tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131588762011-04-21T21:37:35.727-05:00Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.comBlogger501100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124404902573277562005-08-18T17:39:00.000-05:002005-08-18T17:41:42.573-05:00

The hotel tennis court overlooks the sea, too. You can see it through the wind guards. They offer a free clinic by a visiting tennis pro every day and I took it and was the only one there and it's Thursday and I'm still really sore. I guess I'll have to play more in order to loosen up those muscles.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124404753762496372005-08-18T17:37:00.000-05:002005-08-18T17:39:13.763-05:00

I had been waiting to go into a pool all summer long. It was fabulous.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124404577205044182005-08-18T17:35:00.000-05:002005-08-18T17:36:17.206-05:00

Krista knows how to pick a hotel. This is the view from our hotel room in Montego Bay.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124404461992113602005-08-18T17:32:00.000-05:002005-08-18T17:34:21.993-05:00

Someone is building a house that looks like a cruise ship a few communities over from mine.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124403805672915362005-08-18T17:22:00.000-05:002005-08-18T17:23:25.673-05:00

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124403733589117942005-08-18T17:21:00.000-05:002005-08-18T17:22:13.590-05:00

Lots of laundry to do!

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124403671655599422005-08-18T17:20:00.000-05:002005-08-18T17:21:11.656-05:00

The Bennett's house on Mayflower Close.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124403577302827032005-08-18T17:18:00.000-05:002005-08-18T17:19:37.303-05:00

Nine Mile, Bob Marley's birthplace and burial place. Very overrated and overpriced. Would never go back again.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124403433621635702005-08-18T17:14:00.000-05:002005-08-18T17:17:13.623-05:00

He is a very good soccer player and knows so much about sports that he won a contest a couple of years ago to go on vacation for a weekend in Curaco. However, he knows very little about the US, including how many states there are. Says Floyd, "How many states are there, anyway? 52?" I had a lot of fun talking to him and miss him.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124403204770803982005-08-18T17:13:00.000-05:002005-08-18T17:13:24.776-05:00

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124402348770555152005-08-18T16:58:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:59:08.770-05:00

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124402235170038682005-08-18T16:56:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:57:15.170-05:00

Three very sweet boys I met at the Crusade and Vacation Bible School.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124402083233806652005-08-18T16:51:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:54:43.233-05:00

"The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good." ~ProverbsObject lesson: do not steal money from the church during Vacation Bible School.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124401871389680072005-08-18T16:50:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:51:11.390-05:00

Some of the teenagers hanging out after VBS at the church.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124401795657201222005-08-18T16:49:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:49:55.656-05:00

An average Sunday at the nursing home.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124401743654822942005-08-18T16:48:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:49:03.656-05:00

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124400837763368562005-08-18T16:33:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:33:57.763-05:00

A picture of me. Or of Krista. We look so similar it's hard to tell, really. :)

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124400775079017392005-08-18T16:32:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:32:55.080-05:00

Whenever Krista and I would go into Ochi, we'd usually use the internet and get a Juicy Patty. I prefer the beef one (shown), but Krista loved the chicken ones.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124400673830187082005-08-18T16:30:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:31:13.830-05:00

Domino players at the Boscobel Heights United Church Harvest Supper

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124400613265046092005-08-18T16:28:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:30:13.266-05:00

My first experience leading communion at Immanuel United Church.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124400513918224272005-08-18T16:27:00.001-05:002005-08-18T16:48:23.263-05:00

Nothing over $99...

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124400468375050902005-08-18T16:27:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:27:48.376-05:00

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124399354753509382005-08-18T16:07:00.001-05:002005-08-18T16:09:14.753-05:00

Very often Krista and I were asked if we were sisters. More than once we were asked if we were twins. I just don't see the resemblance.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124399247157479352005-08-18T16:07:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:10:03.676-05:00

View from the manse of the Boscobel Heights community.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124399045904975252005-08-18T16:03:00.000-05:002005-08-18T16:12:32.280-05:00

The soccer players from afar. I never took another picture closer - wish I had. The men (and sometimes teenage boys) would gather almost every day of the week to play soccer (football) on the field. I'd usually watch at least one day a week, if not more. I will miss the friends I made there.

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124398473236565182005-08-18T15:53:00.000-05:002005-08-18T15:54:33.236-05:00

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124398360117973782005-08-18T15:52:00.000-05:002005-08-18T15:52:40.123-05:00

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1124396797072553722005-08-18T15:19:00.000-05:002005-08-18T15:26:37.083-05:00

Lectionary Text: Isaiah 56:1-8Kee bayti bait tefilla yicaray lecall ha amim.*For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.PrayerLoving God, we are again worshipping before you this morning. We pray that you will speak to us through this message and that we would be open and receptive to be led by your Holy Spirit. Bless us with this word so that we might bless you. We ask

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1123534158912005952005-08-08T15:32:00.000-05:002005-08-08T15:49:18.920-05:00

"Soon Come" is a Jamaican phrase that stands for "coming soon." However, I have found that it is wise to ask Jamaicans to define "soon" when they tell me "soon come." For instance, it could mean anything from fifteen minutes to three hours..."soon" is really subjective here. In my case, "soon" means that I will be home next week. I think I am in the single digits both in number of days left

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1123006493132980372005-08-02T12:46:00.000-05:002005-08-02T13:14:53.136-05:00

Happy (Belated) Emancipation Day! Jamaican Emancipation Day was celebrated yesterday on August 1st. I spent the day at the Reverend's house at a party for the United Church ministers in the area. There was lots of food, specializing in Jamaican delicacies such as Manish Water (aka Goat's Head Soup), Buzo (some shellfish soup), Rice and Peas (what we know as red beans & rice), Stewed Pork &

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1122746888875472792005-07-30T12:44:00.000-05:002005-07-30T13:11:13.666-05:00

It's always something here in Jamaica. I still have peace about being here the remainder of my days (which is some gorgeous number like 18), but within the last few days I have been not feeling well physically.It started with the fact that I cannot seem to fall asleep and, when I do, I wake up after a couple of hours. The thing is that it's not always the same thing that keeps me up. Sometimes

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1122312955898093532005-07-25T12:18:00.000-05:002005-07-25T12:35:55.906-05:00

Someone must have prayed for me yesterday because last night I felt this peace about being here, thinking that I can make it through the coming twenty days or so, realizing that it can't be much more bad. Hopefully this peace will last because it felt really good when I realized it last night. Even though I posted on Saturday about the interesting cab ride, we are back here in Ochi today and I

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1122311837138178182005-07-25T12:14:00.000-05:002005-07-25T12:17:17.153-05:00

Lectionary Text: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. What appropriate words for us to hear this morning as we draw near to each other and prepare ourselves to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.Come to me, all who labor. We are all workers in this room, whether we are young or old, employed or not. All of us are to work and labor for the Lord

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1122142875802681392005-07-23T13:00:00.000-05:002005-07-23T13:21:15.806-05:00

VBS is now finished and nothing much changed since I last posted about it, other than I don't have to show up next week and do the same thing. On one hand that is frustrating to me - the relationships I worked hard at forming this week now have little meaning, other than to see the kids on the side of the road, but on the other hand, it'll be nice to go back to the regular routine of visitations

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1121986366363944472005-07-21T17:18:00.000-05:002005-07-21T17:52:46.373-05:00

I only have one more VBS class to go to. This week has gotten somewhat easier than Monday, although not really...I think it just sorta depends on my patience level of the day...some days you win and some days you lose and I think today I lost.Tuesday was the worst day. My class went up from 10 to 15 students, adding only more hoodlems than nice youth. Now, to put this into perspective, I like

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1121725677763545732005-07-18T17:07:00.000-05:002005-07-18T17:27:57.770-05:00

Well, we made it through Hurricane Emily just fine. The hurricane passed south of the island and, although some of the southern parishes had some flooding and loss of electricity, the parish I am staying in is just fine and was completely dry on Sunday, the day after. It seems that I am in a good location when it comes to hurricanes and such - if I were to the south or east more, I would

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1121446409861016942005-07-15T11:27:00.000-05:002005-07-15T11:53:29.893-05:00

Incredible. Can't wait to come home.I am writing earlier this week because tomorrow it is anticipated that Hurricane Emily will hit Jamaica. I looked a bit ago and saw that it is a Category 3/4, so it is stronger than Dennis was. Jamaica is supposed to be hit, but at least the anticipated path looks like it's going to be directly south of Jamaica. Again, Jamaicans are not at all worried about

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1121105538421628602005-07-11T13:11:00.000-05:002005-07-11T13:12:18.430-05:00

As you may have heard, Hurricane Dennis was our main attraction this past week. As of the Tuesday before, I had heard that the hurricane was headed straight for Jamaica and all I heard about was the incredible destruction that would occur from it, as the island is fresh with experience from Hurrican Ivan last year. They were telling me tales of how they didn't have lights or water for three

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1121103697770618792005-07-11T12:37:00.000-05:002005-07-11T12:41:37.780-05:00

Lectionary Text: Genesis 22:1-18Our text this morning is indeed a familiar text to many of us – the binding of Isaac, or the sacrifice of Isaac, as it is also called. This text is so famous because of the sheer drama that it offers to its readers. If we take the story from the beginning of the text, we see that we do not quite have the full story if we merely consider only these verses. No,

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1120517606124622732005-07-04T17:32:00.000-05:002005-07-04T17:53:26.600-05:00

...because everyone else here does. Apparently, we look too much alike. Anyhow, things are SO much better. I have moved this past week to Mr. & Mrs. Bennett's house in the same community. The Bennetts are in their 60s or 70s and are Jamaicans, but lived in London for about 30 something years, so I am learning some British customs while in Jamaica as well (like they call desert "afters"). I

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1119902339532476332005-06-27T14:29:00.000-05:002005-06-27T14:59:13.476-05:00

That's cheaper and has nicer computers, but all of the websites insist on displaying in some language that looks like German. Thankfully, I can sorta get my way through in order to do what I need to do with little heartache. Well, your thoughts and prayers and support are so wonderful to me. The biggest news right now for me is that I have been telling Rev. Samuels about my problems living

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1119295068531963392005-06-20T13:42:00.000-05:002005-06-20T14:17:48.936-05:00

...which means that it's less than two months.As you can tell, it is hard for me to get to the internet here. I really can only access it on my days off (Mondays and Saturdays), but those days are taken from Krista and I more often than we like. Last Saturday we had to go to lunch with a guy from the congregation and then do a wedding in the afternoon (wait until you hear the wedding story).

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1118510834366947292005-06-11T12:09:00.000-05:002005-06-11T12:27:14.373-05:00

I'd come home. So far, I am not enjoying myself and am very, very homesick. Thank goodness I have Krista here with me, because she has been continual encouragement, reminding me of things that I know in my brain (that things will change once we start in our duties, that ten weeks is not so much time, etc.), but are hard to remember in my heart.I am staying in Boscobel Heights, which is just

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1118201936173065142005-06-07T21:35:00.000-05:002005-06-07T22:38:56.183-05:00

I just finished zipping up my suitcase. I feel pretty calm right now and fairly certain that I have everything that I need (also fairly certain that I packed things that I absolutely will not use while I'm there...it's my inevitable superpower). The reason I feel so collected is that my friend David Anderson was very nice to go to both the Post Office and Target for me today while I packed and

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1118159975103911492005-06-07T10:22:00.000-05:002005-06-07T21:34:29.000-05:00

Well, as you can see, I am half-packed. I have much more to do today; yet more errands to run (from stuff I forgot to do yesterday), some more stuff to pack, etc. It is suddenly very real to me that I leave very early tomorrow morning.I've been asked a number of questions, so I thought I'd write them down and answer them:Where are you going?I will be in the parish of St. Ann in Jamaica, around

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1118073116439703542005-06-06T10:25:00.000-05:002005-06-06T10:51:56.450-05:00

Two days left before I leave early on Wednesday morning. There is much for me to do, everything from packing my suitcase (which includes washing some of the clothes and going out to get stuff like toothpaste) to faxing a letter to Dr. Samuels, my supervisor, and head of the church, down there. The letter will indicate Krista's and my travel schedule. Both of us attempted to email him this

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1117642947639691022005-06-01T11:00:00.000-05:002005-06-01T11:22:27.650-05:00

As of this morning, I officially only have one week to go before heading off to Jamaica. I am starting to get a little more excited about going, but for the most part, I regard it as a chore I have to go and do, instead of a delight to go and serve in another culture. I think I feel this way because everything about Jamaica is unknown to me. The people, the land, my duties, etc. Typically, it

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1117312617738197612005-05-28T15:06:00.000-05:002005-05-28T15:36:57.743-05:00

I have been told that the respected dress for women in Jamaica is to wear skirts. Within the past year or two, I have rediscovered my love for wearing skirts. They are very comfortable, look nice, and make me feel more feminine. I guess one of the problems with them are that I get the feeling that they're not the really respected dress for women in our American society. It seems that the

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1117007690176690392005-05-25T02:54:00.000-05:002005-05-25T03:00:11.296-05:00

It is not totally clear where I will be going and what I will be doing at this point. I only have some broad, vague generalities, but I will record them, and I guess we'll see whether they end up being "true" or not. The church I am going to serve at is in St. Ann, Jamaica, which is on the northern coast, approximately four miles east from Ocho Rios. As you can see on the map, Jamaica is

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13158876.post-1117005729855959772005-05-25T01:44:00.000-05:002005-05-25T02:22:09.860-05:00

Yesterday was the first day when I've realized that I am really going to Jamaica, and going soon. I have started to prepare for my summer-long trip by taking care to pay my anticipated bills in advance (credit card, phone bill, etc.). Taking that sort of preparation is kinda lousy, and makes it really seem real that I will not be in this country for the coming months, much more so than the

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229324352456935863noreply@blogger.com0