Ribs and Chicken on the Barbie.... Sea Side. Mmmm!
One of the great things about being on the island with the American University of the Caribbean and as Mormons is that we get to know people in both communities. In only a few months we’ve met some wonderful people through AUC who will no doubt be friends for many years to come, if not for life. And through the LDS branch here on the island we’ve also met some local islanders who are fantastic people and who we never would have met had it not been for the Mormon church.
(Quick vocab update for non-Mormons: Mormon congregations come in two types: wards and branches. Wards are big, branches are small. The congregation on St. Martin is too small to be a ward, so we’re a branch.)
This past Easter weekend the branch sponsored two activities: A beach side BBQ on Friday and an Easter Egg hunt on Monday. I didn’t make it to the egg hunt, but all the kids and Michelle went and the report was tremendously positive. I did, however, make it to the BBQ with Andi, Tanner and Piper. And wow! What a treat! The chicken and ribs flowed endlessly, the company was terrific, the weather was beautiful, and the beach (which we hadn’t been to before) was beautiful. But most of all, the chicken and ribs flowed endlessly and the company was terrific!
I thought I’d share a few photos of both events.
Members of the branch waiting for the next round of ribs. In the middle is Philip Huggins, our Elder's Quorum President.
Le Gallion Beach is shallow and inside a huge bay so there are absolutely zero waves, making it a perfect place for little kids to play in the water and build sand castles. The gentleman standing up is Elder Wright, a full time senior missionary.
Karla Daniels and Cecily Lew, fellow AUC spouses and Mormons
Patrick and Redalso, two of the young men I teach every Sunday
Vernice Huggins and Sister Bell, two of the stalwart sisters in the branch
Steve Daniels with one of his three awesome boys. Steve is a student at AUC, and a Mormon.
The Henry family hanging out in the shade
Tanner and Piper hanging out in the water
Beach volleyball while the meat cooks. That's George with the green shirt on the grill.
Our smiley Branch President, Rinaldo Kasanwidjojo. He bent over backwards to help us when we first arrived.
Elizabeth Kasanwidjojo and her son
From left to right: Elder and Sister Wright, I-don't-know-who, a French sister who I met but don't recall her name, Sister Bell, and Debra Joseph
Andi and Piper in the shade, by the food
The energetic Zhoja
The Daniel Boys
Shane (in the green shirt) is Tanner's age, and Shannon (in the white shirt) who is Andi's age. On Monday they invited Andi and Tanner over for a play date and I'm hoping this friendship will continue to develop
The ever adorable Piper
On Monday, the day after Easter, the kids all went to the Easter Egg hunt at church. The Primary in the branch is small, but the leaders still put forth a fantastic effort to create meaningful lessons on Sunday and fun activities during the week as well.
Lining up for the hunt
Making a find?
Decorating (and eating) cookies
The adorable Fifi
Everyone's full of candy and cookies
Being a member of the LDS church and the St. Maarten Branch has wonderfully enriched and enhanced our experience on the island so far, and we are looking forward to another year and a half of fun activities and to getting to know these people even better.
The Daniels family and the Wightman’s will be leaving us soon, which is sad for us but exciting for them as they move on to clinical rotations back in the States. But we also just received word that a new LDS couple, Gary and Ashley Attebury’s, will be joining us soon so Gary can start school at AUC in May.
Thank you to all the members of the St. Maarten branch, both medical students and permanent residents, for helping make our island experience even more fulfilling. You are all wonderful!
Your branch pres. looks so happy! These were fun pictures to look at!
He IS so happy! I don’t think he’s capable of not smiling.
Totally enjoyed meeting your branch. It mkes me realize what an opportunity this is for your family. It’s nice to have the perfect life in St.Cloud, lbut where is the growth?
Thanks Mom. And you are absolutely right.
One of the photos showed a fried bread that I remember from my mission. Johnny Bread or Johnny cake.
Thanks for sharing
Flipper… yep! Johnny Cake, they called it. So yummy! (But maybe not too healthy?) Reminded me of scones.