Wellness Goes A Long Way

Wellness Goes A Long Way

As you can imagine, the first place to close down due to the virus was the infirmary. We hate it, but we understand. I was at the infirmary with some staff two weeks ago when the Matron came over and asked us politely to leave immediately. She had just received the word from the Ministry of Health and was acting quickly.

As we loaded up to leave, we smiled as Bo Bo asked when the next field trip was and would we put his name on the list. Then Christopher ran out to assist me in turning the key on the bus to start the engine and take us home. There was silence for a moment as we thought about those precious souls so thrilled to see us so often. ACE got the chance to say goodbye to our seniors from a good distance but reassured them that we will be back and, next time, with a big celebration with cake and music!

The Matron and her staff have been working countless hours providing comfort and protection to our friends at the infirmary who really don’t quite understand our absence. We give thanks for all of you who have continually supported the infirmary and the hundreds of you who have taken them out on mind stimulation trips. Everyone sends their love and thanks.  And ACE is very grateful for the Depends. We have not only shared them with the infirmary but with Pastor Kermit who sends his love and is house bound, and Shirley, our GB cook, whose mother lives with her and needed them as well.

Thank you for allowing ACE to be your hands and feet on the ground. Good goes around.

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Happy Fall & Thanksgiving!

Happy Fall & Thanksgiving!

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 21st, 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.

EAST COAST TRAVEL

EAST COAST TRAVEL

This month, Allen, Marla, and D’Vaun had the opportunity to visit several of our partners along the northeast coast of the U.S.

Partnership with ACE isn’t just about coming to Jamaica and helping us with our agenda’s for success in St. Mary. A partnership is about ACE coming to your hometown and seeing you in your environment and with your families. The Fall is a good time for us to travel, so you can imagine how excited we were to be invited to speak at a breakfast, visit services, and have one-on-one conversations with friends who are not sweating from the heat and work load we have in Jamaica.

When we walked into places to see friends, there was always this “recalibration” moment as people looked at us a little stunned, wondering if it was really us or a clean replica of ACE! Funny enough, we did the same. And we are here to tell you, WOW!!  All of you look fabulous in real clothes, clean hair and even a tint of color outside of your cheeks!

Thank you all for making us feel like superstars. We touched down last week with a smile still on our faces. We needed that time with friends of ACE and hope you enjoyed us as much as we did you!!

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When Things Don’t Go Your Way (Even When You Know They Should)

When Things Don’t Go Your Way (Even When You Know They Should)

This month was finally the month that we got to see a well dug for water at the Campus as well as the farm. For those of you who don’t know what is happening, the water pipes from the National Water Commission (government water) do not come to us at the Campus or the Green Life Farm next door.

Actually, all of us in Hampstead, Heywood Hall and beyond are without water most of the year and have to rely on collected rain water, water from the river, or buy it privately. You can imagine what happens in drought.

We waited for eight months for them to come after we initially ordered a well to be dug, and, with the help of donors, we were able to raise the funds to have this project completed two weeks ago – and…no water.

That’s right, you would think that drilling 200’ down at 170’ above sea level would turn up some H2O, but it didn’t…just slush. You can imagine all the thoughts we were thinking. For instance: “God you can make water come out of a rock, why not here?” or how about this one: “God, am I doing something wrong, not living right, eating too much? Any sin in my life I need to confess?” Please tell me you all have had these similar thoughts when God decides to do something different than “our” plan?  As if to think God really holds back things to punish us. Not so.

For now, we will continue to collect water outside of the normal everyday average person schedule and see what God has for us in the future. Thank you all for contributing to this cause. We know there must be a silver lining in this cloud somewhere. Perhaps in the next rain storm.

 Have a Team? Want a Team? Need a Team? Join a team!

 Have a Team? Want a Team? Need a Team? Join a team!

That’s right, ACE wants you and your family, your friends, your church, your school, and anyone who wants to know what is happening here on the ground in St. Mary Jamaica to come this spring or summer.

We have grown and are growing at levels we have never seen before. It’s wonderful!! ACE is touching so many lives through our sponsorship programs with our local students, ACE Quiz Bowl coming up next month, Cloud 9 Chocolate, Peace House construction, canning sessions, lunch-and- learn programs and much more! We need your help in a real physical way!!

If you are thinking about getting involved this coming year and making a huge impact for one week, think ACE. We need you more than ever. If you can read a children’s book, massage lotion on our dear infirmary friends, teach at lunch, mix cement, or even brush a horse or two or three, we need your help. Our Peace House is off the ground, while new employees are being trained to take over.

God has expanded our borders way beyond what we thought possible and we are excited. At the same time, it’s scary as we can’t do all of this by ourselves. That’s why we are asking you to seriously think about getting involved this coming year physically. Come down ready to work and laugh and make a difference. ACE is the place and we’d love to see you!

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