We were blessed to have Lynne, a former volunteer, come out to housesit at the Campus. She was a Godsend to us for being present and willing to help us in whatever ways He led her. Thank you, Lynne, for sharing your talents, your time, and your kindness. Here are a few of her thoughts from this experience:

I prayed for peace of mind and clarity for guidance on what to do in 2023 in my new role as a widow. I participated in a couple of medical mission trips to ACE in the past, so I receive the monthly newsletter. While reviewing the prayer requests, my interest increased after reading about the need for adults to housesit at the campus. The person or persons would need to take care of the house, the dogs and possibly do light gardening. When the same prayer request came again the following month, I responded. I accepted this wonderful challenge… and it turned out to be a blessing for me.

I arrived in the middle of a busy week, with a large mission trip of high schoolers and college students. It was wonderful listening to their stories of how they came to be here and what they wanted to do with their lives. Some had been here before.

House sitting at the campus house is very similar to taking care of your own home. Dusting, cleaning, finding things that need repaired or replaced. On the grounds of the campus house, there are trees and plants different from my part of the US. Almond, coconut, guava, ackee, bananas and plantains. The dogs are amazingly well behaved. They just want attention, companionship and of course food!

But I am not a sitter. I like to be busy, and I wanted to learn more about Jamaican life. I met with and worked with the ACE staff and some long-term volunteers. They do amazing work. God is working through all of them in everything they do. I helped with folding donated clothing and participated with staff on home visits to sponsored children. These visits are heartbreaking to see their surroundings but also joyful witnessing their thankfulness and prayer.

Easter brought on added activities. A community meal for families on Good Friday that included a viewing of The Passion and some games. On Easter Sunday, there was a festival for the community on the property. Lots of people came to have fun.

The surprise for me was how valuable my gardening skills were for my trip. Several plants needed pruning and sprucing up, and many of us worked around the campus and Buccaneers cleaning up the gardens and grounds. Additionally, I was able to tutor a young girl.

There are also relaxing days going to the beach, going grocery shopping, and going to the various churches in the Port Maria and Ocho Rios.

Overall, this was a wonderful experience in all aspects, and I do hope to repeat it someday soon. If you’re thinking of it all and you would like a challenge such as this, open your heart and look forward to an adventure – I dare you!

~Lynne

ACE is always looking for ways to cultivate relationships and restore people that just need a little help along the way. We are very proud to say that we, as individuals with ACE, are just the hands and feet of a greater story, the story of a Savior who loves all His people enough to bear the weight of our sin and bring us to restoration.

In the same vein of help, we found a horse along the way that had been left to die on its own through starvation. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a heart for animals and have been accused by family sometimes of loving my animals more than people…. (smile) which isn’t true.

With the help of my friends, we saved this horse, who I quickly name Savior since he is being raised from the dead; I call him “Savvy” for short. My friend, Kristen, made a video of the entire rescue process and I decided to share it with you all.

While I don’t believe in “go fund me”, I do want you to know that the cost to rescue this horse and the many animals we save is expensive. If you want to help us out with keeping our four-legged friends safe, and healthy, and loved, consider helping us via a donation. Mark it for the ACE Animal Family. While it’s not the most spiritual ask I’ve ever made, it is as important to God’s creatures and the Jamaican students, children, and adults that are learning the nature behind these beautiful animals.

We’ve had some great friends of ACE donate meds for the dogs and cats, as well as saddles and tack for the donkeys and horses. Anything you send is greatly appreciated. Treasure always helps pay the vet bills. Happy trails!

In 2019, Brian and I were vacationing in Jamaica, and we experienced God undoubtedly and distinctively calling us to uproot our life and come serve Him there. As a family, we came as a package deal, so that included our kids – at the time, nine-year-old twins and a four-year-old. It took a lot of prayer from the whole family to give that “yes” to God, but there were moments after giving it to Him that I still had my doubts. After 15 years of life in Knoxville, we had built such an amazing support system, surrounded by family and friends. I had comfort and security. How could we give that up?

It was then the Lord gave me dreams and visions, things I had never previously experienced. There were many and they were very clear. And I fought them. In one of my failed attempts to negotiate with God, I looked up any and every organization that might be doing the things God was calling us to do in Jamaica. I found several doing wonderful things, but only one matched in every way – ACE. To cover my bases, I made a small donation to all of the organizations, hoping God would let me off the hook and count that as my contribution to Jamaica and let us stay in Knoxville. But God didn’t stop.

When I looked up ACE, I was intrigued and I purchased The Mango Tree Gospel. Reading about Marla’s life and her radical faith, trust and obedience, God confirmed our crazy faith story, and I became aware that He was just getting started with me. Marla’s journey resonated so much that I bought multiple copies of The Mango Tree Gospel to hand out to people close to me. I read the entire book out loud to our children explaining what God was calling us towards. It was SO encouraging to see someone else who had experienced God in similar ways and had enough courage to follow through! 

Soon after, Brian was talking to a friend about us moving to Jamaica, and this longtime friend actually started to tell Brian about ACE and Marla! He then said that Brian had worked on one of ACE’s first websites, while contracting for this friend early in our marriage. He even had their contact information and offered it to Brian. At this point, we decided to reach out to Marla and Allen, even if just to encourage them that their story and ministry mattered and that their obedience gave us courage to follow through with our own calling from God. In the fall of 2019, we met Marla and Allen for the first time in north Georgia at a Cracker Barrel.

In obedience, we moved forward with our “yes”, with open minds and hearts and with few expectations. We sold our home and belongings and moved our family to Jamaica in September 2020 in the midst of a global pandemic. Several months after moving, God in His wisdom and Marla in her kindness, allowed us the opportunity to shadow her in trying to learn, absorb, and observe ACE more closely, to see up close all the areas and inner workings of the ministry.

We’ve been blessed to spend time getting to know the amazing ACE staff. Let me tell you, they work tirelessly with or without volunteer teams down. It has been a joy to see all three of our children get to help serve alongside so many enthusiastic staff and volunteers, truly getting to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Everyone has become so near and dear to our entire family, and we are honored to share in friendship with Marla and Allen and all of the ACE family.

We’ve continued to learn, grow, and give God our daily “yes”, and we’ve been astounded as we’ve watched Him faithfully work in and through us and our kids over the past several years. Aiden and Kaitlyn are now 14 and in 8th grade, and they homeschool with a paid teacher. Logan turns eight this month and is in 2nd grade in a Jamaican school. We purchased our home in Ocho Rios almost exactly a year after moving here. We are registered as software business owners in Jamaica and Brian is exploring technology possibilities here while advising many programmers all over the island.

God has a way of using ACE to change hearts in the best way, if we’ll allow Him, giving us so many blessings from one simple “yes”. Most of all, we are humbled and excited to partner with Marla and Allen and join them in carrying out God’s story in Jamaica.