Cliff Jumping

Today is Jamaica's Independence Day and after community worship this morning I was graciously given the day off. I lead worship with my guitar and 2 people sang with me. I generally feel rather inadequate to lead worship but they asked me to lead and it actually went well and I'm thankful for that.

I'm also thankful to have had the day off today because I've got a long week ahead, working through until next Monday. I didn't realize how tired I was until I went back to my apartment this morning and fell asleep for something like 2 hours.

I started reading a book on the history of Jamaica...actually, I've only read the title so far but I've been carrying it around and I plan to open it soon. So far, what I know is that slavery and piracy go back a long way here and have a lot to do with current issues/problems in the nation.

Speaking of pirates, Captain Morgan used to be leutenant governer in Jamaica at some point in time and I don't think that's something they say just to amuse tourists. I learned that in Negril (northwestern tip of the island). The Stoner family (who've been here for a few years) took me to Negril yesterday; it took a little over an hour to get there by car. Negril boasts over 10km of white sandy beaches but we didn't go to any of them because it was super crowded due to independence celebrations. So we went to this place called Pirates' Cave which is aparantly a place where pirates used to hide-out or something like that. It's a popular place to go cliff jumping. There's a 35ft drop into the ocean which is plenty enough for me considering that I am afraid of heights and jumping. I didn't think I would do it but I was feeling kind of old that morning and I wanted to be adventurous. Besides, Andrew said that he would jump if I jump and he's 12.

So Kenny (Mr. Stoner) jumped first and then Andrew jumped and I was terrified, glued to the cliff. The longer I stared at the water the further away it appeared. There were some Jamaican dudes there who get tourists to pay them to do back flips off of trees into the water and one of them came up to me and said, "Okay, girl. I count to three and then you jump." I told him not to count but he did and I froze. So Kenny and Andrew came to jump a second a time and then I was still terrified and the dude asked me what I am so afraid of and I said, "Dying." And he said, "You no a gonna die girl. Maybe if you jump offa dat tree you might die but from here, some people dem knock out but if you do, I a gonna jump in an' save you. I am de lifeguard." I wanted to run away but I also really wanted to jump because I don't like being afraid of things and when would I get the chance to go again?

It took about a total of ten minutes before I mustered up the courage to do it but I finally committed and lept off the cliff. All I remember is a lot of blue and then a surge of warm salt water rushing up my nose. Apart from the water in my nose, it was a blast and I jumped again twice. Danny jumped after me with hardly any hesitation and some of the bystanders looked over the edge in disbelief because she's only 9. I was impressed.

The best part is that you get to swim to cave in which there's a ladder and then some steps that lead back up to the bar at the top of the cliff. They warn you though, not to go into the wrong cave because the one on the left leads to some lady's house and her dogs will attack you if you go there.

So that was my adventure in Negril. The kids listened to an Adventures in Odessy story on the way home and I actually thought it was kind of funny and I didn't feel old anymore.

I hope you're having a good day.

Peace & blessings,
em =0)