Trini Talk

Here is some Trinidad vocabulary, should you ever find yourself needing it:

we reach = we got there or we're here
hot it = warm it up in the mocrowave or on the stove
the dog is dead = give it up
landslip = landslide
hump = bump (in the road)
kill it = finish it (as in eat the rest of it or drink the rest of it)
plenty plenty = a lot
make a cook = cook for a bunch of people (usually together with others)
accustomed = used to
paining = hurts/hurting
making a move = we're leaving now
just now = wait a minute/hold on
truly = really
balenah = rolling pin
aloo = potato
zabaco = avacado
chadon beni = an herb that tastes like cilantro (although it looks more like a fuzzy mint leaf)
zebra crossing = school crossing sign
windscreen = windshield
chive = chive, but it's pronounced sive

News from Lisa & Andrew

Here's the general news from Lisa & Andrew:

First of all, we're loving each other and loving married life:). After the wedding in the states, too little honeymoon (isn't that always the case?), travelling to visit relatives & friends who couldn't make the wedding and finally arriving in Trinidad, we've hit the ground running. Each week consists of 2-3 home meetings or Thanksgivings held in people's homes. Home meetings are simply a chance to gather to worship together, listen to a brief sharing from the bible, and pray for the people present. Thanksgivings are in honor of a birthday, a child dedication, a new job or any other reason one wants to celebrate. Both occassions are places where family, friends, and neighbors are invited and there is often an opportunity to share the gospel to a few for the first time. Home meetings often culminate in a small refreshment (a garlic/cheese spread on white bread sandwhich and some "sweet drink"), while Thanksgivings always entail a full meal (roti, stewed and curried meats, potato salad, macaroni pie, fried rice, chocolate or pound cake, and sweet drink). Needless to say, we both put on a few pounds in the last 2 months!

Andrew has preached a couple sermons, he has 4 other associate pastors he works with who've preached, and I got to preach my first real sermon Aug 5 (thanks to those who prayed - it was well received!). We have the CD machine that Andrew purchased last fall working, so we actually have CDs of the last 3 sermons. I've also started playing keyboards in the worship on Sunday mornings. I'm quite rusty, but it has been fun to get back into it. 2 weeks ago, worship was so sweet that we just ended up skipping the sermon altogether! I enjoy that kind of freedom within a service:). I am still learning how to be a pentacostal, but all in all it's going well.

The toughest part of marriage for me is the cooking. Andrew is used to chunks of meat (bacon and hamburger don't cut it) for breakfast, lunch AND dinner and I maybe used to eat meat like that once a week. He wasn't real keen on left-overs either, but he's learning to love them and is being quite patient and encouraging with me as I figure out how to shop in the stores here and how to cook with a propane gas stove. Last week I was laid up for a couple days with a nasty wasp sting on my left heal and Andrew made a quite tasty baked chicken that we both agreed we loved. So, we're not starving:).

Auntie Jean returned from the Cayman Islands a couple weeks ago where she was caring for her new grand-daughter for several months. This week, she made a mosquito net for our new bed (the old net didn't fit it) and the last 2 nights have been great sleeps:). Andrew killed 2 of John & Jean's chickens for them yesterday morning so they can use them for a family gathering we're having on Saturday night. I debated watching the kill and decided I just couldn't do it yet. Someday perhaps I'll be able to do it if I have to. I really enjoy Auntie Jean and am sad that she'll be leaving again in 2 weeks to take care of Sadie through January. I'll really miss her.

Andrew's mom Dulcie is in Florida right now taking care of Andrew's brother Clint's daughters, Kimberly & Kaylee. Dulcie should be returning to Trinidad in October or so and I'm looking forward to seeing her again too. We see Merle and Uncle Daddy and Auntie Baby and many other friends and family fairly often, although at the time we're a one-car family so travel is somewhat limited. Mostly Andrew and I are just enjoying spending time with each other:).

That's most of the news from Trinidad! Would love to hear from you:).

Time & Temperature

Time in Trinidad is a somewhat relative term. Most US to Trinidad flights land about an hour after they're scheduled to. If you have an appointment with an important person, you better be on time but be prepared to wait 1-3 hours to see them anyway (bring a book!). If you're officiating a wedding, you can arrive about 10 minutes before the wedding is scheduled to start because it probaby won't start for another hour. If the elecricity goes out, "not often" means it might happen once a month and "not for long" means it might be out anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 days. If the water pressure drops at our house, "not often" means once a week in rainy season (Jun - Dec) and once a month in dry season and "not long" means 1-3 days. Although this means we have no water upstairs, we thankfully still get enough of a trickle downstairs at all times to do dishes and take a shower. Phew! While time is a bit looser than in America, on the whole Trinidad does manage to keep to a schedule, so it's rather dangerous to assume that anything in particular will run late.

The temperature is always between 23 Celsius (70 Fahrenheit) at night and 32 Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) in the day. Weather forcasts therefore don't really bother telling you the temperature (although it's printed in the national paper - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday). They're more likely to tell you about the weather approaching. I'm still a bit fuzzy on these, but I think it goes like this:

Rain - means rain:)
Tropical disturbance - means winds are picking up
Tropical wave - means there's a pattern developing
Tropical storm - something like our severe thunderstorm warning
Hurricane - run for cover

Sticking the Cake

More commonly known as "cutting the cake" in America. Yes, they stuff it in each other's faces too. The cakes here are more moist and the frosting is softer and far less sugary (more like a whipped cream frosting). If even served in public, it's always served in very small slivers. Even in small pieces, they weren't sure they could feed 200 with this cake, so they simply sent it home with Andrew and I. Since Andrew doesn't eat sweets, it was up to me to make my best effort. Thankfully, friends and family came by to "lime" (hang out) that week and we shared it around. I finally finished the last piece 3 weeks later. Yum:).

Reception - Sitting in the Swing:)

One of many toasts...

July 7, 2007 - Trinidad Reception

We arrived "home" on June 29, Andrew led a wake service for his cousin Asha (38 years old - died of a lung clot) on June 30, preached in service July 1 (which was also Lisa's birthday), and then started planning the Trinidad reception in earnest. It all came together beautifully with a little loaves and fishes food miracle as 100 stretched closer to 200 friends and family in attendance. It was pretty much a Trinidad wedding minus the vows. Andrew & I dressed at home and were driven to the church with a procession of cars following us. When we arrived, we processed in to Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring and were seated on the lovely swing (do you even recognize it?) my mom had given us. Decorations were the standard lights, silk flowers, tulle, and a banner (we skipped the balloons). the reception was emceed by Shah Mohammed, a pastor friend of Andrew's who's working with our church now. There were "specials" (vocal solos), worship songs, toasts (with more peardrax), sticking of the cake, and a full meal of roti, stew chicken, pumpkin, salad, and "mother-in-law" (a spicy hot pepper relish). The swing was quite a hit with couples who lined up after the meal to get their pictures taken in it. Everyone had a wonderful time:).

June 8, 2007

Before God and a whole bunch of other people, Lisa Marie Brinkman and Andrew Sinanan were united in marriage on this date. We want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who contributed time, money, expertise, love, and simply their presence and/or prayers. It was a fabulous day and we love you all!

Lisa & Andrew

Wedding Pictures!

Yes, the wedding pictures are finally online! You can view and order pictures at http://www.weddingimagesonline.com/ until Sept 10, 2007.

4x6 for $3
5x7 for $6
8x10 for $12
16x20 for $45
8 wallets for $8

Special thanks to Paul Fletcher for taking such great pictures! psfphotography@usfamily.net

Airplane Rainbow

Farewell Rainbow

Ridgedale Rainbow

Trinidad Rainbow

Happy Hills Rainbow in Trinidad. The first of many!

Covenant

Here goes my first post as Lisa Sinanan from Williamsville, Trinidad! Rainbows have been liberally sprinkled throughout our relationship and as Andrew preached on Noah a couple weeks ago, I was once again reminded of the significance of this covenant. It was God's promise that He would not flood the earth again as He had in the past. On a personal note, it is a reminder to me that God will not flood me with more than I can handle with Him. I may need a big boat, but I'll get through:). The first rainbow appeared at Happy Hills farm in Trinidad last August where I sat sipping coconut water while Andrew played All Fours with the guys and we smiled at each other as much as we dared. (Sidenote: my nephew Noah was then born in November:)). The next rainbow appeared on Christmas morning as Andrew, his mom Dulcie, Aunt Jean & Uncle John & I drove to church about 6:30am. It was a huge patch of clouds with a little hole in it where the rainbow showed through. The next rainbow appeared as Andrew & I were driving home from the beautiful south offfices wedding shower - it was so huge, I had to stop and take pictures in the Ridgedale parking lot! The most spectacular rainbow appeared on the night of our Farewell Party at Victory/Memorial (can't remember the name) Park in Richfield where there was a HUGE double and occassionally triple rainbow! The windy weather was well worth the rainbow. The most recent rainbow was seen from the airplane on our trip "home" to Trinidad - a circle rainbow! What an extravagently loving God we serve:).