ACE | American-Caribbean Experience

MARLA’S MINUTE: After 32 years, she found us!!!

by American- Caribbean Experience | Jan 27, 2020 | Community, Outreach

Right after the first of this month, I was cleaning out my emails, and out pops one from someone I wasn’t expecting… and what a surprise!

The email was from a young girl named Evete, a name I hadn’t thought of in 32 years! 1988 was not only the year I arrived on the island, but it also saw one of the worst hurricanes to hit Jamaica, Hurricane Gilbert, in September of that year.

I happened to be back in Atlanta when the actual hurricane hit due to a root canal I had scheduled. Who would ever credit a root canal to being a good thing, helping me dodge a hurricane? Upon my return, I was shocked to see the devastation. It was a month before the airport could be opened to receive commercial flights outside of military help. Within a short time, roads were finally opening up.

Just a few months before the hurricane, our NGO had been working in an area called Ft. George where a small church and community had needed a lot of help. I remembered a young girl and her family being so helpful to us as we built and repaired homes and churches in their community. Evete was that teenage girl.

To make a long story short, I went back to Ft. George following the hurricane, and I brought Evete a suitcase of clothing and toiletries from our group in hopes it would help in a small way. Now, after 32 years, I received an email from this woman who found me on Facebook and wanted to say thanks for that small token of love. With her permission, I’m sharing some of her email. She’s now a surgical nurse in England, married to a husband who loves Jamaica and they have two wonderful children.

“We met in 1988. I hope its you anyway. I’ve never ever forgotten when [you] came back shortly after the Hurricane and Donated a Suitcase of Clothes and Shoes to me, to share with my Friends, I will never forget.

I always thought about you, Especially since I’ve grown much older, You’ve made a Great Impact on my Childhood and that I will never forget ♥ Thank you and God Bless”

Evete hopes to come to see her family this summer… and us! We can’t wait! You never know what an impact you can make in someone’s life by serving in big and small ways. Make your promise in 2020 to never stop loving and serving the people that God puts in your path. You might have a great story to tell like this one day!!

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Do You Zelle?

by American- Caribbean Experience | Jan 27, 2020 | Community, Outreach

Instead of mailing ACE a donation or trip payment with a check through the USPS, you can Zelle! With Zelle, you can send and receive money with peace of mind. Safely and easily transfer money to people you know through your trusted banking app – or the Zelle app if your bank doesn’t currently offer Zelle.

STEP 1

Access Zelle

If you already have your banking app on your phone, there’s no download necessary. You can find Zelle as an option in your bank’s mobile banking app. If your bank or credit union doesn’t offer Zelle yet, just download the Zelle app to get started.

STEP 2

Once you enroll, all you need to do to send money to ACE with Zelle is use accounting@acexperience.org as the recipient email address

STEP 3

Enter the amount you want to send, and the money will go directly into their bank account, typically in minutes. There is a comment section where you can note how you’d like your payment allocated: as a donation (please specify “child sponsorship” or other designation) or as a payment for an invoice (please specify the invoice number).

In this age of quickly changing technology, we encourage electronic payments and donations for the quickest, most secure transfer of funds. We hope this additional option will make it easier!

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He’s Back!

by American- Caribbean Experience | Jan 27, 2020 | Community

We haven’t updated you recently on Pastor Kermit! We are happy to report that he is back! That’s right… you can never retire at ACE! He’s a little thinner but happy to be back on the job!

When Marla and Pastor Kermit were at the hospital to pay the final bill, he was amazed and humbled that we had enough money to cover all his medical costs, thanks to the generous donations that came in for him over the last few months! Everything is paid in full! And his gratitude toward the hospital staff for taking such care of him was overflowing. He shook hands and thanked all those he could, handing out Cloud 9 Chocolate bars to them as a parting gift. No doubt he made friends there, as he does everywhere he goes!

On the way home, Marla joked with him, “Well, you better get back to work quick! We need you!” And he didn’t miss a beat, meeting with the male farm and construction crew for morning devotions before Marla could even call all the staff with the news that he was home! What a blessing it was to have him back with us, sharing the Good News and reconnecting with everyone again.

Thank you for all your prayers and monetary support for Pastor Kermit’s healing. He is incredibly grateful to all of you and to God, and we can’t imagine a better way to start our year than seeing his smiling face!

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Happy Fall & Thanksgiving!

by American- Caribbean Experience | Nov 26, 2019 | Community, Discipleship, Outreach

Last night, D’Vaun asked a funny question after we had returned to Jamaica. His question was “Is it still fall?” We knew why he was asking; every time we landed or drove to a new city last week in the states, D’Vaun seemed to bundle up more and more in loaned-out clothes. While winter officially comes December 21^st, many people in the North are experiencing those temperatures that remind us that winter is just around the corner.

At ACE in Jamaica, it generally means cooler temperatures and rain. In fact, it’s raining right now. No one here is complaining as we have been in a very long drought and the farmers have been praying for relief. At Green Life Farms, we plan on replanting what we already planted a few months ago, starting next week.

Jamaica doesn’t have an official holiday called Thanksgiving like Canada and the U.S. However, there is no doubt in our minds that every single one of our sponsored students, their parents, our farmers, infirmary residents, hotel staff, honey bees, chocolate trees, and employees of ACE are very grateful to be part of something much larger than themselves. They are all part of the ACE network of “Changing Lives and Transforming Communities”.

We, too, are so grateful for each of you – our volunteers and donors – for sowing into ACE this year with your treasure and time. As we finish the 2019 year in just a few months and welcome 2020, please consider sending in a financial gift to help us over the hump of Christmas. With a lot of movement forward comes a lot of expense. Helping at this time of year will give us a big boost forward for the upcoming holidays.

Happy Thanksgiving and please know that all of us at ACE are thankful for you.

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Volleyball team visits the Infirmary

by American- Caribbean Experience | Nov 26, 2019 | Community, Discipleship, Outreach

Did you know that even when teams are not down in Jamaica, our staff and those associated with ACE still make visits to the infirmary at least three times a week? We know the importance of consistent visits, building relationships, bringing food and just spending time with our wonderful friends… and they LOVE it!

Recently, ACE Manager Winston Moncrieffe took the young men of the ACE-sponsored Oracabessa volleyball team with him to meet and greet the infirmary residents. Here, in his words, is what took place that day:

Team players were cautiously apprehensive about the visit, although they were given a brief overview of ACE and the depth of what the company does. On arrival, team members were met at the bus by the infirmary custodian and senior welcome committee president, Lorraine. They were scared, somewhat, by that lazy, alluring smile of hers, and they quickly retreated to the inner sanctuary of the bus with serious doubts about going outside. Their fears dissolved slowly, however, as soon as they recognized and realized that dear Lorraine was a harmless, affectionate lady who loves to dance with handsome young men.

The young men quickly adapted to the new environment and were soon busy distributing love, sharing soup and water, and conversing with the appreciative residents. The transformation continued until the team players’ departure. On their way from the infirmary, the interior of the bus was saturated with excited voices sharing stories of the visit. All in all, it was a great experience, the type of visit that the driver, Nicalos, team players and Coach Ramdeen will not forget for quite a while. Exiting the bus at the school, both players and coach expressed their appreciation for the trip with the hope that such an experience will be repeated soon.

What a wonderful opportunity for two worlds to come together in unity and fellowship. Thank you, Mr. Moncrieffe and Nicalos, for sharing this experience with these young men! No doubt the infirmary residents – especially Lorraine – will look forward to the next visit!