Today was our most relaxing day, I think. We left not too early, after having breakfast here in the room (easy cereal day- having a small grocery place down the road to stock up on snacks and drinks, and cereal, has been a blessing). Headed back to Cane Bay- got there around 10:15, rented a couple of adirondack chairs from the dive place that Mark used yesterday, and plopped onto the mostly empty beach.
We snorkeled and chilled out for about 4 hours there today. I'm kind of addicted to snorkeling, I think- I might have a bit of withdrawals when we go back to snowy NH tomorrow!
Ate at the coolest place with the coolest name, right there on the beachfront: "Eat @ Cane Bay." Oh my word- LOVED it there. It's rated #1 on Trip Advisor for the island, and I can see why. Funky menu with yummy, fresh ingredients, cool music playing over the speakers, a breathtaking view...it all felt very hip and "San Diego-ish" there. Lots of folks who were headed in our out for scuba diving were coming and going (the dive shop is right behind the restaurant).
We got plenty of sun- Cam actually has a bit of a pink face tonight, despite our attempts at staying on top of the sunscreen thing! It is only just past 8:00 and he is already out cold- the earliest night so far. Elijah and Logan are not far behind, and Mark and I are going to be asleep early, too!
Mark and I were slap happy a few times:
We got some pizza from the bar to go, got changed up and headed back over to the west coast of the island to see if we could catch the sunset near the Friedrikstead Pier. We made it in plenty of time, and also got to experience being mildly harassed by a local, toothless woman who told us she needed medicine, and begged us for money, as we sat in our benches, recording the sunset. She said she needed $5 for a taxi to get her to the pharmacy, where the government gave her the prescription she needed for free (she even pulled out an empty medicine bottle for "proof"- ha)...she at first asked us to help her by driving her somewhere, and we told her no, but then when she asked for $5, we gave it to her but also prayed for her. Mark touched her arm and stood and prayed over her; that she would come to know Jesus' love and feel His love for her, and that she would be healed from whatever illness she has (which we could see was obviously addiction, and mental illness).
Cam's face was pretty nervous- he was staring at her, wide-eyed- she had a wild look for sure and the few teeth left, with the heavy accent to her mumbling, added to the effect. We told him after (he told us he felt sad) that this is a part of life- sometimes you don't give to those who beg in that way, but sometimes you do; it depends. And that if we had felt threatened in any way, that Mark and I would have grabbed the kids and started yelling (or more) if we needed to, but that we were safe. He didn't shed tears but I think he was the one who was rattled the most. To me, this experience didn't affect me much- after being verbally harassed by dozens of beggars a year or so ago in Philadelphia, I've developed a harder shell when outright confronted to give money. This woman was harmless- she even gave us a baggie of half-melted ice as a thank you. :) We saw her shuffling around, harassing a family sitting at an outside table at dinner, as we drove out of the town. Lord, You can do miracles, and if it's Your will, then I pray that You do one in her life before it's over. Amen.
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