A Family Reunion

A Family Reunion

Guess who came back to Jamaica to attend the ACE Men and Women’s Conference? You guessed it – Amber, or, as her Jamaican students called her, Miss Amba! If you have served with ACE in the past ten years, you’ve met this good looking blonde whom everyone asked if she was single. Well, it so happened that Amber married a prince (Prince Brinson) with two young children, and they are living happily ever after in Atlanta. We are thrilled that part of Amber’s heart is still with ACE, so much so that she returned to teach her former students, who are now teens, at our conference.

As you may know, Amber’s aunt, Dawn, also became a member of our ACE staff back in 2014 when she took over the role of Stateside Child Sponsorship Coordinator. Dawn’s job has been to work with D’Vaun and other members of our ACE staff on the needs of children and families in our program. Like Amber, she had not been back down to Jamaica for many years, due to health reasons. Having Dawn able to reconnect with staff and the beauty of Jamaica and to finally connect with “her” children was an answered prayer!

Thanks, Dawn and Amber, for choosing your ACE family reunion in Jamaica and serving at our conference… because it really was “about time” that you returned.

(click to scroll through image gallery)

It’s About Time

It’s About Time

February was the calm before the storm. Our annual Men and Women’s Conference held at Galina Breeze Hotel was not only refreshing for the soul but a pleasant surprise for all who attended. Little did we know that this extraordinary team made up of 19 people from across the US would be our last group of volunteers for a while.

Our theme was “It’s About Time!” Who would have thought that within days, the Coronavirus would be a global topic. Pastor Helen’s teaching using Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom” was very timely. How fitting that is even now, as we all count our days of quarantine and look to the deeper meaning of how we should spend our time with God.

The men’s side of the conference was our biggest surprise gift of all! Led by the group from Trinity On The Hill from Augusta, GA, we had a record number of attendees – over 50 men each night, and many showed up early! Trinity has been sponsoring this conference for well over a decade, providing printed T-shirts and gift bags for all our attendees, and it has continued to grow – from six attendees year one to over 160 this year!

With music provided by professional musician Paul and a new visitor to ACE, singer Vivian, we were lifted up in songs of praise and worship! Thank you to all the volunteers who brought so many donations through your time and treasure. You truly make the lives of our staff so easy for this conference by your dedicated service. We’ll be looking for you to join us next year! Same time, same place!

(click to scroll through image gallery)

When Things Don’t Go Your Way (Even When You Know They Should)

When Things Don’t Go Your Way (Even When You Know They Should)

This month was finally the month that we got to see a well dug for water at the Campus as well as the farm. For those of you who don’t know what is happening, the water pipes from the National Water Commission (government water) do not come to us at the Campus or the Green Life Farm next door.

Actually, all of us in Hampstead, Heywood Hall and beyond are without water most of the year and have to rely on collected rain water, water from the river, or buy it privately. You can imagine what happens in drought.

We waited for eight months for them to come after we initially ordered a well to be dug, and, with the help of donors, we were able to raise the funds to have this project completed two weeks ago – and…no water.

That’s right, you would think that drilling 200’ down at 170’ above sea level would turn up some H2O, but it didn’t…just slush. You can imagine all the thoughts we were thinking. For instance: “God you can make water come out of a rock, why not here?” or how about this one: “God, am I doing something wrong, not living right, eating too much? Any sin in my life I need to confess?” Please tell me you all have had these similar thoughts when God decides to do something different than “our” plan?  As if to think God really holds back things to punish us. Not so.

For now, we will continue to collect water outside of the normal everyday average person schedule and see what God has for us in the future. Thank you all for contributing to this cause. We know there must be a silver lining in this cloud somewhere. Perhaps in the next rain storm.

 Have a Team? Want a Team? Need a Team? Join a team!

 Have a Team? Want a Team? Need a Team? Join a team!

That’s right, ACE wants you and your family, your friends, your church, your school, and anyone who wants to know what is happening here on the ground in St. Mary Jamaica to come this spring or summer.

We have grown and are growing at levels we have never seen before. It’s wonderful!! ACE is touching so many lives through our sponsorship programs with our local students, ACE Quiz Bowl coming up next month, Cloud 9 Chocolate, Peace House construction, canning sessions, lunch-and- learn programs and much more! We need your help in a real physical way!!

If you are thinking about getting involved this coming year and making a huge impact for one week, think ACE. We need you more than ever. If you can read a children’s book, massage lotion on our dear infirmary friends, teach at lunch, mix cement, or even brush a horse or two or three, we need your help. Our Peace House is off the ground, while new employees are being trained to take over.

God has expanded our borders way beyond what we thought possible and we are excited. At the same time, it’s scary as we can’t do all of this by ourselves. That’s why we are asking you to seriously think about getting involved this coming year physically. Come down ready to work and laugh and make a difference. ACE is the place and we’d love to see you!

(click to scroll through image gallery)

ACE has a fresh new look!

ACE has a fresh new look!

We have enjoyed the multi-colored logo of ACE for many years. Like seasons that change, we thought it was time for a new leaner and simpler ACE look. Let us know what you think! We love it, especially with its nod to the wave from our previous logo!

We equate the new look to changing out of the same ol’ clothes into a fresh new pair of jeans! We’d love to hear what sort of logo merchandise you’d like to see in our gift shop!