The community in the top of the mountains

Caledonia, Jamaica, population 350, elevation 1300 ft above sea level, crime rate 0.  This little community nestled high in the mountains above Linstead is not on the roads we normally travel, but travel we did.  We drove the main road to Linstead, took a smaller main road, then a smaller road, then a still smaller road, to a cow trail, to finally arrive at the Caledonia Community Center.  We were surprised that our GPS had the cow trail even though it didn't have the community shown, not that it mattered because we had a personal guide, Norman Douglas.  Norman has lived in this community as he said, 'born and growed here' --  all 32 years of him.  He is the President of the Citizen Association for nine years now and chairman of the school board for eleven years.  He is a farmer and grows bananas and plantains.  His home is next door to the community center -- a little "shack" made of wood where you can see through the chinks in the boards.

This is the main road to Caledonia.  You drive several kilometers and then climb a very steep drive up to the community.

Norman Douglas on the path leading to the water tank.

This is the new water tank.  We are told that it goes down 17' in the ground and then this is the building on top.  Up until a few months ago, when this was finished, they had not running water.

Elder and Sister Preece (our predecessors) met Norman almost two years ago.  They will be the only people we know who can relate to where Caledonia is located.   This community has come together and bought and sold chickens (Preece's gave them 100 chickens) and had other fund raisers to buy cement blocks to build a water tank.  Six or seven men of the community literally carried the block on their heads from the town up a quarter mile foot path to the site where they constructed the community water tank.  Norman said that the children would carry sand and water up the hill for the project after school.  They have run PVC pipe down the hill past most of the homes but need more pipe to complete the project.  They were able to purchase a small gas-powered water pump that they store at one of the homes and literally carry on their heads down a steep slope to the river where it is used to pump water up to a 650 gallon holding tank.  The pump is then carried up to the holding tank and pumps the water to the larger cement block tank at the top of the hill.  Norman also showed us the new power lines that JPS had recently installed providing electricity to his community and talked about the how community had petitioned the utility for several years.

This man was carrying block up the hill the day we were there.

When we arrived, several young girls immediately came out to "carry" us up the mountain.  "Carry" is the term they use for accompany or go with.

Previous to our visit with Norman, we had decided to start only three or four more projects because our time is running out and we are working on the food initiative and we are stretched too thin.  We had put Norman off several times, but he is persistent and the week he called we had a free day and so we agreed to come and look.  My heart was hard, but quickly softened when Norman talked about wanting to get water to the elderly people's homes, how he wanted some chickens to buy them "treats" (a hygiene kit like we give away).  Norman is a true public servant who's only concern is the people that he serves in his community.  He has a true vision of what he wants to accomplish for his community, a track record of getting things done, and a community that works together to improve their circumstances.

As we talked with Norman we asked him to expand his vision and explore the cost of running electricity to the river and install a permanent electric pump.  We are gathering pricing for the pump and piping and have no doubt that we will submit a project for Norman and the people of Caledonia.  The Lord truly led us to a people in need last week and we are truly grateful to have met so many wonderful people on the journey.  It is a testimony to us that the Lord knows all of us, he knows our needs, and he can work miracles when people are faithful and charitable.

The kids had a great time showing us how they slide down the mountain.

The girls kept touching me and wanting to hold my hand.  One got brave and reached up to touch my hair, so I bent down and told them all they could touch it.  They thought that was great fun.