God IS GOOD**Jamaica**Day 1**Saturday

AUGUST 1, 2009

Alright... as promised I'm journaling so I won't forget to tell you guys anything! I really prefer blogging... writing down everything is so lame! (lol)... to me anyway! These are gonna be kind of long! I'm gonna make them as interesting as possible, ok?! :)... I hope you enjoy it!

THE AIRPORT!

So... I'm at the airport... reflecting on all God has done in preparation for this trip!!!! I can't help but think about how good He is, dude!!!! I can remember when I went to the interest meeting after church one Sunday! I knew I wanted to go on the trip... I knew I couldn't afford it though! What an awesome opportunity it would be to minister to little kids (my fav. little creatures LOL) in another country! I talked to my mentor about it (something I always do when I'm contemplating making a decision) and she said with so much confidence, "YOU'RE GOING TO JAMAICA!" I was like "yea... yea"!!! So I walked in that... I prayed about it... and I went to most of the meetings still not knowing how I was going to pay for it! When it was time for payment one... I HAD IT... and it didn't come out of my pocket! By payment two... I was afraid! I have an issue asking people for money so I didn't ask anyone... Payment three came around and I still didn't have payment two! UH OH! What had I gotten myself into?!... "I didn't hear from God... I'm not supposed to be on this trip" was all I could think! Well... I received a call from a lady at the church... and what do you know... SOMEONE MADE MY LAST TWO PAYMENTS!! WOW! The lady (keeping her name confidential) told the person who called me that God told her that I was supposed to be on this trip and she wanted me to be spiritually prepared for it... instead of worrying about how I would pay for it!!! THANK YOU JESUS!!! I don't want to make this too long and I still have a lot to cover so... FAST FORWARDING....

By Wednesday 7/28... I still had no passport! I just knew I would have it by then!!! WRONG!!! I went through a lot to make sure I had it on time... it wasn't there... GOD WORKED IT OUT... I had my passport 2 hours before my flight on Saturday!!! CRAZY, RIGHT!!! lol but hey... GOD WANTED ME ON THE TRIP!!! I didn't have to come out of my pocket at all for this trip!... A few people came together and paid for my trip... My family came together and bought all the things I needed (skirts, toiletries, towels... you name it, they bought it)... My mom paid my rent... and for my passport!!!... I even had $150 in spending money! Didn't think I would have that much... LOOK AT GOD!!!! He's so good, man! He did it all with me struggling with pride!!! lol... I didn't want anyone to know that I was financially jacked... and when everyone found out... THEY WERE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP! I'm learning to let self die... daily!!!(1 Cor 15:31) Because when I do... God always turns around and blesses me! See... I'm not even gone yet and I'm learning stuff! WOW! I'm telling you, man!... God is the best thing that ever happened to me...and it's beyond what He has done for me! He's the best friend... the best comforter... HE'S IT, I tell you! LOL... trust me! GIVE HIM YOUR LIFE TODAY IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY... It will be the best decision ever... MOVING RIGHT ALONG...

MAY I EAT NOW, LORD?!

As I was driving home from Memphis I decided to cut my radio off and spend time with God... #1... I thought it might help me stay awake because it was so late... and #2 I always do it... and I feel so good afterwards... is that selfish?! Anyway... I don't remember how long I had been talking to him... but at around 12:40 something I had this weird urgency to fast... First of all, I was like... "HECK NO!... I JUST BOUGHT ALL THESE SNACKS TO EAT WHILE I WAS DRIVING... I am not about to fast right now!"... but the feeling wouldn't go away... soooo I decided to go on the fast at 1a.m.! lol... THAT GAVE ME 20 minutes to be fat!!! ha! SELFISH AGAIN, HUH?!... I knew I wanted to hear from God concerning my trip... so I knew it was a good idea! I wanted to know what my assignment was when I got to Jamaica! I knew I would be playing with Blu21... but I had this feeling that God wanted to do more through me!... So I prayed... and I fasted... my stomach got flatter... AND FLATTER! lol... But I was excited!

Just before I was to check myself in... You know... go through the whole shabang of being frisked and stuff... I got a phone call from my mentor saying that God gave her a word for me! YESSSS!!! Mind you... she didn't know that I was fasting... and I knew I was gonna hear from Him...I just didn't think it would be through her! I promised to call her back when I got "to the other side!" :) I'm not gonna tell you what all He said now... I will reveal those things as I go through the week... as they happen basically!!!... The word was on point... scary... but on point! I've known for a long time that God would eventually take me to "this place"... just didn't think I would be out of the country when it would happen!... it's soooo NOT ME... I'm gonna feel uncomfortable, but hey... this is what God wants... I've dreamed about it in the past... so with His help I'm going to do everything He said! Ok... I'll stop talking about it... seems like I'm being unfair... lol...

Hmmm... I've heard from God now... I wonder if it's ok for me to eat... MOVING ON!!!...

FINALLY, KINGSTON!!!

We got to Kingston at around 7 or 8ish... don't remember! Anjelica, Mr. and Mrs. Minnis, Brian, Camille, her husband, and myself are the only ones here! The rest of the crew will be here tomorrow! They have experienced delay after delay that they have to stay in Miami overnight...HMM... I wonder what God is doing?!!... Why did He want us to be here on time?!... or maybe it just happened and there's no deep meaning behind it! lol... who knows?!... He does!

Going through Customs was hilarious! The Jamaicans were so stone-faced and mean! I understand that they have to do their job... BUT DANG!... put a smile on your face! They were interrogating the mess out of us! You know me... I wanted to get smart with them so bad... but I was with the Lord's folks...and I knew they had the power to keep me from exiting the airport... So I kept my cool!!!

After we got through "the hustle and bustle" (always wanted to say that...since I've heard it anyway) of those meanies... we proceeded outside and was warmly greeted by Jessica Malenga, Auntie Janeth, Uncle Jerome, and their son Samuel! **Ok... side note... In Jamaica... everyone older than you is Auntie or Uncle... k?!...** We all put our things on a bus and we headed to meet with the people we would be staying with for the night! Anjelica and I had the privilege of staying with Auntie Maxlene Joy! She is so nice... and has the coolest pick up truck! Of course you all know that they drive on the opposite side of the road... which was pretty darn interesting! JAMAICANS DRIVE CRAZY!!!! Remember that! It always looks like they are going to hit whatever is in front of them and then they swerve over at the very last second! SCARY I TELL YOU!

Auntie Maxlene Joy took us to KFC before we got to her house! Auntie Janeth and her family were in the truck too... She was taking them home on the way... We all ordered... Jelly and I got 15 hot wings, 4 biscuits, and 2 Kola Champagnes (Jamaican cola... THE BOMB.COM!!!)! After everyone ordered... the total came to $2,222... Jamaican dollars... which is really about $20 US! SO CHEAP!... Wow... I think I like Jamaica already!! 6 people ordered and we only paid $20... THE BUSINESS!!! There ended up being a 15 minute wait for our chicken though! Apparently KFC is the place to go at night... WOW!

Auntie Janeth asked if we would play at church tomorrow since the other crew wouldn't be in Jamaica in time! Of course we were cool with it... We are going to do, "How great is our God." I hope they like us... scratch that... I hope God shows up... and the song ministers!

AUNTIE MAXLENE'S HOME

Auntie Maxlene's house is really nice! It's pretty darn big!... It kind of reminds me of a beach house. I love it!... I love her so far! She is so nice... She isn't the kind of nice where the person smiles all the time... and basically waits on your hand and foot! She shows her love in a tough way... She is very blunt... but she means everything she says in love! I LOVE IT!... We all sat at the table and ate together... something I'm not used to... My family only does this on Thanksgiving! I really enjoyed it...I think I will incorporate this in my home when I have a family!

She got to know us... we got to know her!... We all were very comfortable talking! It was like we've know her for a long time! Her accent is so super duper heavy... and she does not slow down for us!... which is cool... I'm catching on!... We're even learning a thing or two... "uno" means yall/more than one!!! So when she says... "Uno no ready"... She means "Y'all not ready?!" or... "You guys aren't ready?!" lol Cool right?!... She made us clear the table... like we were her kids! lol I loved it though! I felt like we weren't guest... like we were her grandchildren coming to visit! I don't like being treated like I'm special... I'm weird...

It's pretty hot in her house... There is no A/C!... which was expected! She has plenty of fans though!... I'm sure we will be fine!

We practiced our song a few times just before bed and Auntie Maxlene came in and listened... pretty soon she was singing along right with us!... She can't sing a lick but I loved that she joined in... Goodness... I love her...

OK... I'm hitting the sack now!... Day 1 has been pretty cool!

Until next time,

P-CE!