missions trip | American-Caribbean Experience

Back to School!

by American-Caribbean Experience | Sep 23, 2022 | Book A Trip, Community, Education, Outreach

While the Ministry of Education is maneuvering the system and making changes daily, our students hardly seem to notice as they enjoy the official start of the 2023 school season. It feels great for us and for them to have a sense of normalcy finally. Smiles and laughs greeted us at our annual (again!) backpack distribution event, where we gave out book bags, supplies and books to each student in our Child Sponsorship Program. Thanks to our sponsors, the day was not only well received by the many students but their parents as well.

ACE staff seemed to enjoy the event as our own Arlene was present with her camera, taking pics of each child as they displayed their name on a sign to identify them after all this time. If you have ever had a child, you know they can grow rapidly from one year to the next – try two!! We loved to see how much they’ve changed and how ready they are for this new year ahead!

Remember all that PB&J we ask each team to bring down? Well, every student received their own PB&J to take home and share. ACE will always find a way to utilize what teams bring down, and this has been a long-standing traditional donation from our volunteers. Kids learn better when they are fed and happy, so we are starting the school year on the right foot, thanks to all of you!

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Our Community is Transforming

by American-Caribbean Experience | May 23, 2022 | Book A Trip, Community, Discipleship, Education, Outreach

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

by American-Caribbean Experience | May 23, 2022 | Book A Trip, Community, Discipleship, Education, Outreach

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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God’s Little Creatures, Great and Small

by American- Caribbean Experience | Apr 28, 2021 | Community, Outreach

As pet owners and animal lovers at ACE, we would be remiss to leave out our incredible vet, Dr. Ryan Chanona. We met Doc and his wife Kristin – also a vet – many years ago at an animal-spaying event sponsored by Sandals Resort in Ochi. Since then, he and Kristin are family to our GLLF staff. Most Wednesdays, when funds permit, he drives out and begins neutering our feral cats and lost puppies.

Last week, Dr. Ryan neutered four male cats and spayed one female puppy. You may ask, where do all these animals come from and where do they go after being treated? The answer is the same…. everywhere. We hope that someone will adopt the puppies, but the cats just seem happy killing rats, lizards, frogs, all the island has to offer. And somehow, they know we love them too. Want to help us keep going? Each kitten and puppy up to a year old costs us around $150US per animal to “fix”, deworm, and treat.

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Marla’s Minute – Mother’s Day in Jamaica

by American- Caribbean Experience | Apr 27, 2021 | Book A Trip, Community

Mother’s Day always comes in May, right? Except this year… my Mother’s Day came early. My mother (Mommy) and Fred (my dad) and five friends landed in Jamaica a few weeks ago to lend us all at ACE a hand on the ground. I love that my mom is still very much alive and well; so many of my friends have had their moms transition out of this life. Knowing we are all not going to live forever, I cherish every moment I have with her.

When people give me the excuse they are too old to do this kind of work, I smile and think they have no idea how much fun they are missing with friends and family. For example, the ladies were inspired to complete the three tables left over for tiling by the team who came down in February (remember last month’s newsletter article?). Of course, they had to have a little competition to add to the fun! What a great job they did!

After the tables were completed, we ladies made plantain pies with Sue, followed by lots of hikes and laughter. Meanwhile, the men couldn’t resist working the Bobcat and the John Deere tractor. A new water pond was designed and implemented by my dad, Fred, who came with tools in hand. Fred, at one point, looked like he was in time-out sitting on a bench doing the math for a natural gutter drain. At the end of the week, gutters were made, ponds created, and field lines to drain off water were once again working.

So, while May is a wonderful time to remember your mother, anytime is good! If it’s not possible to spend time together, find a neighbor or a friend to enjoy the day! We are never too old to honor our parents or to create lasting memories when the opportunity arises!