A Post by One of the Three Kids

Nancy Caroline’s Saba 2020 Blog Post...

On January 17 & 18 our Saba Spring Break 2020 group of 24 members met in Woodbury at the Cannon Inn to start our planning. That weekend we spent time planning events, elementary classes, high school classes, getting to know our fellow teammates through spiritual formation, and learning a little more about the island we planned to land on almost eight weeks later.

We continued this preparation every sunday night from then until some not so good news came on March 3rd.

On this day our team was informed that no students would be allowed to go on a spring break mission trip due to the out break of COVID-19. The 13 students that had planned, fundraised, and prayed for this trip would not longer get to step foot on this island when planned. But as a group and with Sabans we decided better few than none. So 9 of 24 team members continued to prepare to go to this beautiful island.

This planning was hard knowing we would have so many children sad that their “favorite lipscomb,” could not come. But we pushed through reworking events, classes, and meals.

Once all of this was figured out the now team of nine loaded up, on March 13th, with all the supplies and food needed for the next ten days on “The Unspoiled Queen.”

Arriving on the last flight to Saba that night the team was now ready to see God’s purpose for all the changes and craziness. That night we ate our annual first night meal at swinging doors with a few Sabans joining us. That meal brought both joy and laughter, getting to catch up with the people we have missed while away.

We went through out our saturday with so much happiness and joy to wake up and walk around in paradise. Getting to escape the craziness and madness we didn’t know the extent of back home.

That day some of us got up and went to serve the people of saba by building a bus stop. While the rest of us got a few extra hours of sleep. Lunch was a traditional saban meal of johnny cakes as a reward of hard work. That afternoon some of us took strolls through the bottom to deliver things to locals, look at God’s beautiful creation, and find as many kids as possible to talk to. Coming all back together as a team to get ready to go eat our dinner with an oh so welcoming Indian family on the island. Followed by our kick off event of ice cream at the gazebo. This day was filled with service, relationships, and love. But little did we know this would be some of our last days on Saba.

During our event we got word that St. Maarten, the only airport that flies in to Saba, is closing its air space to prevent any further development of coronavirus on their island. At family meeting that night the entire team learned the news and there came the tears, anger, and emptiness. Our arrangements home now had been moved a week before any of us had planned.

Five members left on the first flight out that Sunday morning, with the other four leaving Monday.

Going home is always the hardest part, but it was extra hard this time. Knowing that we had told the kids the night before we would see them Monday to play, talk, teach. We had said all of our hellos not knowing they were actually our goodbyes.

Entering back into the United States was nothing like us or any of our family members imagined. There was no integration, no medical screenings, but there also was no toilet paper. Our hearts were hurting the whole way home knowing we may have let a little kid down.

For me I was hurting because I really needed Saba, and although I got her for 67 hours. I still longed for her scenery and her people. I knew it was safer to be home than in a foreign country, but I didn’t know why God had sent us to just come home so early.


We have now all been home for three weeks, and for me at least, not much has gotten easier. The sadness is definitely easier to hide but still there. The regret for not talking to more people than I did, still nas at my stomach. But I do know God sent us for a reason. Maybe it was just to be able to let Sabans know that trough this pandemic, we wish we could be with them, but want to keep them safe. Maybe one of us said something to a Saban in those 62 - 67 hours we spent on island that will change there life. We may not know the exact reason for all of this madness now, but I do know God will eventually show us.

Although our time was cut short, I am still so thankful for the team I went with, the Sabans I hugged or elbow bumped, and all the laughs along the way.

This trip will forever be known as the weekend trip to Saba to build a bus stop!

-Nancy Caroline