Well, what's in your refrigerator?

We enjoyed our two flights last Tuesday.  First from DC to Miami and then to Grand Cayman Island.  I had never been to Florida before so I enjoyed seeing the swampy areas from the plane.

When we arrived in Cayman we decended the stairs to the ground and made our way toward the building.  There were people from Good News Baptist Church watching from a balcony as we walked toward the immigration area.  It was pleasantly hot.  Inside was cooler.  We waited in line and were the last ones to finish getting our passports stamped.  The lady who stamped them came out from behind her desk and hugged each of us.  She is a member of the church.  Then a police officer approached and shook each of our hands.  He also is a church member.  He took the others to get the baggage through customs and I stayed with Mirian, getting each one's paperwork complete.  With the last bang of the stamp Mirian and I walked out and joined the others.  We were loaded into 3 vehicles with members of the church and our 25 pieces of luggage.  Away to the parsonage we sped.

Upon arrival we all carried in a few of the bags and were met by a lovely aroma.  People of the church had prepared delicious food which we ate for 3 days.  What a help.  We had been getting around 3 hours of sleep for the last several days before the move, and were exhausted.  It took about three days to really recuperate.

On our first day we were invited to a bridal shower to be held that night.  Out we went for a gift.  Found and purchased.  Ah.  Take the children to see the beach nearest the house.  Pick up a few shells, wade into the water.  It feels so good.  Back at home we did our best to make our tired selves look presentable.  Phone rings.  Could we share some words of wisdom for the bride-to-be at the shower?  Wow am I glad I tucked a few ladies' materials I've used in the past into my suitcase!  Pray quickly and fervently.  We met a friend at the church and away we went to the home of the bride-to-be.  We arrived around 7, helped with prep, and somewhere after 8 the party began.  The LORD helped and the devotion time went well, talking about one way to love our husbands through understanding love languages.  Some time after 10 we leave for home.  Around 11 p.m. we flop our worn out selves on the bed and crash.

On Wednesday we unpack and settle in.  Several of the children walk to the beach of the day before and get some nice burns.  At church we introduce the children to our new church family.  Steve preaches and I play the piano for the service.  There is some awkwardness as I play an introduction and it isn't recognized as time to sing.  I play another intro.  We awkwardly begin singing and it quickly improves as the people sing with fervor.  After service people visit like a family for some time.  A little late again, we fall into bed.

On Thursday, once again the children make their way to the beach for a little while.  We take them around the west end of the island, see some dolphins, the location of the turtle farm, a place named Hell with unusual black formations.  There is a gift shop at that location with huge gospel messages painted on the outside of the building.  A devil dressed for the occassion meets customers at the door with some inappropriately fitting questions.  There's no question.  We're not going in.  We look at the formations and agree that it was aptly named.  We introduce the children to another beach where you can pick up sea fans and coral.  Hannah gets cut on the iron shore.  We don't stay long.  Each day we get more settled into our home.

On Friday we begin the day by reading a book by Brother Jim Binney entitled Blessed Assurance--a good book for those who need to make certain they are truly saved.   Next we see the work place of a few of our members.  Ride through much of the town.  Help Steve with orders of worship.  Help choose songs to go with sermons.  In the evening head to the church for an instrumental practice with a few church members.  Afterward we visit for a while.  On the porch outside there is a large crab running around.  The men catch it and demonstrate its strength as it dents a small metal flashlight with its powerful claws.  They explain how to tell a male from a female and how to pick up and hold the crab.  We are told that there will come a season when they will come up all over the place and you fill a bucket with them and cook and eat them.  Standing outside we note again how hot it is.  Sometime rather late again we flop onto our beds.

On Saturday morning we arrive at the church a little before 9 a.m. for a prayer meeting.  We share requests, break into groups and begin to pray.  At 10 we head out in pairs, knocking on doors.  A Catholic tells Hannah and me that our tract is not her cup of tea.  An Anglican doesn't think anyone can know for sure that they will go to heaven.  We share that 1 John tells us, "These things have I written unto you that ye may know that ye have eternal life."  He has to put a baby to bed, but promises to read the tract.  There is no answer at several doors.  And then there's Stephanie.  It's obvious that the LORD has arranged for this meeting.  To really shorten the story, Stephanie prays to receive Christ.  A lovely smile forms on the face that has been only tear-filled to this point.  She assures us she will be in church the next day.  She isn't.  (We hope to visit again very soon.)

Saturday evening my husband and I attend a wedding–a beach wedding. As we leave the grassy area and approach the sandy beach I leave my shoes on a rug placed there for the purpose. It’s my first time to attend a wedding in my bare feet. We stop under a thatch umbrella to pick up a woven fan and a bottle of cold water from the cooler of ice. We seat ourselves in white folding chairs placed on the sand. The chairs quickly fill as a violinist plays beautiful classical music. There is located in front of the congregation a structure made of eight bamboo poles and eight white sheer curtains, tied with flowers. As the music plays and the curtains blow in the breeze the preacher and the groom walk the isle. Soon a ring bearer and two flower girls are escorted to the isle where one flower girl changes her mind. The ring bearer and remaining flower girl make their way to the front and keep the groom busy, holding his hands, etc. The air electrifies and the Father and Bride approach. Dressed elegantly in a long and simple white dress and topped with a veil Katie is given in marriage to Habte. Instead of the usual unity candle ceremony, two colors of sand are united by the bride and groom, and it is explained that it is nearly impossible after marriage to completely separate the two. The marriage certificate is signed in the presence of the congregation. Next, people mingle on the grassy area as photographs are taken. Food and drink is served. Guests locate their place cards and take them to their assigned tables. Four courses of food are served which you choose from a menu. We leave five hours later with a rich chocolate cupcake made by the bride’s mother. Such a cupcake I have never had. It is so chocolate.

On Sunday there is Sunday School.  Steve teaches an adult class.  I play piano.  Steve preaches.  After church we visit for a long time on the porch of the church.  We drive to another little beach and pick up a few shells, see some little crabs, and head home to prepare a simple lunch.  Nap time.  Hurry to choir practice.  Steven begins practicing with those who show up to sing in the choir.  He begins by teaching a short music lesson which he plans to add to each week.  We then prepare a hymn for the following Sunday by practicing the four parts with each group.  Though the group doesn't as yet read music they quickly learn by ear.  The harmony is pretty.  They will sing Fairest Lord Jesus.  Time for evening worship.  The church shares in a communion service for the first time in about a year.  Seated at the piano, I am somehow missed for communion.  Following the service there is once again much visiting.

Today is Monday.  The preacher's day off and designated family day.  We went around the east end of the island.  We show the children the blow holes where water flows under rock and splashes out of a hole farther in.  The water splashes high and cools you on a hot day.  We see small fish and crabs in the tidal pools.  The LORD answers prayer and allows us to see two star fish, a good bit larger and thicker than the human hand.

So far, each day there have been some tears for those we have left behind.  It is a heart wrenching time for all of us.  We are enjoying the work while we privately ache for those we love.  I will forever be more sensitive to missionaries and their heartaches.  Yes, we are blessed and happy to be where our heart beat has been for years--the mission field, among people just like we had a heart to work among.  Yes, we deeply miss those we left behind.

Oh, and you wanted to know what was in the refrigerator.  We haven't yet tried iguana.  I hope we don't.  But so far we have had in our refrigerator, conch (a large sea snail) stew, plantain, curried goat, jerk chicken (a Jamaican spice is called jerk), mango, ackee, bitterfruit, breadfruit, parsnips, to name the ones I can spell.  Our family loves fruit but fruit is so expensive that while in the states it was a treat for us.  Here we have it all the time.  Less meat.  Less dairy.  More fruit.  We are enjoying it immensely.

What's in your refrigerator?  You never know where the LORD will take you.  I wonder what will be in your refrigerator.