Update - Achievers School Project and Shanna's First Driving Experience

Not posting for a while means we have been busy (and for everyone back home - SAFE).  We know everyone is hearing lots on the news, but we are just fine.  In fact, we traveled everyday last week.  One of our new projects will be Achievers Multi-Resource Center.  This is a private school in May Pen started by a retired school principal who wanted to teach children reading, provide an adult literacy program to the community, and help children who have challenges learning.  They are not disabled, they just have some learning problems.  She is a wonderful person and is indeed a champion for this project.

I want Cameron and Taylor to look at this computer lab and school and compare it with their school setting.

We then traveled to MoBay to pick up a container the Elder Cheesman had donated.  The mission wanted us to pick up a car left by the Elder and Sister Bradley who just went home to Philadelphia; they were great missionaries and can truly report they made a difference.  Well, this was Shanna's first driving experience.  I drove from Lucea to Negril to Sav-la-Mar to Mandeville and then home to Kingston.  It was an interesting experience to say the least.  Theron followed for a while and then led because I couldn't get over to the center very well.  I kept throwing roadside debris at him.  It took some getting used to driving closer to that center line, especially since I didn't want to hit people walking and riding along the roadside.  I made it without a dent or scratch.  Now, I truly feel like a Jamaican.

Here's a couple of pictures of local homes near Negril.  Negril is a very tourist resort area with lots of beach hotels.  This is where the locals who work in the hotels live.

I was even pulled over by a police stop.  Traveling out of Mandeville, they had a typical traffic stop.  I was selected to pull over.  The officer that came was very nice; he just wanted to see my papers (car registration and driver's license).  I had a hard time finding the papers for the car in the glove box and all the time I was telling him about who I was and what we were doing.  I had my personal papers and he then just wanted to chat.  I told him about our Church and what we were doing.  I also thanked him for doing is job, and then went on my way.  No big deal.  They can't do anything to American drivers anyway, so I wasn't worried at all.  Here again, they are just doing their job; if you thank them and are nice, they will be nice back.

Of all the roads I have driven on, I love the A2000 (the interstate from May Pen to Kingston).  Driving in downtown Kingston can be a challenge, but you just drive through the people and try not to hit one of them that walks in front of you.

We are having a little taste of the rainy season.  Each afternoon, it clouds up and rains for about 45 minutes and then stops.  Of course, it makes the rest of the day muggy, but we need the rain.  Having fun, loving the work, and wish all of you well.