Saturday, Antigua

We woke up before the crack of dawn on Saturday to catch a 7:30 AM flight out of Castries on Liat to Antigua. We made a quick stopover on the island of Dominica before jumping up to Antigua. Missionary Sternhagen and his daughter, Rachel, picked us and Teacher Joy (from St. Lucia) up at the St. John airport and took us back to their home.  We thought St. Lucia was small, but Antigua is even smaller still at only 108 square miles!

Flamboyant tree

We got settled in to our new home for the next four nights. Kristin and I took a walk around the neighborhood and even were escorted the entire way by one of the other missionary's dogs, Huck. He got all the dogs in the neighborhood riled up, but he gave us many good laughs. After a nice cool shower in their outdoor shower underneath the flamboyant tree (imagine taking a shower with kittens running in and out from underneath while the breeze cools you off all at the same time...quite a unique experience!), Mark and I made some visits with Pastor Sternhagen. We visited one of the preschool teachers and her husband who have been members of the church there since practically the church's beginning 40 years ago. Then we also visited a woman who is now homebound, but has been an integral member of the church for close to 35 years and whose sister is also one of the teachers at the school.

Steel drummers preparing for Sunday's worship

We stopped by St. John's Lutheran Church then and found many groups hard at work, preparing for the church services the next day. They have a dance troupe that often gives their dance as an offering to the Lord. They have a couple of steel drum bands that play and also a couple of choirs.

Dance group preparing a number for worship service

Richards family

For dinner that night, Pastor Jason and Judy Richards and their baby Levi welcomed us into their home for a nice chicken dinner. We were able to discuss their ministry there at the church and school.

Front entrance to the church