Hello and welcome to the January blog! Rain still falls upon us though with neither the volume nor intensity of the wet season. Dannie wants some hot, hot sun for the tomato plants in the garden. Ann and I want the wind to return to the more placid speed of our regular trade wind. Dannie will then have some of his favourite juice and we will be able to swim off Bathway! January was also a long, difficult month for us.
Our Elder extraordinaire at Belair P.C., Mrs. Elaine Charles died in her 75th year. She died on the morning of Sunday the 2nd of January. Worship that morning was to include the Sacrament of Communion. This was postponed by the Session and a service of prayer and reflection entered into. We felt a great sense of loss. Ann lost a friend who was as warm, reliable and able to comfort as an almost new pair of house slippers. Me, I lost the heart of Belair P.C., a trusted councillor, a much loved and respected visitor of the sick and shut-ins and a friend who may have barely reached my shoulder with the top of her head (this included the height of the many hats she always wore when with "the minister") but she stood tall in her faith. She said, "thank you, Jesus" in a voice that told you of an old, dear, friendship that had stood the test of many years. Her funeral was on the 20th of January. To us this was a long time after her death but family were travelling home from North America, the United Kingdom and other Caribbean Islands. After our time of mourning the Belair community began to function again last Sunday the 6th of February. Suffice to say the funeral had several hundred people in attendance. The service at the grave was also well attended. After the words of committal her family and friends filled in the grave, arranged the flowers on it and finished it off with loving care. Throughout this process hymns and spirituals were sung in lovely harmony. Even in my distress I was envious of the bass voice of a man in his mid-twenties. He was able to lift us all up with his effortless talent, a true gift of God to him and us.
Into these circumstances came the Rev. Elaine Dunn and her husband Tony. She is the minister of my brother's church in Seaford, England. She conducted my Father's funeral service last year. Tony is a social worker whose background is mental health. There was some thought being given by them to serving as missionaries. They left Grenada with many of their questions answered. The four of us were left with a highly unpleasant aftertaste when the Toyota was broken into and our phones and cameras stolen as well as some cash and other bits and pieces. Between Tony and me we were able to identify the thief when the police brought him to the local station in Sauteurs. We entered into the long business of signing statements (they were written by hand) and charges were laid. Unfortunately the stolen items were never found. The proceedings came to an abrupt halt. The Dunn's lost family photos they had not downloaded into their computer. The Young's lost Christmas 2010, the Youth Pageant, etc., etc. Yes, I should have downloaded them too. I also really liked that little camera, it could almost think for itself!
And so we enter the second month of the year of our Lord 2011. What does the rest of the year hold for us that we are aware of? Our first grandchild is due to be born in early June. There is a family wedding in Edinburgh in July. The renovations being done to our new home in Barrie are almost complete and still the year stretches out, comfortably, in front of us. This is our third year in Grenada; the many social issues, education issues and church issues (I am not talking of the P.C.G. alone) still challenge and cause us to ask questions that have not changed in intensity.
I have had a return of osteoarthritis in my left knee. This has limited my involvement at MacDonald. The new Acting Principal Ms. Lorraine De Allie has started her second month and her calm demeanour has had a great deal to do with the somewhat large decrease in the noise level that surrounds the students at MacDonald. Sports season is upon us. In the absence of Rev. Osbert James of the PCG I was asked to do the opening prayer for the 2011 Sports Day at Samaritan Presbyterian Primary School. What excitement! What a great bunch of athletes who proceeded to delight both of us with the enormous effort they put into each event! I was also asked to present the medals to the winners of some of the events; those winning smiles were worth much fine gold!
The CALS programme at Belair P.S. continues to keep Ann busy. The three boys who are quite a bit ahead of the group continue to impress, even amaze us. The progress they have made with their reading could easily be far in advance of where it is though. What is the issue? The boys need to read and be read to at home. It is terribly important to their progress and it doesn't happen. Yes, their parent(s) have been told of the situation. And no, they can't help.
After the death of Mrs. Charles the usual round of Women's Circle, Bible Study and Youth Group were placed on hold for a while; they are now back in full swing. Sunday the 30th of January saw a joint service of the congregations of the Kirk, St. George's, Samaritan P.C. and Belair P.C. in the Belair Sanctuary. It was very well attended; the youth of the three congregations led worship and did an excellent job. Belair's Terresa Williams preached from the Beatitudes and did a marvellous job. Terresa is a natural preacher. She is somewhat inhibited by education and her struggle may be that it is not possible for her to leave the Island so that her education may be completed. What a loss!
I was taught a prayer by a Jesuit teacher at the Toronto School of Theology. It helped a lot with all we went through last month. I thought I might pass it on:
Lord, a struggle goes on almost endlessly in my life. I pray that in my insecurity I will not look for status or achievement so I will exercise power of some kind over others around me or over the person or persons dearest to me. In my heart I know there is another way which is the way of humility, kindness, forgiveness and dependence on God. This way I will meet the true regard of other good people and receive blessings and guidance. Loving God, in the struggle I encounter, help me always to find the right path or, having lost my path, come back to you. Only your loving grace can help me accomplish that. Only on that path will I know blessedness and peace of heart. Amen.
Deo Gratias
