"May" Be Time for Another Barbados update

 

Well might as well kiss  May good-bye, because we are already prepping for June.  Our June begins with District Conference focusing on our temple covenants.  Our temple district is in the Dominican Republic.   To get to the Dominican, Bajans typically have to fly through Panama.  It’s actually much easier to get to Panama and they have a temple, but geography…. Anyway, we actually discussed Sister Dennis' talk from Conference on Sunday about Putting on Jesus Christ.  When we make and keep our covenants, we are symbolically putting on Jesus Christ.  When you really ponder that it really opens up a whole new way of thinking about the why and the how of the great plan! 

Sister Corbin

Sister Braithwaite

We were invited to several different members' homes for dinner the past few weeks.  Sister Corbin is Bajan but spent most of her married life in England.   In fact, her husband was the first Black Bishop in England.  They retired back to Barbados  and he passed away several years ago.  She is one of my favorite sisters in our branch.  She hosted us and the sister missionaries for an incredible Bajan cuisine of Stew, peas & rice, potatoes, salad, coleslaw, and Mac pie.  Also at lunch was Sister Braithwaite who also spent most of her married life in Preston, England where she joined the church as well.  She is always smiling and giggles when she talks about the church or tells a story about her family because she’s just so happy!  I would love to bring them home with me!  

The MacIntosh family is another stellar family in our branch.  He serves as our Sunday School president, our District High Councilor, and District Choir director.  Sister Mac is our Relief Society secretary and is a retired primary school teacher of 30 years. They are helping raise 2 very active grandsons, who tell us I’m their #1 favorite and Elder Ellis is their #2 favorite and we’re invited to his 6th birthday  party in July and it’s a water  themed party!   Who can resist such cuteness!

Doug walked outside to stretch his legs this week and found a new friend.  Poor little guy flew into the window and dazed himself.  He was a very good bird  and enjoyed some water and AC and then went back outside and flew away. 

We’ve been in a drought and it’s been , but this week the rain showed up!  We are only down to a small leak in our 100+ year old apartment so we’re good.  We did get a "new to us" fridge this week, because the seal on the freezer disintegrated.  Oh and randomly the water was off for 18 hours last Sunday, so the season begins.  Many of our islands are actually on water rations/restrictions due to droughts.  Surrounded by water and nothing to drink!  Good thing we follow our prophets and are prepared! 

Sugar cane vendor had enough of the heat!

We haven’t seen the neighbors in over a month or more, but apparently they love the rain and came back.  Fascinating neighbors, but unfortunately wreak havoc on the local produce.  

Our mission secretary arrived last week!  Welcome Sister Toma!  We love her and are so grateful to have a mission secretary again.  It was fun for me to learn some new programs and help on the creative side for a bit.  All the years at school definitely prepared me to multi-task assignments.  We were able to take her up to the north side of the island to Animal Flower Caves to see the North Pole and watch the waves crash against the cliffs.  It's very different terrain there than where we live.  We are going to have a lot of fun exploring together!

It was inevitable that one of us dinged the .  Luckily, just a little cracked light that again luckily was the one left in stock at the only Toyota dealer on island.  Tender mercy for sure.  Supply chain issues are much worse in the islands! 

We are praying for Sister Bickmore who had a mild heart attack this week.  They’ve had a very busy month and are a month away from release.  She’s doing well as we await an angiogram.  Picture healthcare in the early 80s, add a nursing shortage, and supply chain issues and this isn’t the ideal spot to have medical issues.  

Shout out to little Adam who graduated from preschool this past week.  That's the one thing that is hard to be away......the grands.  Thank goodness their moms are incredible and keep us in their lives with video chats and pictures.  It also makes our hearts soar to see the cousins spending time together and truly loving being together.