clear blue sky glowed with the rising sun. I breathed in the slightly salty air, trying to store in my memory bank these wonderful sensations that would disappear quickly once we landed on Canadian soil.
Since our lovely room didn't have a coffee maker or microwave, we had to find our morning coffee and meal at the International Buffet. But we looked forward to seeing Jorge once more and say "good-bye". We found a table in Jorge's section and tried to cram in as much conversation and exchange e-mails to keep in touch. Walter had suggested I pack a sandwich as it would be a long stretch between meals today. I wrapped the simple cheese and bread in a paper napkin. We took a picture of Walter and Jorge, then hugged our new brother in farewell!
What to do on our last morning? We took a few pictures around the grounds of the resort. Honestly, I can't recall anything specific we did except wander around leisurely. We were basically packed. Just carrying our luggage to the front lobby and wait for the bus to take us the 1 1/2 hours back to Santa Clara Airport.
Waiting in the lobby for about an hour, we chatted with our Regina friends who had lost their luggage. They did receive their missing bag the next day. Air Transat had only carried it to Veradero so they sent it back to Cayo Santa Marie via taxi! Impressive. We chatted comfortably with them and with a mother/daughter from Hodgeville, Sk. The girl was in highschool curling so we had a passion in common.
Finally, the shuttle arrived and we loaded onto the bus. The return trip was pleasant. Walter sat in the window seat and snapped some good shots of the local scenery and the unique architecture in the passing villages. We passed through Jorge's village of Coumanjaia( sp?) and prayed that God would touch this community by His Spirit! And if we were to return someday, that God would so direct us I nibbled on my dry bread and cheese sandwich, sipping water to wash it down. I was thankful for the snack as we weren't sure what the airport had by way of food services.
Soon, we turned off the main highway and headed towards the airport. The highways were exceptionally narrow but of good quality. We double-checked our passport and visa that we needed to show to leave the country. This part always makes me nervous! We saw the line-ups for the immigration officers and stood in one. Only two were open, yet we saw many airport employees everywhere. Some were visiting, having snacks, laughing. Somehow, it seemed unprofessional, but in other ways, things were quite formal and official. Eventually a couple more booths opened and the tourists flowed through more quickly.
On the other side of the door that the officer buzzed open, we passed through security, which was less strict than any Canadian or American security. Then we were seated in a large, open area. There was a duty-free store with rum and cigars and of all things, Pringles potato chips among other souvenir type items. There also was a restaurant of sorts. Walter went to find himself some food. I just wanted more water. It felt like a long wait there; but waiting was better than rushing or feeling like we may risk missing our flight!
The seats were typical airport style. The walls were an odd orange colour and then some turquoise shade of trim. Seemed very "island" in decor. People poured in the entrance way from security in spurts. Then one flight loaded, directly through a sliding patio door that led to the tarmac. The plane simply waited in front of the airport and people loaded up the stairs.
Finally our flight was called. We boarded, found our seats, which were both window seats on the opposite sides of the aisle! Oh, well! Walter and I had things to read so we would be fine for the five hour flight. But first we hopped over to Veradero where a few passengers disembarked and a few others were added. I saw a guy I recognized. It was a coworker of Daniel's from Town N Country (who also went to highschool with our kids), but he was too far away to greet. All our passengers were flying to Regina, so it makes sense we may see someone we recognized.
Our flight was uneventful. We flew back over Florida. We had a screen showing our progress and places we were flying over. As the day was drawing to a close, we passed over the city of St. Louis lit up in the darkness. A lovely sight!
I read, rested and began to prepare myself for re-entry home.
Finally, after the captain announced the initial descent into YQR, I felt that familiar rush of excitement: home! I tried to keep reading my Kindle but my interest was gone. I gazed out the window, hoping for any signs of recognizable landmarks. The final descent brought us down and into the Regina Airport. The landing was smooth.
We were home.
I gathered stray items drying on the balcony. Leaning on the rail, I listened to the small birds that sang in the bush surrounding our hotel block. The clear blue sky glowed with the rising sun. I breathed in the slightly salty air, trying to store in my memory bank these wonderful sensations that would disappear quickly once we landed on Canadian soil.
Since our lovely room didn't have a coffee maker or microwave, we had to find our morning coffee and meal at the International Buffet. But we looked forward to seeing Jorge once more and say "good-bye". We found a table in Jorge's section and tried to cram in as much conversation and exchange e-mails to keep in touch. Walter had suggested I pack a sandwich as it would be a long stretch between meals today. I wrapped the simple cheese and bread in a paper napkin. We took a picture of Walter and Jorge, then hugged our new brother in farewell!
What to do on our last morning? We took a few pictures around the grounds of the resort. Honestly, I can't recall anything specific we did except wander around leisurely. We were basically packed. Just carrying our luggage to the front lobby and wait for the bus to take us the 1 1/2 hours back to Santa Clara Airport.
Waiting in the lobby for about an hour, we chatted with our Regina friends who had lost their luggage. They did receive their missing bag the next day. Air Transat had only carried it to Veradero so they sent it back to Cayo Santa Marie via taxi! Impressive. We chatted comfortably with them and with a mother/daughter from Hodgeville, Sk. The girl was in highschool curling so we had a passion in common.
Finally, the shuttle arrived and we loaded onto the bus. The return trip was pleasant. Walter sat in the window seat and snapped some good shots of the local scenery and the unique architecture in the passing villages. We passed through Jorge's village of Coumanjaia( sp?) and prayed that God would touch this community by His Spirit! And if we were to return someday, that God would so direct us I nibbled on my dry bread and cheese sandwich, sipping water to wash it down. I was thankful for the snack as we weren't sure what the airport had by way of food services.
Soon, we turned off the main highway and headed towards the airport. The highways were exceptionally narrow but of good quality. We double-checked our passport and visa that we needed to show to leave the country. This part always makes me nervous! We saw the line-ups for the immigration officers and stood in one. Only two were open, yet we saw many airport employees everywhere. Some were visiting, having snacks, laughing. Somehow, it seemed unprofessional, but in other ways, things were quite formal and official. Eventually a couple more booths opened and the tourists flowed through more quickly.
On the other side of the door that the officer buzzed open, we passed through security, which was less strict than any Canadian or American security. Then we were seated in a large, open area. There was a duty-free store with rum and cigars and of all things, Pringles potato chips among other souvenir type items. There also was a restaurant of sorts. Walter went to find himself some food. I just wanted more water. It felt like a long wait there; but waiting was better than rushing or feeling like we may risk missing our flight!
The seats were typical airport style. The walls were an odd orange colour and then some turquoise shade of trim. Seemed very "island" in decor. People poured in the entrance way from security in spurts. Then one flight loaded, directly through a sliding patio door that led to the tarmac. The plane simply waited in front of the airport and people loaded up the stairs.
Finally our flight was called. We boarded, found our seats, which were both window seats on the opposite sides of the aisle! Oh, well! Walter and I had things to read so we would be fine for the five hour flight. But first we hopped over to Veradero where a few passengers disembarked and a few others were added. I saw a guy I recognized. It was a coworker of Daniel's from Town N Country (who also went to highschool with our kids), but he was too far away to greet. All our passengers were flying to Regina, so it makes sense we may see someone we recognized.
Our flight was uneventful. We flew back over Florida. We had a screen showing our progress and places we were flying over. As the day was drawing to a close, we passed over the city of St. Louis lit up in the darkness. A lovely sight!
I read, rested and began to prepare myself for re-entry home.
Finally, after the captain announced the initial descent into YQR, I felt that familiar rush of excitement: home! I tried to keep reading my Kindle but my interest was gone. I gazed out the window, hoping for any signs of recognizable landmarks. The final descent brought us down and into the Regina Airport. The landing was smooth.
We were home.
Saturday 11 March 2017
Last day!
We had our breakfast and Jorge greeted us with his big smile. He had brought a small photo album with pictures of his wife and sons. So in between serving coffee and seating other guests, we chatted with Jorge and continued to learn about him and his family.
The day before, I had brought a beaded necklace for Jorge to give to his wife. I gave our housekeeper some lotions, shampoos, soaps and jewelry items. So I chose a nice necklace as a gift for Jorge's wife and he received it very happily and gratefully. But today, Jorge explained in our conversation that the Seventh Day Adventists teach that women are not too adorn themselves with jewelry or makeup. AHHH! I felt like I had made a cultural faux pas - although to be fair, the Cuban culture is for lovely colourful clothing and jewelry! I apologized for giving something that she could not use. He again, was very gracious and thankful. He said she is still wearing make up and jewelry sometimes!
Again, Jorge persisted that we should seriously consider coming back to speak/preach in his village. We had promised to pray...the idea seemed like a neat idea for a First Nations couple to experience but we would continue to pray-never say never to the Lord!
We walked back to the market, and Walter made a deal on a leather wall hanging and leather sandals. We didn't feel as social this day; no striking up conversations with the local Cuban vendors! Knowing it was our last full day, we just soaked in the sun, the atmosphere, basking in the delightful island ambiance. We again chose to hang out in the breezy lobby, reading and people-watching.
After lunch, we decided to try out sailing, as we had really enjoyed it in the Dominican. So we got changed and walked over to the sailboats pulled up near the snack bar. A yellow flag flapped briskly in the strong wind; Walter was fine with one of the guys taking us out for a run anyways! So we hopped onto the nylon mesh and I grabbed the handstrap. The fellow's English was passable, but we didn't make much conversation. The wind and waves were such that we were just hanging on and I was spitting saltwater! We expected a good 1/2 hour or so of sailing back and forth, up and down the shoreline. But about five minutes straight out on the ocean and back to the beach and we were done. We tipped the guy a couple Pesos. That's all the ride was worth to us!
I was damp and wind-blown and just wanted to go back to our room! But an entertainment staff was trying to gather a salsa dance instruction crew and grabbed me! With a microphone in hand, and music blaring from the snack bar speakers, I was caught up in a salsa line! I stumbled in the sand, trying to keep up and follow the entertainment guy! It was pointless! After two songs, and more tourists had joined in, I slipped away to where Walter was standing, was laughing at me! We headed back to the room and showered and changed again!
Earlier, we had run into Marco and Rosi and they invited us to hang out with them at the pool. Later in the afternoon, we found them, but most people were beginning to leave the pool. So we stood around and chatted. Poor Rosi-she had been bit by the invisible sand fleas we had heard about on the beach. Her legs were covered in red spots and a few welts! They had been so sore, weeping and infected that they took a taxi up to the village medical clinic a couple days before.
They were just packing up their towels to return them before they were leaving early the next morning; so we made plans to join them in the white wicker chair area after supper to continue visiting.
I dressed up again in my summery clothes, and began packing our clothing and souvenirs to make sure we could fit everything in without any extra check on baggage. Perfect fit, except for Walter's leather wall hanging. But it rolled up and could easily be carried on and stowed in overhead bins on the plane.
Strolling hand in hand along the stone paths, we made our way to the buffet for our final supper in Cuba. We made our way over the white wicker chairs in the lobby and saved a spot for Marco and Rosi. They had invited another 2 or 3 couples and we all had a visit. Everyone was Canadian, either from Ontario or Saskatchewan. We enjoyed our free beverages and chatted. Walter and I ended up telling some of these folks about Healing Hearts and what our ministry is about and they seemed genuinely interested. Some local Cuban music was being played by a four- or five-piece band. Before we knew it, the mainstage entertainment was being introduced - we had actually stayed up until 9:30! Whoo hoo!
It was a "Magic Show", and Walter was very interested in seeing this performance. He had been working on small scale "illusions" as part of his illustrations for speaking at Bible Camps. So we found seats and settled in to watch the entertainment. It was a pretty good performance, especially the grand finale. I have NO idea where those doves came from! Walter knew some of the tricks and could see their secrets. Not me. I was completely caught up in the thrill. But the doves also impressed my husband!
The "magic" of the warm evening carried us back to our lovely suite; we still could hardly believe we were in Cuba, and that our week was almost over. It was good to still be wanting more than to be glad we were going home! But a part of us was looking forward to home, and of course, beginning our new ministry with NCEM.
New adventures awaited us on our return to Canada...
We had our breakfast and Jorge greeted us with his big smile. He had brought a small photo album with pictures of his wife and sons. So in between serving coffee and seating other guests, we chatted with Jorge and continued to learn about him and his family.
The day before, I had brought a beaded necklace for Jorge to give to his wife. I gave our housekeeper some lotions, shampoos, soaps and jewelry items. So I chose a nice necklace as a gift for Jorge's wife and he received it very happily and gratefully. But today, Jorge explained in our conversation that the Seventh Day Adventists teach that women are not too adorn themselves with jewelry or makeup. AHHH! I felt like I had made a cultural faux pas - although to be fair, the Cuban culture is for lovely colourful clothing and jewelry! I apologized for giving something that she could not use. He again, was very gracious and thankful. He said she is still wearing make up and jewelry sometimes!
Again, Jorge persisted that we should seriously consider coming back to speak/preach in his village. We had promised to pray...the idea seemed like a neat idea for a First Nations couple to experience but we would continue to pray-never say never to the Lord!
We walked back to the market, and Walter made a deal on a leather wall hanging and leather sandals. We didn't feel as social this day; no striking up conversations with the local Cuban vendors! Knowing it was our last full day, we just soaked in the sun, the atmosphere, basking in the delightful island ambiance. We again chose to hang out in the breezy lobby, reading and people-watching.
After lunch, we decided to try out sailing, as we had really enjoyed it in the Dominican. So we got changed and walked over to the sailboats pulled up near the snack bar. A yellow flag flapped briskly in the strong wind; Walter was fine with one of the guys taking us out for a run anyways! So we hopped onto the nylon mesh and I grabbed the handstrap. The fellow's English was passable, but we didn't make much conversation. The wind and waves were such that we were just hanging on and I was spitting saltwater! We expected a good 1/2 hour or so of sailing back and forth, up and down the shoreline. But about five minutes straight out on the ocean and back to the beach and we were done. We tipped the guy a couple Pesos. That's all the ride was worth to us!
I was damp and wind-blown and just wanted to go back to our room! But an entertainment staff was trying to gather a salsa dance instruction crew and grabbed me! With a microphone in hand, and music blaring from the snack bar speakers, I was caught up in a salsa line! I stumbled in the sand, trying to keep up and follow the entertainment guy! It was pointless! After two songs, and more tourists had joined in, I slipped away to where Walter was standing, was laughing at me! We headed back to the room and showered and changed again!
Earlier, we had run into Marco and Rosi and they invited us to hang out with them at the pool. Later in the afternoon, we found them, but most people were beginning to leave the pool. So we stood around and chatted. Poor Rosi-she had been bit by the invisible sand fleas we had heard about on the beach. Her legs were covered in red spots and a few welts! They had been so sore, weeping and infected that they took a taxi up to the village medical clinic a couple days before.
They were just packing up their towels to return them before they were leaving early the next morning; so we made plans to join them in the white wicker chair area after supper to continue visiting.
I dressed up again in my summery clothes, and began packing our clothing and souvenirs to make sure we could fit everything in without any extra check on baggage. Perfect fit, except for Walter's leather wall hanging. But it rolled up and could easily be carried on and stowed in overhead bins on the plane.
Strolling hand in hand along the stone paths, we made our way to the buffet for our final supper in Cuba. We made our way over the white wicker chairs in the lobby and saved a spot for Marco and Rosi. They had invited another 2 or 3 couples and we all had a visit. Everyone was Canadian, either from Ontario or Saskatchewan. We enjoyed our free beverages and chatted. Walter and I ended up telling some of these folks about Healing Hearts and what our ministry is about and they seemed genuinely interested. Some local Cuban music was being played by a four- or five-piece band. Before we knew it, the mainstage entertainment was being introduced - we had actually stayed up until 9:30! Whoo hoo!
It was a "Magic Show", and Walter was very interested in seeing this performance. He had been working on small scale "illusions" as part of his illustrations for speaking at Bible Camps. So we found seats and settled in to watch the entertainment. It was a pretty good performance, especially the grand finale. I have NO idea where those doves came from! Walter knew some of the tricks and could see their secrets. Not me. I was completely caught up in the thrill. But the doves also impressed my husband!
The "magic" of the warm evening carried us back to our lovely suite; we still could hardly believe we were in Cuba, and that our week was almost over. It was good to still be wanting more than to be glad we were going home! But a part of us was looking forward to home, and of course, beginning our new ministry with NCEM.
New adventures awaited us on our return to Canada...
Monday 6 March 2017
Friday, already?
The Cuban vacation was going by so quickly. We were settling into the resort life and feeling quite relaxed and rested. Our conversations with Jorge Luis were proving to be informative about life in a small village in Cuba. He didn't seem to mind our questions and was willing to share about his family and his faith. By our third meal in his section of the buffet, he was finding out about our life in ministry and invited Walter to come and share in special evangelistic meetings in his village sometime! How do our vacations turn into invitations to minister? The same thing happened in Dominican Republic with our Haitian friend, Louis-Jean. Walter still communicates with him on Facebook.
We didn't have specific plans for the day. After we finished breakfast and lounged around the lobby area with another slush drink and attempts to hook up to the internet, we decided to wander over to the market. Walter hadn't seen the souvenir options that I had scouted out so we had a purpose for our "browsing"! The day was hot and sunny. We had some Cuban Pesos burning a hole in my tourist-fanny pack!
The first person to greet us was an elderly man, brown leathery skin wrinkling as he smiled and greeted us. He waved us over to the stairs and offered to take us up a small tower to view the ocean. He offered to take our pictures, as well. When Walter offered a small tip, he actually turned it down, Free. Then he waited for us on one level as we wound our way up the narrowing tower to the top for a lovely panoramic view of the resorts on either side of the market and of course, the gorgeous Caribbean sea.
Unhurriedly, we stared out and gazed at the surreal sights. It was still unfathomable that we were so far from home and were so blessed to have this opportunity! Eventually, we dragged ourselves away from the beauty and thanked the gentleman.
Today, there were not as many vendors and they had chosen to set up more in the shaded areas of the square. Our eyes fell on the various wooden sculptures, the displays of jewelry, the racks of t-shirts and various knick-knacks. And then we spotted the 1950's wooden model cars, like I had bought for Walter for Valentine's Day-the day he was sick. We chose one and the guy said he could engrave a name for the same price! We also selected four jewelry boxes (small with decorated lids) that could also be engraved. Walter chatted with the vendor who described the process of assembling the cars at home and how he traveled to many such markets to sell his wares. Somehow, Walter and I questioned whether these were made in China and were distributed as locally made. But we didn't want to share our cynicism!
We moved down the tables and looked at some t-shirts. There were none in Walter's XXL size. But we struck up a conversation with the man tending the booth and found he was a professor at a college or university. But as we had heard from others, he chose to go into the tourism industry as it made more than a professional career paid in salaries! What a crazy system! He showed us a picture of his twin daughters, Kaylee and Kaitlyn! Adorable, dark haired cuties about 4 or 5 years old! His picture was on his cell phone.
Around the corner on the north side of the market, we found wooden baseball bats - smaller ones, ranging up to almost full-sized bats painted in various colours with "Cuba" printed on them. A basket had small baseballs in various colours, as well. We chose two of each for our sons. Then we continued to examine the other goods along this booth and again, struck up a conversation. "Jose Mendez Jr." looked after the main business. His father, was the craftsman for the wooden items. And cousin Tito (or Ramon?) handled their cash transactions. We got to talking to them, with various efforts at Spanish, English and charades to communicate. It was very interesting to learn from them about life and economy in Cuba. Jose Jr. was an athletic teacher and baseball coach but went into the family business instead. Soon, Jose Sr. was busy explaining how he made certain mugs and items from various types of wood. He pointed to trees that looked strange to us and the names he gave them were also foreign. But Walter wanted to honour this older man (63 so not much older than Walter) and his son was the same age as our son Mark!). So Walter bought a lovely carved beer mug with the "Mendez" family name engraved on it! Then he gave me a bracelet as a gift, and also a small wine glass (wooden). We felt very blessed at the interaction and tried to express our gratitude.
By early afternoon, our Pesos were spent and so were we.
So we decided to spend the time reading and finding snacks.
At 7:30 pm we had a reservation for the Oriental Restaurant and we were quite hungry by then. We ordered Teriyaki Beef and Stir Fry Chicken. I had Miso soup and Walter ordered sushi. The food was tasty and the atmosphere quiet and relaxing.
That evening we again felt so lazy that we retired early. Boy, we are boring as far as the night life opportunities around the resort! But hey, it's our holiday!
The Cuban vacation was going by so quickly. We were settling into the resort life and feeling quite relaxed and rested. Our conversations with Jorge Luis were proving to be informative about life in a small village in Cuba. He didn't seem to mind our questions and was willing to share about his family and his faith. By our third meal in his section of the buffet, he was finding out about our life in ministry and invited Walter to come and share in special evangelistic meetings in his village sometime! How do our vacations turn into invitations to minister? The same thing happened in Dominican Republic with our Haitian friend, Louis-Jean. Walter still communicates with him on Facebook.
We didn't have specific plans for the day. After we finished breakfast and lounged around the lobby area with another slush drink and attempts to hook up to the internet, we decided to wander over to the market. Walter hadn't seen the souvenir options that I had scouted out so we had a purpose for our "browsing"! The day was hot and sunny. We had some Cuban Pesos burning a hole in my tourist-fanny pack!
The first person to greet us was an elderly man, brown leathery skin wrinkling as he smiled and greeted us. He waved us over to the stairs and offered to take us up a small tower to view the ocean. He offered to take our pictures, as well. When Walter offered a small tip, he actually turned it down, Free. Then he waited for us on one level as we wound our way up the narrowing tower to the top for a lovely panoramic view of the resorts on either side of the market and of course, the gorgeous Caribbean sea.
Unhurriedly, we stared out and gazed at the surreal sights. It was still unfathomable that we were so far from home and were so blessed to have this opportunity! Eventually, we dragged ourselves away from the beauty and thanked the gentleman.
Today, there were not as many vendors and they had chosen to set up more in the shaded areas of the square. Our eyes fell on the various wooden sculptures, the displays of jewelry, the racks of t-shirts and various knick-knacks. And then we spotted the 1950's wooden model cars, like I had bought for Walter for Valentine's Day-the day he was sick. We chose one and the guy said he could engrave a name for the same price! We also selected four jewelry boxes (small with decorated lids) that could also be engraved. Walter chatted with the vendor who described the process of assembling the cars at home and how he traveled to many such markets to sell his wares. Somehow, Walter and I questioned whether these were made in China and were distributed as locally made. But we didn't want to share our cynicism!
We moved down the tables and looked at some t-shirts. There were none in Walter's XXL size. But we struck up a conversation with the man tending the booth and found he was a professor at a college or university. But as we had heard from others, he chose to go into the tourism industry as it made more than a professional career paid in salaries! What a crazy system! He showed us a picture of his twin daughters, Kaylee and Kaitlyn! Adorable, dark haired cuties about 4 or 5 years old! His picture was on his cell phone.
Around the corner on the north side of the market, we found wooden baseball bats - smaller ones, ranging up to almost full-sized bats painted in various colours with "Cuba" printed on them. A basket had small baseballs in various colours, as well. We chose two of each for our sons. Then we continued to examine the other goods along this booth and again, struck up a conversation. "Jose Mendez Jr." looked after the main business. His father, was the craftsman for the wooden items. And cousin Tito (or Ramon?) handled their cash transactions. We got to talking to them, with various efforts at Spanish, English and charades to communicate. It was very interesting to learn from them about life and economy in Cuba. Jose Jr. was an athletic teacher and baseball coach but went into the family business instead. Soon, Jose Sr. was busy explaining how he made certain mugs and items from various types of wood. He pointed to trees that looked strange to us and the names he gave them were also foreign. But Walter wanted to honour this older man (63 so not much older than Walter) and his son was the same age as our son Mark!). So Walter bought a lovely carved beer mug with the "Mendez" family name engraved on it! Then he gave me a bracelet as a gift, and also a small wine glass (wooden). We felt very blessed at the interaction and tried to express our gratitude.
By early afternoon, our Pesos were spent and so were we.
So we decided to spend the time reading and finding snacks.
At 7:30 pm we had a reservation for the Oriental Restaurant and we were quite hungry by then. We ordered Teriyaki Beef and Stir Fry Chicken. I had Miso soup and Walter ordered sushi. The food was tasty and the atmosphere quiet and relaxing.
That evening we again felt so lazy that we retired early. Boy, we are boring as far as the night life opportunities around the resort! But hey, it's our holiday!
Friday 3 March 2017
The gap between blogs is justifiable- Walter and I have been in Prince Albert, SK for the past few days, taking on the General Director role of Northern Canada Evangelical Mission! We have much to learn and much to lean on the Lord for in these months ahead...
So as I sit in Walter's new office - yes, Walter is actually sitting at a desk - in the wintry forested area of the NCEM headquarters, I am trying to transport my imagination back to the catamaran off the coast of Cayo Santa Maria...
Ah, yes, the salt water taste on my lips, the breeze off the ocean, the bartender dancing around to salsa music...yes, back in Cuba! From the snorkeling spot near the old shipwreck site, we rode the catamaran towards our next destination, the Delfinario or Dolphin Centre. It was a leisurely boat ride, about 20 minutes to the boat launch there. We unloaded in an orderly fashion and found seats on the concrete bleachers around the enclosed dolphin pool. Two or three touring catamarans unloaded there and soon the bleachers were full!
The pair of dolphins swam around as music blared from the loudspeakers. Soon, the host of the show introduced the dolphins "Nicky & Angel", if I remember correctly. And of course, he introduced the two female trainers who wore wetsuits. Everything was repeated in French and Spanish for the guests. Then the show began!
The dolphins were cute and entertaining as they went through their routines-touching the ball with their noses, jumping through hoops, dancing to various types of music. Always, they returned to the trainers for their fishy treats! The show itself was only half an hour; but the best was yet to come.
We lined up along another enclosed area (nets dividing areas for the dolphins to remain in the ocean water). In groups of 20 or so, we could have the opportunity to "swim with the dolphins"! Why not?
We removed our shorts and t-shirts to just enter the cool water in our swimming attire. The trainer had us line up along a cement ledge so I was waist-deep. Then the dolphin swam by us, belly up and we could touch it along its underside! Next, the trainer instructed the 18-year old dolphin to kiss us on the cheek. And we then clapped and so did the dolphin, except he slapped his flippers on the water and splashed us! A few more tricks and then we had another opportunity for excitement...For only 10 Cuban Pesos for a picture and 10 for the chance to ride on the back of a dolphin!
Well, this wasn't on our bucket lists or anything, so we opted to get out of the water and help ourselves to the chicken lunch that was included.
After lunch, we were back on the catamaran for our ride to another snorkeling site. By this time, we were tired and lazy and would have been happy to simply head back to the resort. But there was still a couple hours worth of the excursion, so we relaxed and just enjoyed the ride! The clouds had built up and it began to sprinkle. That didn't last long, but its funny how quickly we felt cool, especially in damp swimwear! I wrapped up in the dry towel we had.
A few of us chose to stay on the boat while many in our group went back into the sea to explore the underwater world. We heard the varieties of fish were amazing and the coral formations even more exquisite. But we were content to stay dry! As the afternoon wore on, we rode back to the launch place and eventually lined up to draw into the harbour. The three gentleman who had hosted our experience then had a "shpiel" to have us tip them. They had a good-sized plastic jar and by the time our group exited the boat, we had filled it with paper money! Pretty impressive!
By the time we reached the shore and boarded our double-decker bus to return to the resort, it was only 4:30 or 5 pm but we had been outdoors and active all day! We chose seats in the bus, not on top in the wind.
We dragged our weary bones to our room, showered and rinsed out our clothing and hung them on our balcony to dry. The buffet was open for supper at 6:30 and we ate our evening meal. We had no energy for the entertainment offered in the open square nor could we stay up for the 9:30 pm show on stage. By the time we strolled back to our room, we had full tummies and were ready to relax.
Another beautiful day in Cuba and only two full days left.
So as I sit in Walter's new office - yes, Walter is actually sitting at a desk - in the wintry forested area of the NCEM headquarters, I am trying to transport my imagination back to the catamaran off the coast of Cayo Santa Maria...
Ah, yes, the salt water taste on my lips, the breeze off the ocean, the bartender dancing around to salsa music...yes, back in Cuba! From the snorkeling spot near the old shipwreck site, we rode the catamaran towards our next destination, the Delfinario or Dolphin Centre. It was a leisurely boat ride, about 20 minutes to the boat launch there. We unloaded in an orderly fashion and found seats on the concrete bleachers around the enclosed dolphin pool. Two or three touring catamarans unloaded there and soon the bleachers were full!
The pair of dolphins swam around as music blared from the loudspeakers. Soon, the host of the show introduced the dolphins "Nicky & Angel", if I remember correctly. And of course, he introduced the two female trainers who wore wetsuits. Everything was repeated in French and Spanish for the guests. Then the show began!
The dolphins were cute and entertaining as they went through their routines-touching the ball with their noses, jumping through hoops, dancing to various types of music. Always, they returned to the trainers for their fishy treats! The show itself was only half an hour; but the best was yet to come.
We lined up along another enclosed area (nets dividing areas for the dolphins to remain in the ocean water). In groups of 20 or so, we could have the opportunity to "swim with the dolphins"! Why not?
We removed our shorts and t-shirts to just enter the cool water in our swimming attire. The trainer had us line up along a cement ledge so I was waist-deep. Then the dolphin swam by us, belly up and we could touch it along its underside! Next, the trainer instructed the 18-year old dolphin to kiss us on the cheek. And we then clapped and so did the dolphin, except he slapped his flippers on the water and splashed us! A few more tricks and then we had another opportunity for excitement...For only 10 Cuban Pesos for a picture and 10 for the chance to ride on the back of a dolphin!
Well, this wasn't on our bucket lists or anything, so we opted to get out of the water and help ourselves to the chicken lunch that was included.
After lunch, we were back on the catamaran for our ride to another snorkeling site. By this time, we were tired and lazy and would have been happy to simply head back to the resort. But there was still a couple hours worth of the excursion, so we relaxed and just enjoyed the ride! The clouds had built up and it began to sprinkle. That didn't last long, but its funny how quickly we felt cool, especially in damp swimwear! I wrapped up in the dry towel we had.
A few of us chose to stay on the boat while many in our group went back into the sea to explore the underwater world. We heard the varieties of fish were amazing and the coral formations even more exquisite. But we were content to stay dry! As the afternoon wore on, we rode back to the launch place and eventually lined up to draw into the harbour. The three gentleman who had hosted our experience then had a "shpiel" to have us tip them. They had a good-sized plastic jar and by the time our group exited the boat, we had filled it with paper money! Pretty impressive!
By the time we reached the shore and boarded our double-decker bus to return to the resort, it was only 4:30 or 5 pm but we had been outdoors and active all day! We chose seats in the bus, not on top in the wind.
We dragged our weary bones to our room, showered and rinsed out our clothing and hung them on our balcony to dry. The buffet was open for supper at 6:30 and we ate our evening meal. We had no energy for the entertainment offered in the open square nor could we stay up for the 9:30 pm show on stage. By the time we strolled back to our room, we had full tummies and were ready to relax.
Another beautiful day in Cuba and only two full days left.
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