Our 2 1/2 yrs in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

     On Nov 27th, we ended a 2 1/2 yrs stint in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  I have to say that it was truly one of the highlights of our lives.  We cannot express to all the new souls that we met in GTMO how truly blessed we were to have met and come to know each and every one of you.  I will post a link to our Picasa site so that all of you that are interested can view all the photos we took while there. 

     Mark and I had a wonderful time there.  Mark's activities included work of course but he made the most of his time there as well. He made over 400 scuba dives while there (4-5 tanks per week), read, played guitar in the worship band and for his own pleasure ---learned bass guitar while there, rode his mountain bike, kayaked and hiked with me and helped me with a lot of hospitality duties.  I'd say he had a very full plate there and slept quite well with all our activities.

    I was the non working end of the relationship but was so busy that I think I was working.  I had the wonderful ministry of hospitality while there, hosting a lot of our Filipino friends, unaccompanied military and DOD men and women as well as those frequent visitors we had from our friends and family.  I volunteered at the Treasures & Trivia thrift store and eventually ran it awhile and trained 2 new managers for the job.  My weekends were full with singing in the worship band ----2 services on Sunday to start then one on Sunday night but by the last 6 months was back to 2 services on Sunday as well.  Saturday night rehearsals.  Loved every minute of it and met some of my most precious friends there.  During the week mornings most were spent either walking to and from exercise classes, walking the Ridgeline or JPJ  and some classes in the evening while Mark was at work. Kayaking with friends and boating with the scuba divers, hanging out at the beach and snorkeling. Oh and babysat a 5 year old boy (Nathan) for at least 6 months total.  The barefoot life was wonderful. Outdoor movies were great when not too buggy.

     It was very sad saying goodbye but was the time to leave.  Hard to explain how tiny it starts to feel after awhile as we were unable to leave the island frequently.  Island fever does  happen.

Hope you will follow our new blog on our travels with Fidel around the USA.  We can't go see him so we have a Fidel bobblehead and are taking him on our trip with us.

Our link to Picasa is as follows   gallaghermarkandjo84@gmail.com  Go to google plus symbol all albums

    

Family Time

Jan 5th-14th, Wonderful family time. So happy Allison and Bridget were able to come to Cuba for a
visit with us. Lots of time decompressing.  Laying on the beach with books and listening to the ocean, snorkeling and getting tan, and watching movies under the stars. Loved every minute of the time spent with them here and will miss them. Cuba continues to be the place that God wants us for the time being. We are making the most of what He gives us on a daily basis. It is winter
and the days are in the 80's just lovely.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA

Our  first Christmas in Guantanamo Bay and we have been busy.  Lots of dinners and gatherings with friends.  I have been baking all week.  Assisted the chapel staff and lots of other volunteers with baking and packaging cookies for the troops and stuffing stockings to go along with the cookies.  Quite an ordeal I must say.  Think the total came to 1,200 app.  Lots of folks came out to help ----YEAH!!!  Thought it would not be so busy and would not have been except for all the baking.  Will be good to be back to normal again soon.  This blog just in it' infancy and hope to keep it going so that folks can check it from time to time.  Our weather has been great but unable to get to the beach until Christmas.  Will have a burger and dog lunch and good dinner at the galley.  Lots of good food I am sure.  Tomorrow will get all the goodie plates together and off to the friends here. Can't wait for our daughters to get here in January.   We wish all our far away friends and family a very very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.   Our doors are open-- come visit if you like. 

Larry the Lobster our buddy

Hello from Cuba.  These are some of the tasty lobsters that Mark and his dive buddy, Todd extract from the ocean and bay floor.  Very yummy and oh so big. We are having a terrific time here in Guantanamo Bay.  Living on a Navy base is very different from the real world.  Will be missing our lovely daughters here at Christmas and can't wait to hug them in January. Our blog spot address should be seen here as well.