Paying off the Farm

Paying off the Farm

Remember the ask ACE made to all of you the last quarter of 2021 to help us pay off the Green Life Llanrumney Farm? As you know, the farm is the place where all our micro-businesses will flourish to keep us hiring more and more Nationals. We want to keep you posted on how we are doing in raising the $700k needed by 2024.

Take a look at the graph to see how it’s going. Pretty impressive, we think. It’s also a faith-builder for ACE and, hopefully, for all of you who gave the funding to help us reach these goals. So far, with the help of many generous sponsors, we went over the $100k mark in 2021. Thank you!

If you are led to help us get to the $350k mark by summer and $500k by December, we would be grateful. After all, seeing is believing – and seeing is always a confirmation that it was completed in the supernatural world before it became visible in the natural.

Just watch what God will do this year… and it’s all good!

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Christmas and Celebrations

Christmas and Celebrations

Thanks to ACE’s dear friends, Tina and Luke, all of our sponsored students and friends celebrated Christmas in style! As the COVID syndrome continues globally, the Rebel Ministries team came through unafraid, full of life and energy. The last week of 2021 ended with lots of laughter and smiles as our team and staff hosted several separate parties across a few days.

The farm was our background for open air fun and storytelling. Students had cards and gifts from sponsors, and the celebration of Jesus’ birth was at the forefront! Most of all, it was such a “shot in the arm” of encouragement for ACE. Beyond the partying, this team worked so hard every single day, and it gave us hope for what 2022 will look like. Thank you all for making our end of year and first of year so fantastic

As for the rest of you considering coming to Jamaica, well, come on… we’ve got work for you and our staff is ready for some American humor! Are you ready for us? Let’s make it happen!

 

Click image to scroll through gallery

 

New Year, New Faces

New Year, New Faces

ACE is always changing! That is to be expected when people are involved in the lives of others, and this year will be no different in Jamaica.

Remember our own Anthony, the beekeeper? Well, Anthony is all grown up, out of school for the moment (he graduated), and he lives with his sister in nearby Hampstead. Always ready to learn a new skill, Anthony works with one of our men who repairs our pumps at the farm and makes a nice living. But what about the bees and the honey he left behind?

Introducing Romario, our new beekeeper! Romario was just beginning to start his own beehives in the Bonney Gate community, close to where Pastor Kermit lives. As Anthony was transitioning to a full-time job outside of ACE, he and Romario started working together at the Campus. While Anthony has the long-term training, thanks to local and foreign volunteers, Romario has learned to breed queen bees at lightning speed. We’ve been told by Mr. Haywood the Bee Master that this is quite a skill to do as the production of honey triples.

All we know is more bees means more honey and more honey means more sweetness pouring out of ACE! The business of bees continues for another passionate young man, and we already see him buzzing with success!

Thank you, David and Valerie, for donating the extractor. We have it set up in the Campus living room looking like a new piece of furniture. You get the first bottle we will harvest this spring.

This is what Changing Lives is all about for ACE. We are so proud of these young men growing up and pursuing their passion, learning new skills, and always changing for the better. And thank YOU for supporting our honey business. It’s just sooo sweet!

Click image below to scroll through photo gallery

 

The Second Container is Coming!!

The Second Container is Coming!!

We are not sure if you remember the drama around shipping the first container to Jamaica a year and half ago, but the good news is there is NO DRAMA this time! We purchased the 40-foot container for ACE before the prices on containers more than doubled, AND we were able to gather all the previously limited supplies to fill it!

Thank you to all of you for helping us raise the funds to buy everything we needed for the ministry and farm for a while. We are really thankful for David and Pam who made our staging area, again, a huge platform for all kinds of inventory for several months.

The container pulled out of the yard on its way to Savannah, GA, to load on a ship. We are thrilled to know we will be receiving all these much-needed items. Stay tuned for the arrival. More equipment, more jobs, more reasons to give thanks!

Marla’s Minute: Finally, a Breath of Fresh Air!

Marla’s Minute: Finally, a Breath of Fresh Air!

It’s been a breath of fresh air this summer with so many volunteers! There is just something about seeing people you admire and love buying into the same vision that God has been giving us for 30 plus years.

We love the photos of friends smiling, especially when we are in them! Allen and I personally needed to experience this summer with everyone to confirm we are all still in this wonderful journey of ACE together! It’s been a good month, a good year so far; thank you for believing in ACE all this time.

We are praying those who haven’t come down will visit us soon. After next week, we don’t have anyone scheduled to visit us for a while and we could sure use your help. We miss you! We have lots of needs that keep us from moving forward until have helping hands on the ground. We hope to see you in St Mary soon. Look at your schedule and make time for us between now and December. ACE can’t work alone. It takes teamwork to make the dream work!

(Click image to scroll through photo gallery)