My Logos Adventure 2020

When I found out in October last year that the Logos Hope would be returning to Trinidad in January 2020, I was surprised but happy to hear that they were returning so soon. This time my involvement was at a different level. I was asked if I could connect the advance team with local ministries that Logos teams could partner with while they were here. I gladly made the necessary links with ITNAC, LARMS, ISCF and Confident Kids Club so the relevant partnership opportunities could be pursued. I had enjoyed my last volunteer experience with them so much that I once again offered my services, and they were gratefully accepted, since the number of persons who signed up as local volunteers was below the amount needed for a port of this size.

One of the perks of volunteering on the evening shift - 

the gorgeous sunset views!

I served on the evening shift in the Book Fair for the first two weeks that the Logos was in Port of Spain. Our responsibilities included welcoming visitors as they entered the Cruise Ship complex, helping the crew to collect the entrance fee from visitors, giving the welcome speech and overview of the ship before visitors entered the Book Fair, keeping the books in order on the shelves, assisting the cashiers by bagging books or moving the cash line forward, answering questions that persons had while they browsed, and distributing free literature as they left the ship. Every evening we served in one of these positions, rotating every hour. In each position, we served alongside a crew member, so when things were quiet we were able to have some really good conversations with them, hearing their stories about what brought them to the ship, what their experience was like being on the ship, and where they felt God was leading them when their time on the Logos was over.

Enjoyed sharing and serving alongside my buddy Borgi from Germany

One of the things I enjoyed about serving in the Book Fair was getting to see friends who I do not normally see because our paths do not cross as often as they used to. There was one person I had not seen for almost 10 years, so it was really nice to reconnect with some long lost friends. I also liked the challenge of dealing with persons who didn't want to follow the guidelines we had to maintain order in the Book Fair. I recognized that most fires could be extinguished with a warm voice and a pleasant smile :) I also saw first hand the opportunities provided for God's word to infiltrate non-Christian homes. Apart from the gospel of John which was given to every visitor as they left the ship, I saw one young boy dragging his father through the Book Fair because he wanted a "God book" instead of the regular book his father had offered him.

I told my niece she could choose 2 books - 

de chile fill up her basket!

One of the reasons why the Logos is so popular here is that the prices of the books are so cheap compared to what is available in our local bookstores. We decided to take advantage of these reasonable prices and purchase books which could be used as tokens for children in ISCF camp this year, as well as books for the children from Bible Club. There were also tokens which I got as prizes for children in Carnival camp. God is so gracious to me - not only did He provide the funds for all these purchases through a very timely financial donation, but on the day I purchased these books, the entire ship was moved closer to the entrance of the Cruise Ship complex so I didn't have to ask the volunteers who helped me tote the heavy boxes of books to make the five minute trek (which seems like ten minutes when the sun is hot) to carry the books from the ship to my car (for which I was able to find a park in the Cruise Ship complex's car park). As a matter of fact, every day that I had to visit the Logos, I prayed and God provided a park that was safe and convenient, even on the final days when it seemed like the whole of Trinidad decided to visit. Those days were so busy that even though I was not scheduled to work, I decided to volunteer so the crew would not have to stay up until 3am the next morning putting the Book Fair back in order.

One year's worth of prizes!

I decided to take full advantage of as many of the events on board that I could have fit into my schedule, once my time for volunteering on board had ended. The first one was a seminar for persons interested in serving in missions. It was a good reminder of the great need for labourers in the unreached people groups worldwide. Next I attended a workshop entitled Creative Evangelism, where we were introduced to intriguing techniques that could be employed to share the gospel in a simple way. After we were taught, we then proceeded to the cafeteria where we were able to share the gospel with members of the public who were liming there.

Using jenga blocks to start the conversation

I also attended a Refugee simulation where we were put into families and presented with scenarios that thousands of persons from war-torn and economically ravaged countries have to face on a daily basis - how to survive on little to no income, with the threat of war and abuse of power by rogue security forces hanging over your heads, unscrupulous landlords who show no mercy despite deteriorating conditions in the country and no hope of escape. Even the persons who were able to make it across the border to a neighbouring country were struggling because they could not work until they had been registered, and that was a very lengthy process. It really hit home to me when I decided to contract my services to the local bar, only to realize that the pay was nothing like what had been promised and when I finally escaped, my entire family had disappeared and I had no clue where they were. At the end of the simulation we spent time in prayer for refugees and migrants worldwide.

The last event was an evening of prayer for the persecuted church. It was structured as a time of worship and prayer, but it was different. Throughout the entire evening, there were people dressed in the national wear of countries where the gospel is not free to be preached. They stood silently with tape across their mouths to represent those who are not able to worship God freely in their countries. As we worshiped and prayed, we interceded for those who could not speak for themselves, and by the end of the evening, some of them removed the tapes from their mouths. Some remained gagged, to remind us of the ongoing need to pray for the persecuted church.

I was also able to arrange for two groups of my children from south to attend onboard events. God graciously provided the sponsorship for 2 maxis of Venezuelan children and their parents to attend an event which introduced them to missions and the need for the gospel to be preached throughout the world. Another maxi was sponsored that allowed 19 youths from Bible Club to attend a similar event, where they were challenged to share their faith with their peers who did not know Jesus. They heard testimonies of crew members and saw dramatic presentations which stressed the urgency of us being a part of fulfilling the great commission.

Children going through "security" as they

prepare for their journey around the world

I also had the privilege of facilitating partnerships with teams from the Logos to minister off the ship. Through the connection with ISCF, they were able to conduct Human Traffic awareness workshops in various secondary schools. I was able to bring a team to share with the children from Bible Club about what it means to be a missionary. Incidentally, I was inspired by the Logos' visit to have a focus on missions for Bible Club this term. I also had the privilege of serving alongside the crew as they partnered with Compassion Outreach International and ITNAC to conduct a medical clinic and eye glasses testing and distribution for migrants in La Romain.

Getting their eyes tested

A team from the Logos ministered to the Venezuelan children at La Romain one Thursday, and another team was due to share with them the following Thursday, but there were some logistical issues so that was cancelled. The co-ordinator asked me on the Tuesday if I could find some other place where they could serve, and God led me to pursue connections through the Religious Instruction ministry. The doors were wide open so the team was able to share with an entire school at one venue, and over 60 students at another venue. God really showed up on that day, as I realized on the way to the first venue that the vehicle was overheating and when we checked it there was absolutely no water in the radiator! By the time we resolved that issue we were leaving 20 minutes later than planned, and had only 50 minutes to get to the next school, which would usually take one hour. God ensured that on that day, not only was there absolutely no traffic on the road, but that there was no roadworks to cause delays so we actually arrived early! The reception at both schools was really amazing, and the Logos crew was able to share their testimonies and challenge the children to follow Jesus. God's plans were so much better than what we had originally intended to happen :)

The children were enthralled by their presentation and 

mobbed them afterward for hugs and autographs as if

they were celebrities

Another team from the Logos visited the Space in St. James where ITNAC has a school for Venezuelan children, and also a clinic for migrants every Thursday. The Logos crew provided personnel to help with the clinic, do eye testing, and distribute glasses. A different team ministered to the children in the school, and presented them with an entire library of books. We are truly grateful to God for their mission to bring knowledge, help and hope to the countries that they visit, and look forward with eager anticipation for whenever next they would grace our shores.

Excited about receiving their new books

from the Logos crew

A vacation, a wedding and a funeral

My last week of 2019 was full of time spent with friends and family. It started off with a 2 day all-expenses paid trip to Tobago where all I had to do was show up. I certainly felt the love of God as His favour was evident every step of the way. We didn't have to worry about what we were going to eat or what we would do once we got there - everything was provided for us, and that in abundance!

Check out the breakfast spread for only 5 people

We arrived on Sunday evening and after arriving at our destination, settled in for an early night as we all had a busy day. In the morning we were treated to a lavish spread for breakfast, then set out for a drive around the island, which included a stop at Fort George, and a sumptuous lunch at the Treehouse Restaurant in Speyside. The weather was perfect - not too hot and very little rain. We ended our day with a beach bath at Mt. Irvin Bay as the sun was setting, and a time of games and worship when we got home. It was such a blessing and encouragement to my soul to spend time with these friends who are my family.

Photo session on Fort George

From Tobago I headed straight to Guyana for a wedding for a couple from my church. I arrived on Christmas Eve, so was able to spend my first Christmas in Guyana. My maternal grandmother was Guyanese, and at a family reunion 2 years ago I met my mother's cousin's children who still live in Guyana so I was able to stay at their home. It was wonderful getting to know them better, hearing their life stories, and getting a tour of historic sites in Georgetown. Even though I didn't meet them before 2017, they treated me as though we had known each other all our lives, like real family.

Hanging in Georgetown with my cousin

It was only after I left Guyana that I found out that the church my friend got married in was the same church my grandmother attended when she lived there! I was never the kind of person who cared much for history or "finding my roots" but there was something special about seeing a plaque in the oldest wooden cathedral in Guyana with the names of my grandmother's brother and his wife on it, and recognizing that the faith of my great grandparents was passed on through two generations to me, and my siblings will be passing it on to my niece and nephews.

Outside the historic St. George Cathedral in Georgetown

My friends' wedding was an epic end to a lovely time in Guyana. Although my cousins were gracious enough to take me around while I was there, I was not sure how transport for the wedding would work out, since they lived about half an hour away from the wedding venue, and I didn't want them to have to take me from the ceremony to the reception venue, and then have to take me back home after the reception. At a lime I attended 2 days before the wedding, I was able to reconnect with a friend who had studied in Trinidad, and I found out that she was living in the same development as my cousin, and also attending the wedding! My God is certainly a God of the details :D

So happy for the opportunity to

reconnect with Sherdell

The wedding ceremony was lovely, especially the part where the bride's father sang "I loved her first" to the couple, passing on his role as the man in his daughter's life to her new husband. At the reception, the contingent from our church ensured that we made full use of the dance floor and the DJ that was provided. It was great fun celebrating with my friends on their special day, and I can't wait to see what God will accomplish through their union.

The Patricks - so happy in love <3

The week before Christmas, I found out that someone who was instrumental to my growth in the ISCF camping ministry had passed away. I was grateful that I obeyed the voice of the Holy Spirit to make time to visit her when I heard how serious her illness was. "Spram", as we affectionately called her on ISCF Camp, was the face of camping when I started as a child. I still have clear memories of her waking us up on mornings in Toco with her song "Good morning, good morning, good morning! It's time to rise and shine!" She would sing it over and over until we got out of our beds. Reading the tributes to her on facebook from past campers and listening to the testimonial from her nieces at the funeral, it was clear that she played a crucial role of encouragement and support in the lives of countless of young people. Even though she will be missed, we have a sure hope of being reunited with her in heaven.

I returned to Trinidad just in time for her funeral

As we enter 2020, I have no idea what lies ahead. I know there will be joys, as well as sorrows; pleasure, as well as pain; weeping, as well as rejoicing. Through the highs and lows, one thing that I know for sure - God's goodness and faithfulness will not change, and it will be sufficient to carry me through.

Unexpected interruptions

It's the first week of the holidays and I had my schedule all planned out weeks ago. There was cleaning that had long been put off that I would finally be able to do because I would not have to be stopping in between to go out and do ministry somewhere. There were my godchildren who were home from school that I had not spent quality time with in months. There was sorting and filing that needed to be done. There was old currency to be upgraded to new currency. But then life happened.

One week ago, parts of south Trinidad were hit with severe flooding following 2 days of continuous rainfall. Rivers burst their banks and lagoons overflowed into people's property, trapping them in their homes for days. Some homes were inundated with up to 5 feet of water, resulting in loss of furniture, appliances and personal belongings.

One of the homes in Ragoonanan Trace, Penal

Looking at the pictures, hearing the stories of loss, seeing the pain and hopeless on the faces of the families affected, I could not just continue with "business as usual". Thankfully I am a part of an organization that is able to mobilize resources in a short space of time, so after a few conversations a plan was arranged to head into the flood hit areas on Sunday to bring relief supplies, food and the love of Jesus. Clothing was sorted and packed by some of our hardworking volunteers, hampers were filled using food items which were donated at a drive held a few weeks ago, and a caterer was found who was able to provide 80 lunches literally overnight.

All hands on deck to pack hampers

We visited families in Rock Road and Ragoonanan Trace, Penal who were now in the process of cleaning their homes. Many of them told us that we were the first persons who came to see how they were doing, and they really appreciated our visit as it showed that someone cared. One lady who received a hamper was very grateful because her husband's car had been caught up in the flood waters so now all their money was going into repairing their vehicle, which he needed to go to work. Many of the families were very grateful for the meals we provided, because they had been cleaning all day and did not have time to cook. We partnered with Compassion International who contributed sandwiches, party bags and toys to the children we encountered.

Blessing one of the families with a hamper and toys

Apart from material supplies, we were also able to provide some much needed emotional support. We listened to their stories, shared words of encouragement and testimonies, and prayed with some of them. As representatives of the kingdom of God we care about not just meeting the physical needs, but the spiritual needs as well. We are extremely grateful to those who gave, since this allowed us to be channels of blessing to those in need.

Hearts and hands joined in prayer

Last week my high school classmates and I were devastated by the news that one of our sisters had died suddenly due to a heart attack. As this is the second classmate in 3 years to die suddenly, it really caused me to stop and reflect. What came to mind was this parable from Luke 12:16-21 where Jesus spoke of a rich man who thought that he had enough possessions to last him for many years so he could take life easy.


“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” '


So many of us are caught up with pursuing what society deems to be important - a career, property, investments - that we do not make time for what is really important, and will last into eternity. I challenge us to ponder the following questions:

* Are we living out God's purposes for our life?
* Are we using the gifts and abilities that He has blessed us with to expand His kingdom?
* Are we living every day to please Him, rather than pleasing ourselves?

We can never be prepared for the interruptions that life throws at us. We have no control over calamities that may come, but how we respond to them is important. May we be ready in season and out of season to be God's hands and feet to bring comfort and help where it is most needed.

Three Christmas parties in two weeks

The average child in Trinidad has heard the biblical account of Jesus' birth many times. Most of them can recite the events leading up to Jesus' birth, even if they may get some of the details confused.

For the average child who grew up in the midst of the economic and political turmoil that has been plaguing Venezuela for all of their life, they had never heard this story. Many of them never had an opportunity to celebrate anything; every day was like the day before - a struggle to survive. At both of the centers for migrant children where I volunteer, the leaders were determined that the children would have the opportunity to celebrate their first Christmas in Trinidad, with a Venezuelan flavour!

Hallacas are very similar to our pastelles

At the La Romain Migrant Support center, on the day before the Christmas programme, we showed the children a video of the story of Jesus' birth in Spanish so they could appreciate the basis for our celebration. The party began with a traditional Venezuelan Christmas breakfast - hallacas, potato salad and sorrel, which was well enjoyed by all. I had the opportunity to share with all present - children, parents, teachers and supporters - about the significance of Jesus coming to earth in the form of a human. I was able to give a clear presentation of the gospel using John 3:16, showing Jesus as the greatest gift given to us by God, and encouraging them to receive the gift of salvation that He offers.

They were so excited to dress up in their best clothes for the programme

In the weeks leading up to the Christmas programme, the children were hard at work practising their items. They learnt songs and dances which are traditionally performed at Christmas time in Venezuela. We wanted to ensure that they had an opportunity to learn about their cultural traditions as well as ours. The younger ones were very excited, but some of the older ones didn't come around until 3 days before the program. Thankfully we were able to teach them "Feliz Navidad" so they were able to participate as well. The parents thoroughly enjoyed seeing their children perform the songs and dances, as well as the hampers which we were able to bless them with thanks to our generous donors.

Performing their dance

For the children at the Learning Space, a wonderful event was sponsored by a local church called the Gathering Place. They received pizza and hotdogs for lunch, and then listened to a reading of the biblical account of Jesus' birth. This was followed by traditional Christmas songs sung by each of the three classes. Throughout the program there was face painting, balloon animals and popcorn. They played games and then received presents and party bags to go home with. The parents were treated to ham and turkey sandwiches and a drink when they came to collect their children.

Youngest class performing a traditional Venezuelan song

Enjoying a game of musical chairs

The last Christmas activity held was the Closing Program for the children at Bible Club. The program consisted of the classes doing presentations based on what they had learnt this term based on the fruit of the Spirit. There were games which were enjoyed by all, followed by a challenge from our guest speaker about the characteristics which should be evident in the lives of children of God. Prizes were given to children who were able to recite memory verses which were taught throughout the term, and presents were distributed to all.

Teens class performing a dramatic presentation

Youngest student ever to win the prize

for Most Outstanding Bible Club Student

We are very grateful to all who gave so willingly and generously so that these children were able to enjoy their various programs where they were reminded about the truth of Immanuel - God with us.

Three months of ministry in one blog post :)

I returned to Trinidad from my vacation on Sunday 18th August and Vacation Bible School for the children in Dow Village and environs started bright and early on Monday morning! A huge amount of gratitude goes out to Mummy and my neighbours who co-ordinated all the planning in my absence so all I had to do was execute. We had over 60 children hearing the gospel message during the course of the week, many of whom do not attend Bible Club so we thank God for the seeds of truth which were planted in their hearts. The teens class had the highest numbers, and while we know most of them came for the lime, we are glad they chose to be in a place where God's Word was being presented. We praise God for those children who decided to make Jesus their Lord and Saviour this week, and for those who were challenged about how they lived their lives. We also thank God that despite a thunderstorm hitting the community that week, we were not adversely affected, and for sufficient volunteers to cover all areas where assistance was needed.

Singing about Jesus being their Best Friend

The following week, I accepted an invitation from Point Fortin Church of the Nazarene to be one of the speakers at their Kids Rally. There were over 70 children from 3 years old up to teenagers who came out to hear God's Word over a 3 day rally. I shared on the topic "Love for God" and we looked at what it meant to love God with all your heart, soul and mind; why we should love God, and the consequences for not loving God. The children were then put into their age groups and each group was given a case study focusing on how do we love God in our various spheres - at home, at school, and in our communities. It was wonderful to see the children's portrayal of how they would demonstrate love for God in each of the scenarios. Our prayer is that they would live out what they learnt as they go through their daily lives.

Prizes were given for those who answered questions

so you know there were lots of answerers!

When school resumed in September, I had an opportunity to put my CELTA training into practise at two venues. ITNAC started The Learning Space on the Western Main Road in St. James with a holiday camp for Venezuelan migrant children over the holidays, but in September we launched the school. At present there are over 60 children enrolled, from pre-school to pre-teens. They are taught by native Spanish speakers from 9am to 12 noon - Grammar, Social Studies, History, Mathematics and English. After lunch, volunteers come in to do different activities with the children which include craft, dance and games. I go on Thursdays to do games with them, and although I can speak to them in Spanish, I only communicate with them using English so they can practise and improve. On Thursday afternoons, we host a medical clinic for migrants. Thanks to our hardworking volunteers doctors and pharmacists, we are able to offer this service free of charge to this vulnerable sector of our society.

Playing a game of Basket Turnover using colors

In South, I started volunteering with the La Romain Migrant Support group (LARMS). This initiative was started by someone from La Romain who was concerned about the plight of the migrants in the area, especially the children who were being left locked in rooms alone while the parents were at work. She gathered some volunteers and with the support of her church, started an informal school for them at the fellowship hall of the church. I teach English there twice a week, and the transformation I have seen in the children from when I started to now is really amazing. Those who were shy and unwilling to engage are now laughing and participating in class. Children who could barely write 2 letters when they started are now copying full words down from the board. When I look at them playing and laughing during the break times my heart is full of gratitude that they have an opportunity to be children, many of them for the first time in their life.

Learning through play

At the beginning of September, Hurricane Dorian dealt a devastating blow to islands in the Bahamas. Due to the distance and cost of shipping items from Trinidad, our initial response involved sending funds to allow for purchasing urgently needed food stuff and toiletries from Miami and Nassau and shipping them directly to distribution centers in the Bahamas. Our local partners were then able to package and distribute these to persons from Abaco and Grand Bahama who had lost everything in the hurricane. A few weeks later, ITNAC sent a team to help with the clean up of homes and they worked tirelessly to complete the task in the limited time they had. Two weeks ago we shipped up a container of building supplies and other items which were donated from Trinidad. It may no longer be in the media spotlight, but the needs are still great and for many families "normal" is still a long way ahead so we continue to assist as we are able to.

Loading the container for the Bahamas

Closer to home, Trinidad was also hit with some heavy rains and flooding later in September. It was not as widespread as last years' floods, and did not get as much media coverage, but to the families who were badly hit, it was just as traumatic. Once again we sprang into action, delivering food items, toiletries and cleaning supplies to households affected. Thanks to a generous donation, we were able to replace one major appliance for approximately ten families who were in need, and we assisted with clean up activities. In Mt. Lambert we distributed cooked meals, clothing, linen and hampers - the recipients were extremely grateful for the assistance. One resident noted, "Allyuh different - it just have something about you that different from the others" We were very eager to share with them the source of this difference - the love of God which compels us to reach out to the needy.

Delivering supplies to family in Aranguez

Apart from these outreaches, ALTA has been keeping me busy this term with the opening of a new center in Fyzabad that I had responsibility for overseeing. One of the tutors there was new so I supported her for the first month until she felt confident enough to teach on her own. I also continue to be involved in our regularly scheduled outreach to the children in our community. Homework Club continues with an average attendance of 5-10 children, and we keep giving God thanks for the teenagers who make up more than 50% of the attendance at Bible Club, and who also stay back for an additional hour to learn how to study the Bible. They make me talk more than the younger ones do, but I do not take for granted the extended opportunities we have to impact them with the truth of God's Word.

Doing a character study on the life of Job

Family time has also been a significant part of my involvement over the past few months. My aunt, who is one of my biggest supporters, visited from the States for two weeks. When we were children, she used to carry us around, so now it was my turn to return the favour! Spending time with her, listening to stories about my grandmother, I recognized that the desire to help others did not just come from my mother, but from an entire generation before. I also spent time supporting my brother and his wife who was very heavily pregnant until 2 weeks ago! Thanks to them I now have another precious nephew to add to my growing brood of picknies :D

On the lookout with Aunty Ruth Ann where she enjoyed her

first snowcone in years

So for those who have been wondering what I've been up to, now you know! Thank you so much for all who have continued to pray and encourage and support despite my silence. I'll try not to make it so long next time ;)

Snuggles with Joseph Seth Dowlath :)

Let the vacation begin!

Following the completion of my CELTA course at the end of July, my vacation time officially began! I decided to take advantage of the proximity of Czech Republic to Germany (right next door) and take a bus ride to visit my friend Annetta who I had met when the Logos Hope visited Trinidad 2 years ago. She and her husband live in Klinenberg, a small village 40 minutes drive away from Frankfurt. It was so nice to be able to spend time just reconnecting and sharing with each other. We also spent time doing sightseeing in the neighbourhood - the ancient architecture was really lovely to see. I also had the privilege of joining in worship by a river while some new converts identified publicly with the Lord in water baptism - it was so cool singing the German version of worship songs that I knew in English.

Traditional German architecture

Overlooking the vineyards

Spaghetti and meatballs ice cream!

From Germany, it was then on to London, England. This was the third time for the year that I was getting to spend time with my sister and her family and I loved it! My nephew is the sweetest baby - he really doesn't cry unless he is fighting a sleep. He is now on to solid foods and he loves his belly - we can't feed him fast enough :) Because of his nap schedule, we limited our sightseeing to places close to where she lives in Greenwich. It was nice to visit places that were so close that we had never been to before. And of course, there is no such thing as too much time spent with family. I also got to spend some time with friends from secondary school, and one from university who drove with her family for 5 hours one way just to see me :) When I first met these friends, I had no clue that, 20 years later, we would still be in touch.

Who would have thought the sun would work in London in August?

Friends and flowers

Tulip staircase in the Queen's House in Greenwich

My next stop was the United States of America. The first state I hit was New Jersey, where I was able to spend time with some cousins that I had not seen for the past three years. It is always amazing to me how much her children love me, seeing as my visits to them are so few and far in between, but there is connection there that is unmistakably real and strong. Even though the time was short, it was really enjoyable. They refused to let me take public transport to the bus stop in Manhattan when it was time for me to leave. Instead they piled up the whole family into the car and drove me there, waiting until I was almost ready to go before they left. The love is real I tell you!

The girls made me a welcome poster <3

Cuzzin love!!!!

It reach to de next generation :)

From New Jersey I journeyed to Baltimore where I got to spend time with my younger sister and her family. It was such fun to spend time with my nephews - now that they are older, there are so many activities I can do with them and places to take them that they can appreciate and enjoy. One of the highlights of this trip was being able to take them for a ride on their local subway - a treat that they do not normally enjoy because both their parents drive. The joy on their faces when we took the bus home after a morning downtown really made you appreciate the simple things that gladdens the heart of a child. They are both so intelligent and adorable and I wish they didn't live so far away so I could get to see more of them. My last stop before returning home was Miami, where I got to see, as her husband puts it, my friend, but she is so much more than just my friend. I truly treasure any time that I get to spend with her and her family.

We took a day trip to Washington

The shark obsession continues...

Heart sisters :)

I thank God that my vacation really didn't cost me anything much. I had to get back to Trinidad after my course was over anyway - I just took the scenic route home ;) God has strategically placed my friends and families in the places I had to pass through so I didn't have to worry about board or lodging and there was no shortage of love as I got to spend time with those I don't normally get in person. For me, it was not so much about the places that I got to go, but the people that I got to enjoy them with.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
Proverbs 17:17

If your Presence does not go with us

As Moses was preparing to lead God's people through the wilderness, God promised that His Presence would go with them. In Exodus 33:15, Moses told God, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here". When the option arose for traveling to the Czech Republic to study teaching English to foreign language speakers, as excited as I was for the opportunity to do this course that I had wanted to pursue for the past two years, my prayer was the same as Moses'. I had no desire to go where God's Presence would not be with me. But after getting confirmation from God that this was where He was leading for this season of my life, I booked my ticket and was on my way.

Pleasantly surprised to bounce up my CARIFES

friend Tomy in the plane on his way to World Assembly

We definitely felt God's presence every step of the way. When we landed in the airport in Czech, we had a smooth transition through immigration,collected our bags and walked straight through Customs. As soon as we got outside, we saw the guy holding a sign from the school. He took us straight to the apartment where were we staying, pointing out in his limited English the nearby shopping center, and also where the school was. We didn't realise what a blessing this was until we got to the school on Monday and found out that the driver had forgotten to pick up one of our colleagues who had flown in on Sunday. He had no idea where he was staying, so he ended up taking a taxi to the school and just waiting there until someone rescued him! We, on the other hand, were able to get some basic groceries for the first few days, unpack, shower, and settle in for a good night's rest after our 17 hours of flying. The Presence of the Lord!

Beyond grateful to have this green space right outside

our apartment window :D

Since we were warned about how intense the course would, we decided to so some sightseeing before it started. Our apartment is conveniently located 3 minutes away from a shopping center that contains a full fledged mall with a huge food court, a metro station, 2 supermarkets, a bank, pharmacy, stationery store, and many, many eating places. We had received some guidelines from the course co-ordinator about how to access public transportation from where we were staying, but when we went looking for the metro station we found that it was closed for the week. We asked someone in a store for advice and she told us to get a bus and pointed us in the direction. When we got to the bus stop however, we had no idea which bus to take. While we were looking at the schedule and trying to figure it out, a lady offered to help us. When we told her where we wanted to go, she said she was going to a station that was only one stop away so she offered to go with us! 

Martina was an angel in disguise

Martina helped us to navigate from the bus to the nearest functioning metro station. She changed our notes into the coins we needed to buy tickets, and advised us about the best ticket to buy based on where we were going. She also showed us how to validate the tickets, and how to know which train to take to get us to our destination. While we were waiting, she warned us about the crowds and being wary of pickpocketers when we got into Old Town, and suggested buying food further away from the Town Square because the closer you get, the more touristy the prices get. She even told us about a nearby castle that we could visit that would not be as packed with tourists because they don't know about it. Czechs by nature are not very friendly to foreigners, so we realized that she was really a God-send. The Presence of the Lord!

We touch down in Old Town Square!

It was really spectacular walking through Old Town. The architecture all around us was breathtaking. We behaved like true tourists, stopping every couple meters to take pictures LOL. Thankfully it was not that crowded but we were still vigilant. Thanks to google maps we were able to navigate our way around and visit Wenceslas Square, Old Town Square, the oldest functioning Astronomical Clock in the world, the Jewish Quarter and the beautiful world-famous Charles Bridge. We were intrigued by the number of museums we passed - Museum of Sex Machines, Lego Museum, Museum of Puppet Art, and Museum of Medieval Torture.

View of Tyn Church from the top of the

Astronomical Clock tower

After a few hours of walking around the heat was starting to affect us so we headed home. We found out afterwards that we had been experiencing a heat wave that was affected parts of Europe, and the temperature had gotten up to 37 degrees celcius that day! When we got home, we just wanted to get a shower and relax in preparation for the next day but we could not get into our apartment. Although the key was turning and we heard the lock moving, we could not figure out how to get the door open. We tried again and again but it wasn't budging. After about 5 minutes of trying, I prayed that God would send someone to help us. Not too long after an elderly gentleman came out of an adjacent apartment. He didn't speak a word of English, but we were able to use gestures to tell him about our predicament and he  came to our rescue. The Presence of the Lord! Unfortunately we were not able to ask him what he did to get it opened but at least we were finally inside and able to relax.

View from my bedroom window at 9pm

The first day of class was pace - session after session with information being thrown at us from 9am to 6pm. Thankfully our classmates are a cool bunch so we were able to have fun getting to know them during the breaks. We have people from Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia, Serbia, Iran, England and USA. In talking to two of them, we realized how blessed we were with the apartment we were assigned - they had a gas stove but no way to light it for 3 days, and on the third day, a water pipe was burst when the maintenance guy was repairing a light issue. Thankfully we have a fully functioning electric stove so we are able to prepare hot meals whenever we want to. Our biggest issue (apart from not knowing how to open our front door) was a blown light bulb in the toilet. Our apartment is only a 3 minute walk away from the school, so we don't have to spend time or money commuting every day. The Presence of the Lord!

Taking in some fresh air during one of the breaks 

By the end of the first day, we were mentally exhausted but we couldn't rest because we had to prepare to teach a lesson the next day. When we tried to open the door, we found ourselves in the same situation as the previous day. We were hungry and tired and just wanted to get inside so once again I prayed for God to send someone to help us. We knocked on the door where the old man lived but no one responded. There was one other door on our floor so we knocked on the door and a young man came out. Thankfully he spoke English so he was able to explain to us what we needed to do to get the door open. The presence of the Lord!

The cafeteria food is surprisingly tasty and very affordable:

my first meal - camembert in corn bread crumbs with 

potatoes and cranberry mayonnaise

I had dinner, took a shower and had a short nap. I got up at 9pm ready to work on my Teaching Practice Preparation. I figured I could work until midnight and still get a decent rest before the next day of class; I was even prepared to push until 1 or 2am if I had to. The picture below reflects the state of my brain when I started my preparation. It was just swirling with the amount of information we had received that day, and I had no idea how to start sifting through it to apply it to our assignment. Even though I had years of teaching experience with ALTA, this was the first time I had to come up with a lesson plan so it took me a few hours to figure out what I had to do. My friend kept checking on my progress and could not understand why it was taking me so long to finish.

My table on the first night of Teaching Practice Preparation

I really had to call on God to help me marshall my thoughts and start writing something that made sense. I downloaded the lesson plan template that the school provided and started using it as a guide. At one point, I was thinking I should not have to work so hard, I don't really need this certification I just need the training so if I didn't pass the assignment that was no big deal but the Holy Spirit reminded me of a memory verse I had taught the children from Bible Club: Colossians 3:23 - Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. So I continued working until I was finally able to head into my bed at 4am.

Ready for my first day of teaching English

to Czech students

When I got to the school I went to the library to print my lesson plan. One of the tutors was there to help us in case we had problems using the printer. She noticed my lesson plan on the computer and then proceeded to inform me that I had used the wrong template. Instead of just writing up the procedure for my lesson which should have taken 2 pages, I had done a full 7-page lesson plan - something that we had not been taught to do, and would not be required until week 2 of class! That explains why I was taking so much longer than my friend did to do her plan... I was not amused that I had lost all that sleep unnecessarily, but my tutor assured me that the time was not wasted as I would be better prepared for when we had to do the full plan the following week. When I reflected on it, doing the full lesson plan helped to give me the focus I needed to come up with the procedure (which was what was required) so it really was not wasted. The presence of the Lord!

Tutor comments on my first lesson

At every stage of this trip so far, the Presence of the Lord has been so evident that I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I am where He wants me to be, doing what He wants me to do. There is no greater assurance than in knowing that you are in the center of the Lord's will for your life. I look forward to the journey that lies ahead.

Exodus 33:14 - And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."