Good flight, great weather -- 90's, great new friends here at the mission house. Yesterday after we landed we took an hour and a half drive thru the mountains to our home here at the orphanage. We met the kids and played a bit and then tried to get used to the heat...
This morning we woke up at 6:00am , had breakfast and then did a devotional at a public school at 8:00 ... There are so many kids here that can't afford to go to school and you just pass them on the road in torn clothes and no shoes. The kids that go to school are so appreciative of visitors. Will gave a devotional & Briana & Haley led the music. After that we spent the rest of the day working here at the orphanage painting, cleaning, cutting grass and a whole lot of sweating. We did manage some time snorkeling in the Caribbean sea and a couple swims in the pool. Now our kids just got done playing cricket and are playing cards with the kids,Tomorrow 6am again - To another school where Katie will share and then to a really poor area called Gulley Bank and then to the hospital and nursing home... Keep Praying
DAY 3
We started the day at 6:30 with breakfast and a devotional on "God's will". At 7:15 we loaded up and went to another public school where our kids lead the morning devotional time before over 100 kids. Katies shared her testimony and she was awesomeThe kids hugged and begged us not to leave. The kids are so starved for attention. After that we loaded up all our supplies and headed an hour away to an area called "Gulley Bank" which is one of the poorest area's in Jamaica. There we played with the kids and shared the Gospel.. We also visited a nursing home run the government and it was so sad. There were 43 men and 33 women there and they were the ones who been abandoned by their families. One old man sang to us and and we prayed with several of them.
Tomorrow we head back to "Gulley" to work with the kids again and then to the hospital there to visit the children there.. Everyone is doing great and God is doing great things . We love our new family here at the orphange
Keep Praying.. The heat is brutal but we are getting used to no air conditioning believe it or not..
DAY 4
We are actually getting used to getting up at 6am but don't tell anyone... Back to the school to play with the kids before school started. This time when they saw us coming in the van they came running and screaming,it sure makes you feel special. The girls would not let go of Katie, Briana & Haley.. And the boys engaged in a game of ulimate frisbee.
After that we squeezed a few hours of snorkeling and beach time , by the way the reefs are amazing. Then we packed up and headed back to Gulley Bank.
Before we did ministry there we stopped by the hospital and played with the kids in the children's ward but we were not allowed to take any pictures... it was sad.. Katie bonded with a little girl who we found out later had diabetes so severely she may not live.. We all gathered around her at the nurses request and prayed for her .. We ask that you do the same... The women visited the maternity ward and then we headed to Gulley Bank.. Again we were met with kids chasing the van.. We shared the Gospel with each of them 4 at a time. It was hard to leave them .
Tomorrow we head back to a school where Morgan and Briana will share their testimony then help people in a village carry water.
Your Prayers are Helping --- Thanks
DAY 5
Again 6am came early and we headed to another school to play with the kids before school started, it was on our way to our mission project for the day and what a project.
Papa Jim took us to another really poor community named Petersville where the population had no running water so all of us carried 5 gallon containers of water to the older people's homes and filled up 5 / 55 gallon drums. One home was about 1/4 mile up a path into the mountains. We prayed with the people and then a highlight was meeting the local pastor..Pastor Murray - 94 and still preaching the Gospel , even better we met his older brother who was 96 and an elder of the church.
Our kids shared the Gospel with some of their kids and we prayed for Pastor Murray's daughter who had a recent stroke and could afford heath care... Ms Ruby.
Hugs were abundant and what a rewarding experience. It's 7pm and our kids are playing with the kids here at the orphanage... It's been so amazing to see our students step up --- To God be the Glory
