God's goodness in Grenada

In February 2020 one of my friends from Grenada announced that she was getting married in June that year. She was the first of our liming crew to take this step, so we were all excited about the celebrations. Everything ground to a halt when covid hit our shores in March; my friend still got married, but it was scaled all the way down, and no one from overseas was able to attend due to closed borders. 

So happy to be able to catch up with her after 2 years!

A few months later I told someone that as soon as the borders reopened, Grenada would be my first destination. I wanted to go and visit my old landlords, Sister Wilma and Pops, as well as reconnect with my friends who were there. Unfortunately, Sister Wilma went home to be with Jesus in October 2021, so I never got the chance to see her again. I finally made it to Grenada in September this year when my brother planned a trip for the family to celebrate his and his wife's 10th wedding anniversary.

Enjoying the sun at Grand Etang Lake

I found a beautiful resort for us to stay in which had a balcony overlooking Grand Anse beach. The grounds were full of exquisite flowers, the staff was wonderful and my niece and nephew kept me laughing with all their antics, but I could not help think about how different this trip was compared with the last time I was in Grenada. Some of my closest friends had migrated, Sister Wilma was no longer there, and Pops was staying by his daughters in Canada. I visited my old apartment, and seeing my previous landlords' vehicle abandoned in the yard, and finding a stranger renting in "my" house broke my heart.   

One of the beauties at Blue Horizons Resort

While taking in the sunset on Grand Anse beach the first evening I was reminiscing on all the memories I had there which are no more - the 5am beach swims with Pops, the countless limes and sleepovers with my friends, the adventures all around the country discovering Grenada - and then I noticed something. After the sun had gone below the horizon, the rest of the sky lit up with colors which were not there before. It was as if God was showing me that even though the sun was no longer in the sky, beauty was still possible. Coming back to Grenada would never be the same since so many of my loved one are no longer there, but there is still something beautiful that remains.

Beach + sunset combines my two favourite aspects of creation

I was reminded of John 12:24 - 

    Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. 

    But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Many times we see only the negative aspect of death and loss, but when we look at the bigger picture, it offers the opportunity for expansion and growth that was not possible before. For the rest of my trip, although I grieved the losses, there were so many opportunities for joy and beauty still to be found.

Even Mummy could not resist the lure of Grand Anse waters :)

I did not realize before how much closure I needed following Sister Wilma's death until I came on this trip. I was not able to attend her funeral last year, but being able to meet with some of her closest friends on this trip, and her granddaughter, allowed the opportunity for us to share stories and precious memories of our times with her. I thank God for providing those spaces for the healing conversations which were very much needed. 

At lunch with her best friend, Sister Joan

We saw the favour of God every step of the way. When we left Trinidad, we were experiencing rain almost every single day. In Grenada, we had sunny weather and blue skies everytime we had to venture outdoors! Thanks to my connections, we got a great deal on transport for the time we were there, and when my family left and I remained for an extra week to reconnect with friends who were still there, I was hosted by my second Grenadian family who took the best care of me. I didn't have a car during that additional week, but transport was provided whenever I needed it. I felt so loved and cared for!

Delicious lunch prepared by Mummy Patricia

Nine years ago when I went to Grenada to relaunch the ministry of Inter School Christian Fellowship (ISCF) I knew exactly one person. I only intended to spend one year there, so I immediately started sharing the vision and mission of ISCF with everyone I met. Everyone thought it was an excellent initiative, some joined for a season, others continue to be a part, new persons have joined. It was my joy and privilege to be a part of a panel discussion on a local radio station during this trip about the role of ISCF in the schools, alongside Don-rae Wilkinson who was a sponsor in my day but is now the Board chairman of ISCF, and Rodney Mc Intyre who now serves as the General Secretary of the movement.

It was such an encouragement to see ISCF Grenada alive and well!

As I was moving around town, I bounced into some of the young people who were ISCF students when I was the staffworker years ago - it was so strange to see them as young adults! There was one that I had hoped to meet with, but was unable to make contact with her before I arrived. One afternoon we took my niece to the mall where she had seen face painting being done the day before. Not only was she the last one that they did before they closed, but I noticed that the organization doing it was run by the husband of the young lady I was hoping to meet! I was able to connect with her in person later that week, and had a lovely time catching up while doing a painting. Talk about a God-set up!

Engaging my artistic side :)

One morning a friend invited me to see her sea moss garden which was in a nearby beach, with the option to swim in the beach afterwards. Due to the presence of sea urchins in the grass under the water, there is only a narrow area which is safe for bathing, but I accepted the invitation as I had never seen a sea moss garden before. After seeing how they grew and harvested the sea moss, my friend's daughter offered to take me to BBC beach (which is the second best beach in Grenada) instead of staying there to swim. This beach is not accessible by public transport; not only did I find someone with a car who wanted to go, but she also had the time to take me there, because she was still on vacation! If that is not a God-set up I dunno what is...

Can you tell I am in my happy place?

Later in the week I met with one of my first friends that I made in Grenada. Sister Wilma had introduced us when I arrived, and Sister Dale was responsible for me getting familiar with navigating around the country, especially those special streets in St. George's. We had breakfast on the beach, where the water was very calm and clear. On one of my swims out into the deep, I had the tremendous privilege of swimming with a sea turtle! I had seen many fishes and even starfish on my previous beach escapades, but this was my first time seeing a turtle and it was so beautiful! The week after I left, Sister Dale told me that the beach was so rough and the tide so high that people who went for a swim decided against going into the water. I recognised that God provided the perfect conditions for me to enjoy the beach fully that week.

First Grenadian riding partner :)

On my last full day there, I was supposed to meet with a friend for breakfast but due to a mix up, we missed the reservation. We were told if we missed our reservation time, we would not be able to be accommodated due to limited spaces being available. Since I was running late, I called my friend who I was supposed to meet after breakfast and she was happy to join us. When we were ready to go, we called the restaurant, and they were able to fit us in! The ambiance was exquisite, the food was scrumptious, and being able to meet with my two friends at the same time made the experience so much more enjoyable.

Good friends, good food, good times

This trip was filled with so many examples of God's goodness and faithfulness. He knew exactly what I needed, and made sure I had it. I was truly blessed and refreshed by my time there, and am grateful to all who made the trip as wonderful as it was.

Happy Anniversary to you two -thanks for this trip!