Marla’s Minute: Big Red is Dead

Marla’s Minute: Big Red is Dead

Farming is not an easy business to be involved with in Jamaica, especially if you are trying to raise a herd of beef cattle and grow a business so more Jamaicans can earn and help their families. ACE and Green Life Farms are not exempt from struggle, no matter how lofty our goals.

This past week, our prize bull Big Red was slaughtered in our own field at night during a full moon. Yes, it was tragic. And yet, we don’t know what to do. In our book, The Mango Tree Gospel, we write about desperate people doing desperate things, and there is the fine balance of need versus crime. We pray for those who feel the need to take from others and for how we can prevent this in the future, like the ability to hire more personnel to stand watch. We are doing our best to build a business, but the loss sometimes makes us want to quit. 

The hopeful news is that Big Red left behind at least 18 to 20 pregnant cows who will drop their calves in August if all goes well. Maybe one of them will be a male. Pray for the protection of our animals, our health, and our staff as we continue to move forward in this part of ministry, pursuing our micro business opportunities amid challenges like this.

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Our Community is Transforming

Our Community is Transforming

ACE’s vision from the beginning has been “changing lives and transforming communities” one person at a time. One of our most needy communities that lines our farm property is Hampstead, and one woman we met there through our sponsorship program is a testament to that transformation.

Meet LaToya Newell, a sponsored child’s mother who received a home several years ago with her four children. LaToya used to be what we call a haggler. She would buy our things from thrift shop and other shops, then flip them to make income for her and her family. Hard times fell on LaToya, who also has a special-needs child, and much of her income shut down.

Until…

ACE needed an animal caretaker at our micro-business, Green Life Llanrumney Farms. For those of you who don’t know the story about the farm, in short, it’s for ACE to incubate small agriculture businesses for our local families who are unemployed and want to work but have no training or ability to compete in the tourist trade market miles away.

That’s where Ricky comes into LaToya’s life. Ricky is one of six horses GLLF has on property to be trained to round up cattle when they get “way up in the bush” and LaToya is going to teach him! At first, she was very nervous about being close to such a big animal (her first time). But after the introduction, the bathing, the saddling, and then the riding, she’s getting to be a natural – a real “Jamaican Cowgirl,” says LeRoy, our horse trainer in St. Mary who is working with her.

LaToya said it is great therapy for getting back to the simple things that really make a day at work fun and fulfilling. It started with a sponsored child, then a family, a home, a skill, a future. Thank you, sponsors, for changing this life and ultimately transforming our community one person at a time.

 

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ACE goes DEEP and not WIDE

ACE goes DEEP and not WIDE

How many times have you heard ACE say “ACE goes deep, not wide” about the way we do life with our community? In three decades, we’ve never changed that direction of depth vs width. We can’t reach every single person in St. Mary, but we hope that those we DO reach and invest in – emotionally, spiritually, financially – will be changed for the better as they then go out to help others.

Do you remember little Orlando from Bonny Gate? We remember meeting him when he was in third grade at Jackson Primary, one of our first sponsored schools. Orlando would run up with eggs in his hand to give us from some of his wild chickens in the yard.

As you may know, that little boy grew up and became the caretaker of Pastor Kermit until he passed earlier this year, and now Orlando’s farming again.

He was one of ACE’s first recipients of a loan with which he purchased his first cow named Betsy. Orlando now owns thirteen cows and sells them to grow his other farm business – pigs. Just this month, he called and asked if we needed any piggies as his pigs Penney and Peggy both had 14 babies each.  Now that’s a record!

The farming experience has not only been educational and profitable for Orlando, but it’s been a spiritual journey as well. When Orlando first began to raise pigs, he had a big beautiful one named Tamarind.  A man in the community with a reputation for being cruel poisoned Orlando’s pig out of jealousy.  Tamarind died a horrible death, and Orlando was devastated and very angry. Years later, as the wicked man lay on his death bed, he asked for Orlando to visit him. Orlando didn’t want to go, but his curiosity got the best of him. The man asked his forgiveness.

ACE provides the opportunities, and opportunities provide life lessons and purpose. We are very proud of our young men like Orlando; no matter how many challenges pull them off the path, they get right back on and do what they are called to do. In Orlando’s case, that’s farming, which creates a business for him and food for others. Our investment in relationships runs deep, and that will make all the difference.

Please keep Orlando in your prayers as he still struggles with the loss of Pastor Kermit whom he called “father”. He still has us and we will be there for the long haul.

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Child Sponsorship Fun & Friendship!

Child Sponsorship Fun & Friendship!

Curfews and mask mandates have ended! ACE is so happy to restore something we always did before the COVID years, and that is to hold a pool party for our sponsored students and staff families. Our friends and volunteers from the States took full advantage of the opportunity to bring smiles and laughter to our community families. It’s these little things that bring back the normalcy in the lives of children and their parents. Why worry when you can swim!

On a personal note, last summer, a college student came down with a team and learned about our sponsorship program. After returning home, she sent an inquiry through our website and was matched up with a child on our sponsorship list. When Emily returned to Jamaica in March, she was able to meet with Neilo live and in person! They had a great afternoon of getting to know each other. 

As Emily shared at her group’s debrief at the end of the day, every month when she sent in her support for her student, she wondered if she would get to see her sponsored child as sometimes organizations can’t always guarantee an in-person meeting.

ACE does. When Emily saw Neilo, instantly there was a great connection. She told her peers that it was her high for the trip to see how she’s making a difference in someone else’s life, seeing how she truly has impact. We think the Frisbee Emily brought Neilo might have been a winning factor as well, but there is no doubt that a new friendship has been made!

Never think one person can’t make a difference! There are real smiles and real stories behind every donation, especially in our Child Sponsorship program. And there is no experience required to be a sponsor — just love! Thank you all for the awesome support you give ACE through your sponsorships. It does not go unnoticed and we are grateful.

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Cloud 9 gets crankin’ again!!

Cloud 9 gets crankin’ again!!

It’s been a while since Pat has been making chocolate in our Cloud 9 chocolate factory. But this week, the lights were on, the machines were grinding, and the sweet smell of Jamaican chocolate was in the air again. Bruce Smith, our founding ACE chocolatier, arrived on the island after a year and a half to help Pat get the St. Mary chocolate bars rolling out again.

Not only was Bruce surprised to see what Pat and her helpers had been working on, but he and the team of volunteers from Bethel Baptist got to be the first ones to experience the chocolate-making tour and taste the new, improved flavors of St. Mary chocolate.

We delivered our first wholesale order to a shop in Falmouth where some of the big cruise lines dock! With the help of Bruce, Pat and her team can now make about 100 bars per day. This is 100% increase in production from 50 bars last created pre-COVID years.

ACE is so proud of this micro-business. We hope to launch our first tour next month to our friends at the tourist board. We are praying for a “sweet deal” in bookings from the hotels and ships as we move into fall.  Need some chocolate? Go online to our Cloud 9 website to read all about our story and our flavors, and then come on down to Jamaica to pick some up!

 

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Christmas and Celebrations

Christmas and Celebrations

Thanks to ACE’s dear friends, Tina and Luke, all of our sponsored students and friends celebrated Christmas in style! As the COVID syndrome continues globally, the Rebel Ministries team came through unafraid, full of life and energy. The last week of 2021 ended with lots of laughter and smiles as our team and staff hosted several separate parties across a few days.

The farm was our background for open air fun and storytelling. Students had cards and gifts from sponsors, and the celebration of Jesus’ birth was at the forefront! Most of all, it was such a “shot in the arm” of encouragement for ACE. Beyond the partying, this team worked so hard every single day, and it gave us hope for what 2022 will look like. Thank you all for making our end of year and first of year so fantastic

As for the rest of you considering coming to Jamaica, well, come on… we’ve got work for you and our staff is ready for some American humor! Are you ready for us? Let’s make it happen!

 

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