Just a couple of days ago, Aruba welcomed the New Year in a way we have never experienced anywhere else. Fireworks filled the sky. Music carried through neighborhoods and along the water. There was joy without chaos and celebration without tension.
What stood out most was the feeling of gratitude. Locals, businesses, and families all seemed genuinely thankful. Thankful to be together. Thankful to celebrate. Thankful simply to welcome a new year.
This is one of the reasons we love celebrating our anniversary here. Our anniversary happens to fall on New Year’s Eve, and Aruba has a way of turning that moment into something deeply meaningful. It is not just a party. It is a shared experience of hope, reflection, and togetherness.
Standing in the middle of that celebration, surrounded by fireworks and music, with thankful hearts all around us, felt like a reminder of what peace can look like when it is lived out loud.
And then, just days later, we woke up to very different headlines.
We woke up this morning in Aruba to headlines about a U.S. airstrike in Venezuela. On a map, it looks close. Too close for comfort. In real life, it feels more layered than that. On a good clear day yes its true you can see the Venezuela from parts of Aruba.
We are only a few hours away in distance. Close enough to pause, to read carefully, to feel the weight of what’s happening. But we are also far enough to be safe, grounded, and still living our day. It reminds us of life on the East Coast of the United States, where shootings, abductions, and violence can happen in our own city, yet somehow life continues. We still go to work, meet for coffee, and celebrate milestones. Awareness and routine exist side by side.
This balance feels familiar.
It also is not our first time experiencing it while traveling.
In December 2024, we were in Egypt, eating lunch just miles from the Gaza Strip. The contrast was striking. Plates were being set on the table. Conversations were unfolding. Conflict existed just beyond the horizon. That moment stayed with us and shapes how we process days like today.
Right now, we are resting in our room. We are intentionally slowing down after a very busy 2025. This trip also marks something deeply special for us. We are celebrating 20 years of marriage. Today is not about rushing anywhere. We will head out later for a quiet meal, grateful simply to be together.
From our window, Aruba looks like Aruba.
Even though there are reports that all Starbucks locations are closed, plenty of beautiful local coffee cafés opened on time. Coffee is being poured. Conversations are happening. Aruba continues to do what it does best and that is hosting the world with grace.
Behind that calm, real challenges are unfolding.
According to arubapapers.com and other trusted local sources, flights to and from the island have been canceled. This creates a complicated reality. Hotels are struggling to welcome new guests who cannot arrive. At the same time, guests who are already here are unable to leave.
That raises very real concerns. Where do I stay now. My medication has run out. What about school, work, weddings, and commitments back home.
These are not abstract problems. They are human ones.
Flights have been canceled. Routes adjusted. Plans rewritten overnight.
And still, Aruba adapts.
Around the world, reactions to the strike vary. There are reports of some Venezuelans feeling excitement or hope, while others feel fear, anger, or deep concern. From where we are sitting, it is a reminder that global events are experienced differently depending on perspective, history, and proximity.
Here on this island, there is no celebration. No panic. Just steadiness.
We are close enough to feel the ripple but far enough to breathe.
As Aruba continues caring for those already here, doing a heck of a good job under pressure once again, we feel gratitude. Gratitude for the calm. Gratitude for the competence. Gratitude for the humanity surrounding us.
As we rest, reflect, and quietly celebrate 20 years together, we end this moment with the same hope we always carry with us. God has sustained, covered and blessed us.
A desire for peace across the world we pray today in Jesus Name.
Teothrobiaha
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