Taxi Driver's Association Beach Party (Also known as Day 3)

I am warning you now, I will not do this day justice.  There just aren't the right words to describe Day 3.  If only I could somehow display my facial expressions and my hand gestures, it would be so much more effective.  But that's not possible.  And sadly, I have no pictures.  Actually, it's probably for the best that there is no proof or evidence.  Only memories, which can fade or become richer with time.  We'll see what holds true in this case.

It's Sunday, and because we did not bring the appropriate attire, we were not able to attend church.  All I had were sundresses and flip flops, not even thinking that would be disrespectful to their culture.  (I'm thinking our movie theater church, with our jeans, flip flops and shorts, probably wouldn't make it over there.) :)


Mr. McLeod

So Brian and I just waited until church was over so our driver could come get us.  We had no plans or any ideas on what to do, so Mr. McLeod invited us to a beach party.  Not just any beach party, but it was the the St. Vincent's Taxi Driver's Association Beach Party.  All the taxi drivers in the country were coming together for a day of fun in the sun!  It sounded perfect!  How could we refuse?  Actually, we really couldn't refuse.  He was our driver and this is where he was headed for the day, therefore, this is where we were headed for the day also.
(For those of you that have heard this story told, are you laughing yet?)

So we pick up our kids and off we go to another part of the island.  I do have to say, St. Vincent is beautiful.  Yes, there is poverty.  Yes, there are sheep and goats roaming the streets.  And we saw children walking around in underwear with no shoes. 

 But everything is green and lush and tropical.  St. Vincent is mountainous. So there are layers upon layers of trees and blooms.  There are waterfalls.  There was nothing dead or dry or flat. The only flat thing that I saw on the whole island was the landing strip at the airport and I have no idea how they made it that flat. 

As we are heading to the party, our driver informs us that the movie, "The Pirates of the Caribbean" was filmed on St. Vincent.  He asks us if we would like to go see the set.  I think Isaiah shouted "YES" before we even had a chance to answer. 

No one was there that day, but during tourist season, you can order drinks and lunch at the main building where a lot of the movie was filmed. 
(The main building is the white building on the right.)

Finally, we are on our way to the Taxi party.  Once we arrive, Brian and I head off in search for a place for all of us to change into swimsuits.  The fact that we were seeking privacy to change was making this a little difficult.  We eventually stumbled upon a public restroom where there was a sign listing the price it would cost to use the facilities.  Umm...we have no $ on us.  And there is NO CHANCE we are sneaking in.  We look like out of place tourists, toting around 2 native children.  We look uncomfortable, we look conspicious, we look lost and confused. 

Well, I take my chance and trot in with Ruth.  I decide to feign ignorance if someone asks me about the fees.  No one does, but I get lots of looks and questions about Ruth. 

(You see, apparently, earlier that year, there had been a huge story about some white British people trafficking some babies off the island.  So everyone's guard was up.  And on top of that, if I mentioned adoption, the locals became very defensive and took the stance that there are no orphans in their country.  Not the best situation to walk into for us.)

I change us as quickly and as politely as possible, meet up with Brian and Isaiah, and off we go to find our one familiar face...fast!

Our driver was waiting for us so he could walk us past the guy in charge and into all the activities.  Brian took anything and everything offered to him as we walked so as not to offended anyone.  Once on the beach, Brian told me he would be back in a little bit.  He was going to try and befriend as many big men as possible in the next 10 minutes in hopes we would have protection if needed!
Unfortunately, the only man Brian truly befriended was Mr. St. John, a retired 70 year old taxi driver who offered little in the form of physical protection but Brian hoped that protection might come from the level of respect others had for this man.  Oh, and Mr. St. John's friend (the name alludes me now) was a young man who thought we were his new best friends.  I might need to add that he was so drunk, he mentioned something about hiding in a suitcase to travel, to eleminate the cost of airfare. Yeah, we are not planning on taking his advice.

Our poor children, not only stood out because their parents looked different, but we had brought them brand new swimsuits.  Isaiah had bright yellow swim trunks (it's easier to find kids in public places in orange and yellow) and Ruth had a cute little mango colored swimsuit with polka dots and a tutu sewn around the waist.  Needless to say, the other children, IF they had swimsuits, did not have anything new or cute.  Oh, and I had brought a pair of goggles.  I think there was a wait an hour long for a chance to try these "glasses" that let you see under water.  Isaiah finally gave up trying to get a turn and just let everyone else have them. 

The food and the drink, mostly different kinds of beer and a few local sodas, flowed endlessly.  At one point, I found Brian finishing off some meat and rice.  He asked me if I would like something to eat.  I did, but I wanted to stick with just the rice.  So he refilled the dish, which is half of a scooped out coconut shell and handed it to me with a wooden spoon.  After I finished, I asked him where he got his own coconut bowl and spoon, since we had not brought our own.  He then informs me that they weren't ours.  They belonged to our taxi driver.  Which he had given to Brian AFTER he AND his son had finished their dinners.  Oh, and they aren't washed between usings, just licked clean.
That adds a new dimension to the phrase, "Finger Looking Good!" :)

There were many aspects of this story I intentionally had to eliminate because they are not appropriate or they were disresptful.  These parts just happen to be some of the funniest and awkard moments of the day.  Just imagine the craziest things that can happen on a black sand beach at a goat roasting, beer drinking, underwear swimming beach party with about 150 locals, 2 sheltered white people and their 2 black children, and that was our day!  But I have to admit, we wouldn't trade that experience for anything in the world!
 
It began to rain, which is a daily occurence, and the children started shivering.  So we went back to the car to warm them and change their clothes and then head home.  As we were heading back, the thought on everyone's mind was our empending departure the next morning.  When we dropped the children off, we wouldn't see them again until we came back for them.  Both kids did not hold back their pleas in asking us to stay.  We explained that we had to go home to finish all of our paperwork so we could come back to get them.  Because of their history of abandonment, not just from their mother, I can completely understand their fear that we also wouldn't come back for them. 

But what was different about us, is that God is writing this story, not us.  And in His book, he does not leave you as orphans.  He comes to rescue and restore.  So we knew we were coming back...we just didn't know
when.

As we were driving, I took the opportunity to ask Isaiah, what his thoughts were the moment he saw us at the school.  He said...
"I looked at you and knew you were there for me.  That you were my mum and dad.  And that made my heart SO happy!"

This is the picture right after he said that...