The seniors have our hearts every time. Of course, our sponsored students are the life of ACE and the future of Jamaica, but without the wisdom of our seniors who have made the way for us, we would be lacking development and vision built on life experience. And such is the case with our dear Pastor Kermit Jones who turned 85 last week!
Those of you who are new to ACE should know that this dear man and his now-deceased wife, Gloria, are the reason ACE is in St. Mary. Pastor Kermit wrote Marla a letter a long time ago seeking assistance for his church in some structural challenges. Without knowing the where or how, Marla ventured out to St. Mary from the Mountains of Manchester to meet this vivacious couple. And that’s the beginning of ACE and the Joneses’ influence in St. Mary.
One of our own ACE boys who came up through the ranks, Orlando, lives with Pastor Kermit and takes great care of him. If there is ever a legacy of lifetime investing, Pastor Kermit and Orlando are the perfect examples. And that’s really what we are all about, isn’t it? Young and old, learning from each other, making every minute of life count.
Happy Birthday, Pastor Kermit! Let’s make it another 85 years – if not in this realm, then in the next!
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TRIP COST
There is an old proverb, “If you give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime.” History proves that lasting change in a poverty culture is achieved by empowering the people to reach their full potential and become self-sustaining. ACE is invested in our community long-term and in conjunction with our partners in the US, we are identifying the circumstances of those around us in order to find real solutions for their unique needs.