Sunday, April 23, 2017

One of our great feats this week was avoiding the sights and sounds of Carnival Sunday as we came home from church today. We had seen posters all over the city about Bacchanal this week, but we didn't know what this was all about. There are always posters around advertising this or that festival or concert. Yesterday, someone explained to us it was CARNIVAL week - much like in South America. It's actually a celebration in honor of Bacchus - the god of wine - so you can imagine. We saw some very fancy and scanty, we might add, Mardi Gras-type costumes in a department store window but hadn't connected it all together until yesterday. (You'll appreciate our choosing to not add any pictures. Yikes!) Today was the parade. We checked the parade route last night and found that our usual way home was part of the route. We saw people setting up this morning as we left for church, but we expected it all to be over by the time we got back. We attended church in Linstead and got back into Kingston about 2:00 to find that we could not take our usual route home. As is often the case with parades, everything was running late, so we used some creative navigating and found a way around it. Our Jamaican friend who had explained to us what was going on said she was praying the parade would be rained out. She doesn't like all the immodesty and craziness associated with the celebration either - especially, she said, not on Sunday. 

Our work kept us in Kingston again this week. We were able to accomplish quite a bit with many of our potential projects throughout the island and with our current projects here in Kingston. 

Early in the week, we picked up 62 cases of toothpaste from a local distribution company. These tubes of toothpaste are to replace the expired ones in our big emergency container. 

Loading dock at the distributors.
Our truck came in very handy this week.

We delivered several folding canes for specific recipients to the Jamaica Society for the Blind. We had the privilege of meeting and personally presenting a cane to one of the recipients. What a delightful and humble man he is. He expressed his appreciation to the Lord for watching over all blind people throughout the world. 

Left to right: Ms. Wallace who trains people to use the canes and to cook;
Mr. Harris, Director of JSB; Mr. Gardner, a happy recipient of a new cane;
and of course, Elder Stewart

   

This is the computer training room at the Jamaica Society for the Blind.

Clients learn to use the computers with the aid of screen reader software. A screen reader provides information in two main formats. The first format is a voice output which users can listen to via the computer's speaker. This voice output lets the user hear the highlighted text and the keys they press. That is the format being used in these pictures. Screen readers can also provide a Braille translation of the text on the screen. 

Later in the week, we purchased and arranged for the delivery of several items for the project at the preschool here in Kingston we've mentioned before. They were so excited to receive materials for some small improvements and new much-needed appliances. 

 Materials for the new more secure kitchen door and door frame.

The delivery men couldn't fit the stove through the front door,
so over the wall it went.

 

 Already enjoying some cool air from the fans.

It works beautifully!

Some young boys were playing soccer in the 

"playground" across from the preschool. 

I enjoyed watching them and asked if I could take a short video. 

"Yes, Ma'm," was their instant and very respectful reply. 

They were so cute. Boys seem to play the same all over the world. 

Getting brave in my old age - I drove myself to a hair appointment.

I was fine, but I think Buddy worried the whole time. 

I actually enjoyed the drive and the confidence boost.

(We had a different truck for a few days while ours was having running boards installed - Yay!

President and Sister Pearson are on the island of Grand Cayman this weekend for a branch conference. So far, it's been a quiet weekend in regards to calls about illness or injury. I pray it stays that way for all our wonderful missionaries. 

We are looking forward to a special event this coming weekend. Elder Martinez of the Caribbean Area Presidency and Elder Stephen Owen, Young Men General President and their wives are coming to visit the mission. We are invited to a training on Saturday. We understand the training's focus is on teaching Young Single Adults about the law of chastity. We're sure we'll receive valuable, inspiring instruction.

Elder Hugo E. Martinez and Sister Nuria M. Martinez 

Elder Stephen W. Owen and Sister Jane Owen

A young, returned missionary sister whose family we've come to know and love spoke in the Linstead Ward where we attended today. Her final comment was that  there is nothing sweeter than the Gospel in her life. It is our prayer we too may always find the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be sweet in our lives and in the lives of all our loved ones. 

We solemnly testify that we know God is our Heavenly Father and He loves us. We know that His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and Redeemer. We know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God. He restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth and translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God. We know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's Church on the earth today. We know that this Church is led by a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson, who receives revelation. 

  

Until next week, our love to all...