Tuesday...heat and hard work are taking their toll.

Hey friends.

We just got back from a quick road trip and are exhausted...we wanted to let you know that we had another great day and worked very hard.

Phyllis & Lauren spent another day working in the Memorial Gardens at Westhaven. Painting benches was the task of the day. Phyllis got the awesome opportunity to ride with one of the mission coordinators to the nursery to pick out plants...can't wait to see the finished product tomorrow!

Bill spent 1/2 the day on the roof again then got recruited to the "concrete crew" where he made friends with the Jamaican locals. Especially when they had found out that he has done concrete work before! :)

Helen and Pastor Stacy spent the day working at the medical clinic where we once again saw over 100 patients and helped them with all their various medical needs, watched their children and prayed for health and safety.

All-in-all it was another great day...we are headed to bed and will update with more pictures and stories tomorrow.

Thanks to all for reading and for your encouraging comments...it keeps us going to know that so many are praying for us back home.

Peace-
Your Mission Jamaica Team

Monday...Work Day #1 is in the record books.

Hello everyone...Right off the bat we must beg your forgiveness for any typing errors as we are all VERY tired after a long day at work...but we'll try our best! :)

Today's Trivia

1 - What's the secret to dispensing medications to 120 patients at a free community clinic in one day?? Ask Helen...she's the pharmacy tech of the day!

2 - How many swings of a hammer does it take to pound out a 4" x 5" hole in a concrete wall? Lauren "jackhammer" Struzik has your answer for that one!

3 - How warm does it get removing shingles from a black roof on a cottage in Jamaica in the hot sun with no cloud cover? Ask Bill (once he cools down and can think straight! :) )

4 - What does it feel like to be the lead gardener on the first-ever Memorial Garden planted at Westhaven Children's Home?? Our very own Phyllis is the only one who can answer that!

5 - What does it take to keep 4 sheep watered, lathered in sun screen and willing to work another day while helping on which ever projects can be found?? Pastor Stacy might have an idea...

Things we learned today:

1 - A rastafarian with 18 children can support himself and his family by weaving baskets from bamboo and banana leaves...with a little help from the missionary shoppers.

2 - 40-leg poisonous centipedes DO exist in Jamaica...thank goodness for brave souls who "take care" of them for us!

3 - The Montego Bay business district makes Bentonville-Rogers look like a glorious city where

the streets are paved with gold!

4 - Here "school colors" means the color of the uniform that you are required to wear.

5 - After a long day of seeing patients, dispensing meds, pulling weeds, ripping shingles and pounding walls, we are all ready for day #2...assuming we can get up and out of bed, that is!

Peace to all....keep the prayers comin'!

Your Mission Jamaica Team

Sunday...PRAISE THE LORD! (must be said while raising arms in the air!)

We learned many things today:

1 - "Little Percy" (our bus driver) shows no mercy, with Chris, you cannot miss"...we think he means the pot holes.

2 - In order to drive in Jamaica, you must have a PhD....Pot Hole Dodger Certificated.

3 - Goats run wild...just imagine razorbacks running around wild (but they are goats).

4 - Preparing for church and welcoming guests are "an event" in Jamaica.

5 - Who would have thought that "white people," handicapped orphans in wheelchairs and Jamaicans dressed "to the 9s" walking their way to church up the rough side of the mountain would make such a beautiful processional?

6 - 3 men carrying a child in a wheelchair up a rocky mountain and 10 steps = handicapped accessibility for a Jamaican Pentecostal Church.

7 - Our workout regimen for Sunday was a 2 1/2 worship service complete with dancing, clapping, singing and praise...and NO air conditioning.

8 - Proof-positive that a 40-minute sermon CAN be enjoyable!

9 - A 1/2 cheese-whiz sandwich and a package of club crackers makes a beautiful feast when shared in the house of the Lord with brothers and sisters.

10 - It's amazing how people and children who are seen as under-privledged can give so much and so unconditionally in a few short, precious moments.

11 - Despite primitive conditions, the cup of hospitality was overflowing with love and joy.

Today was a good introduction and a time to prepare for the week to come. Please continue to pray for safety, good health and productive labors.

Peace-

Your Mission Jamaica Team

P.S. As you can imagine, the slow island lifestyle has caught up with the technology. We are not able to get pictures uploaded. Check back Monday night and say a prayer.

Saturday...We're leeeeavin' on a jet plane!

Hello friends...sorry that we didn't get a chance to blog Saturday night, but after 14 hours of traveling, travel delays, room mix-ups and general exhaustion, we went to bed early!

We arrived safe and sound (only about 2 1/2 hours after we were supposed to), waited in line for an hour at immigration, found our bags after a search of the luggage area and then waited in customs before finding ourselves in the warm, humid, WONDERFUL Jamaican air! Pastor Douglas was waiting for us and greeted us with a warm smile and hugs all around. We made our way to our home for the week and waited some more...for our rooms to be cleaned and for rooms with appropriate sleeping arrangements for teammates! :)

Our hotel is open, humongous and FULL with delicious food and a beautiful, sandy beach! Bill has been in Heaven back in the ocean (he wasn't kidding when he said he was an ocean baby!) and we were all exited to get some rest to be ready for worship on Sunday!

That's all for now...Check out our next post for our thoughts on a Jamaican Pentecostal worship service!

Peace-

Your Mission Jamaica team

Getting Ready...

Greetings, friends. First, thank you for taking time to follow the (first-ever) Bentonville, AR Mission Jamaica team on their journey to serve at Westhaven Children's Home and St. John's Medical clinic. We are a small team (Helen, Pastor Stacy, Phyllis, Bill & Lauren) but carry the excitement of a small army. We have held fundraisers, solicited donations and have prepared mentally and spiritually as best we can. WE ARE READY TO GO!

Our flight leaves at 6:00 Saturday morning from XNA (NW Arkansas Regional Airport). After a brief layover in Atlanta, we will arrive at MBJ (Montego Bay, Jamaica) around 11:45 am. We will be picked up by one of our favorite pastors on the island of Jamaica (Pastor Percy or Pastor Douglas) and will be transported to our home-away-from-home, Sunset Beach Resport.

We will spend Saturday getting acclamated to the new climate and oriented to our hotel, meeting our teammates from Minnesota and resting up for 5 very busy (very LONG!) days in the community of Copse. Once we get settled, we will be sure to plug in and log on to give you an update on the day.

Please pray for safe travels and calm spirits as we prepare for our adventure.

Peace!