Weekend with Jamaican! May 27, 2008

Sandra who is a new teacher at CCCD, replacing Ms. Frazier invited me to stay at her house for the weekend. Mainly, it was a way to improve her signing skills after being with me for 24 hours for 4 days. She certainly improved! But also it was an opportunity for me to get out of CCCD for the long holiday weekend. Most of the staff had gone home visiting their families for the weekend. Sandra knew I’d be so bored here. It was so nice of her to invite me over.

 

Thursday morning, she and her husband came to pick me up (they have their own van) and we hung out downstairs with Reid. She and her husband, Gary were deciding on a song to sign for at church. We practiced for a while. Then went to her house. As we pulled into their yard, we had to go in the back of the house. It was so dark! It was on a hill and very rocky. WOW! That was hard! I have somewhat a bad balance in the dark so rocky hill doesn’t help me get to the staircase easily. Made it with hanging on to Sandra. Now, the staircase… it was just wood…. maybe 6 inches long and 2 feet wide boards. AND the first 4 steps doesn’t have any railings! So, it was scary to go up there in the dark too. I felt like a 3 years old climbing the staircase, using my hands on the steps. Heh

 

First night, they gave up their bed and made me sleep in there. I felt sooo bad! I said I could sleep on the couch. But I wasn’t gonna argue with them.    Got up at 6am. yikes! They came from outside into the bedroom bringing the mattress in to put under the bed. I thought…. they slept out on the vernada???!!!!  It’s like a balcony. Nooo, they slept in the living room. WHEW!!! Almost made me feel SO bad!  heh

 

We got up so early because we had to go to CCCD and pick up Reid and go out to Mandeville area. Gary’s family tagged along too. We dropped Reid off at a place then we went on to Gary’s Great-Aunt’s house. We all hung out at the vernada of her house all afternoon. They all ate sugar cane, shedding and cutting passing around canes. I had maybe 6 inches cane and that was it for me. Everyone else could eat one whole cane wihch is like 4 feet long!

 

Saturday, I woke up to no water to shower!! Gary got a bucket of water and brought to the tub. laid out a big bowl for me. It was for me to do a “hospital bath”. That was an experience. Something that they probably deal with so often.  Anyways, we just stayed at home all day. They practiced signing their song for church for most of the day. I sat on the beam of the balcony. It’s funny because I wondered why Jamaicans do that LOT! Hanging out at the vernada. I understand now why…. it’s lot cooler outside rather than being inside the little house.

 

Sunday, they were up at 5:30 am, trying to decide what to wear and all that! SO EARLY !!!  Heh

Went to church with them. The Pastor was back at church for the first time after 4 strokes, and he had been laid up for 4 years! He was back that Sunday, walking and talking a little bit. It was teary moment for everyone.

 

Afternoon was spent at home, again, they were going to perform Sunday night so they had to decide what to wear etc… took HOURS of deciding what to wear, wanting both to match. And they practiced few more times.

 

Evening…. waited for an hour to start church. It was supposed to be at 6 but we were one of the 2 families to arrive and no one else showed up until 7ish. Yikes!  The evening was sort of like a Talent Show. It was so funny! bunch of laughs!!! Gary was performing a dance with 2 other members and they all were just so funny!!!!  He can’t dance…. but his father was so shocked and stood up and said “WHAT?!? I never knew my boy could move!”  We all dropped laughing!!!!!!!!

 

I got back to CCCD at 10:30pm. It was a wonderful weekend!!! Oh, throughout the weekend, I got my “American Fix”. As weird as it may sound to you… It was being able to watch American tv shows and movies. They had cable tv. I even got to watch one of my favorite movies. I even watched commericals. Back in the States, I wouldn’t watch any commericals, I’d get up, go bathroom, get some snacks or a drink… or even flip the channels for a few minutes. But here, I watched the commericals and laughed at some of them. It was a good weekend.

 

 

Just for you DAD! May 22, 2008

(Background info for other than families) Every time my family and I go on a vacation, we ALWAYS find a cannon! And we have pictures taken with the cannon. It just because a joke in our family having to take a picture with the cannon. Well, at the lighthouse in Negril, I saw this cannon and had to have a picture taken with it.

 

Here it is, for you Dad!  Love ya!!!!

OTV comes to MoBay!! May 22, 2008

The On To Victory! Ministries came to MoBay last week to minister to the children and staff at CCCD.

This picture was taken at the Pork Pit where I took them to eat some jerked pork/chicken.  (Front row L-R: Sue Sanders, Randy Sanders, Nora; Back row L-R: Eve, Charnell, and me) Eve is from Minnestona, and Charnell is from New York- and a very good friends of Lois Dungan, a board member of CCCD. 

 

It was a great week for me. I put myself out of the routine and put myself in with the work team. It was just what I needed! A break from routine. It did me good. It was a wonderful week. The children enjoyed learning the screenboards to help them remember the stories better about God’s creation, Adam and Eve, and Cain n’ Abel.

I rented a van for the week so this way the driver would continue to run errands and not go in between with taking us to places and all that. And as well as to give Miss Russell a chance to do her office work … giving her a break from juggling between jobs.  Saturday, (Charnell left on Friday, and Eve flew out late morning of Saturday) I took Randy, Sue, Nora, and Krista (She’s here for 6 weeks helping out at the school in the classrooms.) I took them to Negril which is about an hour drive. Went to see a lighthouse because Nora loves lighthouse and had never seen one upclose. So I made that possible for her! Then we hung out at the beach for the afternoon…. Randy and I rented a jetski which was a blast!!!! It’s way much better than jetskiin’ in the lake! (Sorry Cousin Nancy! but I still love jetskiin’ anywhere!)   It was a blast!  Then after that, I took them to Rick’s Cafe…. there’s a cliff to jump off from!  55 feet into 20 feet deep of the Caribbean Sea! Now, that was AWESOME!!!! Nora and I braved this jump! There was a lower level to jump from but we opted for the highest one. 

This week, it was a short week at school because Tuesday was the Children’s Fun Day. We took them out to the Apple Valley. They had “pools” and pond to ride the paddle boats, fishing etc… The children enjoyed their day!! They were SOOOOOOOO tired the next day! And, School’s out today and tomorrow becuause tomorrow is Labour Day weekend. So, no school!

 Today, I’ll be going to a teacher’s house for a few days. She knew everyone’s gone home for the weekend and that I’d be kinda bored so she invited me to her place and hang out with her and her husband. That’s gonna be fun. She’s the newest teacher replacing the teacher who left back in end of March. She’s learning sign language. So, having me over at her house…. that’s gonna help her improve her signing skills I’m sure. PRAY for that!  Her husband even joined a sign class offered by Mr. Reid.

I apologize for not being able to blog for the past few weeks. Some of you have emailed me in the meantime. I’ve not been able to access to internet for two weeks before last week. Then last week, OTV team were here which kept me from checking emails etc…. and now I’m on a break…. I’m finally caught up on my emails and all that. My apologies but thanks for your patience in waiting to hear the latests.

 

PRAY FOR:

This weekend as I spend the few nights at Sandra’s house.

Children that they’ll get to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

Staff/Children as most of them have or will be traveling home to visit their families this weekend.

“Aunt” Nancy…. this is an aunt of very close family friends of mine….I got an email on my pager stating that they had just learned that Aunt Nancy is dying of cancer and that it’s spread all over her body. She isn’t saved and the family friends are praying that she will accept Jesus Christ before it’s her time. This has been a constant issue with the family. Pray that God will show Himself to her and as well as comfort her in time of pain and all. Pray for the family as they deal with losing her. Im sad that I can’t be there for the family friends because they’re special in my life. But they know I’m here and praying for them during this hard time.

 

God Bless!

Miss you all !!!

Jamaica Crusade May 3, 2008

This weekend is the Jamaica Crusade at the Dump Bay in MoBay. The team of 300 people from San Diego area hosted this event. Last night alone, there was about 40 deaf people there! About 10 travelled from St. Elizabeth to this event. It was awesome! From 3-6pm, there were extreme sports… such as biking, skateboard, and dirtbike shows. They were pretty awesome. The dirtbike was the one I really enjoyed! After the shows, they all gave testimonies which I didn’t get to hear because there wasn’t any interpreter for this part.

I’ll include a picture from the concert another time. The concert was awesome!! The Jamaican teachers from CCCD and JCSD volunteered to interpret the services. Tonight is another concert as well and some of us are going again! Lookin’ forward to another night of inspiration!

Jesse, from San Diego will be preaching the chapel at CCCD tomorrow morning.

PRAY FOR:  

Pray that there’ll be more deaf people coming tonight as well.

Pray for the two deaf San Diegoans as they volunteer their time there and outreach to the deaf community.

Pray for Jesse and Robert as they gospel to the children at CCCD.

BBW! May 1, 2008

BLESSED BUSY WEEK!!!

Last week was a very busy week. We were preparing for a fundraising event for Friday….  Fish Fry. It was alright. Not as good as we expected it would be. Only God knows why. It still was a fun day!  Immediately after the Fish Fry event at CCCD, we took all children to a cruise ship. They sell books etc… well, on this cruise, there was a team doing mission trip reaching out to the Deaf. They invited us to the ship. We watched a deaf/cartoon movie, “The Godman”  It was REALLY NEAT! Then had dinner. On Saturday morning, I visited with the Plattners Family for a short time before they headed off to Knockpatrick. And the team from the BookShip came to CCCD to do few light work around the campus. They also did some crafts and shared story of how to become Saved by using the cube. It was really neat!

This week… There is a team from San Diego, California, a team of 3 people. Nope, it isn’t my sister from San Diego! That’d be really nice though.     Anyways, this team has 2 deaf guys and a hearing woman. They are spending the week at JCSD- Jamaica Christian School for the Deaf. They came to CCCD on Tuesday to perform for us and do some arts and crafts. They were awesome! Today, they are providing a workshop on teaching Reading to the Deaf Children. They’ve invited our CCCDteachers to participate. We all are going! Exciting!  If I’m in San Diego area visiting my sister and her family, I’m gonna be visiting with Robert, Jesse and Michele as well!

This team is 3 of about 300 members, the rest are preparing for this extreme fun event out at the Dump Bay (by downtown MoBay) and they will have preaching, music, Jamaican Gospels etc…. and it will be interpreted!!!!  This takes place on Friday and Saturday.  PRAY that deaf people will be outreached.

On a sad note, Miss Russell’s nephew who was a 22 years old died from a gunshot. He was at a party and went outside, talking with some friends. Apparently it was a driveby shooting. She knew he wasn’t saved. She used this example to the children about the fact he hasn’t been saved and now he’s suffering in Hell.  Please be praying for Miss Russell and her family as they deal with the loss of her nephew.

PRAY FOR:

* This weekend, that the San Diego team will reachout to the deaf community at the Fest.

* Miss Russell and her family as they grieve for the loss of her nephew.

* On To Victory! Ministries Mission Team from Peoria, IL as they prepare themselves for their mission trip to MoBay CCCD on May 12-18th. Pray that God will use them to reach out to the students and staff here.

* Continue to pray for me as I am here everyday and that God will use me in every way…. to the children, the staff and as well as to the Deaf Community.