Our Honeymoon in Sri Lanka

Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.

With so many possibilities, even we wondered why we would have peace to go to Sri Lanka. Firstly, the Maldives was our preference. Many of us fantasize about pure white sandy beaches with an all-inclusive nice hotel, where food and cocktails are without description. But God had another idea for us and we couldn’t be happier.

Our Journey

We started our journey in the southwest of the island. We spent a week in this amazing typical Sri Lankan Airbnb. The beach was “almost” private. It was the perfect arrangement for our first week of being married. It was romantic, private, adventurous and super relaxing.

If you ever go to Hikkaduwa/Ambalangoda make sure to check the Sea Turtle conservation sanctuary – it is amazing what they are doing for these turtles and the environment. We also recommend this restaurant called Mamas for some delicious curry.

We continued travelling to the south of the island. Passed through Galle and the touristic Hiriketiya Beach. And then stayed in Kataragama in the beautiful Hotel Grand Tamarind Lake, which was super close to the Yala National Park. We saw amazing creatures (more than the ones displayed below) and were astounded by their perfectness and how creative our God is to make such beautiful beings.

Our favourite stop was in Ella. Surrounded by hills covered with cloud forests, Ella has a cooler climate than the surrounding lowlands, due to its elevation. We made an early morning hike to the Litte Adam’s Peak and the view was simply amazing. The Nine Arch Bridge and the waterfalls are also super picturesque.

Afterwards, you guessed it right, we took the loooooong train from Ella to Kandy. The views transition from tea plantations, jungle, and mountains. You move higher and higher into the green highlands and beautiful hilltop villages and waterfalls.

After spending a few days in Kandy in Hotel Lagone, we travelled North to Dambulla. We took an early morning TukTuk to Sigirya and hiked Pindurangala and Sigirya Rock, one after the other. Unfortunately, these spots are highly touristic and for the first time we felt “ripped off” by the government and locals.

We finished our Sri Lanka journey in Colombo, where we spent a few days.

Used by God

Proverbs 16:9 has become so real to us in our time in Sri Lanka. Yes, after prayer we decided to go to Sri Lanka but we cannot say we had a strong feeling about it or had a dream or prophecy about it. We simply prayed, felt peace and went. We made a plan but God established our steps!

In every step we took, we would pray to God to use us, to show us our calling and guide us where He would want us. We had amazing conversations, prayed for people and blessed them in many different ways. We were blessed with free accommodation in almost all the places we stayed and were treated like we could never imagine. At times it was even hard to accept it, but eventually, we realised this was our Father cherishing us, blessing the beginning of our marriage and building us up.

He is a good Father, who gives good gifts to His children. We love Him and He loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). We presented our bodies, time and money to Him and asked Him to use us on our honeymoon. Yes, God can use you whenever and wherever – you just need to want it!

We were led to visit one of the most dangerous slums in Colombo. It seemed that the entire community was under a curse. Rape, drug abuse and alcoholism were predominant in almost every family. We went there prayerfully to simply pray for people and provide for the children.

Many families were prayed for. One family, in particular, was led to us by God. The young father was a drug addict that wanted to better himself for his daughter. There and then, he prayed for a new beginning, repented from his sins and asked the Holy Spirit to fill him and guide him. He gave us all the drugs he had in his house.

We were led by God to help this family, as we felt their genuine intention in wanting a new beginning. We thank Brother Malcolm for his guidance and wisdom on how to help and provide for them in a wise way.

How can you help?

First and foremost, PRAYER! Please pray for Sri Lanka! Currently, this land is going through a huge crisis and many are in misery.

Secondly, if you feel led to or even just want to GO! Remember, God can use in whichever situation and wherever you are. This was our experience in Sri Lanka – where there is a will there is a way!

We saw the urgent need for this land. People are surprisingly open to the gospel. We sensed the harvest was ready, but the workers were very few! If you speak the language that will be a great bonus – pray about it 🙂

Thirdly, SUPPORT those who are willing to go or are already harvesting. Let us know if you would like to contribute to this cause, and we can direct you.

Special Thanks

Peter Karan for being an amazing friend and helper! Thank you for providing us an unforgettable time.

Roy for connecting us with fellow brothers in Sri Lanka.

Malcolm for being faithful to the Lord and teaching us how to navigate and provide in the Slums.