Conquering Mount Qua Qua

Today I got to cross one item off my "Things to do" list in Grenada - go on a hike! (Thanks Coleen)

Destination - Mount Qua Qua, one of the mountains surrounding Lake Grand Etang

 Lake Grand Etang, which wasn't as grand as it was last time I visited due to the overgrowth of vegetation

Here are some of my reflections from this journey up all 2730 feet of God's craftsmanship, which interestingly had a lot to do with the Christian journey of faith.

1. In the Christian life, you need to be clothed with the armour of God - helmet of salvation, belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, sword of the Spirit, shield of faith. Without these, you will get a lot more licks from the enemy than is necessary.

My jacket kept me warm and dry (thanks Lydia and Daniel!) and ensured that my arms were free from scrapes inflicted by razor grass

2. It helps to share your journey of faith with other Christians through fellowship. Even though you feel you can make it by yourself as a Christian, there are times when you may fall and need the encouragement and support of others to keep you going. You are also there to help others who may not be as strong.

Big props to my 'guardians' - they did a good job

3. Sometimes you get discouraged in your Christian life when you see the size of the obstacles in your path and you may feel there is no way you can get past it. But if you just keep trusting God for the strength to make the next step, and the one after that, before you know it, you would have climbed the mountain.

Making our way uphill

4. When you look back at where you have come from, you realise that you have come too far to turn back, and that gives you the encouragement to go on.

View of Lake Grand Etang in the distance

5. Be prepared for difficulties along the path. If you know that there are going to be trials, and make up your mind to go through them instead of complaining in the midst of them, your journey would be a lot smoother.

The hike was easier for those of us who didn't try to avoid the mud

6. Rest is crucial for you to be able to endure to the end. Don't feel discouraged by those who are passing you by - it is not a race. The important thing is that you finish, and finish well. In order to do this, there is need for rest so you can re-charge your spiritual batteries because the journey could get overwhelming at times.

Taking a breather

7. Take time to enjoy the view. Enjoy whatever stage of life you are in at present, because you don't  know how long it will last for. Make the most of the opportunities you have. Don't be so busy 'doing' that you miss out on what is going on around you.

Soaking in the beauty of God's creation

8. The reward at the end of the Christian life is so worth it - when you get to spend the rest of eternity with God, all that you went through to get there pales in comparison.

The view at the top was so worth the climb!

The only difference between this hike and the Christian life is that we had to come down afterwards, but that wasn't so bad because there was a reward at the bottom.

My  first taste of Grenadian oil down - DELICIOUS!

The favor of God

I really have experienced the favor of God this past week.

On Monday I sent an email to the person in charge of Foreign Affairs to enquire as to the status of my CSME certificate, which would allow me to work in Grenada. I was told that although it was approved, it still had to be signed, and there was no telling when the Minister of Foreign Affairs would 1. Be in the country and 2. Actually have time to sign it. I really wanted the certificate by Friday, because I had been invited to share about ISCF at Boca Secondary, and I wanted to be able to do it without hiding lest the 'powers that be' find out that I was working before they gave me permission to (for the record, Grenada is VERY SMALL and word gets around so I was not being paranoid).

At prayer meeting on Wednesday night I shared the request, and I know that there were others who were praying for me. On Thursday at 1pm I received an email telling me that I could collect my certificate anytime on Friday between the hours of 8am and 4pm - talk about Just In Time Answer to Prayer!!!!!

Apparently it was signed since Wednesday but they made some mistake so they had to destroy it and do it over

After receiving my certificate I went to the Immigration department to have my passport stamped. While waiting for it I got a phone call from Joan so I was telling her about how things went and my plans for the rest of the day. When I finished the call, a lady who was also waiting on her passport who had overheard the conversation started talking to me. She is a Christian from Guyana who is working in Grenada doing training of young people, and she was familiar with ISCF through her university in Guyana.When I asked her if she would be willing to help with training when we start ISCF in the schools she agreed, and asked me if I would be interested in working with a mentorship program she wants to start here. Talk about Divine Connection!

Didn't get her picture but she has the most adorable children!

On Friday IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, the parent body of ISCF) celebrated World Student Day, where they encouraged students from member countries to pray for student needs all over the world. Each movement had their requests posted online, and national movements were encouraged to mobilise their students to pray for the needs of students from another country. At Boca Secondary I visited four RI groups and shared about ISCF. After this, I invited them to pray for a country whose prayer requests I had printed out. Three boys volunteered to pray after I had read out the requests. Their prayers for the students in Nicaragua, though short, were certainly heard by the Most High.

Students at Boca showing reverence while their classmate prayed for the needs of students in Nicaragua, which they could barely pronounce :)

Being introduced to RI students. Many of them indicated they would be interested in joining ISCF

Later that evening I visited St. George's Baptist church where they were having a joint youth meeting with three other churches. The event? - a Prayer Fest! So of course I asked if I would be allowed to do a segment on ISCF and they agreed. The result? - approximately 20 Grenadian students praying for students from countries in the Middle East where Christians are persecuted for their faith.

Praying for courage and boldness for students in persecuted countries

The adults present joined in as well

Two weeks ago I started looking at insurance companies since my car's insurance expires on October 23rd. Last Thursday I went with the previous owner to transfer the ownership to my name, and he asked if I had checked out Netherlands Insurance. I hadn't, so we paid them a visit, and they turned out to be offering the greatest service compared to all the other insurance companies - free windscreen coverage, free 14-day loaner car in the event of theft or accident and free 24-hour roadside assistance :)

On Saturday I got the opportunity to view my first local play, Redemption Time. It was a dramatic piece set during the Revolutionary era of 1979-1983. The play was excellently done - from the storyline to the execution, I was thoroughly entertained and enlightened about this dark period in Grenada's history. I attended as the guest of an ex-Senate President so I received the VIP treatment ;)

Finally, I have been visiting churches on Sundays to get support for the ministry of ISCF in Grenada. Although the response has not been fantastic in terms of numbers, the contacts that are being made are very strategic and will be instrumental in the establishment of the ministry here. One individual has agreed to co-ordinate a monthly prayer meeting in the St. George's area, and another has agreed to host this meeting.

Joan Purcell, Chairperson of the Interim Committee, has been introducing me to the different congregations

I'm looking forward to exciting times ahead as God is clearly in charge of this show.

A time for everything

Before I left for Grenada, I had the privilege of meeting with Bing, an IFES staffwork from the Phillipines who went to work with ISCF in St. Lucia. Now this was a much longer distance to cover than from Trinidad to Grenada, not just geographically but culturally and psychologically as well. One of the gems of wisdom she gave me was that I should include in my posts how things are going with me personally, because people are not just interested in hearing about the work, but about me as well, so here goes...

Anyone who knew me in Trinidad would know that if you wanted to get me to attend an activity on a Saturday, be it a wedding or a casual lime, you had to let me know at least 2 months in advance. Chances were that if you waited until the month before, I would already have something (or things) to do on that day. This was not so much because of my popularity (although over the past year I have really began to understand how many people appreciate having me in their life) but because of the amount of different ministries I was involved in.

Now I'm in Grenada, and I know things will pick up once I get started, but for now, I have no social life. Imagine this Saturday I spent the entire morning cooking and cleaning. Yes, I know... I too am shocked. Many of you would know that cooking is not on the top of 'things I love to do' but if I don't cook, I will starve because the food prices here are ridiculous...

Potato and corned beef balls

Fry bake

French toast

Macaroni pie, red beans, stew chicken and cole slaw

It's not so bad because I make sure to cook enough for a few days. Now I just have to figure out how to make the food taste good...

This is also a time for me to really make Jesus my center. Although Pops and Sister Wilma are just a walk through a door away, and I keep in touch with family and friends almost daily through skype, whatsapp and facebook, Jesus is the only One who is always available whenever I need someone to talk to. I don't have to wait for Him to have internet access, or to get home from work so He could talk to me. This is a different experience because for all my life I have lived with people - this is the first time I am truly on my own. And it is one thing when big people from home say that they are missing me; it is a totally different thing when my pumpkin calls and says with a sad voice, Aunty Debbie I just wish you was here.

However, I have been making a couple friends across here. Sister Dale spent Wednesday driving around St. George's with me so I could get used to their unsigned network of roads (and I thought Trinidad was bad... not only are these one way streets not labelled as such, they are not laid out in any grid so there is no discernable pattern) Danielle invited me to a Talent Night last week Friday which was quite entertaining, and Coleen promised to take me on a hike soon.

Sister Dale ensuring that I walk on the right hand side going through Sendall Tunnel so as not to get run over by the vehicles coming down on the left

Enjoying the view at Fort George, St. George's

Getting ready to share about ISCF at Calivigny Gospel Hall

Oh yeah and for those who couldn't understand what I was talking about in the last post with reference to the roundabouts in Grenada, I took a couple pictures:

Specimen 1 just outside of St. George's

It is not an uncommon sight to see telephone/electricity poles in the middle of the roundabout

I have also had the opportunity to take in some more breathtaking scenery from various parts of the island:

Mountainside lined with ferns on the way to Grenville

Sea view on the way to Gouvaye

View from a cafe in Sauteurs

Enjoying a taste of the local cuisine

While this is a whole different season for me, I am doing my best of make the most of it, because I know that Grenada is also for a time. So when next you think about me, you know how to pray. 

P.S. my bmobile phone works across here, and it costs the same to talk to me as it did when I was in Trinidad ;)

Let's Go Grenada!

My first full week here has been a real life study of the culture of Grenada.

It started off with 5am swims at Gran Anse beach. Pops and Sister Wilma go there every morning, along with other retirees. Even though it's still dark when we get there, the water is soooooo warm I could just stay there for the whole day. It has been lovely running along the sand, and then ending with an invigorating swim in the crystal clear waters. I may start doing this every other day, just so I don't have to wash my hair every day.

As the day goes on, we head on the road. We're driving on the roads and I realise that something is missing... it feels strange, and then I realise what it is - there is no traffic! I mean, there are vehicles, but they are all moving. There is no bumper to bumper, wasting of my precious time when I could be doing so many other things (including sleeping) traffic. This, I can certainly get used to :)

Talking about the roads, there are many roads made of concrete here. I am told that these are cheaper than asphalt roads. I guess they are also better for playing hopscotch and moral :) Please note that this picture was taken on a main road in the country - it was not in someone's driveway...

Talking about driving, a few points to note about driving in Grenada:

1. The Grenada bus drivers went to the same driving school as the maxi drivers in Trinidad... nuff said!

2. Apart from keeping your eyes on the road, and on the side of the road especially when driving through the country areas looking out for the random child darting across the road without looking, you also have to pay attention to the people at the side of the road. They look after your interests as a driver, signalling to you when a vehicle is approaching from around a corner or other obstacle on your side of the road, or when it is clear for you to come out from a side street on to a major road.

3. Don't worry about the pedestrians you encounter while driving on a road that is barely wide enough for your vehicle to pass. They have no problem stepping into the bush at the side of the road to allow you to pass.

4. That random piece of concrete in the middle of the road is actually a roundabout. Proceed around it to your left, giving way to vehicles on your right.

Grenada is a beautiful country. It is small enough that you can drive around the entire island in six hours, with stops at various places of interest along the way:

Questionable-looking bridge in the parish of St. David

Beach where leatherback turtles come to nest during nesting season

Bridge through Levera Mangrove

The lake at Levera Wetland was so serene - it felt wrong to spoil the peace by talking

Concord waterfall - tell me why I didn't walk with my bathing suit?

Sunset at Gran Anse beach

There are also some interesting names for the villages. There is one called Beausejours (pronouned Boo-she-jew) and there is a joke that goes like this:

A Grenadian went to the police station to report an accident. He said he was coming from Happy Hill to Beausejours when this car came flying around the corner and ran into his vehicle.

Police: So where exactly did the accident happen?

Man: As I come round de corner into Beausejours

Police starts writing... hesitates... tries again and then says: Listen, the man hit you in Happy Hill ok?

Finally, I was able to attend a fund-raising concert on Saturday, feature some great local talent. There were songs by some talented opera singers, jokes by Ricardo Keens-Douglas (who knew that Paul Keens-Douglas was Grenadian?), some really beautiful interpretive dancers, steelpan playing as well as some melodious singing by a group of young people whose name I can't remember. I can say for certainty that Grenada's Got Talent!

Not a bad place to live for a year ;)