How Do You Say Good-Bye?

I'm going to miss the adults.  I will miss the youth.  I will miss the older children that have changed from babies into pre-teens while I watched. It will be hard to leave the people who have become some of the closest friends I've ever had.  Still, I know I can come back in a year or 2 or even 10 and they will smile and say my name.  We will be able to sit down and catch up on the time missed.  Even though life has gone on and many things have changed, our friendship will still be there. 

It's the littlest children that will be hardest to leave.  Today when I pass them, they call out my name.  They want me to stop and hold them or invite them over to play with my toys.  When I come back the next time, they won't look the same.  They probably won't remember my name.  They might even run away when they see me coming.  I want to see them grow up, but a few pictures may be as much as I will see.

I pray that someone else will take the time to pick them up, invite them over, and show them the right way to go.  I pray that they will grow up to make right choices and live lives that honor the Lord.

A Day's Journey

As a reward activity for the community youth who have been faithfully attending church services, youth night, and Bible studies, we took an island tour.
Our first stop - Concord Falls.

Then we piled back in the bus and drove the rest of the way to the top of the island.  Our next stop was Carib's Leap.  At least one of the youth claimed to have never been there before.

We made a quick unscheduled stop by the Sulfur Springs where we were met by a massage lady who wanted to give us a tour.  I assured her that we just wanted to take a quick peek at the springs.  She did not demand any money, but followed us around nonetheless, explaining the mineral benefits of each hole.  There may be some benefit for skin, but I'm quite certain that the part about each hole having different mineral benefits was a figment of her imagination.  If anyone wants a scummy mineral bath, go the Sulfur Springs in River Sallee, Grenada.

Then we were off to Levera Beach.

A quick stop by Levera Pond.

Lunch Break at Bathway Beach.  What a gorgeous sunny day!

I wish I knew more about this place.  I think it was nice once upon a time.

Leaving behind a favorite spot.

One last stop.  Time for a group photo.  The group minus the photographer (who volunteered in order to not be in the picture) and one guy who preferred to take a 5 minute nap in the bus(isn't that the main point of driving around the island for 6 hours?).

The majority of the captions ended up on top of the pictures rather than below.  Hopefully it was not too confusing.

A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words

In my attempts to take home as many pieces of Grenada as possible, I have been going a bit overboard taking pictures.  I'll share a few...

Fish at Ricks

One of a kind night at Sid's house

I'm going to miss this!

What would we do without these boys?

Supermoon night

Only 6 1/2 weeks left

Only 6 1/2 weeks left on this beautiful island that has long become home.  My days of sending out updates via e-mail are nearly over.  I've toyed with the idea of having a blog for quite awhile but decided I would wait to change my ways until I leave here.

I choose the name of my blog with a smile because it seems like it would have been more fitting while I was here.  Perhaps I should say it would have seemed more fitting to other people.  After being away for 8 years, I really do feel in many like I am returning to a strange land.  I have changed.  My home, family and friends have changed.  There will be many, many adjustments.  I'm not sure if I know how to live in a  land of ice, snow and Walmarts anymore.  What makes me incredibly grateful is that I do not return alone.  My God is there already.  This move is simply another reminder that I have always been a stranger in a strange land.

It remains to been seen how often I write or whether the blog becomes a general update on my life or reflections of my thoughts or comical student stories.  For now I'm guessing it will be mostly inactive until I move and settle in.

Birds on Dr. Groom's Beach