Friday, July 2nd, marked the start of my final month here in Jamaica. I realize that I have been neglecting my duty of sharing some of my incredible experiences here lately. I am rectifying this situation…now!
I can’t tell you how much has happened over the last few months. Here is a brief update:
We put on two more health clinics here, which were as successful as the first one in March.
I had some family come visit me in Ocho Rios for a week! We had the most amazing time!
Dudus was extradited and caused a whole heap of trouble and chaos in Kingston. We, the volunteers, however, remained out of harms way.
My Dad came to visit for a second time. We mostly spent the week up in Mt. Friendship with the people there, but also got to listen to a steal drum band and take a trip to the Blue Mountains to learn how coffee was made there. Such a good time!
My roommates and I took a final beach trip to Negril and got attacked by the biggest crabs I have ever seen (well, at least, I felt threatened by them).
Church, both in Stony Hill and Mt. Friendship is as usual. Home visits have continued and have extended to new families. For the past months, I have been spending most of my time in the Basic School. I have continued to help the children who are struggling with their work and helped to stimulate those who are on the top of their class. We do craft projects, play games, sing songs, and hug all day long! Their love is endless. We took a field trip to Mt. Tabor, where we visited a farm, played with disabled children, and played on their new playground. The kids had the time of their life!
There are ten Basic Schoolers who are graduating and moving on to Primary School in the fall. Today was their graduation. I helped prepare for the ceremony by making the certificates, programs, and a presentation of all the pictures I took of the children throughout the year. These children worked hard, and deserved to have this celebration. They arrived dressed in white dresses and little white shirts with boy ties. Little high-healed shoes clicked on the church floors as the graduates processed in to the song, “I believe the children are the future.” They sang us songs and the 6 year old valedictorian gave us a speech.
I am so thankful to the sponsors here in Jamaica who helped make the Basic School graduation possible. There were many families who couldn’t afford to make this day possible. But I was lucky enough to collect a bit of money to support their day. I really am so thankful!
My final month here will be busy with good-byes, fun days for the kids, home visits, packing for the move to Mandeville, and working on the big celebration we are having on August 1st! We are having a transition mass in Stony Hill, where we celebrate the last 7 years in Stony Hill and the missions. We are inviting all who have supported the program here and all our friends in the missions. We are planning a reception, and I am working hard to finish up a picture presentation of all the volunteers who have served in Jamaica. We will include a ritual, where each of the 4 missions we have worked in is represented. Part of this ritual will also be the handing over of the program here in Stony Hill, to the new set of volunteers who will start the program in Mandeville. They will be pioneers for the program, in another part of Jamaica.
Likkemore!
I can’t tell you how much has happened over the last few months. Here is a brief update:
We put on two more health clinics here, which were as successful as the first one in March.
I had some family come visit me in Ocho Rios for a week! We had the most amazing time!
Dudus was extradited and caused a whole heap of trouble and chaos in Kingston. We, the volunteers, however, remained out of harms way.
My Dad came to visit for a second time. We mostly spent the week up in Mt. Friendship with the people there, but also got to listen to a steal drum band and take a trip to the Blue Mountains to learn how coffee was made there. Such a good time!
My roommates and I took a final beach trip to Negril and got attacked by the biggest crabs I have ever seen (well, at least, I felt threatened by them).
Church, both in Stony Hill and Mt. Friendship is as usual. Home visits have continued and have extended to new families. For the past months, I have been spending most of my time in the Basic School. I have continued to help the children who are struggling with their work and helped to stimulate those who are on the top of their class. We do craft projects, play games, sing songs, and hug all day long! Their love is endless. We took a field trip to Mt. Tabor, where we visited a farm, played with disabled children, and played on their new playground. The kids had the time of their life!
There are ten Basic Schoolers who are graduating and moving on to Primary School in the fall. Today was their graduation. I helped prepare for the ceremony by making the certificates, programs, and a presentation of all the pictures I took of the children throughout the year. These children worked hard, and deserved to have this celebration. They arrived dressed in white dresses and little white shirts with boy ties. Little high-healed shoes clicked on the church floors as the graduates processed in to the song, “I believe the children are the future.” They sang us songs and the 6 year old valedictorian gave us a speech.
I am so thankful to the sponsors here in Jamaica who helped make the Basic School graduation possible. There were many families who couldn’t afford to make this day possible. But I was lucky enough to collect a bit of money to support their day. I really am so thankful!
My final month here will be busy with good-byes, fun days for the kids, home visits, packing for the move to Mandeville, and working on the big celebration we are having on August 1st! We are having a transition mass in Stony Hill, where we celebrate the last 7 years in Stony Hill and the missions. We are inviting all who have supported the program here and all our friends in the missions. We are planning a reception, and I am working hard to finish up a picture presentation of all the volunteers who have served in Jamaica. We will include a ritual, where each of the 4 missions we have worked in is represented. Part of this ritual will also be the handing over of the program here in Stony Hill, to the new set of volunteers who will start the program in Mandeville. They will be pioneers for the program, in another part of Jamaica.
Likkemore!
