Jamaica..Yeah Man

I just got back around 2 a.m. Thursday from Jamaica, it was a setup trip to the different campuses of the CCCD, Caribbean Christian Centre for Deaf.  We will be taking several youth groups there this summer.  Me, Doug the director of TEAMeffort, Pete the CFO of TEAMeffort and Matt, who will be leading the trips there this summer all went on the trip and met up with Keith Cox there in Jamaica.  We arrived on Saturday in Montego Bay and rented a van.  In Jamaica they drive on the left side of the road, so that was an interesting.  We then drove to a village called Knockpatrick about 3 hours in the mountains. We went to a revival on Sunday morning with about 300 people who were deaf.  I had never experienced a deaf service where there is hardly any verbal speaking.  It was one of the neatest encounters of God that I have experienced in a long time, in such a different way.  

After service we drove to the city of Kingston to visit another campus, and meet with their leadership, but not before stopping at a restaurant called Juici Patties, I promise I am not making that up, it is a chain. 

Monday we visited the deaf village and toured their campus and facilities, then drove back to Montego Bay to visit the last of the 4 campuses.  On  Tuesday we left and drove to Ochos Rios, and went to a straw market then climbed Dunn's River Falls, which is a waterfall that you actually climb, it was a lot of fun, even though I fell a couple of times and got scraped up, that is what I get for trying to do it barefoot.

After that we visited a biluminescent Bay that at night time the water glows when stirred up, there are supposedly only 4 in the world. 

I really enjoyed my time there even though it was only a few short days, I know that our groups are going to have a great time and be exposed to a culture and community of deaf students that they are not normally exposed too, and I think it will make for a beautiful collision.

I am back in the car heading to New Orleans for 2 weeks of spring break camps there.  I have only passed through so I am looking forward to seeing the city.