Over 3 months in Grenada now! - 9th December 2021

I pray you have wonderful Christmas and may God Bless your 2022. It was a bit scary when the Angel came to Mary and then to the Shepherds. It’s a bit scary in our current times, but they said do not fear I bring you good news of a Saviour. God showed us he walks with us by sending Jesus and he continues to walk with us in all our ups and downs of life. Trust him.

It has been great to link up with people in the UK over this past month. At the end of November I was interviewed by Marilyn from Pilgrims Way Church about my time here so far, for their 4th Sunday interview. They asked if I had learnt any new songs and I had to say no as we are reliant on my Ipod for music at Church, and they use many songs I know, but I hope that will change. We have now been back at Church in person for about 7 weeks. Most weeks there is about 10 people, but we had the Christening weeks of about 35 and the remembering love ones week of about 24 people. It seems that many have been involved before, but in recent years they have stopped or gone somewhere else to worship and that has been made worse due to Covid19.

Last Sunday 5th December I had my inductions/ Installations as minister and I am grateful to all who travelled from the Kirk at St Georges to support this occasion. It was busy weekend with a fund raising breakfast on Sat from 6am, cleaning the church of all the bat droppings through the day and then our first Family Time from 4pm. We had a few extra people who have not been to Church and we had great fun with craft, parachute games and acting out the Christmas story and more.

The Schools have slowly opened up more, still not all at once, but that is due to change when they re-open on 3rd Jan 2022. As a result I have just done a year 1 Assembly at MacDonald College and have done many Zoom Assemblies for the Samaritan Primary school. Doing all the tech, teaching and letting people in and out and muting them, sometime has been a challenge, but some I have seen youngsters out and they have said they enjoyed.

I continue to walk back and forth to the Church about 3 time a week’s taking about 1 hour each way up and down hills trying to avoid falling in the ditch as cars and mini buses come close. Once I am at the Church I try to visit the 5 spokes that go out from there each week. Four are up steep hills and so this keeps me fit. It is great to greet people and many are getting to know me and say hallo at other places and times. Today when over there I was able to do some parachute games in the school field with about 25 children.

I do drive mostly on Sundays to Church and this is just because I get so sweaty walking! I have now driven down to St George twice with someone with me. The second time when parking at the end I crashed in to concrete sign when the brakes did not work. If the sign had not been there I and my two passengers would have gone over into the road below. Thank God for the sign. They were fixed before I drove back. Scary! I have travelled by public transport (minibus) a few times. This can be like a fairground ride with the bends, hills, speed and road bumps, but they know what they are doing (I hope).

I travelled back one evening as the sun set over the sea and the views were amazing, the coast line is great with little fishing boats bobbing about. I have walked a lot around the coast and I am planning a sponsored walk around the island sometime next year. I may get others to do it with me over several days to raise money for our Church Hall in a bad state of repair. It could be used as a community resource and by the school some of the day.

I still feel a bit isolated in this house in the school compound, but I get out as much as possible and hope I will see more people as the schools open. I do wonder if I would be better living near the Church?

I have some plans but need to see the demand on me from the MacDonald’s college, before I can agree to do more than I am at present at the Primary School and Church. I am reading slightly less as I get busier, but still trying to sea swim a few time a week. This time of the year the wind is up, cooler and there are bursts of rain, but still hot.

Do make contact for a zoom meet up or and what app call. May God Bless your Christmas and start of 2022.

Rev Nigel Lindsay