Susan Wright

What I saw in Grenada:

I saw an island covered in green and white and orange. The plants, a hundred shades of green, held birds, bugs and fruit. The buildings of white and orange held roughly a hundred thousand souls, men, women, and children.

I saw a sky, crystal clear blue or covered in huge fluffy clouds, and at least once a day it would muster up a torrential rain that would drench the island and anything that couldn't reach cover in 4.8 seconds.

I saw water, blue clear, green, always moving in and out.

I saw men, many seemed displaced, lost, empty, and unsatisfied.

I saw women, most of them reaching out with grasping hands at anything to fill the hell sized abyss in their fist sized hearts.

I saw children, wide eyed and wondering, did we have what they were looking for?

I saw tourists, enthralled, open eyed and open mouthed. But I wondered what they saw and what they tasted. Was it the beauty of a tropical island and its delicious fruits and spices? Or was it the broken hearts of a cursed creation and the salt of bitter tears?

I saw mango trees, bread fruit trees, papaya trees, and a dozen other strange, weird and otherwise odd fruits and plants.

I saw my reflection in a mirror.

I saw Mr. Jerry, Mr. Kenny, Mr. Herb, and Mr. Lamar, white men in a black country, all smiles and jokes.
I saw Mrs. Faith, Mrs. Peggy, Mrs. Fern, Mrs. Heather, Mrs. Ruth, and Mrs. Karen, so often frantic in their attempts to have everything they needed where they needed it when they needed it. But O, the giggles that would come from the balcony after everyone else was in bed.

I saw Lizzy, Stephanie, Sarah, Hannah, Amy, and Rebbecca, so often goofing off when I was trying to sleep.

And I saw God.

I saw Him in the complexity of those curious plants, fruits, and animals, I heard Him rejoicing over His creation and I knew that He personally cared for all of it. And are not the people in those cinder block houses more valuable than these?

I saw His smile in the whimsical clouds, and heard His laughter in the refreshing rains.

I saw Him in the water, a small piece of a vast ocean, and knew that He saw not only that little bit that I could see, but every drop from the surface to the bottom. And I felt His bigness.

I saw Him in the men there, in Chris, a righteous saint, and in the drunk bumbling down the street gawking at us girls.. For though the Spirit is in Chris, God's image is born by all men.

I saw Him in the women there, in Wilma, the dedicated VBS helper, and in the fowl mouthed lady who braided my hair. For though the Spirit is in Wilma, I felt God look at both and smile.

I saw Him in the children there. I would look into their longing eyes and my heart would break for them. How, in fifteen hours, could we speak enough truth into their hearts to make a difference, when they live in a world that is full of lies and hate? And then God would put His arm around my shoulder, look into that same set of brown eyes, and say “Susan, I've got this one covered.”

I saw Him in the tourists. Though I didn't know what they were thinking, I knew they were on an adventure, and I knew that God was a excited about their new experiences as they were. I saw Him look out over the island, then turn back to the very pleased tourists and say “You like this? Let Me show you....”

I saw Him in my own reflection. I saw Him in the life behind my eyes, for if it were not for His indwelling, I would be dead. I saw Him standing over my shoulder and smiling at me, even though I was angry, disappointed, or frustrated. He knew me, and nothing about me scared Him.

I saw Him in the men on our team. They displayed the love, grace, mercy, protection, consideration, authority, respect, humility, kindness, submission, and joy in the perfectly masculine way that shows God's character.

I saw Him in the women on our team. They displayed the loving, nurturing, caring, sensitive, laughing, and tender heart of God.

I saw Him in the other girls on our team. They displayed the acceptance, cooperation, willingness, joy, and flexibility that comes only with the presence of the Spirit.

I saw many things in Grenada, but without exception, in everything, I saw God.