Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas

Happy New Year!

We are thankful that we could spend the holidays with my family in the Bahamas on a little island called Green Turtle Cay. It's only accessible by boat and most people get around on golf carts.

We live on an island here in the Dominican Republic but it's nothing like this island. In Green Turtle Cay there are only about five hundred people and no natural fresh water. There are only a few shops and groceries are very expensive. It was relaxing though! We enjoyed boating, fishing, swimming, snorkeling, and more!

Turtle watching was my favourite. I stayed away from the sharks.

We also enjoyed lots of time playing and snuggling with cousins.

and a New Year's Parade called Junkanoo.

The kids especially loved Sunday School and couldn't wait to go back.

Thank you, Mom and Dad! It was a great trip!

Marcie

Spoiled

Hello!

There are some days when it's difficult to live in another country. It can be tough to work in a different language and culture, not to find what we're looking for at the grocery store, and to answer questions like "Why can't we see snow?" and "When can we go to Grandma and Grandpa's house?"

But there are lots of times when we feel spoiled. We live in a beautiful place and get to work with wonderful people. And, within a few hours, we can drive to a beautiful beach like this one where we went over the holidays. Its name, Playa Bonita, actually means "beautiful beach."

It was gorgeous!

And fun for the kids. I'm not sure what they enjoyed more--swimming in the ocean…

…or digging in the sand.

This little guy was amazed at a tree growing out of the rocks.

And this one's highlight was standing up on the surfboard!

Although we were eaten alive by mosquitoes, it was a trip that we won't soon forget!

We are blessed!

Marcie Cooper

Rice

Happy New Year!

How many times do you think you will eat rice this year? A few? A lot? Three hundred and sixty-five? I think that people around here will eat rice almost every day--if not twice a day! I have been on school field trips where almost every kid had a container of cold rice packed for lunch. They offered to share but I was happy with my sandwich!

Over New Year's we had a chance to travel to the east part of the island where we had never been before. On our way, we drove through field after field of rice. I had always wondered where it was grown! In many places, men were hunched over planting it by hand. What a lot of work!

People all around the country live off of this staple food, including the staff and students at our school. Our cooks prepare so much rice that they have to stir it with a giant paddle. We appreciate their hard work!

When they occasionally make pasta or hot dogs, the kids wonder where the rice is. They just don't seem to get tired of it! Our kids don't either. Our little one doesn't even really like potatoes. It must be because he was born here!

Whether you're eating rice or potatoes or whatever your staple food might be, I hope that you have a wonderful year!

Marcie Cooper

Click here to read more about how Dominicans cook their rice.

Powerful God

Dear Friends,

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. 

Isaiah 40:28

We didn't quite go to the ends of the earth last week but drove six hours to the end of the island to spend a week with Paul's family in Punta Cana. It was beautiful!

After a couple days, it got really windy and I was reminded of God's power through the crashing waves.

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 Isaiah 40 talks about God's power but doesn't stop there. He GIVES his power to the weak. Many of us know verse 31:

But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

We continue to pray for strength for Paul's sister, Lisa, who has not been well but was finally given the OK to travel to visit us. It was great to spend time with a wonderful family!

Marcie Cooper

Happy and Sad

HAPPY New Year!

We're HAPPY that we could spend Christmas and New Year's with family and friends.

We're HAPPY that we could meet a nephew/cousin.

We're HAPPY that we could see a sister/aunt that has been sick.

We're HAPPY that we could see a tiny bit of snow and go skating.

We're HAPPY that we could go shopping for things we can't find where we live.

We're HAPPY that we get to go on an airplane to the Dominican Republic.

We're HAPPY that it's warm there!  We've been cold!

We're SAD that it's warm there. We wish we could see more snow and have more time to skate.

We're SAD that we have to pack everything in a small number of suitcases.

We're SAD that we can't take our friends and family with us. We will miss them.

But we're HAPPY that will see other friends where we're going.

We will be HAPPY and SAD as we leave tomorrow but we know we're right where we're supposed to be, doing just what we're supposed to do, and that makes us HAPPY.

Marcie Cooper

Packing

Hello!

I haven't had much time to write because we've been busy packing.

Our printer is broken so I didn't get to print off the advent sheets I wanted the kids to colour for "peace" on Sunday. They coloured the candle on their advent cake page but that was all. I can't believe that next Sunday is Christmas! It will be a busy week but I'm sure we'll enjoy it and I hope you will too!

Have a great day!

Marcie Cooper