We have learnt a lot more about gratitude over the past weeks whilst living under the Spanish government’s very strict ‘lockdown’ rules brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. I am not sure if it’s that we have been experiencing more blessings, or whether it’s just that at this slower pace of life we can better recognise the blessings in our lives. The Bible says: “God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything.” (2 Corinthians 9:8-11, The Message) and there have days when we have felt drenched by all that has come our way.
We were up in the mountains in a beautiful town called Ronda when we heard about the National State of Alarm being declared here in Spain. We had already planned to head back to Camping Cabopino, down on the Costa del Sol, between Marbella and Fuengirola, but decided to head there sooner because of the coming changes. We felt so blessed that this ever-popular site had space for us when we arrived on the 13th March. This was to become a bigger blessing than we realised at the time. As part of the National State of Alarm, the Spanish government announced that all short-term campsites must close on 26th March. We were quite concerned and unsure where this would leave us. However, it turns out that because this holiday park has permanent residents it was able to remain open! This has given us a safe and sure place to stay, and although the swimming pools, play park and soft play centre are all shut, the shower blocks, laundry and washing up area have all stayed open.
The holiday park has a great community spirit. This is exemplified by the spot we have nicknamed the ‘giving bench’ but I know is also called ‘the bench of happiness’ by others on site! This bench, outside one of the wash blocks, is a place where people can leave their unwanted items in the hope that they may bless someone else! Well, it certainly has been that to us! Andy picked up a plastic table cloth one morning – which stunned us both as this was one item we had failed to buy the afternoon we left Ronda! It has enabled the girls to craft away whilst protecting the tables in our motorhome! We also picked up two tarpaulins in great condition which we now use in our awning.
The very restrictive rules in Spain have meant that our girls have not had the same freedoms as their friends in the UK during lockdown; other than essential trips by adults, citizens are confined to their accommodation, which for us means our pitch! Our girls have not been allowed to leave our pitch since the 14th March, however with so many empty pitches around us (there is no-one else on our row) the holiday park has allowed us to play on these as well. This has enabled many games of tag and stuck in the mud, a bit of football, and even some cycling. There are tens of thousands of children across Spain who live in accommodation with no outside space and therefore haven’t been able to play outside for six weeks. We feel so blessed for all we have.
The holiday park is a friendly place and we have struck up many friendships with those who wander past our pitch with their dogs or are on their way to the small onsite shop. It’s lovely to stop and chat with someone and to have some more human contact (albeit it standing at least 2 metres away, and the conversation being very brief)! Our girls love shouting hello to all who pass by and have been devising ways to make people smile, from the rainbow design on the back window to the Easter Garden and the tray of ‘hope shells’ they were giving away!
We’ve made many other new acquaintances as kind people have stopped by with unexpected short-term gifts for our girls! We have a limited number of games and toys on board our motorhome but have been so blessed by the loans of toys, games and DVDs that their grandchildren usually use. We’ve discovered a new board game called Quirkle (which is a bit like Scrabble only with colours and shapes) which we all love playing! Our youngest has been loaned a bike with stabilizers which made her feel like it was Christmas! And we have even just been given a paddling pool, which as temperatures creep up towards 30c over the May Day weekend will be very much enjoyed! These gifts bring such joy to all of us!
The girls have shown immense patience and respect for the rules over the last six weeks but seeing them running free on the beach this week has been truly amazing! With new rules regarding exercise for children coinciding with the opening of a few beaches, including the stunning one just 300 metres from our site, it has meant daily trips to the shore! I am so thankful for all we have. And as I stand on the soft sand and watch them collect shells, jump off rocks, play ball, cartwheel and dip their toes in the water’s edge I am so grateful too that we have remained healthy and safe, so far, through this strangest of times.
I hope, as life unlocks and we return to a ‘new normal’, that I will continue to remember to stop and count all the blessings we receive; and having been so abundantly blessed, that I will also remember to make time to bless others too.
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