Join Addy, Katie, and Pam as they recollect their emotions and takeaways from Culture Day. Through observing the contrasting features of the ocean, they connected God’s creation to the interactions they have had with people over the past week. Their blog is a perfect reminder of the importance of rest and reflection.
Our day started off experiencing the Bahamian way of praising the Lord while making friends at Grace Baptist Church. We all agreed that it was a great experience, and were inspired by their spirit-led, enthusiastic worship. The whole church was incredibly welcoming and made us feel comfortable. Two men in our group were greeted and immediately labeled. One as a “pastor” and the other as a “troublemaker,” which is completely accurate. In the middle of worship, we paused to take time to have fellowship and introduce ourselves. The meet and greet time involved hugging everyone in sight.
For culture day, we explored down south to a local seafood restaurant, Pete’s Pub. After ordering our food, we all split up to explore the area. On one side of the restaurant was a calm beach filled with yachts and tourists. Right off the beach is The Gallery, a shop selling high-priced sculptures and other items for tourists. After walking a short set of stairs, we crossed the peninsula to find waves crashing against jagged lava rocks. After climbing the rocks, the wind picked up, and the mist from the ocean sprayed those closest to the edge.
The contrast between both sides of the restaurant is similar to our interactions with many people this week. In the midst of crashing challenges in life, they rely on God to remain peaceful. It’s evident that they receive their joy from the Lord because they remain content and joy-filled in the midst of tragedies that to us seem as crushing as the waves. The food at Pete’s Pub attracted many people, causing long lines, but it was worth it as we enjoyed the fresh seafood.
Continuing down south, we ventured to Long Dock, where we spent the rest of our day. Long Dock is a 770-foot wooden dock built in the 1940s for mail delivery. People enjoyed walking in the shallow water all the way to the end of the dock, exploring and looking for aquatic life. Some of our team was able to observe multiple stingrays throughout the visit, as well as a lemon shark close to the dock. Different variations of fish were spotted, including various colors and sizes. Not only were animals a favorite, but conch shells were also an attraction.
Tonight, Jason (Leah’s dad) was a special guest and joined us for dinner and our Impact debrief. We have come to enjoy this fellowship time where we share highlights and challenges of our day. It helps our team’s connections grow stronger through understanding each other on a deeper level.
– Addy, Katie, and Pam
