Mauritius

In March we were given the opportunity of a lifetime by my parents -- a two-week vacation for the whole family in Mauritius. Mauritius is an island nation off the coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, and is truly a tropical paradise. How excited we all were as we boarded the 12 hour flight from Frankfurt and headed south!

Mauritius is completely surrounded by white sand beaches inside a coral reef, and between the reef and the beaches is the warmest, most beautifully colored water we had ever seen. The friendly Mauritian people added to the experience, and it was a vacation we will never forget. Even the sky looks different in the southern hemisphere at night -- gone are the familiar characters, replaced by stars we had never seen. It was a wonderful experience all around.

One morning as we stepped out onto our deck, we were greeted with this 180° rainbow in a perfectly clear blue sky arching over the Indian Ocean. The rainbow reminded me of God's many promises, promises which we find especially important given the uncertainty of our lives at this point in time. As we read his word, we are reminded of the many times in the past when he has come through for us, and we know he will do so again even as we consider the unplanned return to Canada we will soon need to make.

This is what the Indian Ocean and some of the creatures enjoying it looked like up close. Mauritius is only about 65 km long, but off the coast are numerous smaller deserted islands, and this last picture is one of our family enjoying the deserted beach there, with the mountains of Mauritius some 15 km in the background.

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for allowing us to make memories we will never forget, in Mauritius of all places!