11 to go!?!

Believe it or not I've already been down in Jamaica for a month! This past Thursday marked 4 weeks! What a week it was too. Beginning sometime Tuesday I was filled with this incredible joy and sense of peace. . . one that just kept coming, no matter if I was at the clinic, working in the yard, driving or riding along, washing dishes or washing clothes. God has continually poured out His blessing in big and small ways. I am loving my work as a physiotherapist and getting to experience all the things this country and its people have to offer.

There's such beauty all around out here in Ridge with a stillness not found in much of the U.S. Not just in the way of life but in the plants, trees, flowers, mountains, etc that surround us. My work is so much bigger and better than money. The delight I read in Joyce's face when her wrist muscles twitch with movement for the first time in months does not have a price. Nor is there a sum of money that would cover seeing Sheldon again, one of my first Jamaican patients last May as a student who was recovering from a TBI (traumatic brain injury); even better when he beat my best efforts to outlast him on a high-level balance activity. Perhaps part of the delight I continue to find streams in from the daily reminders that it is better to give than to receive. Example A would be in Toots' joyous exclamations of a "dream come true!" in including her in plans to see the Blue Mountains next week, and that was before we informed her we're covering her cost--many Jamaicans never see their own home country as transportation in and of itself is at a great cost or inaccessible to them. This will be much more than a weekend trip for her, and now I imagine, for me as well. (Someday soon I hope to tell you some more of Toot's story. There's not a day that goes by that I'm not humbled and awed by this lady and the renewed life she's found in Christ.) The fellowship, sisterhood, teamwork and just overall friendship I've found with both Toots and Brooke in the clinic and out has to have come from God alone as well. There's joy even in finding bits and pieces of my "patwah voice" that's confident, firm, and that even has some of the proper rhythm and syntax to it!

Regardless of the many pieces that make up my delight and joy day-to-day, I'm constantly reminded (verbally too) that when you are doing the Lord's work you can't help but be filled up.


The pictures I've taken hardly begin to encompass all of it, but they say a picture is worth a thousand words . . . So here are a few "thousand words" and some of my favorite that you've yet to see:

YS Falls on July16th!

Jamaican "cliff" jumping . . . the rope swing was on the next falls up!

Incredible beauty.

And an hour or so later it poured down rain (thanks to mi daddy I have a waterproof camera)

My first solo attempt at Jamaican baking without a recipe. . . 'mango surprise'

Joyce--who's story pretty much humbles me and fills me up at the same time.

The sky from church at sunset

More beauty . . .

One of my favorites . . .

And another favorite, the Poor Man's Orchid

Sweet Sap! (A fruit)

Officially licensed in both US and Jamaica!

Looking back on Alligator Pond (aka beach and river)

Saturday night dinner at Little Ochie's by Alligator Pond

Even more beautiful at sunset

Chocolate chip cookies and a banana leaf. The banana leaf wasn't such a great idea for cookies after all . . . I'll just have to work to perfect the Jamaican chocolate chip cookie.

Armed and dangerous. Yes, that be mi machet.

My Tuesday morning crew that bring such joy to my work!

Hiking up through the bush (and farmer's fields)

This is the top of the top and looking out over our community!

Monday was Emancipation Day and a holiday so we got to work at the Reading Camp. This is one of the many projects . .

Trouble. That's all I have to say.

"Classrooms" range from 1-8 kids most days . . .

1 on 1

Better believe it. That IS a volleyball net. Holler.

Showing off their word houses and work of the day!

He steals my heart with every "Jennieeee!!!" he yells at me.

Back tracking . . . a few weeks ago we were invited to an 80th Birthday party of some of Brooke's more affluent Jamaican friends. It was a whole other side of Jamaica I'd yet to see, that's for sure. Eye opening as well. Needless to say there was this very, very talented and awesome steel drum band playing. Imagine going to church and worshiping with this every Sunday. This is a church group after all!!



Only 11 months to go . . . or not?! One of my biggest struggles has continued to be not worrying about the future. I find myself arguing with God that this time last year He was opening doors to Jamaica . . .so shouldn't He now be showing me doors to what He has for me a year for now!?! Will I be here or back somewhere in the States? A different country?? But as a true Jamaican would say, we can but take it one day at a time. We must cherish today and pour ourselves into it. With that in mind I'm not going to discuss my plans for the future . . . as it's hard enough to keep up with what I'll be doing two hours from now down here!! I'm just going to keep turning those doubts and worries and questioning fears over to Him.


The truth of the matter is that God began preparing me for (and the way to) Jamaica well before last year. It's just as the word reads, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;" He began planning it even then. It's the small ways that jump out to me the most these days. For the first time in my life no one has spelled my name wrong. There is no "Jenny" or "Gennie" or "Jenni" here. They automatically expect my name to be spelled as my parent's designed my nickname "Jennie". In a whole other direction, I've picked up well on Jamaican directions. Road signs, even stop signs for the corner you are supposed to stop at, are rare. No Garmin or Google necessary as there's no "turn left on Germantown Pike at Ridge Ave in 1.8 mi". Instead it's a patwah ramble basically saying "go past Flaggerman's and take the first turn" or "it's the left just past the Oceanbreeze Inn sign". Excellent. Now I just have to keep trusting in the doors and path that lie ahead, whether or not I know how, were designed for me and that I'm preparing for in my actions of today.

This week brings Emancipation Day (Monday), Independence Day (Friday), and visits from my best friend-older sis, Allison, as well as the dynamic mom and daughter duo of Angela and Alyssa Tate (Angela is a phenomenal PT and great to learn from!). Woohooo. Let the fun begin.

With that, I'll leave you with the simplicity of one of my favorite latest Jamaican choruses . . . likkle more.

Do not worry,

Do not fret,

Jesus neva failed me yet.