Travel Airbags

Hi Everybody,

I apologize in advance if this post is not very coherent. I'm trying to type quickly because our internet connection has been rather sporadic lately and the last 2 times I tried to post something, the computer froze by the time I was finished writing. Bah! That's also the reason I haven't been able to write a lot of email. Plus, there are only 3 computers in our internet "cafe" and over 100 people staying on the base right now and I am often tired by the end of the night. Nevertheless, I love hearing from friends and family, so please let me know how you are and maybe tell me something funny or amusing.

Life has been very busy here at the base with work teams and youth camps coming and going. It means that I get to meet a lot of really interesting people, though and I like that. I've been spending a lot of time working in the kitchen, which is quite arguably the most dreaded job on the base because something always goes wrong and how do you please hundreds of people from different cultures at the same time? It is, however, an adventure (I already had a hilarious episode involving noodles and "tortillas"). What I enjoy about the kitchen so far is talking to Ingrid while peeling massive amounts of potatoes. She has a lot of insight as to what Jamaica is about and the roots of the problems here. Did you know that the incidence of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean is 2nd to that of Africa?

So I'm settling in slowly, getting used to that constant hot & sticky feeling and nearly everytime I go into town I think about how wild it is that I actually live here. It is so different from home that I can't even really describe it but I love the people and I'm glad that the Lord has led me to Jamaica. I'll be posting some pictures just as soon as I receive the wire-thingy that I need to download pics from my camera to the computer (I left it at home so my parents had to mail it to me).

The other thing I was thinking about in town (when my taxi driver nearly veered into a truck) was that travel airbags would probably have a high market value among tourists in countries like this one. I'm sure parents who send their kids to places like Mexico for spring break would buy them. My friend Michael and I came up with a slogan: "Travel Airbags: When transportation laws just aren't enough."

Goodnight, All. I miss you and I think of you a lot.


Em =0)

Traveling in Hurricane Season

Hello up there!

Okay, I'll try to be brief (and that is a very difficult thing for me to do)...

I left home on Friday afternoon and I only just got here a few hours ago, but I am well and so is all my luggage. I finally left Seattle sometime after 2am on well, I guess that makes it this morning. Much to my surprise when my tickets were re-issued the seats assigned to me were in first class. Nice.

Since my first flight was late I missed my connecting flight to Montego Bay and was subsequently put on another flight. However, people had been moved around so much because of all the delays so they were asking passengers to volunteer their seats so that families and the like could travel together. They told me I could get on another plane destined for MoBay via Nassau, The Bahamas and it was leaving pretty much at the same time. So off to the Bahamas I went. There was no first class on that plane so I sat next to two kids from Georgia who periodically shoved each other and referred to me as "ma'am." I was delayed just twice more in Nassau until I finally boarded a plane for MoBay. Do you want to hear the best part? US Airways gave me a free roundtrip ticket for my troubles. Redeemable anywhere in the Caribbean and North America within the next year. Grin. God is a giver of good gifts.

I was pretty excited to arrive in Jamaica but I am rather tired. I forgot how loud the night is with all the assorted critter noises. It is however, strangely familiar.

Good night everyone and God bless you. -em

Welcome to Seattle

Hey everyone, I'm still kicking around in North America since my flight got cancelled due to Hurricane Emily.

There were some long waits at the airport before it all got sorted out but now I'm scheduled to leave Seattle on Sunday night and arrive in MoBay on Monday morning...bah!

Not to worry, though. I'm staying in Shoreline, WA with my good friend Lauren and I am being very well taken care of. She came to the airport to see me off and ended up adopting an Emese for the weekend. I would really like to be on my way already (I'm leaving....I'm leaving...I'm still here...) but hanging out with Lauren and her fam is a total blessing (she made me palm tree pancakes this morning).

Thank God, the course of the hurricane appears to be passing south of Jamaica so there shouldn't be much damage to our island. Please pray that Jamaica would be spared from this storm.

Thanks everyone, and stay tuned... -em

I am loved.

One last camping trip in good company and bad weather, waking up to my favourite scent and favourite view: subalpine forest, lakeside. One last time for a while.

One week to go until I find myself climbing almond trees over-looking the turquoise Caribbean, waking up to temperatures hotter than midday in Vancouver, and flagging down taxis in MoBay's bustling, narrow streets...a different kind of paradise.

As I contemplate leaving (and all that I don't want to leave behind) I cannot help but be in awe of my Heavenly Father. He is so involved and interested in the lives of His children. Who am I that He would call me to this unlikely place at this unexpected time? And who am I that He would bless me with all the beautiful people in my life whom I am so privileged to know? His goodness is greater than I can begin to describe.

So, while leaving people makes my departure difficult, I know it will make my homecoming that much sweeter and I am thankful to have so much to leave. I am truly excited to follow Jesus to Jamaica and serve His people there. God leads us to a land of promise and when we step out in obedience to His call, He draws us closer and shows us more of Himself. And I thirst for that intimacy.

Thank you all so much for your support, encouragement, smiles, hugs, and prayers! "I thank my God in all my remeberance of you," Phil.1:3

"God does not ask us to do the things that are naturally easy for us. He only asks us to do that which we are perfectly fit to do through His grace..." Oswald Chambers