Happy Easter!

Life continues to move along here in the Caribbean. It is hard to believe that this month we will pass the 9 month mark since moving to Jamaica! We were privileged to have some of Carrie's family here to visit recently. Her uncles Marvin & Paul Gingerich; and aunts Betty (& Mark) Hostetler, and Veronica (& Randy & kids) Mast were at JRM for a long weekend.

We made the trip to YS Falls and had a wonderful time.

We stopped for frozen yogurt before heading home. Note the girls in the background taking pictures with Emma. This is not unusual.

On March 31 we welcomed Loretta Fisher from Warsaw, NY. She has committed to serve for a year as an auntie.

On Good Friday we went to visit Ms. Cynthia & Leslie.

The kids were intrigued with the kitten.

I am challenged every time we visit them. Due to sugar diabetes, Leslie is blind and has had both legs amputated; yet he always says how blessed he is.

The front yard.

The narrow path to their house.

On Saturday Floyd and Ellen went back to South Carolina for about several weeks.
The girls enjoyed coloring Easter eggs. Thanks Betty Yoder for sending the coloring kit!

On Easter morning we had some sick children, so not everyone went to church. In the afternoon we had an Easter egg hunt for the children.

We ate the traditional Jamaican Easter food, bun and cheese (we had other food too). The bun is sort of like a fruitcake that actually tastes good (I don't care for fruitcake). The cheese adds a salty flavor to the sweet of the bun. Most of us preferred the eat the bun without cheese.

We were all healthy again on Easter Monday for our outing. Everyone went along to the Jamaica Zoo.

The highlights were the "meet & greet" time with the animals, the donkey rides, the playground, and the lions.

They teased the lions to get them to roar. The bad part was that there was only one layer of chain link between us and the lion.

The rest of the week, the adults took turns being sick with the stomach flu. All but one of the adults here came down with it. Thankfully, it didn't seem to affect the children as much.

Sign of the week: Take a deep breath before rattling off this church name.

Thank you all so much for your generosity! Your financial support allows us to be here, and the gifts you sent with our visitors are much appreciated! May God bless each of you for your thoughtfulness!

One last security tip from the Jamaica Zoo: If you have trouble with theft, here is an idea to secure your flatscreen tv.

God bless!
Kevin

Work Team

We were blessed to have the Bethel Youth Group from Holmes County, OH at JRM last week. There were 32 in the group, and they got a lot of work done in a short amount of time!

They built a storage shed here at JRM on Monday. The foundation was in, but that is all. Some of the group worked in the banana patch picking up rocks to fill in the foundation before the floor was poured. It was hard, hot work pushing wheelbarrows full of rocks up the hill, but they were willing workers. 

The metal didn't come in time for them to finish the roof.

There was also lots of painting done. There was painting done in/on every building on the grounds.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, they split up. Some of the girls went along to Blossom Gardens, while some of the guys built a new house for a family at Mt. Pelier. Others stayed at JRM to finish the painting projects. They also "remodeled" the tree house, and beefed up the diving board for the pool.

On Thursday they had devotions at 3 schools, then passed out tracts in Sam Sharpe Square downtown. In the afternoon they visited the residents of the infirmary. Friday was a day for fun and relaxation, and Saturday it was eerily quiet around here again. :)

We really enjoyed having them here. Our girls especially enjoyed making new friends and getting some extra attention.

One of the trees burst into color this week.

The sign of the week is a Toyota vehicle. I am guessing that Toyota will be quickly looking to rename this vehicle. Until then, do not be concerned when I say that ISIS is on the streets in Montego Bay.

We are looking forward to having family here later this week, and hopefully we will have a new staff member arrive next week. Thank you for your interest in what is happening in Jamaica. Keep praying for us as we serve the children of Jamaica.
Kevin

Family Time

March continues the visitors season. We enjoyed hosting family this time. My sister Renita, her husband Dave Yoder, and their four boys (Josh, Drew, Austin, & Jordan) came to visit us the beginning of the month. The cousins had a grand time together swimming, playing, and goofing off.

They made their fabulous doughnuts for us one evening.

 One day we went to YS Falls, then to Negril to watch the divers at Rick's Cafe. The platform the diver is jumping from is 85 feet from the water. On top of the stone wall is a platform at 35 feet that anyone can jump off of. One day, I will do it.

We really enjoyed having them here, and hope to see them in Jamaica again! :)

Olivia celebrated her 4th birthday on March 8. She loved the princess dress she got, and the princess cake that Carrie made.

We also said goodbye to Clarissa Orendorf. She had served at JRM for 3 months. She will be missed.

The kids had nerd day at school recently.

A group from Fayetteville St. Christian School in North Carolina came to visit JRM one afternoon.

Sunday evening was "water night" at Awana. Everyone was soaked, but they had fun.

The girls have been going to Youth With A Mission (YWAM) every Tuesday evening for a dance class. It was a class for missionary kids, and they had looked forward to it every week. Last week they had a recital.

The class with their teacher, Miss Michelle.

We had a pizza party afterwards. It was the last night with their friend Ayla, whose family was moving back to the States the next day. We will miss the Doyle family, but we bless them as they follow God's leading.

The sign of the week comes from the parish of St. Elizabeth, close to YS Falls. Do you think it is ok to speed if you don't want to spend time with your family?

Also seen on the road to YS Falls. The scenery never changed for the three guys in the back.

Continue to keep us in your prayers! We appreciate your interest in the work at JRM! Pray the God would be glorified, and that we could build His Kingdom here in Jamaica.
Be blessed!
Kevin