April 18-21

Last week we went to 3 different communities to put into practice what we've learned so far in community transformation. Tuesday morning we went to Dalton, where there was a community transformation worker there from YWAM, and we encouraged her by praying with her and hearing from God on behalf of the community. We walked through the community a little bit as well, but we didn't spend too much time there. Later in the evening we went to the other YWAM base near Mandeville. That base is way up in the mountains, it was a beautiful drive, but very curvy! Some people had a hard time with motion sickness on this trip. We spent the night at this base and then Wednesday morning we prayed for the base along with some of the students/staff. We prayed for the school that is held at that base, which is the TFNJ (Teachers for the Nations, Jamaica). That is the school that I plan on attending in September. We also prayed for the elementary school that is part of that YWAM base. We prayed for all of the children that come to the school, as most of them come from broken homes. Then we also prayed in some of the rooms on the base. That was a very encouraging time for the students/staff that we prayed with as well. They were encouraged with what God was saying through our times of prayer. Then we spent our last night there, and Thursday morning we were off to Cranbrook Gardens near Ocho Rios. Cranbrook Gardens is a gigantic flower garden, with a river running through it that you can swim through, and horses to go horse back riding on, and a field for recreation and much more. It's a GORGEOUS place where mostly tourists come and enjoy Jamaica's beauty and relax and have fun. An elderly couple owns it and the woman is one of the teachers that YWAM recruits for their schools. Her name is Faith Linton, and she's the sweetest old lady. She invited us to her house for snack and then we prayed for her and her property for the next couple of hours on her porch overlooking the land and the ocean off in the distance...I can't even tell you how beautiful that place is. Yet again she was very encouraged with us coming and sharing what was on God's heart for her and her husband and their property. She was crying at one point as we prayed for her. She also fed us lunch in her beautiful antique home and then we went and walked down the river and prayed there. THen we were on our way back home Thursday evening. All in all it was a very exhausting week as I didn't sleep very well in that foreign bed and the fervent prayer was tiring. But it was so great to have been a vessel for God to use to encourage others as they continue to develop their own communities. It was good to get a first hand opportunity to put into practice the principles that I've been learning about community transformation. It's really all about hearing from God and doing things God's way!
In other news I'm really missing Jermaine right now. He's in Africa and I haven't heard from him for a week. But I'm not really expecting to hear from him, he's in a primitive village where there most likely is no access to phone or internet. John, who is the other man leading the team with Jermaine, did call the base Wednesday night (I think) to let everyone know that they made it to Gambia and they're all okay, just tired, and they're heading out to the village. So I know that he's okay and I've just been praying for him like crazy.
I also have been playing a lot of soccer (football) with the guys from the nearby communities. I'm usually the only girl on the field, and the only white person, so i'm totally the minority but the guys are REALLY good to me. They pass to me just as much as they pass to everyone else and they never talk bad to me or make me feel like I'm not as good as them (even though most of them are extremely talented). The last time that I played there was one guy especially who was encouraging me alot and him and i were playing forward together and he would pass it to me in front of the goal and I kept on missing the net. So I started heading to the back of the field to play defense because I had given up on getting a goal...it wasn't going to happen no matter how much he passed to me. But this guy (I really need to learn his name) talked me into staying up front and the next time he gave me the ball it was a cross right to me in front of the net, and I headed it and scored!!! Everyone cheered for me and I got a bunch of high fives! It was really great to know that they want me to play with them and they don't feel like I'm keeping them back, they always tell me how impressed they are that I can actually play ball. I did score again later in that game. I can't even tell you how much it means to me to be able to play soccer again, I'm loving it. I play Saturday mornings at 7 til about 8:30 or 9, Monday evenings right after class at 5:30 until it gets dark around 7, and then again at that time on Thursday's. Well at least I try to make it out to all those times as much as I can. Playing ball is also helping me to stay in shape! I just love it, the only thing is that I wish i had brought more soccer socks, my one white pair is getting really dirty.
This next week we have Terry Snow coming to teach us. I don't know him, but from what the others who have heard him teach are saying, it should be a really good week. I'll keep you posted!
I really appreciate the messages that ya'll leave, and thanks for reading my blog! Tell all your friends about it!
Blessings, Kristen