Bahamian Directions, a way of life

Anya and I took off on our own adventure today to find a place we had only ever been driven to before. Which of course meant, we got lost. We drove for a bit, got stuck in traffic, drove another way for a bit then finally my lovely but exasperated daughter wisely said from the back seat, why don't you just ask for directions. So I did, we stopped into a store and went in. We were kept at the counter for some time for the wonderful fellow who worked there told us the majority of his life story which we were glad to hear. A bit later he gave us directions to where we originally intended to go. I would have done my best to repeat them as verbatim as I got them but that is impossible as they seemed to change slightly every time they were given. He was incredibly helpful but there was a certain way about the manner in which he gave directions that was slightly confusing for my Canadian brain. Here are a few I received this afternoon.


Street names were never used, instead landmarks have become the name of streets for example "you know the store that sells flags.. that street". Besides non moving landmarks the presence of people was used to direct me as well. One of my favourite examples was "the corner where the peanut seller stands..you know the guy that is always there, turn towards that corner". My favourite was the reference to the hot dog vendor across from the vacant lot well not that street but the next corner..turn there".. As he went on my grin grew bigger, I knew I would get lost again but this time I would would be doing so with a mission, to see the neighbourhood the way he does.


I left with my head spinning with the many visuals he had given to me and off we went to find the store. I noticed, the flag store, the peanut seller, who apparently is always there, the hot dog vendor with the huge line up of customers and the vacant lot where kids were playing. I was impressed that these directions worked. I would have done better with the left then right kind of directions but after we arrived at the intended store I realized that the man's directions (and to be honest all Bahamian directions) are built around their way of life. I really do not know if he ever buys those peanuts, or hot dogs or plays ball in the vacant lot but this is his corner of the world and he knows the important things like people not just street names.


While I was a bit frustrated at first with the directions I realized that if I had received a left or right version of them I would have missed the peanut seller, the hot dog vendor and the vacant lot. I would have missed the true reason why I am here, people. I am so glad God gave me the opportunity to notice this small part of Nassau today, and I hope to continue to find (and understand) directions via the way of life on this Island. It is a remarkable perspective.

They're Back!!!

They're back!! Those brown rectangular taped objects are back into our lives with full force. Our boxes finally arrived from there sea voyage,or cruise if you ask Anya's stuffed animals, we expected them sometime next week and were happy to see them early. We greedily threw open all the boxes last night much like a child on their birthday to see what presents these traveling boxes have to offer us. We exclaimed with joy as Toronto Maple Leaf souvenirs popped out of the boxes, the Tim Horton's coffee mug was hoisted onto our shoulders an paraded around the house, the long lost books were caressed with joy and the conversations overheard between my daughter and her various favorite toys were priceless. There was much joy!



Today my plan is to stay here and sort and organize as much as possible to turn this house into our home. Yes, these things are just things and we could do without, but I have to admit that just drinking out of my favourite coffee mug while blogging this morning feels different, feels like home. I am grateful that we are feeling settled in the strange new world of Bahamas, I am thankful that God is helping us put down some roots. Our stuff that arrived is not the cause of these roots to be put down but I feel they are a symbol for that. Drinking out of a favourite coffee mug does not make me call this place home, it is the feeling of contentment that is arising more and more that we are indeed where we need to be.

Shine on My friends!

The excitment of a story unknown

It was made official on March 14 2010, my family was being uprooted to Paradise. I should explain briefly, but I will be brief as that whole story will be another blog for another time. We are moving to Nassau Bahamas, (10 minutes from Paradise island..thus the Paradise reference) in June. We are moving from our cosy Etobicoke neighbourhood, from our amazing neighbours, from our shell-shocked church family and our slightly excited but saddened family.
We are selling most of our possessions, taking a huge cut in our combined salaries and removing ourselves from most that we know and love. Curious? Intrigued? Me too.
Bottom line is this, this story is and will be a story of how God has moved the MacPhails but it is not a story that I have read yet, I have tried to write it according to my own desires but I am fairly certain that I am not the right author to write this one, so I am left with the humble position of being the author who writes about being part of this story not yet done. I need to process this story as it unfolds, I need to try to make sense of it as it is revealed, that is what this blog is about. I am about to be uprooted from my cosy existence to a life not yet known, kinda scary for a home girl like me. I am about to discover so much about how God works in and through me for His story. Stay tuned, story to continue ....