Feeling De Evening Breeze & More

[Stormmey]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze & More

CD!! enjoyed your report immensely

This kid reminds me of Campray, dont know why I seen a couple pictures of Compray here on the site. Thinking Compray would have looked like this when she was a wee one.

[Compry]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze & More

LOL...mi wasn't dat pretty. Cute little girl.

[Diplomat]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze & More

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Stormmey1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">CD!! enjoyed your report immensely </div></div>
Thank you I've been battling the flu for over a week so updates are a tad slow.

[Diplomat]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze &amp; More

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Compray</div><div class="ubbcode-body">LOL...mi wasn't dat pretty. Cute little girl. </div></div>
If you grew into it, you did good.

[Diplomat]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze &amp; More

<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">Reflections...</span></span>

We were tired. As the kids lined up for their ice-cream cones it gave us a chance to sit back and watch. Seeing them with their gift bags and certificates was a gratifying feeling. In different corners, some were eating their ice-cream and those who were finished were checking out what was in their bags. School supplies, a New Testament and bookmarker, a t-shirt (a Canadian businessman had donated over 100 of them), toothbrush and toothpaste (a team member secured 90 of each from her manager), were some of what they received.

Their excitement was palpable. It seems some of them had not received personal gifts in quite a long time, if ever. But there they were, checking each other's gifts out. VBS had become our primary mission, though it was something we had taken on instead of using our daily down-time to visit &quot;touristy&quot; places. As we chatted among ourselves, we agreed it was worth every moment. Some of the kids, knowing it was the last day, had started to come over asking to confirm there would be no class the next day. They were not ready to let it go. &quot;Mi not readi to guh home yet&quot;, &quot;Please, please, stay one more week&quot;, &quot;Wha mek unuu haffi leave so early?&quot; were a few of the laments we heard. It tugged at our heart strings. We wished we could physically take them all back with us, but we couldn't. On this day there were 126 of them, and they had all left indelible prints on our hearts.

for now, I was content to watch it all wind down from the side.



Looking at their hand cream from the gift bag


Happy with their goodie bags


Not camera-shy at all...

[Diplomat]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze &amp; More

Some of my guys...


Our helpers along with Pastor Dave and his wife (first and second left)


Coming together for one last picture...


And we were done; four days of VBS were successful beyond anything we could have imagined. Prior to arriving in Jamaica, we had prayed for a good turnout and the kids did come out. It is hard to put into words all the emotions we felt, but for sure some of them were mixed. We all wished we could have stayed longer; these kids had become very much a part of us as we were a part of them, but saying our goodbyes was a bit more difficult than we could have imagined.

At the same time we were looking forward to a bit of downtime. As a team we had 24-hours together before we would be going our separate ways, some back to Toronto.

The past four days had been awesome. Between VBS, the night services, and other ministry meetings, we had accomplished what we had set out to do. God was good.

Tomorrow - Rosehall Great House.

[Ivory]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze &amp; More

[quote=ChurchDude]<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">Reflections...</span></span>

We were tired. As the kids lined up for their ice-cream cones it gave us a chance to sit back and watch. Seeing them with their gift bags and certificates was a gratifying feeling. In different corners, some were eating their ice-cream and those who were finished were checking out what was in their bags. School supplies, a New Testament and bookmarker, a t-shirt (a Canadian businessman had donated over 100 of them), toothbrush and toothpaste (a team member secured 90 of each from her manager), were some of what they received.

Their excitement was palpable. It seems some of them had not received personal gifts in quite a long time, if ever. But there they were, checking each other's gifts out. VBS had become our primary mission, though it was something we had taken on instead of using our daily down-time to visit &quot;touristy&quot; places. As we chatted among ourselves, we agreed it was worth every moment. Some of the kids, knowing it was the last day, had started to come over asking to confirm there would be no class the next day. They were not ready to let it go. &quot;Mi not readi to guh home yet&quot;, &quot;Please, please, stay one more week&quot;, &quot;Wha mek unuu haffi leave so early?&quot; were a few of the laments we heard. It tugged at our heart strings. We wished we could physically take them all back with us, but we couldn't. On this day there were 126 of them, and they had all left indelible prints on our hearts.

for now, I was content to watch it all wind down from the side.



Looking at their hand cream from the gift bag


WOW...this is my twin

Hi CEW...I have to come down the road for a visit soon...I see you occasionaly but am either on the bus or in the car. (((CEW)))

[esp]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze &amp; More

Lovely report CEW....the kids are adorable...just simply beautiful **sigh**

Thanks!for sharing

[Diplomat]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze &amp; More

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ivoree</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hi CEW...I have to come down the road for a visit soon...I see you occasionaly but am either on the bus or in the car. (((CEW)))
</div></div>
Good to see ya and thanks for dropping in And yes, that visit is looonngggg overdue

[Diplomat]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze &amp; More

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: e_p</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lovely report CEW....the kids are adorable...just simply beautiful **sigh**

Thanks!for sharing </div></div>
My pleasure, and thanks for dropping in.

[Diplomat]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze &amp; More

<span style="font-style: italic">I cannot post pics from work, so please allow a bit more reflections...</span>

Thursday night was a bit of a blur. It was the last night of services, the final wrap on our trip and boy, did they sing those end of service songs like they didn't want to stop. Amidst the hugging and dancing we said our good-byes, and I noticed that most people seemed to take it for granted that we would be back next year. I guess with this being our third year, we had become a constant - something for them to look forward to. In some ways, it had become a part of their church's summer calendar when &quot;the team from Canada&quot; would be there. We didn't mind because these were special people. Over the years we learnt a lot from them and they from us.

As in previous years, the beauty of their worship mixed the simplicity and strength of their faith were some of the things that stood out for me. Spending time with them in 2009 was like a continuation of our 2008 experiences; so constant were the elements of their faith and worship. I loved it, and it challenged me. Regardless of their individual life circumstances, nothing got in the way of their praise. &quot;He's My Daddy, Oh&quot; and &quot;Massa God a God&quot; are songs that refreshed their souls and nurtured their convictions, and long after this trip was over, I would be singing those songs for my own refreshing and nurturing. God surely speaks and can be heard if we take the time to listen.

It was great seeing my friend Tyrone (some of you may remember him from my '07 and '08 reports) who continues to do well. He played the keyboard during a number of the night services, and did an amazing backup on one of the musical numbers. The guy can sing, and to my now minor discomfort, still saying, &quot;Yes, sir&quot;.

As great as that was, it was even more thrilling to catch up with Stacy (not her real name), the 16 year old young lady I had &quot;adopted&quot; from my visit last year. She, along with her mother and aunt, had driven to see me on one of the evenings, and after months of talking to her and her mom on the phone, it was good to see her again and finally get a chance to meet her mother. It was a fabulous visit that was way too short. She's doing very well though she needs to work on her grades

So many wonderful moments on this trip and my trip to the Rose Hall Great House didn't disappoint either. I'll try to post those pics later.

[rudemonk]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze &amp; More

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChurchDude</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

</div></div>

major.

[Diplomat]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze &amp; More

Friday, and the ride to the great house was uneventful. Of course, stories of Annie Palmer are legendary, and having never visited the estate, I was looking forward to it. Admission was $J1,700 which I thought was reasonable. Each group was assigned a tour guide and shortly after getting our tickets, it was time for the tour. A bit on the history of the Rose Hall Great House amd the shenanigans that took place there can be found here.







The view from the front of the house


In the front (waiting/living) room


The glare is from the sun coming through the windows

[Diplomat]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze &amp; More



I really love this


The dining room as it would have looked back then

[Diplomat]

Re: Feeling De Evening Breeze &amp; More

One of the interesting things about touring the Great House was for whatever reason, I expected it to feel a tad eerie and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't. It was a beautiful place, well lit, and airy. Of course, the owners spent millions on renovations, trying to restore it to its original condition and importing as much as the furniture to replicate what would have been in place then. Some of the stuff in the house were actually originals, and I found that fascinating.



I loved the detail on this chair from the dining room.


Annie didn't have any kids so it is alleged that this painting was a misrepresentation.


Miniature Arawak village put together by the '91/'92 common entrance class from Immaculate Conception Prep School.


Loved this


...and I thought the detail on the staircase a thing of beauty