First Week Back on the Island

 September 10 - 17, 2011

Well adjusting to a new culture again has it challenges but God has been so good to me.During this first week I saw many homeless in the streets including children hanging around on the streets who cannot go to school due to lack of money for uniforms, books and school fees .....teachers who have just a white board, a few markers if they're lucky and desks for themselves and the students yet, teaching with such joy.....the lack of paper when I needed to write just a simple note to myself yesterday in a meeting.

I also remembered how to scramble to find a lantern when the power went out in the storm on Saturday and how to get wet with 1/2 gallon of water, soap up, and then rinse with the other half of the gallon as we have run out of water twice this week. I am reminded how much water I drink in a hot and humid climate when I boil water every day for drinking. Also, God is helping me to sleep restfully on a thin mattress which is way softer than my back prefers.

We are marketing the book...it is a slow process but it is God's project not ours so, as they say here,"No Worries Mon". But especially "no worries" for me cause I know our God is a BIG God and He is in charge. Gas is around $7 a gallon and food is even more expensive than when I was here in April so maybe I'll get an opportunity to shed a few of these unwanted pounds!

The people, especially the children, are as beautiful as ever! Today one of the custodians for the school told me his son is taking the GSAT exam in March and told me he had no money but could his son have one of our books. I was so delighted to give him one and felt more purpose and fulfillment in that than I have in any of the selling process thus far.I wanted to write in the book to say God Bless You etc but when I asked him to spell his son's name for me he said, "Auntie Jeanne, I don't spell so good, ya know I never learn to read and write. I don't get to go to school much."  I am praying God will bless his son and annoint his GSAT test performance so he can get accepted into some good schools and help daddy and his family out some day.

Well God Keep You My Dear Friends.

Hope you are having a blessed fall season.

Jeanne   ps at the school all the male staff are referred to as Uncle and all the female staff as Auntie.