The Morrison family

Have you ever met someone for the first time that you feel you have known all your life?  President Courtney Morrison is just such a person, at least to me.  He is the Elder's Quorum President in Mandeville and one of the first persons we met in the branch.  He just kind of stood out, not just because he is fairly tall and quite lean, and has that type of black skin that is as smooth as if it were carved from ebony.  Even though those physical traits do tend to make one stand out, but his demeanor and humility and kindness and how he easily laughs and his testimony and love of the gospel and, and, and, are things that I admire in him.  But it's not just him, it's his wife Jackie also.  She is a beautiful young woman with a very slight build with a natural grace and elegance that is only surpassed by her smile.  Oh did I mention their four boys ages 16, 9, 6, and 4?  I look at them and see nothing but prospective missionaries.  (It's interesting how many families in leadership roles in the church in Jamaica have a large number of boys.)

The Morrisons have been members of the church for about 9 years.  I don't know too much about their conversion but it is something that will be discussed as we visit with them in the future.  Courtney was  employed in the power generating plant at the bauxite (aluminum) mine and refinery until the plant closed last year.  With the current world recession, the demand for aluminum has fallen and the world's stockpiles have risen and as a result, all of the bauxite plants in Jamaica have closed for a few years. 

Courtney has been doing all that he can to feed his family.  He has started a home repair/lawn care/maintenance company and is managing to keep food on the table.  He is a member of a farmer's co-op that was started with the help of LDS Humanitarian efforts and is growing some crops on borrowed ground (I think it may be owned by the bauxite company).  We just found out that in spite of all his efforts, he is being evicted this Saturday from the small home in which they have been living and will be moving in with the branch president's daughter and family for the next month. 

The Morrisons have a "home" that they are trying to build, on land that he was able to purchase from the Bauxite company.  Currently the home consists of rough cinder block walls and rubble floors.  He is borrowing all the money he can, which will be enough to pour a concrete roof over one bedroom and the bathroom, and will pour a concrete floor in those areas and in a kitchen.  They and their four children will live here without running water, or electricity.  It's the best they can do.   He will probably need to board-up the window openings as they will not have funds to purchase windows.  They hope to be able to get entrance doors so they can secure the home.  They have a propane stove that will be placed in the kitchen - one of the rooms without a roof - and since there is no electricity, there is no refrigerator or light.  They say that this will be a time in their life that they can reflect back on and laugh - however, they are in a situation where they can hardly look forward at all. 

Their little boys are excited about the new house, but they have no concept of what their parents are going through.  I suppose that the boys could sleep in a tent on the top of the concrete roof which would be quite an adventure - if they just had money for a tent.

I hope you can perhaps see why I have strong emotion for the Morrison family.  I love them dearly and I am extremely impressed with them and what they are struggling through.  Even though they live in "paradise" surrounded by palm trees, I'm sure the grass is truly greener where you live - I know it is where I live.

Elder Schaefermeyer

Glengoffe Health Center Children's Day

We have such a fun calling. On Monday, we went to the Glengoffe Health Center - look at the map and go north above Bog Walk about half way across Jamaica and then go a little east. Those are the best directions we can give. It's a small community and humanitarian services has donated hygiene kits there before. We felt bad because there is not one hygiene kit on the island. Our first container order was just approved yesterday and it will not be about 6-8 weeks for shipment and clearing customs. We can't wait, there is such a critical need for hygiene, new born, and medical kits here. We will be busy handing these out all over the island.

Here's a couple of pictures of the children and the center. These are conditions generally at most health centers.

Now for the really good stuff. I learned how to make Chicken Foot Soup.  The recipe is to get two tire rims and put coal (green wood burned to make charcoals) and a very large aluminum pan.  Put lots of breadfruit, yams (potatoes), carrots, garlic, and pumpkin pieces in and boil.  Then squeeze lime juice from fresh limes all over the chicken feet and mix it through.  Then, cut some of the tendons so the feet open a little.  Put them into the soup mixture and cook to tender - when is a chicken foot tender?  I could have eaten it, but we couldn't stay for the entire day.  Here's the pictures from start to finish.  Enjoy.

The move to Kingston, the hotdog roast, rafting, etc. etc. etc

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Lots of things have happened since my our last blog; it's been wild and crazy around here.  The week of May 10 to May 15 was a marathon.  On Monday, we came to Kingston to find an apartment.  We had several real estate agents looking and found some nice and some not so nice places.  We are going from $1,000 a month to $1,500 month, but that’s what we have to pay for a decent apartment.  We took a drive, with the Andersens, to Salisbury Plain and the shadehouses.  We really gave them a ride that day.  We have just heard that we will have about $10,000 more for a catch basin.

On Tuesday, we came back to Kingston and continued our hunt for an apartment.  We visited with Patrick Rohden in Old Harbour who owns a wheelchair repair business.  Patrick is wheelchair bound and drives the streets in his motorized chair.  He has a shop and says he repairs everything.  Food for the Poor is going to get him a better facility and we will try to get some tools and things as part of our wheelchair project.  It’s always fun to meet people usually out on the street or intersection.  We met Patrick at the Shell station in Old Harbour and followed him to his shop.  (see the picture)

Wednesday brought us back to Kingston – we are grateful that we will be moving these drives are killing us.  Today, we had to be there at 9 am to meet with Monsignor Gregory Ramsskoon the director of Mustard Seed Communities.  This is a Catholic organization that cares for orphans, disabled children and children born with HIV.  Mustard Seed is desirous of getting a wheelchair repair facility.  We left there and met a real estate agent and found our apartment in the Gladstone complex on Lady Musgrave Road.  We decided on one close in town rather than in the Norbrook area, of which we found a beautiful large apartment.

Then a quick trip back to Junction for a bonfire.  However, we had to deliver some items to the Spanish Town elders.  Okay, the bonfire (now Junction is about 45 minutes past Mandeville) this was a branch activity and President Collins asked us to bring marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.  When he asked, he said, “If you could bring some of the chocolate and marshmallow treats that you roast.”  “Oh, smores,”  “Yes, yes.”  We were met by about 15-20 young people primary and young women/men age.  They all wanted their pictures taken--I won't include all of them, but the slideshow when we get back just got lots longer.  We had a great time getting to know everyone.  I was standing talking to one of the elders and a woman came up and touched my hair.  I turned and ran my fingers through it and said yep, it’s real, and so several of the women came over to touch it.  One of them said, “It is real, it’s not a wig.”  Blonde hair and our finer hair fascinate them.  The young children like to touch the skin on our arms.

Elder and Sister Andersen had divided up the items for the smores into small ziplock bags.  I had discussed this with her previous that we could not just put these out on a tray.  If you do that, they come and stuff their pockets and you can’t guarantee that everyone will get some.  This worked great as you can see, Elder Andersen handed these out and he was mobbed.  It was fascinating seeing the children roast and eat marshmallows.  Some expressed that they had never eaten a marshmallow before.  Even Brother Powell (cousin to Collin Powell) told me this was only his second time eating a marshmallow.  They loved it.

The ward furnished the hotdogs which they boiled in a pot.  We stood back so that perhaps we would not have to eat one; because the kids were hungry and really love this event.  These are the red dogs you see, not sure what is in them, but they brought us one on a bun with ketchup.  I took one bite and could not eat the rest.  It was slimy and the taste was more than I could take.  In retrospect, I should have given mine to one of the children; but I wrapped it up and put it in the truck to throw away later.

The branch presidency bore their testimonies and then the activity was for the children to act out a scripture story.  Theron took two teenage boys aside and they were “wise guys” – the 3 wise men.  I climbed up to the roof of a house that was being built and was Samuel the Lamanite.  I had one elder gather the little children together and he was Jesus and the little children.  There was Daniel in the Lions Den and several others.  It was really a fun activity.

Notice the one taller girl holding the baby, she seems so unhappy and I really didn’t see her smile the whole evening.  Can’t tell what’s up, but it is so sad to see children so sad.

It is now Thursday, May 13.  We have to be in Kingston at 10 to sign our lease for the apartment.  We have to be in Spanish Town at 1 pm for a meeting with Food for the Poor.  Then back to the Mission Office to meet with the Branch Presidency from Spanish Town.  Then home to pack because we are moving on Friday.  Food for the Poor is excited about the wheelchair project and the bee project.  It was amazing, we had put together a document outlining how we suggest the project go.  They had also prepared a document about the project.  The similarities we astounding.  This is a great project I can tell.  We just need some time to write it up and get it submitted.

President Smith and his two counselors met us at the mission office.  He is a new branch president of a new branch in Spanish Town.  We guided him in conducting the meeting and after prayer, he said, “I have too many of my people on fast offerings.  We have got to get them off this and teach them some skills.”  You could have knocked us off our chairs.  This is unheard of.  He wants to have them grow their own gardens and raise chickens.  For some time, we have felt that the church grounds and welfare principles should be a priority here; perhaps this is the time.  The Lord is guiding this work and we want to be his hands to get things done.

Friday, May 14, is the big move.  We loaded up the truck; Elder Cheesman (bless his heart) came up with another pick-up truck and took the desk and file cabinet and we moved to Beverly (Kingston Town that is).  The temperature was 90 or more, the humidity was high, and we had to bring everything up three flights of stairs.  When people come to visit now, they won’t get the Jamaica experience.  Our apartment is rather modern; hot, but modern.  It is now later afternoon and we had to meet with Clive Richards, the concrete guy for the Guys Hill Project.  We met him at the road side just by the stop light in Linstead.  We do work all along the roadside at various spots.  It is truly amazing how the work gets done.

Bradleys on the Rio Grande

Then on to Ocho Rios (eight rivers) to stay with the Bradleys and then on Saturday take a rafting trip down the Rio Grande in Port Antonio on bamboo rafts.  All of the senior couples on the island were there and we had a great time.  Bradleys rented a 15 passenger van and a driver.  This made the trip so great!  The rafting trip took about 3 hours on the river.  At one point, we stopped for food, but some Navy guys came ahead of us and bought multiple plates so there was only enough food for two plates with some extra dumplings and bread fruit.  Wow, this lady that cooks the meal stores her pots by the river.  Walks 1.5 miles each day, crossing the river, and brings the food down.  She cooks everything on a wood rack with zinc cover kind of dutch oven style.  The food was delicious.  She only charges $400 a plate (about $4.20 US).  I can’t even imagine the hard work she must go through for this service.

                 

Then, we drove into Port Antonio City and picked up Brother Chris.  Brother Chris is a Dutchman from Denmark who immigrated to Jamaica in the early 60s.  He is married to a Jamaican woman who is rather white we are told who now has Alzheimer’s and is living in Washington DC in a nursing home.  He knows the people and customs and history.  A rather fascinating chap.  He had us drive to the Maroon village where we met the Colonel over the Maroons.  We were all so tired that I wish we could have been more interested, but we weren’t.  This is a very important part of Jamaica’s history.  The village came about when Christopher Columbus was marooned on the island.  The crew went to the mountains and lived and stayed there forming this village.  Today, there is a treaty with the Maroons and the Jamaica government that they have tax free land and they govern themselves.  This is similar in America to the Native Americans.  The most famous maroon is Nanny.  She was the leader during one of the revolutions and they won by fighting in ambush style.

A late night drive down Fern Gully home, arriving at 10:30 pm, and the first night in the new apartment.  Church today at the Kingston Branch and Theron will already start teaching piano lessons as there is no one in the branch that plays and the music for the meeting was from a CD.  Wow, what a week!!!

Oh, by the way, we just got the Internet connection up and running today.  That's why we have been out of commission the last week!  We are back.

Just another ordinary day

We stayed home today and washed, mopped, cleaned toilets, and got caught up on e-mail and project budgets.  We worked a little on our projects -- very little because the power was out for most of the morning up to 1:00 pm.  We are continuing to talk with people in Kingston about places to live.  The Cheesmans are wonderful; they have offered to let us stay there as we have to be there Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  They are looking in the classifieds for us.  You just can't ask for better people to be associated with in this mission!! Thank you Chessmans.

We heard from Marc today that Beth Ray died.  Kelly and Cheryl our sympathy is with you.  You should rejoice that she lived such a long complete life.  She was a light to all who knew her.

It's hot, I have a headache, so many things undone,

Thought I'd give a mind dump of my feelings at the moment.  We drove to Kingston (again) this time to meet with a realtor and find an apartment.  He took us to three that were in our price range, but we weren't really impressed.  One had a nice pool, but the apt wasn't much.  The apt that was pretty nice had a tennis court - ya, like I want to do that in the heat- but no pool!  We called the lady that rented to the Preeces and she will call us on Monday, so we'll see what she has.  We're supposed to meet again with the realtor on Thursday.

We've got so much to do on our projects!  We've got to get everything purchased for Guy's Hill.  Our wheelchair project need to be written-up in CHaS (Church's Humanitarian Program).  We've got to make sure that everything is progressing on the two 40 foot shipping containers of hygiene kits, medical supplies, clothing, new-born kits, school kits, etc. We're trying to get the bee project submitted but we're waiting on more information from Food for the Poor.  We need to figure out which of the projects that have been presented to us merit our assistance and meet our requirements and we need to inform the others that we will not be able to help them at this time.  It all begins to seem a bit overwhelming, but I'm sure we'll get it done.

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. 

Happy Mother's Day Shanna!!!  

That's as close to a card and a corsage as she will get this year.  Shanna and Fran are cooking dinner for 4 Elders in the area so that they can use ours and Anderson's Vonage phone lines to call home.  It would be fun for all three of our children to do a conference call with their mother tomorrow- if we can get the Elders off the phone. 

The mind has gone blank, so I guess I'm finished.

The "Greenies" are here

The long awaited Elder and Sister Andersen, CES, couple arrived late Monday night. We received a on Monday afternoon to come to Kingston on Tuesday and be their trainers. Wow, we've only been here a month and a half and we are already trainers. Welcome, mon, to the Andersens!!! Note in the second picture Brother Medley, see him and his family highlighted in the June New Era or Friend magazine where most of you are located; it's the Liahona here. He is a Church Employee at the mission office - great guy.

Today we attended zone conference in Savanna-la-Mar. The APs and Elder Coleman brought Andersen's car from Kingston (we are on the way you know) and we rode with Sister Coleman over the Sav. She is delightful. There is a little tragedy going on in their lives. Elder and Sister Coleman's daughter is in the hospital battling a pancreatic disorder. We totally understand her desire to support her husband and strong desire to be home with her daughter. We are all praying for their daughter. Maybe I better explain - Elder Coleman is the "acting" mission president until the new mission president arrives.

What a great zone conference we had with Elder Coleman teaching us how to relate the scriptures to us, how to be effective missionaries, how to show forth love to all the people. He is wonderful and kind, and in fact, we were talking on the way home that the missionaries did not want to leave; they were soaking in the spirit of the meeting.

To get a taste of what we learned, go to Alma 4:4 - "they began to establish more fully the church" in Spanish is is "more completely." Elder Coleman then talked to us of how to establish the Church more completely. You can't establish the Church completely if you have a "hard heart" see Alma 34:31 and D&C4:4. Then he taught us that in the Book of Mormon they only had "high priests"; they didn't have the Aaronic Priesthood; to be more complete in Jamaica, we have to work toward getting a stake. He ended with having us consider our Temple covenants - obedience, sacrifice, law of the gospel, chastity, and consecration. As missionaries these are the covenants we should keep; and there is not reason that a good missionary cannot totally keep these covenants. His testimony was so sweet concluding with "he knows God trusts him." Wouldn't that be wonderful if all of us could obtain a witness that God trusts us. We don't have to be an apostle, but we do need to be a disciple. It was a great day.

To end a wonderful day, the "greenie" Elder Andersen drove most of the way home and he did a great job. Oh, by the way, we are moving to Kingston and Andersens will be taking over our apartment.

Angels are among us

We have been actively working on a wheelchair project for the past several days and haven't been able to get to the blog, so here's an update. This last week Kelvyn and Kay Cullimore, LDS headquarter humanitarian specialists in the wheelchair and food production program, came to Jamaica to work with us. We are setting up delivery of 500 wheelchairs and providing what's called Level II training to those who will receive and distribute the wheelchairs. This is the first of its kind in Jamaica and one of a handful that have been done in the world. We feel privileged to assist with this opportunity. However, coordinating this event will have some challenges. We are now in the process of writing the proposal, it will then have to be approved (the Cullimores are our angels here because they will work with Church headquarters), and the training is scheduled for the week of Oct. 25 and it consists of two physical therapists from SL coming here and they will train about 25-30 people. Our job will be to assist our NGO (non-government organization) partner in all the logistics for this training.

As part of this visit, we traveled to Mustard Seed Communities Jerusalem campus (they have 10 around the island). Mustard Seed is one of the places that will receive wheelchairs. They are a Catholic organization that works with disabled, abandoned, and children with HIV. We visited their disabled children ward and saw the many, many children that are wheelchair bound. The one little boy who scoots along the floor that could not handle a wheelchair, the little girl who shuffles along and has such a deformed face that it takes you back at first glance. These children are angels that live among us. They are pure and wholesome struggling with a deformed body and mind and are special in our Father in Heaven's eyes. They will meet us in the celestial kingdom. The other angels are the caregivers. These men and women work tirelessly in giving care and get very little thanks and reward from their efforts. We have met many of them and they are all so cheerful.

The next day, we traveled to our shadehouse project. Our new friend Nehemiah Rowe is the full-time overseer of this property for the 4-H. He has had a challenging time getting this project finished. It has been a year now just to get 220 power installed for the pumps. He's going to be an angel for us getting this project completed.

Just about 3 weeks ago, we attended the baptism of Brother Reed. Today, Brother Reed baptized his 9-year old son. This was a miracle, it hardly ever happens here. Isn't the Church wonderful that worthy brethren receive the priesthood and can quickly be prepared to perform baptism ordinances. These are two more angels.

The only thing challenging about this week was that our mission president was released. That's all we know for now. What an ending to a week.