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Home again. Or is it???

Kingston

Went to Kingston today. It's a beautiful, if tiring drive of switchback roads all the way up and back down out of the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Views worthy of National Geographic! We went to the Suncoast Adventure Park, a tourist attraction of sorts, on the mountainous edge of the ocean outside of Kingston. A man Marla met, has developed it into a recreational attraction of Paintball, miniature golf, rope course and zipline, a huge outdoor maze, plus playground for younger children. There is a sandwich place in a Quonset style hut, where you can get burgers and hot dogs and fries. Then you can take a steep mountain road down to the black sand beaches and play in the Atlantic. It's still being developed, and a great alternative to the commercialized Ocho Rios day trips that are the norm. http://www.suncoastadventurepark.com/
Then we stopped at Pastor Watson's church in Kingston and got the tour of his facilities and met his dedicated staff. After that we went to what was similar to a Costco in the States and bought food and supplies for the hotel for the next three months! It took 9 people over 1 and a half hours to shop and get it loaded in the bus! Back to the hotel for dinner, American hamburgers and fries, and we are exhausted! A good day! Tomorrow is the last day for us, as we will be leaving Thursday, so we are hoping to meet with Debbie Chin, before we go, our new friend in Oracabessa. I'm always full of mixed feelings when I leave here. It feels natural and homelike to me....who can tell...next trip might be much, much longer!

Frangipani Caterpillar

Is born in the dirt under the tree...comes out, eats the leaves and flowers, cocoons and turns into the Hawk Moth. HUGE.

Sabbath

The Lord led me to Isaiah 62 this morning....I am declaring it over Jamaica!

For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
And for Jerusalem's sake I will not keep quiet,
Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness,
and her salvation like a torch that is burning.
The nations will see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory;
And you will be called by a new name
Which the mouth of the Lord will designate.
You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
And a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken,"
Nor to your land will it any longer be said, "Desolate";
But you will be called "my delight is in her, "
and your land "Married";
For the Lord delights in you, And to HIM your land will be married.
For as a young man marries a virgin, So your sons will marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So your God will rejoice over you.

How did that happen?

Ended up with a basket and a carved fish, neither which I originally intended to buy. I was looking for Djembe's and Steel Drums, t-shirts and for Ava. I meet a guy who weasels me into his stall in the straw market and fast talks me into a carving, which I really did like and was tempted to buy, but was way out of my "non" existent budget. He kept saying, what is your budget? You can tell me, I'm your friend, I won't be insulted. But my budget WAS insulting..not just to him but to me! We got to talking, and I told him, I'm not a tourist, I'm a missionary, and he asked where I was staying and I said in Galina. He said at the "Breeze"? He's from Galina, himself and knows Marshall one of the employee's here. His name was Donavan, and we ended up having a conversation about the Lord, and His return! Bam! I leave with a carving! But I got something I wanted as a gift, so it wasn't a complete fleecing.
The next was a lady with baskets. I've always wanted to get one, but too much money. She also says she won't be insulted, make an offer....rolls her eye's when I say $20. I said, "I TOLD YOU IT WOULD BE INSULTING!" She says no, no, and before I know it, $25 lighter in the wallet, and the laying on of hands and praying for her and her children, I walk away with a basket! I left without making eye contact with anyone else. Live and Learn.

Ochi!

Today, we have two farms to stop at then we will be going to Ocho Rios to pick up a couple people. We will have lunch there and go to the market while we wait on these new friends to show up. The day is perfect, sunny but actually on the cool side for Jamaica.
Hoping to find a real African Djembe, and a steel drum reasonably. But who knows what the day will hold. Divine appointments! Miracles! Healing!

Dreams...

I had a dream last night..we were at a restaurant and it was New Years. There were lots of old school mates there, people I haven't seen for 33 years or more! They were all glad to see me, and there was Christian music playing in the restaurant instead of what you would expect in a public place at New Years. Somehow we either slept over somewhere, it gets confusing, but my Dad was there, just smiling at me. I think I said, I've got to get together so I can get back to Jamaica. He said, "the hands and feet of Christ." Smiling...just smiling.

How could I forget????

Pastor Watson and Brad laid hands on me while other's agreed in prayer for my back and it has been healed! Just wanted to thank Abba, and testify of His goodness all the time!

Beauty in many forms!

Jelly

Day 4

We've had full and wonderful day...we got up and went to the hardware store for a few things for Brad's carpentry job at the new ACE office, then off to see our farmers/micro business applicants. David is a very forward thinking young man with a lot of ambition, and a hard worker to say the very least. The rudimentary tools he uses to make his huge garden is unbelievable. ACE will be helping him with slow drip irrigation system, seeds among other things. He will raise his own food, and sell produce in his small town. Another applicant, Diane, is living back a long lane in the jungle in a plywood hut with her children, barely making it. ACE will help her to learn square foot box gardening, to feed her family. They were very gracious and gave us some "jelly" to drink and eat. Jelly is something Jamaicans are fond of, and consist of green coconut water and the slimy gel that coats the inside of the coconut....it was really hard to swallow, but didn't taste bad. It brings down blood pressure. Brad, ever the gastric adventurer, didn't hesitate. Mr. Meyer said it is very good to poor rum into the coconut...I'm thinking that might not be a bad idea...at least you eventually would forget your slurping down something slimy!
After our day viewing the gardens, we came back and got ready to take dinner to the Infirmary. Shirley's special vegetable soup! After we got them fed and a cup of cool water, we were done for the day! I was so proud of Brad...this is so NOT his type of work but he patiently fed elderly gentlemen that couldn't feed themselves and chatted encouragingly. He said it was grace and he would scrub Terry's toilet if he didn't have to go back when it's time to clip toe and fingernails! Some of my favorites are sadly missing, having passed away while I've been gone...other's much changed...deteriorating and aging quickly. Everything changes....
We went down to the rock before dinner and took in the view for awhile, it's really beautiful, and I'm so glad to finally share it with Brad.

We're all just girls...

Good Morning Abba!

Welcome Home..

The custom's agent took a look at my passport...6 Jamaican entry stamps, smiled and said "welcome home!" Prophetic?? Hmmmm
Had a great flight...such a blessing, Eli's job. First class seats! I'm spoiled Abba! We arrived after stopping for a quick peek at the new church that is scheduled to begin around the end of February. Tomorrow will be an overview of all of Marla's projects, with a possible stop at the Infirmary! I've heard several residents have passed, and I'm afraid to ask who...instead I will try and focus on who's there to love, and praise Him for those in Heaven with Him! We will relax tonight..full moon on the ocean. The devil is messin' around and threw my back out, and Brad and I have since thrown him out...but the trek to the "rock" might be a bit much with the spasms. Finish him off Papa and get me in working order for the week. Amen.