American- Caribbean Experience | American-Caribbean Experience

Marla’s Minute: Change is Good!!

by American- Caribbean Experience | Oct 25, 2021 | Book A Trip, Community, Outreach

If you’ve ever been on a volunteer trip with Marla or her staff, you will hear almost every day, “Change is good!” The rain might come and the outdoor work may stop – no problem, because ACE always has a plan B… and C…and D…and so on.

ACE is a friend to change and that’s why we believe we have survived these challenging few years. Long before COVID, we had in our Trip Guide what we called The 5 Statements of ACE.

Let’s review and see if any of these foundation quotes have been used in the past few years of change… and how these also may have helped you in your everyday life!

I’m here to serve and not to be served. This has been the real test… are we still serving God and each other versus having a pity party and wanting things to be back the way they were?
You can’t make it tough enough for me to complain. Anyone complain recently or at all this year?
I left all my expectations at home. Did you expect things to get back to normal sooner than it is? We sure did.
It’s just the way I like it! No matter what is served up, are you ready to change your outlook to enjoy the experience?
And finally, the one we love the most…
Flexibility is the key to success! My favorite tree is the palm tree. I’ve watched it bend when a hurricane hit us, and it almost touched the ground as it took the battering of the wind and the rain. After the hurricane passed, it looked sort of like me on a bad hair day… perfectly fine and all there but looking a little worn.

With each month that passes, we find we are more and more flexible to the changes that come through our doors, onto our island and through the news. It’s such a strong reminder that God is still in charge. He loves us more than we love each other and, most of all, He reminds us through unexpected change that, through Him, “it is well with our souls.” I hope you come to the same conclusion during your seasons of change, always remembering that peace comes from within, not from what surrounds us.

Oh, one last change to point out, one that we love: Galina Breeze Hotel has a new look! We decided it was time to upgrade our image at the hotel with a new brand logo and new colors. When you come down, let us know what you think of the rebranding. It’s just the way we like it… and we hope you’ll like it, too!

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School and AVC Progress Report

by American- Caribbean Experience | Oct 25, 2021 | Community, Education

Are the students attending school in Jamaica? We get this question a lot these days as most of the families in the States are dealing with the same back-and-forth issues. The answer is: it depends.

Each school is making its own decision on whether to be in session, and, in addition, the Board of Education has mandated all students be vaccinated to attend. In the world of ACE in St. Mary, like in the US, there are those who are unable or unwilling to abide by that rule. Families are trying different options, such as online schooling. Last year, ACE implemented the ACE Virtual Classroom (AVC), where we provided space, devices and help for larger groups of children to connect to their classrooms online. We’ve since reorganized this into smaller tutoring sessions with a better staff-child ratio for more productive learning. The tablets generously donated for AVC are still being put to great use by our students and educators.

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All of these learning options – in-person school, online learning, AVC, tutoring – present pros and cons as they (and we) maneuver through this “new normal.” ACE, as the physical arm of our sponsors, is assisting these students in several ways. The most important place to start, as always, is with the health and wellness of these growing students. We’ve mentioned many times on social media and in newsletters how your donations have enabled us to continue to feed and care for our sponsored families, but it doesn’t hurt to remind you – and thank you – again! This past year, ACE was very busy every quarter delivering toiletries and food to the many families that had absolutely nothing. That also included some of our staff who had more mouths than they had funds to feed them.

ACE Jamaica has had numerous conversations with professional teachers and educators from St. Mary as well as other parts of Jamaica to figure out the best way to work through what this past year of school closings, delayed learning and general frustration has done to our students. ACE called on every sponsored family to survey what was their greatest need as schools reopened. Hands down, the feedback was, “Help us with books!” Since many students are still not attending in person, we switched gears from uniforms and shoes (which were still new from last year, should a student need them) to books and supplies. The Ministry of Education was slow in deciding per grade what books each family should purchase, with many changes happening daily, so by the time we knew the curriculum, we were pressed for time. D’Vaun and Althia set out on a mission to locate and purchase hundreds of books before school began.

What a great job they did! Books were coming from everywhere – Kingston, Ocho Rios, private bookshops. In addition, parents expressed a need for workbooks for their children to write in. Hundreds of workbooks, textbooks and reading books filled our boxes and shelves, and our staff worked tirelessly to resource every book possible for the students.

ACE requires each parent to purchase at least one book (and, in some cases, two books) for their child as a buy-in. As challenging as it may be, there has to be that participation (or as we call in the States, “skin in the game”) to show we are all in this together. Playing an active role in their children’s education, these parents feel empowered and the students feel supported.

As the families came for their books, it was almost like a homecoming; everyone was all smiles and excited for a new school year, in whatever form it was! It always feels good to be part of transforming not only our communities, but our families – and especially the children — even in little ways.

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And the Help Goes On

by American- Caribbean Experience | Sep 28, 2021 | Book A Trip, Community, Outreach

ACE is known for following up on what they promise and this is a story of one of those follow ups. Pat and her sponsored boys have been living in a beautiful home her sponsors and other supporters built for her and her family several years ago. Yet, with water only running once a week in her community, Pat needed a large tank (called a RHINO in Jamaica) to gravity-feed water to her inside tank all week long. Thanks to the boys’ sponsor, a RHINO was purchased and installed!

Just because school has not been happening the way we are all used to, students and their families are still being provided for in very important ways. Thank you, sponsors, for meeting the most basic of needs.

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ACE Micro-Business: A Vision of Success

by American- Caribbean Experience | Sep 28, 2021 | Book A Trip, Community, Discipleship, Education, Outreach

How can a not-for-profit invest in for-profit businesses?

This is a question that comes up from time to time when our readers see the impressive businesses popping up through the ACE ministry in St. Mary. ACE calls them micro-businesses as they are small and only have between two and five Jamaicans working together to produce a product that can be turned into income for their families to live. The best way to answer a question like this is to go back to the beginning of ACE three decades ago and understand how we, as a non-profit, started having an impact in Jamaica.

HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

The ACE focus back then was to meet the needs of the Jamaican Nationals in our area who appeared to be in poor health, mostly uneducated, unemployed, and, for a lack of a better word, lost. In order to treat the whole person, it was important to bring in professionals to assist in wellness treatment and prevention to strengthen the body as well as to provide educational tutoring and literacy training to strengthen the mind. ACE began to seek volunteers – both local and in the U.S. and Canada – to lend their talents and expertise to our community in these areas. This worked out great through the early 90’s and 2000’s.

So many of our families began to thrive from just feeling good, both physically and mentally. Children began attending school with confidence and performing well. ACE started small groups and book clubs for parents. Volunteers hosted Vacation Bible School weeks in the summer for students and our Men and Women Conferences for adults in the winter months to focus on the other building block of health: spiritual health. Once people’s bodies were stronger and their minds sharper, they began to hear and comprehend that God loves everyone and has a purpose for their lives. They could see the changes being made in their lives, thanks to our staff and volunteers working through Him.

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EMPLOYMENT

As our community began to mature, it became obvious that there was very little employment for a young adult or family provider. Many times, a family member would leave the country for years to work abroad in the States so they could send money home for the rest of the family members unable to work or find jobs. The separation of fathers and mothers from their children was devastating on the family dynamic. In addition, just when many young adults were gaining the confidence from their educational and spiritual growth, they felt discouraged at the dead end of job opportunities, seeing their dreams fading into the sunset.

That’s when ACE realized that part of the success of sustainability had to include a sustained economy. For ACE, this means we began to create and incubate a business from local resources, involving teaching, training, and building a product that would be appealing to customers and lucrative for buyers and sellers in the local market of produce, agriculture, or eco-tourism.

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JOB TRAINING

One way we achieved this was through our generous ACE donors giving their time and treasure. We began to build an ACE network of “owners” who work and help create business that depends on other businesses developed within the ACE network locally. It sounds like circle talk but it really is a working economy using all the skills sets of our ACE non-profit and putting them towards profitable companies for families once the businesses can sustain themselves. And, in doing this, we are not laundering funds or side-stepping the rules of a 501(c)3. We are doing what every ministry in the 21st century should be doing: seeking to be a self-sustaining outreach program that can survive any hardship, like this current COVID experience.

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GALINA BREEZE HOTEL

A great example of this strategy is our Galina Breeze Hotel. Prior to 2005, ACE was paying a different hotel to house our volunteers when they came to serve with our ministry. As the story unfolds in our ACE book, The Mango Tree Gospel, God literally “gave” us an old hotel (called Trade Winds, now Galina Breeze) that required lots of work. Speed forward 16 years: the hotel (pre-COVID) employed 33 local Jamaican adults who were trained by ACE in all areas of hospitality and food management. While a non-profit provided the funds to purchase the building, the funds also hired and trained these families that had no work to be sustainable. These employees could now feed their children, afford better housing, attend their church, and eat well all while being a part of building a better community. Had it not been for ACE and our donors, the hotel might have been bought by someone else and not had the success we have enjoyed and continue to share with our volunteers today.

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FARMING AND LIVESTOCK

Another example is our Green Life Llanrumney Farm. The hotel needed to buy food for the volunteers who come to stay. Instead of buying food from the supermarket (which we still do in part), we created smaller businesses for food production to prepare our meals at Galina Breeze. Chickens, pigs, vegetables, and fruits now come from the farm we established! Our community families work hard, learning to grow food they have never tasted before, all because of the many volunteers – the same volunteers who will eat the food at the hotel – coming down over the years to train and educate them on agriculture, farming and livestock care. In the process, relationships were built and small businesses were born. ACE calls this micro-business.

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We could go on and on, but the bottom line is when a non-profit focuses on the total picture of human need (mental, physical and spiritual), earning a living is part of that picture. And this is how we do it. Once ACE creates and trains, the time comes where the employees are able to sustain themselves and their business…and economy happens naturally.

Most importantly, it’s at this point, after years of personal investment, that we have earned the right to have those eternal discussions (or what ACE would call the God conversations) so everyone knows the why for all that we do. The Kingdom of Heaven is real and not just a story; our goal is to help others get there by providing opportunities to live good, honest lives, use their God-given talents, and become the best version of themselves for His sake. Through our micro-businesses and outreach programs, we feel God’s love reaching down and touching the tiniest souls in our little area of Jamaica.

Thank you for not only investing in our not-for-profit but for the many lives you have personally touched for profit.

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Maddie joins the iQuest alumni family!

by American- Caribbean Experience | Aug 29, 2021 | Book A Trip, Community, Discipleship, Outreach

As our 2021 iQuest intern Maddie finishes up her remarkable summer, we wish her well and will miss her smile! She has definitely been a blessing to our staff and volunteers, and her hard work on VBS, the coconut walk, and many other projects was outstanding! At the last minute, due to threats of tropical storms and more earthquake concerns in the Caribbean, her debrief in Negril was canceled, but she will hopefully come back soon to Jamaica to wrap up her iQuest experience with a special outing.

So many young men and women have graced the ACE iQuest program through the years… and some, even before the official iQuest program was fully developed! Each intern brought unique talents to ACE, leaving their handprints on our ministry and throughout the St. Mary community. We are grateful for every intern we’ve had and wondered, “What are they doing now?” A few – Laura, Courtney, Emily, Ann, Joe, Amber, Danielle, Josh, Adam, Beth, Chelsea, Shelby, Crystal, Mallory, Austin, Hannah, Audrey, Anna and Gentry – gave us some updates, memories and words of wisdom for Maddie as she journeys home!

What year did you intern?

LAURA LADD: 1989

COURTNEY AND EMILY SIMMONS: 2002

ANN CALLAHAM: 2006

JOE PAUL: 2008

AMBER WENDLING SMITH: 2008

DANIELLE KNIGHT: 2009

JOSH CHRISTENSEN: 2009

ADAM GERBER: 2011

BETH BARNETT PITTS: 2013

CHELSEA MERRIS PETERSON: 2014

SHELBY MOBERG YEICH: 2014

CRYSTAL FORESTER HAYMORE: 2015

MALLORY PRICE: 2017

AUSTIN BURNS: 2017

HANNAH LISCIANDRO: 2017

AUDREY POTTSCHMIDT: 2017

ANNA CAPPS: 2018

GENTRY BUSSMAN: 2019

Any special memory of that time you would like to share?

MALLORY: I have SO many wonderful memories of iQuest, but I think my favorite is earning my nickname for the summer – “The Barber” – by giving haircuts at the infirmary!

AUSTIN: There are so many memories that I could share. One was getting my rock at the end of the summer. I still have it.

LAURA: It was an amazing experience serving the people of Jamaica and working with Marla. It gave me a heart for missions and service. It was eye-opening to see a side of the world that most think is all glamorous (Jamaica = paradise) that is real and desperately in need of Jesus.

JOE: I enjoyed my time in Jamaica and loved the building projects and the kindness of the local community. It was always fun work next to local builders and provide help with building structures to support the community.

ANN: The time I spent tutoring in the schools was part of what started me down the path to going overseas as a teacher.

JOSH: The camaraderie developed with my fellow interns was special.

AUDREY: One of my all-time favorite memories was being baptized by Pastor Kermit in the Galina Breeze pool. Orlando was baptized on that day, too. Afterwards it poured down rain for about ten minutes as the next team arrived. Then, after the rain clouds parted, there were two gorgeous rainbows over the Blue Mountains in the distance. Unforgettable.

ADAM: I was challenged in ways I needed to be challenged and was presented with the opportunity to look at this life from a deeper perspective. I tried to approach my time with a servant attitude, and I developed quite the appreciation for all the behind-the-scenes effort it takes to make ACE run smoothly. I really enjoyed building relationships and helping people while adjusting to a new culture. The most special memory was being asked to stick around a little longer (and ACE provided me resources to do so) after my internship. That gave me an opportunity to pour back into an organization and a community that welcomed me.

COURTNEY AND EMILY: Our experience was a little different from the more recent interns and it was prior to ACE acquiring Galina Breeze. We lived in the “penthouse” at Casa Maria Hotel during the summer of 2002. When teams were down, we assisted Marla in leading the teams, and when teams were not there we worked with a church in the community. It was quite the experience!

ANNA: I have many special memories from my summer in Jamaica but a few of them are: spending the afternoon and night at Pastor Kermit’s home, infirmary field trips, and the down-time at night spent with my fellow interns and everyone in our house including Tahj, Tia, Anthony, and Katie (for part of the summer!). I learned so much about myself that summer and had to step out of my comfort zone quite often which was tough sometimes but has benefited me overall. God is so good and I’m thankful for my time spent in Jamaica! I included a picture of me sleeping because a joke all summer was that I was always sleeping in the van or falling asleep at random times :).

CHELSEA: That summer was hands-down one of my favorites ever in my life. Apart from getting baptized, the kids and the infirmary residents are what stick out the most to me. That summer, I met the sweetest little 3-year-old (at the time), Daejanay, to whom I grew so attached. When I got home, I quickly signed up to sponsor her, and she is still my sponsored child today. On the opposite spectrum, the infirmary residents also found a special place in my heart, specifically Winston. My favorite day was taking the residents to the beach and seeing so much joy, excitement, and peace when they were in the water. In each and every resident, there is so much history and life behind their eyes, and I gained so much love and respect for the elders in our community that year.

HANNAH: In having to choose just one memory to share, I’ll have to go with the first day I led a team. Throughout the day, I wasn’t feeling good physically. However, the Lord was so faithful in delivering me through that day and providing the courage to lead. We were pouring the foundation of a house and, as we got near the end of the sand used to mix the concrete, we thought we would run out soon. Somehow, though, we kept drawing buckets of sand from what looked like nothing and it reminded me of Jesus feeding the 5,000, where Jesus used what they had and multiplied it to provide for the crowd. That day, He provided for strength for me and sand for the team to get the job done for the family we were serving. I also will always be grateful to have served alongside that team. I learned so much from them and was so encouraged by their unity as we worked together in each task.

CRYSTAL: One memory I have of that summer happened when Lillie and I were on our way to pick up the infirmary residents. We had planned to take them to the beach that day, and as we turned in to Port Maria we saw fire trucks! Something was on fire on the road we would need to take to get to the beach. We called Mrs. Marla in a panic, and she calmly said, “Let’s bring them here to swim in the pool!” That is the story of how Infirmary Beach Day became Infirmary Pool Day!

SHELBY: Some of the best times during that summer were the nightly Bible studies in Marla’s living room, eating peanut M&Ms and diving deeper into the Word more than I ever had.

AMBER: Goodness, I have too many to pick from. I loved opening myself up for God to stretch me. He moved in profound ways. The most precious moment I had was at Pastor Kermit and Sister Gloria’s house at the end of the summer. They made us dinner and presented us with certificates. It was such a sweet memory.

GENTRY: Everything about this internship was amazing! It was tough, a challenge, but through it all I learned so much. It was truly remarkable being able to see how God is working in Jamaica and how He is using ACE to transform lives into a masterpiece of His work. A special memory that I will always remember was with Mr. Eurbert at the infirmary. He is blind, so by mid-summer he would hear my voice and say, “Gentry, Gentry, come here!” It was truly amazing to see how fast he picked up my voice and knew when I was there. It was hard leaving on the last day because he said, “Gentry, I will miss talking to you. When will you be back to visit?” This truly broke my heart because that whole summer I got so close to so many people at the infirmary. The infirmary is one of my favorite places to go to see everyone and to simply be the light because that is what we are called to do.

BETH: Oh, the memories. Amidst all the drama and what sometimes felt like a failed summer (one intern got sent home less than a month into it and there were a few other mishaps), we had a blast. Adam and Amber took us to the blue hole before it was a tourist attraction, and it was so cool to see Jamaica beauty in the wild. For the first time in my life, I learned to slow down and see what was in front of me.

What are you doing now?

JOSH: I live in Portland, Oregon with my wife Emily and our daughter Halle. I teach math and coach cross country and track & field at a local high school and Emily manages our family’s berry farm.

AUDREY: I am a Senior Brand Manager for Procter & Gamble (the company that makes brands like Tide, Charmin, Vicks, etc.). I’m living in Cincinnati and engaged to marry my best friend this spring (who, by the way, I became friends with on a trip to ACE back in 2016)!

DANIELLE: I am now in full time ministry with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Northern California.

CHELSEA: I am now married to Forrest and living back in my hometown (Cumming, GA) with a dog and a cat. I just started working as the Social Media Manager for Luminate Marketing – a marketing agency that services nonprofits and churches! I am so excited to be able to combine my passion for people and serving the Lord with my expertise in marketing and copywriting.

AMBER: I am loving on my 7-month-old all day and raising my two bonus kids!

LAURA: I’m a mom, pastor’s wife, active in missions when possible and an architect.

HANNAH: I graduated from Texas A&M as a biochemistry major and am now working for a biotech company called Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies. I have pursued cross-cultural ministry and training as in the future I hope to go overseas to an unreached nation, a place where those there don’t have access to the gospel, to share the Lord’s truth as I long for the day when a people from every people stand before Him in worship.

BETH: I am married with an 8-month-old. I work as an office manager.

ADAM: A lot has changed in the 10 years since interning. I have gotten married (Semra), have had the joy and blessing of welcoming two children into the world (Mina – 2 years) (Micah – 6mos), bought a house (Haymarket, VA), and started a business (Propel Construction).

AUSTIN: I am a Leadership Resident at Christ Chapel Bible Church, studying at Dallas Theological Seminary.

ANNA: I am currently in graduate school getting my doctorate of physical therapy in North Carolina and I will graduate in 2023.

COURTNEY AND EMILY: Courtney is the Dean of Students and Athletic Director at a private Christian school and Emily is a preschool teacher. We have three daughters.

Gentry: I am currently in nursing school at The University of Alabama in Huntsville and wanting to specialize in oncology. After graduation, I plan on attending grad school to become a nurse practitioner.

MALLORY: Since iQuest in 2017, I’ve gotten to travel and serve in 11 different countries all around the world and am now finally settled in Louisville, KY, teaching preschool while also earning my degree to be an elementary educator!

JOE: I am married and have a beautiful little girl. We live on a small farm. My wife and I own a bakery on our farm providing to local businesses and families. I am a private practice therapist specializing in the treatment of PTSD.

ANN: I have a 10-month-old girl who is my world, and I work as a hospital social worker.

CRYSTAL: Now I live with my husband and 5-month-old son, in North Carolina where my husband is pursuing a Master’s Degree in International Church Planting. I am a sign language interpreter for an elementary school student. We are loving this time of watching our baby grow and learn. He is such a joy to our family!

SHELBY: Since then, I came back to ACE in July 2016, where I got engaged down by the ocean. In December 2016, I graduated from college with a BA in Family Studies. My husband Matt and I got married in June 2017 and took our honeymoon in Ocho Rios, but, of course, we took one day to go spend the night at Galina Breeze to visit! In August of 2017 I started at Asbury Theological Seminary and will be graduating in December 2021 with a MA in Mental Health Counseling. I am currently an intern in a residential treatment facility for teens in foster care with mental and behavioral disorders. We have a precious 1 year old little boy named Bryles and a 3-year-old dog named Cash.

How has ACE impacted your life?

AUDREY: I could write an entire novel about this. ACE was a huge part of my spiritual journey. I re-committed my life to Christ and was water-baptized during my internship summer. Now God is a part of my everyday life and my reason for being. Every morning, I can’t wait to sit in my dedicated prayer corner and hang out with God before I head off to work. I’m obsessed with the local church we attend here in Cincinnati and all the life giving people in it. My faith is the #1 driver of my life and has already brought me so much joy. I would have none of that if it wasn’t for the way ACE opened my eyes and heart to experience God in such a unique and special way.

AMBER: ACE was an avenue that God used to help free me from my anxiety, stretch me to do things that were out of my comfort zone, and experience a love for people that I would have never experienced before. I have also gained a wealth of knowledge through serving in Jamaica that I use daily. Last year, my kids and I even built raised garden boxes. Spiritually, I was able to gain a love for scripture through studying the word in our Bible studies. I find myself addressing big questions that my kids are asking by pointing them to the Word of God. My heart holds a very special place for ACE, Jamaica. I am very grateful for the experience and forever friendships gained.

COURTNEY AND EMILY: ACE has dramatically impacted both of our lives. Our first trip down was when we were in high school and we have been coming down ever since. It is absolutely amazing to see what ACE has become and how God is continually providing for them financially and impacting the community through them. Every time we spend time with our friends in Jamaica, it is a reminder of how truly blessed we are and how some of the simplest actions can have such a huge impact.

HANNAH: ACE has impacted my life hugely. The people I have met while in Jamaica have had last a lasting impact on me. Upon returning, I have had the desire to want to be in a culture entirely different than the one I grew up in, sharing the Lord’s truth to those who don’t have access to the Word or know anyone who knows Him. The Lord showed me His faithfulness in how He worked in Jamaica that summer, through restoration there and within me.

AUSTIN: The Holy Spirit used my ACE iQuest experience to deepen my love and desire for God.

CHELSEA: From the bonds I made with the other interns and staff to the connections I made with the people we served, my life has forever been changed because of ACE. I still bring up that summer any chance I get. I have never been more challenged or pushed deeper in my faith than I was that summer. In fact, it was through the internship that I truly developed a faith of my own, apart from my parents’ and how I was raised. I was baptized in fourth grade with my family, but that summer I made the decision to get baptized on my own, in my own faith, and Amber baptized me in the Galina Breeze pool.

LAURA: ACE gave me a love for missions; Marla has been a constant encourager for me.

JOE: Jamaican gave me a sense of confidence that I needed in my youth. I still smile when I think about the individuals that I met. I believe that the island came into my life at a perfect time and am very grateful.

MALLORY: ACE impacted my life as my first real experience of the love of Christ in action. It wasn’t enough for Marla to see need in the world and pray for God to send the right person along the way to be His hands and feet. Instead, she said yes to *being* the one to go and serve, calling up and mentoring so many faithful believers along the way, including myself. The Lord uses ACE to change real lives every day. ACE changed my life as the first of many steps for me in living a life of adventure and total surrender to the Lord.

BETH: ACE has helped me to learn to trust God in a way I never had before. ACE pushes you to experience the world (even your hometown) for yourself and not what others tell you. ACE has helped me see God is in control even when I don’t realize it. ACE has also given me some of my best friends even if I don’t see or talk to them much. Jamaica is my second home and sometimes feels like my first.

SHELBY: My experience at ACE changed my view of “mission” work. Mission work isn’t about going and doing things for people who can’t do it. It’s about coming alongside them (whatever that might look like) and partnering together to help.

JOSH: I went back four more times after 2009 and built some great friendships with other interns and ACE staff.

ANN: ACE was my first international experience, and the majority of my time and ministry after that first trip to Jamaica has been spent focused on international missions in one way or another. My time there was the foundation for how God has used me and shaped my life.

DANIELLE: The summer in Jamaica helped me understand what it means to be displaced and opened my eyes to different cultural and racial things happening in America.

CRYSTAL: ACE played such a huge role in who I am. I could not even begin to number the ways that my time with ACE made me a better person. I grew so much during the time I spent in Jamaica, and I can only pray that I was a fraction of the blessing to ACE as ACE was to me.

GENTRY: ACE has truly impacted my life in so many areas. ACE has molded me into who I am today and has grown my relationship with the Lord tremendously. ACE has also opened my eyes up to be the Godly example everywhere that I go and to make a difference in the lives around me. Our goal here on this Earth is to live the life that God has called us to live and to hear Him say one day, “Well done, my good and faithful one.” Momma Marla and Allen have personally impacted my life with how much they have poured into me just from the summer that I was there and the relationship that I have built with them both. They are truly a second family to me.

ADAM: ACE has left an everlasting impression on my life. In serving the local community, the community served me equally. I left Jamaica a better person with more knowledge and direction than when I entered. I would be remiss if I did not mention specifically how very special Marla is to me and the impact she has had on my life. I have many fond memories and an appreciation for her and the time she has spent with me in many aspects. One of our most valuable assets is our time, and Marla’s and Allen’s selflessness to sacrifice their time is inspirational… and impressive. Even when they are on “break”, they continue to cultivate meaningful relationships – there are still churches to speak at, dinners and weddings to attend, emails and phone calls. They have poured their time into the valued friends and families who have been a part of their journey with ACE. They truly live this; they truly have given themselves to the development of God’s vision for ACE. When He calls, they answer. I will always consider ACE part of my family.

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We asked our interns to provide words of encouragement for Maddie as she heads back home to the US, and they had a lot to say! Much of their advice was personal, so we shared it with Maddie directly, but there were a few thoughts we thought were applicable to all of us in our journey through life:

You may not understand things now, but know that God has a plan for you.

Look for ways to help others wherever you are.

Embrace things that make you feel uncomfortable and rely on God till you get comfortable.

Hold onto good memories and let the hard memories become learning experiences.

Never lose your desire to serve and love people.

Trust in God, trust in His timing, because His timing is always perfect.

Thank you to those who responded and to all who have come down to serve with iQuest. Your impact is still being felt to this day, and we consider you all part of our ACE family. We look forward to meeting the next new members of our iQuest community!