American-Caribbean Experience | American-Caribbean Experience

Marla’s Minute: Finding Your Purpose or Calling

by American-Caribbean Experience | May 19, 2025 | Book A Trip, Discipleship

While enjoying my first cup of coffee the other day, I began rereading the book of Jeremiah. It’s interesting how the New and Old Testaments go hand in hand if you analyze the verses a little deeper than normal. I’m sure God knew that when He wrote it.

Jeremiah was a priest who noticed one day that his community was overthrown and enslaved by another group of people. I don’t know about you, but this is very apropos for today. While we don’t exactly have that type of event so blatantly happening in our “yaad” as they say in Jamaica, many cultural thoughts and practices have moved into our communities, some subtle and some bold.

However, what struck me were the next verses where God described to Jeremiah who he is and what his next career move was. God then spoke to Jeremiah about how he was born for this time and given what I would call a “special coat of protection” to be a spokesman to all the world. Jeremiah was told to warn the people to “get it together” or there would be consequences. I don’t know about you, but there is no doubt that Jeremiah had a purpose/calling by God to do something radical and not to be afraid that something might happen to him.

You should read the book yourself to follow the ending, because it’s incredible to see how Jeremiah did whatever God told him to do each day. Yes, he was afraid, but he “did it afraid,” as we say at ACE.

We at ACE run into a lot of young adults trying to figure out who they are, how they can make an impact, what decisions they should make in life, and how they can find their purpose. My advice is to start by asking God to show you where you can make a difference in someone’s life within your own “yaad”. It’s easy to pray if you don’t have to follow prayer with action, which leads me to the challenging part…

The best exercise to find your purpose in life is to begin to do things that you would normally be opposed to. This may sound funny, but remember after every holiday when you want to lose weight? You join a gym or make a promise to yourself that you will give up sweets? Well, that might last a month, and then your flesh cries out that it wants something sweet. Before long, you are right back where you started.

So, if you want to know what God has for you as a purpose or calling, you have to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to your mind and bypass the comforts of the body. I’m no expert at this, but over the past 30-something years, I’ve seen young adults who were serious about finding their purpose begin the journey of curbing their flesh feedings. They start to curb these feedings by doing things they wouldn’t normally, such as giving back or volunteering their time.

It’s easy find time to go on vacations and retire comfortably, yet we seldom think to schedule time in our busy lives to give a few hours a week to something that offers little to no benefit to our natural flesh. And, then to try and keep your volunteering a secret from family or friends, so you won’t get a pat on the back.

This month, before our busy season hits, we’d like to highlight a few of the incredible volunteers who gave us time to serve without pay. They had to pay for their tickets and sacrifice their personal work time to give back. They spent quite a bit of money to just get to us, and then they also covered all of their expenses while at ACE. These people are the heroes who discovered a long time ago that true purpose is living outside of your own needs and putting others first. Even when you could have seemingly better options. We at ACE rarely think of ourselves as heroes, if at all. But we know that what we do each day counts for Kingdom growth and helps people find their purpose in life by finding their spirit walk and then moving out from there.

Do you feel like you’re too busy to give back? Be grateful God didn’t show up and tell you what your career would look like, as in the day of Jeremiah. Yet Jeremiah did it afraid and grew in his faith and wisdom. His availability and willingness led to him seeing a great movement happen.

Pray for ACE as we start our wonderful, busy summer. We cannot express our gratitude to each of you who is coming to serve along us in St. Mary.

For those of you still seeking your purpose, I encourage you to just start somewhere and ask God to direct your path. We can help with that part as well. We love welcoming people to ACE who are seeking God and want to make their lives count.

I hope to see you soon,
Marla

David designed and built a pizza oven at Buccaneers

John and Brandon replacing tuck shop roof at Galina Breeze Hotel

Don and John replacing tuck shop roof at Galina Breeze Hotel

Dr. Drew serving at ACE through medical missions

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Faithful with the Tasks at Hand

by American-Caribbean Experience | May 18, 2025 | Community, Outreach

When God closes the door to something that has been very special to many people, there are emotions that surface: sadness and frustration, as well as some anger and asking God why He chose to close that door! This is what many of us experienced when the gate to the entrance of the Port Maria Infirmary was shut to outsiders, leaving all of us wondering about the well-being of our infirmary friends. There was also the concern that they would experience abandonment and not understand why we no longer came to visit them.

But God! He knew this was going to happen, and He already had a plan ordained for ACE to embrace. He knew there were many elderly and infirm who desperately needed help within the communities where our sponsored children live. We were already visiting some of these dear people on a limited basis, but as we dug deeper into these communities, we found people who were often starving and living alone in deteriorating homes abandoned by family members. Many were in deep despair because they live in remote areas and there didn’t seem to be anyone who cared about what was happening to them.

As we became more aware of these dire situations, ACE Mobile Infirmary (AMI) was born to meet the physical and spiritual needs of these dear people. Our compassionate staff visit them regularly, and teams that come down to Jamaica also get to visit them, helping take care of their homes and property, sharing Scripture, singing, and praying for them.

Since lack of food is an issue for many, our staff provides them with a hot meal and a grocery bag of food that is easy for them to prepare. As an example of how desperately many of them need food, let me tell you about Pauline.

When we recently stopped by her house, Pauline greeted us with a huge smile and told us she had been praying that we would visit her that day. She had also prayed that God would provide food for her, since she had no food in her house! As we prayed for her before we left, she also prayed for us that God would keep us safe on the road.

Another one of our AMI regulars is Ricardo, a pleasant young man who is paralyzed from the waist down due to falling from a second-story roof while on a construction site. He needed a new home that didn’t have decaying walls or leak when it rained. With the help of four teams and our ACE staff, we spent several weeks building and painting his new home, complete with a ramp for accessibility. Teams were also able to build a small, one room home for Clive, an elderly gentleman who lives in a remote area. When we recently visited Clive, we could see that he is taking great pride in his new home by keeping it neat and tidy.

Verna was also delighted that we came to visit and was thankful for the food we brought. As Latoya combed and braided her hair, Verna sang one hymn after another and continually thanked God for how good He has been to her. Yes, we sang along with her! We also prayed for her, and she prayed for us in return.

Of course, we still would love to return to the infirmary, but we know that is in God’s hands. In the meantime, we will be faithful to the task He has given us to be Christ’s ambassadors, helping our AMI friends in any way that we can and knowing the joy and delight it brings to their lives—and to ours. God is faithful and so, so good!

In Christ,
Arlene, Long-Time ACE Volunteer

Pauline in the ACE Mobile Infirmary Program

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Marla’s Minute: New Life & Freshness

by American-Caribbean Experience | Apr 17, 2025 | Community

Easter brings life and freshness to old things.

As most of you know, this is Holy Week. In most of our books, it’s just like any other week. We have our daily jobs to go to in town, in the country, or on the farm. And with spring break happening at the same time, Holy Week can also look like family time together at the beach or the mountains.

For ACE, it’s all about giving back and being thankful that we get the opportunity to accomplish the many “to-dos” for our community in St. Mary through our friends and donors.

With this season of gratitude in mind, Allen and I had a chance last week to reflect on why Easter matters so much during a trip to Virginia near the DC area with some dear friends and ACE board members. We visited the Bible Museum for the first time. And as we went from floor to floor reading the facts about the thousands of translated versions throughout history in different languages, it was very apparent that God’s Word isn’t just a book. It is the Living Word of God speaking through many passages to ALL the people He created throughout the Earth.

Allen and I enjoyed watching people from every walk of life and every nation walk through the museum, thrilled to see their nation’s Bible under the glass and their rich history of how Jesus touched their country throughout time. We may not have seen a lot of rabbits and Easter eggs on display, but we did see many of Christ’s sayings and promises that He gave us as He ascended to His Father.

Matthew 28:20: “…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

John 10:10: “…I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Not just Americans… Not just Europeans… Not just Africans… But everyone!

Seeing families of all colors and sizes made us smile. Easter really is all about our risen Savior who died so that ALL may have eternal life — a new and fresh abundant life. As you prepare for Easter, whether you attend church once a year, you attend every Sunday without fail, or you sit on the beach as the sun comes up on Easter, ask God to touch your heart as to why Easter is so important to all mankind.

Here’s one final verse to ponder as you reflect on that: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

Happy Easter,
Marla

Bibles stacked on Galina Breeze's dining table before church

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Althia’s Angle: Kindness Never Goes Unnoticed

by American-Caribbean Experience | Apr 17, 2025 | Community, Discipleship

At just 13 years old, a girl in ACE’s Child Sponsorship program got pregnant and had a baby. Typically, ACE doesn’t sponsor girls with children because we are not equipped to meet the needs of pregnant women or young mothers with babies.

But God found a way!

In this specific scenario, ACE was given the opportunity to show this young lady grace and keep her in the program because of her incredible sponsors, who already know and love her. They know she hasn’t had the easiest childhood and has often been taken care of by other people in her community. And they wanted to help her as much as they could.

Thanks to her sponsors who chose to show her the abundant love and grace of Jesus Christ, this student is able to not only continue to go to school, but also receive monthly groceries for herself and her baby, as well as her mother, sister, and grandpa.

What a blessing!

If you’ve ever wondered if you can make real connections with your sponsor children and truly make a difference in their lives with your monthly donation, may this story bless you and encourage you. And may you remember that your kindness matters and never goes unnoticed.

Just look at the message below that I received from the young lady in response to everything that’s happened recently.

If you know me, you know these kind words mean so much more than any tangible gift of gratitude. We pray that ACE’s continued support, alongside the outstanding generosity of her sponsors, can help her continue to seek and love God and follow in His footsteps. We pray that she will continue to see the good in everything He does in her life and hold onto the hope He offers.

Blessings,
Athia Foster

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Marla’s Minute: Growing Towers & Growing Patience

by American-Caribbean Experience | Mar 26, 2025 | Outreach

For many months, ACE has been excited to share our new endeavor, Green Life Fresh, aimed at creating jobs and providing healthy food through 130 nine-foot aeroponic towers.

Thanks to your support, we have reached our goals of purchasing these towers and covering the shipping costs to bring them to Jamaica. However, we are currently facing delays with Jamaica Customs regarding the waiver of duty on the full cost of the container filled with our towers. It’s frustrating, and just when we think everything is on track, another unexpected hold-up arises.

I am confident that these towers and the entire Green Life Fresh project were designed in heaven just for me. I love healthy food and sharing it with others. What I struggle with is the waiting, waiting, and more waiting. For those of you who have generously supported this business, I hope you’ve felt God’s reassurance saying, “It’s all good, Marla. Just relax; I’ve got this.”

We expect to have more news for you next month regarding the shipping status of the towers or their arrival. And hopefully, I will have learned the art of patience through this experience. If you have any extra patience to spare, feel free to send it to our PO Box in Port Maria—I’m sure customs won’t charge me duty for it!

Blessings,
Marla