Reminders on the Road

  Grenada, an easy-going, laid-back, go with the flow culture. That is, until it comes to driving. Then it  somehow transforms those same kick-back people into high gear, gotta get there ASAP, kind of race car drivers.
   However, there seems to be some kind of mutual understanding between these drivers that it's ok.
  It's ok if you have to screech to a complete stop to avoid a head-on collision as another driver careens wildly around that slow moving dump truck.
  It's just alright if you stick your nose into the long string of oncoming traffic because you are tired of waiting at the intersection.
  It's totally acceptable, if you're driving the motorcycle, to ride up the middle of waiting traffic at a red light so you can take off at breakneck speed as soon as the light turns green. And if you're riding a pedal bike, then, by all means, grab a hold of the back of the truck so you can get a free fast ride! (You better have good eyes and good brakes because when you let go, you could be sailing at 35 mph...on a road filled with potholes!)
 It's fine and dandy to drive in the middle of the road because of that mutual understanding that you will get over in the nick of time so we can pass...emphasize, nick of time!....
 If you are a public bus driver you can pull more than one crazy card. Everybody knows you have to beat the next bus driver to those people waiting for a ride. It allows you to stop and start on a dime, defying the rules of only picking up passengers at a bus stop. It allows you to run other drivers off the road in your haste. It allows you to have white-knuckled passengers making good use of those grip bars so properly installed on the back of every seat. Lord knows you'll need them as the bus driver navigates the hairpin turns at break-neck speed.
  I am just completely amazed how, after some stunts pulled on these twisty, turny island roads that would have people back home shaking in a red-hot rage, the two drivers grin at each other, wave and continue on their merry way. Due to some dangerous maneuver they may have missed hitting each other by the skin of their teeth, but the point is, they managed to scrape by and no harm was done, so all's well that ends well!
 For the most part. Of course, there are accidents, there are drivers that get angry and there are stubborn people that refuse to yield the right away. People, after all, tend to have the same traits, no matter which country they call home.
 So what happens when two people meet at an area where only one car can pass at a time? Here again, I am usually impressed how quick one of the drivers is happy to back up and let the other person go first. But not always.
  And such was the case the other week when two extremely obstinate people met at a tight spot and each one refused to back up to let the other one go through. Traffic continued to line up behind each iron-willed driver as both refused to give in and let the other driver through. Minute after minute ticked by as they sat there refusing to budge. Angry drivers got out of their vehicles and walked up to them trying to talk them out of their stiff-necked stance. Neighbors, shaking their heads at the downright "stupidness", tried to do the same. However, they continued to sit there. I was waiting for the moment when a few men would get mad enough to pick up the little vehicle by each corner and set it aside. Thankfully, it didn't come to that. After awhile the one driver resigned to the onslaught of the crowd and ever so slowly backed up so the other driver could pass. I hope they had the sense to hang their heads in shame as they drove by the long lines of traffic that they had created by their obstinately uncooperative actions.
 Of course, my husband had to point out that it was a woman driver and although he didn't see the other driver he's sure that one was a woman too...haha. The thing is, I can clearly see how foolish each driver was being by stubbornly clinging to their "rights." I can shake my head and think how much time and stress they would have saved by giving in and allowing the other driver to pass. Truth is, how often am I like that stubborn driver, refusing to give up "my rights" for the sake of someone else. Do I stubbornly cling to my point of view without backing up and being willing to look at it from someone else's perspective. I'm sure from God's perspective many times I appear just as foolish as those two drivers. 
Philippians 2:3 - [Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

                  The two stubborn drivers..."I will NOT back up!".......they both firmly thought...

                       Neighbors shook their heads and wagged their tongues at such "stupidness!"

                               Sport's Day! An exciting and much looked forward to day for
                                  the children. Grenada's equivalent of track and field...

                                                             Carter and his buddy, Josiah

                     Days like this take an immense amount of organization and  patience

                                                                              Ball Toss...

                             Carter got third place in the ball toss. Our children are not the
                         most athletic children on the block, so winning a medal is a rarity.

                 And the crowd goes wild!...Well, maybe not at the moment as they feed their faces...

                        A group of young people and a chaperon couple spend Feb 17-26 here.
                   They serve at Mt. View Nursing Home, a home for the elderly, where young people        
                   volunteer their services so proceeds can go to various missions around the world.

                            One of the projects while they were here...painting a house

      The grateful family...whose house went from brown to a brilliant beautiful shade of blue!

                                                         Junior Youth night at the church

                                             James, one of the Mt. View guys, had school chapel

              Getting the "little house" ready for a week of crusades. Normally they will just dig
              a hole and set the shanty on top. This time, due to some disgruntled people that
              complained about that method, the men had to install a high-tech waste removal
                system, a 5 gallon bucket set in the hole. Oh the poor man that had to empty it!

                       Jim and Joyce Weaver and their family were here for the week of crusades.
                          An amazing family, and we always enjoy spending time with them...

                                   Bonding over their love of Oddesey and a sleepover....
                          Kassidy Zimmerman (Keith & Kendra) and Alana Weaver (Jim & Joyce)

             Making popcorn to take down to school for Andrea Mahon...Kaylah likes to tease her
             about her love of popcorn. I forgot how much girls can giggle and laugh when they're
              together! It was a sad day for Kaylah when they both flew back home again....

                                      Everyone Welcome! Gospel Crusade February 21-28!

               The men set up a tent in the LaBorie playing field for the week of crusades

                                                                   Mr. Sound Technician:)

                                                   Waiting for church to start Sunday morning

                                              Chris having one of the children's meetings

               Jim Weaver with his ever-present smile:)....His enthusiasm and love for God was
              evident in his passionate messages. We were so blessed and encouraged to be there!

                                 The boys trying to fit in a little kite flying Sunday morning
                                      while Chris set up the sound system for crusades

                        We loved the week of crusades but it did tire out the children...sleeping in
                          the truck while waiting to go home afterwards...a common evening scene

                What fun! Grenada was one of the stops on the cruise two of my brothers and their
                  wives were on. Waiting for Cliff & Lynette and Ray & Jess to come off the ship

We weren't sure what all to plan for the day...so much to show them, so little time...and the truth is, we wanted some time to just hang out too! Everything went really well...we visited school first, did a little sight-seeing and then came back to our house for a late lunch/early supper. We wanted to be back as soon as the children came home from school so they could spend as much time as possible with them.

                                                      Visiting Collin & Christi's class

                                                                             Carter's class

            Enjoying some rotis and Skype time with the pieces of their hearts they left back home....:)

                 Eight hours never went so fast! Headed to town to take them back to their ship

                                    We had alittle extra time so we showed them around town

                             And just like that, they were gone!...but the memories remain!!

                                   Legos. It should be on the list of things to bring for new
                                missionaries. For real, they spend hours playing with them!

         If you're ever sitting in our house and you hear a clump, clump, clunk.....don't worry, it's just
         the boys running across the roof trying to catch that elusive breeze to get their kites flying!

                                 Someday they will thank me for making them do lady's work.....

                                                              My kitchen, her science lab....

                                     "Put the leftover waffles in a container with a lid on".....
                  For real, son!!! Do I need to specify that they should be the same dimension???

       To make a kite tail in Grenada, you rip an old sheet in strips and then knot them together.
              Carter is quite convinced he will have the longest kite tail of the whole school!

                                                           Sid and Tracy's wedding

                    We got to entertain these cuties during the wedding....they sat like little angels....

                                                             Introducing the Mr. & Mrs!!!

                                             Wishing them many happy years together!

                    Our babysitters while we were at the wedding....watching airplane videos....
                          and now we have a son who dreams of being a pilot just like Arlen!:)

     Thank you for your prayers and interest in the work in Grenada! Looking back, we thank God for a good week of VBS and hosting the Faith Senior class. Looking ahead, I plan to start going through things as we prepare to move out of our house so Josh & Barb High and family can move in. Pray for them as they prepare to move here to take our place, Lord willing, May 24. We are hoping to find a nearby apartment to rent for a few weeks till school is over and Chris has time to train Josh.