Winter may be cold, but ACE Wellness teams were just warming up…

Winter may be cold, but ACE Wellness teams were just warming up…

We are not sure if you have ever experienced winter in St. Mary, Jamaica, but if you haven’t, you might want to consider coming down this time of year and joining a wellness trip!

Thanks to our ACE Board Chairman, Dr. Steve Guy, we were all fortunate to receive another team of medical and dental volunteers this winter to keep us all feeling great, both physically and in spirit. This trip not only gave our health professionals a chance to make a difference, but it gave their family members (who might have thought they were just tagging along for the good weather) the opportunity to serve in other much needed outreach areas all week.

Medications were administered, counseling was given to the low in spirit, and teeth were extracted, along with many teeth cleanings. All in all, so many of our community families were relieved of pain and experienced the love only our ACE healthcare professionals could give.

During the middle of the week, our friends helped out on the farm and we have begun to uncover the old ruins on the property where Captain Henry Morgan built a home. While it may be years before we can fully uncover the whole house, we are getting lots of potting soil for our chocolate trees. Who knows, we might start another business called Pirates Potting Soil!

Thank you to Dr. Guy and the incredible health professionals who worked long hours to ensure we were all left happy and healthy.

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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.

Volleyball team visits the Infirmary

Volleyball team visits the Infirmary

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!

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 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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Saskia moves away

Saskia moves away

If anyone has ever been to our Jerk Centre, you know that our former ACE Administrator is called “Brownie”, at least, by her father, MacGyver. We know and love her by her real name, Saskia. We are sad but proud to report that Saskia is moving on to pursue her dream of teaching at Mason Hall Basic School.

Saskia started with ACE four years ago as an ACE Coordinator. With training and hard work, she became the administrator, responsible for so many facets of the behind-the-scenes of ACE. While ACE invests our hearts and talents into these young adults, our real desire is to see them grow and thrive on their own. And this is exactly what Saskia has done.

Starting last Monday, the three-year-olds at Mason Hall Basic have a new “mother” who we believe will make coming to school worth it. Congratulations, Saskia! We know this is not good-bye, but rather “see you later”!  Don’t worry, you will be able to see her when you come down.  ACE is at Mason Hall weekly with our Boys club.

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