Monthly Archives: January 2015

Dream Come True

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A colouring book which I created about the unique Island of Bonaire and her sister islands of Aruba and Curaçao has now been published by Addo’s Books.  The small islands are located in the Caribbean off the northwest coast of Venezuela, South America.  My husband and I served with TWR for 11 years on Bonaire, during which time our three children were educated completely in the Dutch language.  Each of them became avid scuba divers.

John recently obtained his PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer certification, and returns to Bonaire for 9 weeks on January 31, 2015.  He is delighted to now be a member of Worldwide Christian Scuba Divers Organization (WCSDO – wcsdo.org).  Forty eight of their members will be on the island the first week of February, assisting in construction of an addition to the International Bible Church and other missionary work.  In fact, 11 of the divers will be on the same flight from Houston TX as John!  They will give him a WCSDO T-shirt when they meet.  When John booked his vacation months ago, he had never heard of the WCSDO.  How do you explain the timing of their flights?

Below is Addo Stuur’s online promotion of my colouring book, Colour the ABCs:

addo_logo Addo’s Books, Toys, Office Supplies

Kaya Grandi 36 – P.O. Box 465 | Kralendijk, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles  Tel: 717 6618 / 786 1418

addosbookstore@gmail.com

 ABC-cover

4 talen
4 lenga
4 languages
4 idiomas

$ 4,95

Bo ke rondia un keuba di pirata?
Bo ke mira un piská drumi den un mea di sleim transparente?
Pinta bo kaminda dor di e islanan eksitante A B C Aruba, Bonairu, Korsou!
E buki aki a wordu traha net pa bo dor di Eleanor McDonald di Kanada ku a biba riba e isla B for di ana 1973 pa 1984.

Kun je een rovers hol vinden?
Wil je een vis zien slapen in zijn bel?
Kleur alles van de interessante ABC eilanden: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao!
Dit boekje is speciaal gemaakt voor jou door Eleanor McDonald uit Canada, die op B woonde van 1973 tot 1984.

Want to find a pirate’s cave?
Want to see a fish sleeping in a bubble?
Colour your way through the exciting ABC islands: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao!
This book was created just for you by Eleanor McDonald from Canada, who lived on the ‘B’ from 1973 to 1984.

¿Quieres encontrar una cueva de piratas?
¿Quieres ver un pez durmiendo en su burbuja?
Colorea tu camino a través de las emocionantes islas ABC: Aruba, Bonaire, Curazao!
Este libro estuvo creado especialamente para ti por Eleanor McDonald de Canadá.

coral

fruit_boat

conch_and_crab

parakeets

28 pages

Eleanor

200 Years Ago

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Yesterday, Sunday, January 11th, marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Sir John A. Macdonald.  Stephen Harper paid tribute to Canada’s first prime minister by saying the Scots-born politician “forged Canada out of sheer will.”

Macdonald’s political career as a Kingston alderman began the year the cornerstone of Kingston City Hall was laid, 1843, and after his death, the first prime minister of Canada lay in state in the same room where Harper delivered his remarks.

Sir John A. Macdonald close-up

A gifted sculptor from Wellesley, Ruth Abernethy, created his likeness in bronze, which is temporarily on display in the Kitchener Auditorium, home of the Kitchener Rangers. (Some hockey fan had the audacity to put one of the team’s shirts on Sir John A.!)

John standing with Sir John A. Macdonald

Our oldest son is named John A. McDonald, and always signs his emails and correspondence with John A. In fact, he gets a kick out of using this as one of his email addresses:  sirjohnamcdonald@gmail.com. 

Of course, there is a slight difference in the spelling of the last name, but for some strange reason, everyone thinks the prefix of our surname is spelled with an “a” and not just a “c.”

When people meet my husband for the first time and hear the surname McDonald, sometimes they jest, “You’re not Sir John A. Macdonald, are you?”  Lloyd replies with a straight face, “No.  I’m his father.”

Sir John A. Macdonald’s history and accomplishments are engraved on the backs of the two chairs he stands beside.  The installation is called “The Conversation.”  As you thank God for the blessings you enjoy in Canada . . . sit a spell . . . and read what is engraved on the back of the two chairs Sir John A. Macdonald stands between.  Find out what this remarkable man did to make Canada one of the best countries to live in.

Writing on Sir John A. Macdonald left chair

Writing on Sir John A. Macdonald chairs