The Kids At Alto Vista

[charlescroes]

A Snippet

It is mid day and the sun is hot. I am sitting on the benches outside of the Alto Vista Chapel and looking off at the blue of the ocean. To my right are the large doors to the small chapel. It strikes me that over one half of the front surface wall of the chapel is made up of two doors. In back of me, I hear what sounds like a 4-wheel vehicle with tremendous laughter coming from it. I can hear the engine struggling up the hill.

When the vehicle comes to rest, I could see a family of young parents with two boys (each the spitting image of the father) get out of the vehicle and start walking over to the benches where I am sitting. They say hello and assume I am also a tourist. I let it slide so I can find out how they like our island. While we are chit chatting about the beauty of the ocean and nature, the mother all of a sudden gets up and looks towards the two massive doors. Her two rough and tough boys have taken off their caps and sunglasses and are going in. I figure them to be 8 and 11 years old (could be wrong). Anyway they are young kids.

The Mother keeps looking at the boys and they let their hands drift to each other and hold hands. She (the mom) touches her husband and he stands next to her. His hands find hers. He then says to her, “Believe that?” She nods a yes and brushes her hands across her face then lets the side of her face fall to her husbands shoulder. The boys disappeared inside and they decided to follow. They walked to those large chapel doors a very changed couple. No screaming, laughing or caps or sunglasses – they were just a family that was touched by something. I waited outside where I sat and after a while they all came out holding hands.

The kids walked off with the mother into a rocky area looking at Iguanas while the father sat silently next to me. His hands were clasped and both of his elbows rested on his knees. His head was bowed a bit looking at the dirt in front of him. He then said:

“Man – I busted my *** to save the money for this trip and I got to tell you – it is a big deal to us, but what just happened with my two boys is worth a billion bucks and I will never forget it.” I sat waiting for the father to go on and he said. “A family down the street from us is splitting up and the kid is their best friend. My two little guys just asked us to never ever get a divorce and to always be their parents because they love us. Those two little guys asked us to pray for that and we all did. And Man – I gotta tell ya, I just ain’t religious” I kept still. There is something about this place that does it for me. Maybe the piles of rocks or – I don’t know – just something and I’m humpin it when I get back to get all our butts over here again next year.”

I stood up and so did he. We shook hands and I went to my car and drove off. They stayed behind and (I have a suspicion) they can be found there again about this time next year.

By the way, before I left, I introduced myself and asked his permission to write about it. He looked at me and asked if I was the guy ….. I laughed and he said sure.
This one is for you and your lovely wife and those two pieces of cement you call children.

Be ever so well – all of you.

Charles
arubafastphones.com

[pgsoder@yahoo.com]

Very touching and moving story Charles. My guess is this family somehow manages to save up their money to make this an annual trip to Aruba and visiting that Chapel is a priority for them every single time.

[charlescroes]

I also wrote this because it somehow was a symbol for me of how the simple things of our island can make a big difference and that it seems to touch all ages.
charles

Originally Posted by pgsoder@yahoo.com

Very touching and moving story Charles. My guess is this family somehow manages to save up their money to make this an annual trip to Aruba and visiting that Chapel is a priority for them every single time.

[captmorgnsgrl]

Just read this Charles, what a wonderful story...

[ArubaMary]

Originally Posted by charlescroes

A Snippet

It is mid day and the sun is hot. I am sitting on the benches outside of the Alto Vista Chapel and looking off at the blue of the ocean. To my right are the large doors to the small chapel. It strikes me that over one half of the front surface wall of the chapel is made up of two doors. In back of me, I hear what sounds like a 4-wheel vehicle with tremendous laughter coming from it. I can hear the engine struggling up the hill.

When the vehicle comes to rest, I could see a family of young parents with two boys (each the spitting image of the father) get out of the vehicle and start walking over to the benches where I am sitting. They say hello and assume I am also a tourist. I let it slide so I can find out how they like our island. While we are chit chatting about the beauty of the ocean and nature, the mother all of a sudden gets up and looks towards the two massive doors. Her two rough and tough boys have taken off their caps and sunglasses and are going in. I figure them to be 8 and 11 years old (could be wrong). Anyway they are young kids.

The Mother keeps looking at the boys and they let their hands drift to each other and hold hands. She (the mom) touches her husband and he stands next to her. His hands find hers. He then says to her, “Believe that?” She nods a yes and brushes her hands across her face then lets the side of her face fall to her husbands shoulder. The boys disappeared inside and they decided to follow. They walked to those large chapel doors a very changed couple. No screaming, laughing or caps or sunglasses – they were just a family that was touched by something. I waited outside where I sat and after a while they all came out holding hands.

The kids walked off with the mother into a rocky area looking at Iguanas while the father sat silently next to me. His hands were clasped and both of his elbows rested on his knees. His head was bowed a bit looking at the dirt in front of him. He then said:

“Man – I busted my *** to save the money for this trip and I got to tell you – it is a big deal to us, but what just happened with my two boys is worth a billion bucks and I will never forget it.” I sat waiting for the father to go on and he said. “A family down the street from us is splitting up and the kid is their best friend. My two little guys just asked us to never ever get a divorce and to always be their parents because they love us. Those two little guys asked us to pray for that and we all did. And Man – I gotta tell ya, I just ain’t religious” I kept still. There is something about this place that does it for me. Maybe the piles of rocks or – I don’t know – just something and I’m humpin it when I get back to get all our butts over here again next year.”

I stood up and so did he. We shook hands and I went to my car and drove off. They stayed behind and (I have a suspicion) they can be found there again about this time next year.

By the way, before I left, I introduced myself and asked his permission to write about it. He looked at me and asked if I was the guy ….. I laughed and he said sure.
This one is for you and your lovely wife and those two pieces of cement you call children.

Be ever so well – all of you.

Charles
arubafastphones.com

Charles, I envy your ability to tell a story. As a new member of the board I look forward to reading about Aruba and your love for it. Whenever I visit Aruba it is a priority for me to visit the Chapel at Alto Vista at least twice. There was a time that I would get lost driving to the Chapel, but I finally have the route down pat. A dear friend of mine who also has been going to Aruba for twenty years----visits the Chapel the day he arrives on the island to thank God for getting him to his second home, and he then visits again on his last day to ask God to allow him to return. No matter how many visits I make to the Chapel it never ceases to bring me solace. Thank you or your story.

[BigPapa]

Nice Charles!!

Lets hope they do get to come back....as often as they need to....Great little Island to get intouch with one another....and Life.

Thank's for sharing.

[AuntieMame]

I think we all agree that there is something about Aruba which calms the soul - as long as one allows it to happen.

Your stories, Charles, reflect that ability. I am thankful for them.


___________________________________________________________________

[susanna]

Thank you again Charles.