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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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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ACE has a fresh new look!

ACE has a fresh new look!

We have enjoyed the multi-colored logo of ACE for many years. Like seasons that change, we thought it was time for a new leaner and simpler ACE look. Let us know what you think! We love it, especially with its nod to the wave from our previous logo!

We equate the new look to changing out of the same ol’ clothes into a fresh new pair of jeans! We’d love to hear what sort of logo merchandise you’d like to see in our gift shop!