My alarm buzzes at 5:35 a.m. . Outside it is still dark. Today we hope to head out to the local market before breakfast and our transportation is donkeys. Unfortunately when I get to the airstrip. Only 1 of the 13 donkeys is waiting for us. Praying for more, I watch as they slowly begin to materialize. Sure enough one by one all thirteen of them eventually appear.
Riding donkeys is more challenging then you think as they can be very stubborn. Mine wants to race and lead the pack so it takes careful, firm handling to keep him in line. Telling him I’ve had my share of experience with willful, stubborn toddlers and I won’t let him get the best of me makes no difference whatsoever!
As we travel along a young man comes up alongside me, leading his donkey. Staring at me he begins to make kissing sounds. Holding up my hand I quickly tell him in Creole that I am married. I watch as a confused look comes over his face only to be replaced by a wide toothy grin. “We just make that sound to tell our donkeys to hurry up,” he then proceeds to explain in Creole, much to my chagrin. Laughing, we carrying on.
The market is a most interesting place, bursting with life and colour and sounds and smells; many too disgusting to even want to try to identify.
We make a few purchases and then try not to watch as animals get butchered and skinned.
Once we're back at Lemuel we eat a quick breakfast before getting set up for our computer classes.
That afternoon we head with the local youth to a nearby beach for a cleanup event.
The ocean washes in a lot of garbage and working together we rake it on piles so it can be burned and disposed of.
Once it’s cleaned up it looks much better and we take some time cooling off in the salty waves of the Caribbean Sea.
When it's time for dinner we pile into two vehicles and head back to the mission.
The sun set that night is beautiful.
That night before I fall asleep, I listen to a song about heaven and how we will one day see Jesus face to face. The song reminds me of the verse where Jesus tells the disciples of John that the children of the bridechamber don’t weep or mourn when the bridegroom is present.
And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? Matthew 9:15a
Thinking about seeing Jesus fills me with excitement and joy. How amazing it will be to one day see Him face to face and live with Him forever. Forever in a place where there is no more sadness, or crying or tears.
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