Adventist Mission

Two Lives Changed

I had lived in Southern California near family and friends all 26 years of my life so one would think that it would be difficult to move away. Surprisingly, Fred and I made the decision fairly easily (or so I thought). So we said our goodbyes to family and friends and off we went. It wasn’t much of a surprise when the first night away I bawled my eyes out. I missed my family! But soon the hustle and bustle of life took over as we began work and settled into our new home.

Although the official language of Trinidad is English, the dialect and vocabulary made it difficult to fully understand. During our first few days in Trinidad, we thought the people were speaking a completely different language!

Trinidad is primarily comprised of Indo-Trinidadian and Afro-Trinidadian ethnic groups. So our presence in Trinidad was quite noticeable and we attracted much attention as we walked the streets. We were addressed with “Hey you, Chinaman!” “Chinie!” or “Ching chong!” In the United States, we blended in quite well in the ethnic melting pot that it is. But here in Trinidad we stuck out like a sore thumb. So the process of feeling at home and being accepted by others was a long and painful journey.

Getting around by public transportation was an art in itself. The different colored stripe on the taxi van, called maxi taxi, determined its route while the specific hand gestures given by the passenger determined the desired destination. We, ignorant Americans, waved down maxis like people do in New York and the drivers would flash a confused look with quick hand gestures and drive away before we could respond. We sure had a lot to learn.

Learning to drive on the other side of the road was quite a challenge as well. Just being able to walk to the right side for the driver’s seat was a confusing task let alone clicking on the indicator switch rather than the windshield wipers.

Walking back and forth in the humid heat from our home to the grocery store with full bags of groceries was a chore and tiring. So when I was feeling light-headed and warm, the heat was to blame. Little did I know that I was pregnant! We had not expected it to happen so soon but were thrilled with the news. I was sad that my family and friends would miss out on my first pregnancy. A few months later we had to move to a new home due to mold growing on our ceilings. Packing, moving, and unpacking on our own was difficult for the both of us with Fred doing most of the moving and me being big and pregnant. How we wished that our family and friends were here to help!

Although new experiences and separation from loved ones have been difficult for us, we’ve learned to depend wholly on each other and on God, our Supreme Provider, and have become a stronger family through it. Since our arrival, we learned that each trial or difficulty is a blessing in disguise so that God may refine our characters through His refining fire. We have the confidence in knowing that at least two lives have been touched by the love of God and changed as a result of our service here – ours. God has undoubtedly used our experience as missionaries to prepare us for His kingdom. We are excited to see what God holds for us in the future.

Meet the Lees
Lee Family, Blog 1
Lee Family, Blog 2
Lee Family, Blog 3

More Missionary Blogs