This team of 50

Yesterday while Jim and Penie went to Montego Bay to get the team of 50 we had to clean the eleven thousand square foot home, make the beds, make sure each person has a towel and washcloth, and get enough mattresses. Oh and start dinner. The night before I didn't sleep well, because everything kept going through my mind. The first day we are left in charge and a huge team coming. Well lets just say, I have never been more proud of My Fathers house. We made and ate breakfast at 7:30, and we were swimming after lunch in the rain. All the kids here just ROCK!!!!!! Remember the one girl I talked about earlier (Anita) I had to tell her that she had to clean all the bathrooms because of her potty mouth, she not only did it but went on to get enough bedding towels etc. for 13 people. Thank you for all your prayers concerning Anita, I know its helping. So because they did so darn well, I gave them all a cross necklace that the Janet Clowe donated to us. (thank you so much, it felt good to have something like that to give the kids) So then we made dinner, 130 hot dogs....... Have you ever????? Mac & Chesse 13 boxes and pork n beans 2 gal. Well we did it, and it went GREAT!!!!!! That brings us to today. Breakfast was pancakes and fruit. Markie of course was on the grill.
This team is from Michigan. Great great group,fantastic leadership and organization. We broke into three teams, One went to do VBS the other built a room around a potty and the other painted Milicent's (our laundry lady) home. So two more days then off to Gully Bank. Today was Sabrina's Birthday she turned 12. So two birthdays since we have been here 8 days now, and we are loving it. Thank you again to everyone who
helped us get here and are still helping us to stay here for the year. We love you all.

Coming to an end

The team that is here from North Carolina is leaving at 4:00 AM in the morning, so we just said all our goodbyes. They were such a great group and hopefully we will stay in contact with them. I think this is going to be a hard thing, and that is meeting all these awesome God Loving Christians, and then having to say goodbye. But tonight in worship, we were all singing on the roof and when we were done Jim said " we Will see you all again one day" So that does make the goodbyes easier. Because one day we will all spend eternity together.
Now, tomorrow is going to be crazy, crazy, crazy.............. A team of 52.......... yes I said 52!!!!!!!!! not much more I can say right now. LOL I will fill you in later. Please Pray that we will have the strength, patience, and wisdom to make their stay here as good as the group thats just leaving.

Learning the ropes

I guess I should probably read what I wrote last so I don't repeat myself, but that would take to long. :-) Hey if there is a teacher out there that would like to donate the alphabet (the kind they use in kindergarten rooms) also the signs that have the long vowels and short vowels, if you would like to donate these, email me and I will get them at christmas or have you mail them to the next team thats coming and then they will bring it with them.
OK I have now been to market two times. I am learning the peoples names, and I think I will do just fine with the grocery shopping. Now learning the money is going to be another thing. I just can't seem to get it. Its not like its that hard, but me and math just don't go hand in hand. The team that is here is just fantastic, we are having a ball with them. Today they went to the hospital and while they were there Jenni and I went upstairs and organized the clothes closet. Took a couple hours, but one thing that is cool, is the fact that Jenni and I both like to organize things, so Yippee!!!!!!!!!! Yesterday Sandy came, she is an intern for 3 weeks, and she is in her 60's. She will be helping with everything. Oh!!!! did I tell you a team of 53 is coming on Sunday?????? Well boy am I glad Sandy is here, she will be able to help in the kitchen and help Miss Dawn.
One of our challenges I think is going to be one of the girls that live here, but we have just been giving her space, and she is starting to pick on Mark a bit, so that is cool, and tonight the team went to youth group and I stayed home and Anita had to stay home, she actually asked me to play a game, so maybe things are looking up.

trials

Ya know they say when you are out doing God's work, you will have trials right? Well I did forget to tell you about the whole luggage thing. We were told that Air Jamaica would take 3 check in suitcases per person, Jenni only had two suitcases (don't ask me how) and Mark and I had a total of 9.....LOL Its a year remember! anyways so if my calculations are right, we would have only had to pay for 2. 3 to jenni 3 to Mark and 3 to me, but nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo they said we could only check 2 each, and then we had to pay 150.00 per bag after that.
So that is a total of $750.00 for 5 bags. OMGosh you say!!!!!!! well that was our first trial. Thank God I had a credit card. But I still have to pay that credit card. So we have a number to call, maybe just maybe we might get some of it back. If not, well its just par for the course.
Today, very cool, Penie, Jenni andI went to market. Oh am I happy they speak english, kinda hard to understand but I will get used to it. Met some fantastic people. After lunch we went to Petersville to a school there and played soccer and the girls did dances.
Markie sayed at the house and hung a door, and fixed a handle to our room and Mr. fixit stuff, and you would of looked at him and thought he had gone swimming. And I am not kidding, One Sweaty guy.
Oh OH! I got to drive today, remember the steering wheel is on the right hand side, the gear shift is on the left hand side, and you drive on the left side of the road. :-0 DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME! LOLOL it was great fun. Obviously we all survived, since I am typing to you. Today was Travoy's birthday, he turned 12 and lives here with us. So we had cake and ice cream. Now its bed time for us. ta ta for now

We are here!

We made it safe and sound. Our phone is down right now and so is the wireless, so we have to use there computer right now.
We got in and then went and picked up the team from North Carolina (Christian Assembly) from swimming and then went home. It was kinda late after our snack and going through the rules so we didn't really unpack much. The next day the team and Mark weeded the garden, went to Petersville to get chicken poop and then mixed that all together. Penie Jenni and I took some of the kids from My Fathers house to go start the process of getting their passports. Interesting I say..... but fun...Oh! there is a handicapped baby in the hospital with no parents, we are trying to get him. He has a cleft palet and lobster syndrome??????? I guess its his feet and hands. (Oh how it would be nice if we could get him adopted from someone in the US, otherwise this baby will never get any surgeries, and if he did, he would be perfectly normal) Also in this new area Penie and Jim found 10 homeless children from two families, they are actually living on the streets and there is babies. So we are going to keep checking into them.
So today we are going to Petersville to do VBS with this team, and they have a skit they are doing similar to what our kids did in Haiti, should be a great day. Oh, did I say how stinkin hot it is????????........LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL