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| Delaney and me |
Our first day started at 2RC. We met at 6am to get on a van and head to the Atlanta airport! The trip down was uneventful until we got in Jamaica. Customs decided that all our black duffle bags looked suspicious and after about half of got through they decided to question the rest. Our team handled it well and eventually got past customs. It just so happened that they looked in the Wileys' clothes bags and realized that we werent going to Jamaica to sell products. We loaded up a big bus and headed to our villa. Immediately after unloading our bags into our rooms, the menu team headed to the Mega Mart! Wow! I had volunteered to head up the menu team so my crew got to experience a strange new culture in the world of grocery shopping. Rob, Shawn, Steve, and Dawn spent 4hrs looking for all the food we were going to need for a week. We saw packaged chicken feet to flavor soups, and packaged cow heads (teeth and all) for who knows what! Poor Dawn...her sugar was getting low and I thought she was going to pass out when she saw the teeth. Well, $128,000 (j's) later we finally made it back to the villa for our sweet staff to cook us pizza. Everyone was starving so we could have brought back the cow head to cook and I think people would have been pleased. Anyway, the pizza was the best ever to end our long day. We then met in the main room for worship and devotion by Jon Teague. Then to bed.
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| Praying for Joel |
July 14th (Wed) was our first day to the Robin's Nest. Our one hour drive up there created some anticipation and a little anxiety about what to expect. I really had no idea what was in store for us, but I had peace in knowing that God was with us. As we drove up the rocky road to the mountain top, we began to see the Nest. I could hardly wait to get off our bus as I watched the kids jumping up and down and waving at us. As we unloaded the bus, we were welcomed with screams and hugs. The love these sweet kids showed was amazing. We then met the director, Joel O'Dell. The first words he said was, "you are standing on sacred ground". He then broke down and cried. The presence of God was thick and powerful at that very moment. Joel later told Jon in private that when we drove up that hill, all he saw was Jesus coming. Joel was drained and exhausted. He needed some support and help because his wife and kids were back in the states and the Wileys had not moved to Jamaica yet. Clark stopped Joel and asked if we could pray for him...everybody else was thinking the same thing! The Holy Spirit was speaking loudly! The prayers were intense and revitalizing and allowed Joel to continue his introduction to the place. Wow what a Holy Moment! The rest of the day was great because we were able to get aquainted with the staff, facility, and the children. Delaney jumped right in and loved on the children...I think Neo is her favorite! That night we ate dinner prepared by Menna and Peggy and then we had worship and a message from Jon. People are pretty tired after dinner but I am so glad that Jon has a worship time because it really was a great way to end the day. It also allows us to talk about the highlights and how God was and is working. Joel got to stay for worship but then he had to go to the hospital to visit Quest. Quest is one of the children who is suffering from Leukemia.
July 15 (Thurs) I slept really well. We have air conditioned bedrooms which act dually as a cooling unit and as a noise maker drowning out all the dog barking that goes on all night.
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| Breakfast at our villa |
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| Shawn washing Joel's feet |
I woke up at 6am and went out on the veranda to drink some High Mtn Coffee and read my daily devotional. I thought I would be alone but Rob, Jackie, Clark, and Shawn were also thinking the same thing. We read, talked, and relaxed before our big day. After breakfast we left for the Nest. Johnson, our driver, is pretty cool. He gets us to where we are going safely and quickly (very quickly). We seemed to have some close calls, but it was "no problem" according to Johnson. Today we started VBS down by the gazebo where we met Shand. He is an older gentleman who appears to be very malnourished and sickly. At first we were a little nervous about him sitting on "our" gazebo. I mean we had VBS to perform! I introduced myself along with the other 4 or 5 that were with me and then we struck up a conversation. The next thing I know, he is telling me about his lung cancer and we are all gathered around him praying. He stayed for VBS. He ate snacks. He listened to the message. I think he even enjoyed the songs. After VBS, I did some painting in the O'Dells home along with Delaney, Rob, and Clark. I then went up to the RN and talked and prayed with staff and then I played with some of the children. There is one little girl who is 6 months old and she is so adorable. Her name is Asia and she is the youngest one at the nest. Today Joel took a small crew with him to the hospital to visit Quest while Jon took a small crew with him down to the community school to play games. Jon later expressed a heavy darkness that seemed to attach to him while he was down at the school. A car full of older guys stopped by and all the boys ran over to them. Jon could smell the weed, but there was nothing he could do. He had no authority over those boys or the RN boys. What was the attraction? During our worship time back at the villa, Jon expressed his concern and his heaviness about the situation. We sang Open the Eyes of My Heart but changed the words to Open the Eyes of Their Hearts. We prayed as goup for guidance in the direction of discipling those boys, who will one day be leaders in their community. Again...powerful. I am so amazed at how God is working this week. He is answering everything. Also there has been two words that keep standing out for me so far this week: healing and freedom. I sense that there will be a lot of healing this week (physical, emotional, spiritual) and I feel there is a sense of freedom that I am experiencing while here. I don't have to hold back at all in being a Christian. I know that sounds crazy, but I never realized how much I hold back in the US... in the secular world. I just feel alive here and I truly feel like God is showing favor on us. Joel was able to join our group tonight and we were able to pray for him. Then we really stretched his comfort zone, because Shawn Weimer washed his feet for him as a symbol of being a humble servant. Joel is such a humble man and I know it was hard for him to have
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Scripture on the walls of the Wileys and O'Dells
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this done for him. Joel also had come to the construction site after several of us wrote scripture on the walls and was truly touched. He read everyone of the scriptures that were placed and took some pictures and shed a few tears. Again, another great day! How can it not be when you are with God!
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| Menna |
July 16, Friday I woke up and hung out with the coffee crew. I really enjoy our morning quiet/talking times together out on the veranda. I can hear Menna and the kitchen crew (Peggy and Bigga) going at it in the kitchen making our meal...I am so thankful for them. Menna reminds me of Granny, no nonsense but has a big heart. Same routine today but each day is filled with new blessings from God. As we drove up the mountain road to the RN we passed the gazebo and so Mr. Shand. I about choked up when I saw that he was sweeping the floor getting it ready for our VBS! What a sweet man. We brought him some food and made sure he was comfortable. After VBS I met Kirky (Shand's son). We started talking and he told me his story. The RN basically feeds them when Kirky is working otherwise I am not sure they get fed. Kirky takes care of his father by himself. I asked him if he would like to pray and his eyes lit up and he said yes. I was so amazed at the Mix kids...several of them, including Delaney gathered around Kirky to pray. Later in the afternoon I was heading down to check out the paint job when Jon stopped me and said he didn't feel very good. He had a temperature of 103 degrees. I gave him some medications and filled his gatorade bottle and then Johnson took us all back to the villa. There, I gave Jon an IV from my mega first aid kit (highly recommended) and placed cool rags on his head. It was amazing how God used Jon's sickness to allow others to step up and lead and also to pray for him. I checked on Jon throughout the night wished I had more IV bags. Clark led worship along with Shawn. Joel asked if we could all make a circle and lock arms and pray for Jon.
July 17, Sat I woke up and went to check on Jon. His temp was 103.5 degrees. So seven of us stayed at the villa (a few others not feeling well) and Shawn and I took Jon to the clinic. Luckily Joel told us about this clinic in a nice area and we were actually somewhat impressed. Jon got a shot and a prescription for some antibiotics. We ran a couple of errands and went back to the villa for a long and restful day. Although it was a long day, I enjoyed getting caught up on my journal and meditating on God's Word. I had a lot of alone time and was able to pray and think. At one point I asked God to give me a vision and as I closed my eyes I saw a wine glass. At first I thought I must want some wine, but I quickly thought of communion. I knew the Holy Spirit gave that to me to tell Jon. That night we had worship and Jon actually felt much better and talked to the group somewhat. Afterwards, I mentioned to him about the communion and he thought that was a great idea. I look forward to that time on our last night here in Jamaica. Just the thought of our last night makes me sad. I love being in God's presence and even though I know I can be in His presence in Knoxville, it is just different.
