Shirley Retreat House Kingston

Let me be honest with you all this isn't about any great adventure i've had or even will had but perhaps may very well have a trip to the desert land of senegal. You see dear reader i'm embarking on a literary adventure regarding the land & people of Senegal with a book titled " Walls of Jericho" a narrative of the perilous journey of a group of ...

Jamaica was my very first missions trip. I went with Shayna and Chad for one week and we had an amazing and eye opening experience. The water was beautiful and we went to ocho rios and climbed the waterfal too-it was so beautiful! We also witnessed poverty and need in ways that we had never seen before. We were able to minister God's love to people but honestly I think we all took away much more from this experience than we could ever give!

... left i had about everyone in my family ask if i could swim which seemed wierd. We went swiming in some really warm water although the beach was very touristy it was jamaican tourists. I came back took a shower or tried to as the water pressure was so low almost no water came back and had some dinner. Tomorrow i have class most of the day hopefully during lunch ill have a chance to top off my cell phone and get an international calling plan. Mi soon come

... list. As I sat close to the finish line, I was able to view the runners as they triumphantly crossed the finish line. The looks on their faces and the sheer joy and excitement of completion was priceless. It must be such a good feeling to train hard for something like a marthon and see it to the end. I'll start training when I get back. I think I will start off with a 5K and work my way up. I hope you enjoy the pictures. Claudia

I got a ride from the airport to the upper town. After check in, I ventured in the city and was soon offered some "stuff". Oh well, no thank you. The Bob Marley museum is quite interesting and probably the only notable attraction in Kingston (other than this feeling of being in a different country).

... That was...a little bit of a bummer. ;) But, I gained a real lesson in being efficient and focused during interviews. The participant's time isn't the only thing wasted during long-winded, tangent-filled meetings. Mine is, too...exponentially. Am considering having all questions timed like a game show: In 20 seconds or less, Sally...Fred...tell me how YOU would make the world a better place for orphans with HIV/AIDS transitioning out of residential care. Go! Hmmm ...

... me for it. Bobby bent over as he finished the carvings and responded, "She is my friend. No charge." I was touched by his gift. Both Karen and I promised to visit him when we returned, and committed to telling our friends about his craft, in an effort to encourage business for him. When asked about Gustav, the Hellshire locals respond that, though there was a lot of damage, the storm did not compare to the havoc caused by its distant cousins: Ivan and ...

... s. Jamacians have a renewed sense of pride since the runn**s (particularly Usain Bolt a.ka. "lightening bolt") have been taking gold medals and setting records. Ev**ywh**e you look th**e are people flying their Jamaican flags and ev**yone is talking about the athletes. I like seeing people in such a good mood. The prime minist** says that th**e will be a public holiday in honor of the runn**s and th**e is a parade in the works. Claudia August 22, 2008 at 2:00 p.m.

... The Tavern Coffee Estate, perched on the side of a mountain. We were greeted by the raucous barking of a couple of large, forbidding dogs, who calmed down once the owner appeared. The owner reluctantly allowed us in (they prefer if you call ahead and we hadn't). Her family purchased the plantation as a summer home in 1968, but now that her husband, an accountant, has retired, they live there year round. From their house we could see the coffee ...

... just celebrated our first Christmas in Jamaica. Even in the coastal resort town of Negril, far from the hustle and bustle of the big cities, Christmas was in the air. We had a delightful time at the Negril Yoga Center, walking down the 7 ½ miles of white beaches, sampling the local cuisine and navigating all the funny circumstances that arise when you are seen as just another tourist and you try and explain otherwise. A rare bonus came when we attended mass at a tiny ...