To the Other Side of the World and Back in 10 Days

WOW! It's so hard to believe I have been to Yap and back already! It was a wonderful trip! I was there for missions to help build a church building, but I was able to experience so much more than a building. The Island is so beautiful and exotic. The culture is unlike any other I had experienced (they still use stone money!).  I want to share a few pictures with you before days go by and I get busy and caught up in other things.

The sunsets were gorgeous.

Fish is a staple on the island. This is some fresh fish I was partly
responsible for cleaning...new experience for me!

This is the current church building with the new building
 going up in the background.

We saw rainbows every day. Not only are they beautiful, but a
 reminder that God keeps his promises to us.

The guys beasted it! They had to pour all the cement by hand.
Not only was it a ton of physical labor, but try doing it in a sauna!

A view of the ocean

Breadfruit....um, I think I passed on this one. It's scary looking!

Wrecked Japanese Zero from WWII
hiding in the tropical undergrowth.

The Men's House in one of the villages.

Being outside in Yap is like being in a sauna all day. If you don't mind the heat, it's a beautiful tropical island to go visit. The smell of pineapple and other fruit lingers in the air and coconut trees sway along the beach front. The fishing is a guys dream come true! Most importantly though, God is at work here saving the locals. The baptist churches on the island are growing and it was SO exciting that I had an opportunity to be a part of this work.

Anniversary

June is definitely The Wedding Month.  My Grandparents are celebrating 60 years of wedded bliss! Can you believe it?! I, for one, think that is so amazing. Can you imagine being married to someone for that long? It's quite the accomplishment.

They have the sweetest love story, and in a nutshell, it goes something like this...

My grandparents both grew up in the same poor town of North Carolina. Their parents were friends but their children had never met each other for the good reason that they were ten years apart. The world was in turmoil with the start of World War II and my grandfather was drafted and sent over seas to fight. In the meantime, my grandmother started high school.

After many long months and several battle wounds later, my Papa returned home from fighting on the war torn beaches of Normandy to his home in North Carolina (yes, he did fight on D-Day!!). He was twenty-nine years old at the time. 

My Mimi was just 19 when a picture on a family friend's mantle caught her eye. 

You guessed it. My Papa came home from the war, met this sweet girl, and promptly fell in love. They went on thirteen dates and were married shortly after my grandmother graduated from high school. 

This is a picture I snapped of them just about a month ago. I am so thankful for my grandparents. Just like you see in this picture, they have never left each others' sides. They are so committed to each other and I consider myself fortunate to have such a great heritage. They are both such wonderful people and I love them so much. Happy Anniversary!!

XO,

C