You Can't Swat Mosquitoes while Blogging

I don't even want to know how many bites I got in the course of this post. I'm at the Ministry Centre in Kingston, Jamaica, where apparently the best time to get pictures to upload to Blogger is once everyone else has gone to bed and you're the only one using the WiFi. Here's a long overdue peek at my longest trip thus far (11 nights), just over midway through. 

Pastor Obot picked me up from the airport Thursday afternoon. I had been beyond excited to see the new roof in person after watching it go up in pictures on WhatsApp, and it did not disappoint.  

Surprise! I thought Area Facilitator Charles St-Onge & I were going to rip down damaged drop ceilings in the short-term team bunk rooms when he joined me ~ 24 hours later so that the short-term team arriving Monday could replace them, but a carpenter had been hired to get them to this point. 

My hardware store shopping list changed a bit, but our rigorous prep schedule did not. I had two rooms sanded before Charles jumped in as soon as humanly possible. 

We shopped 'til we dropped (and learned they do not give you plastic bags ANYWHERE)...

...but still made time for an adventure to a new (to us) jerk centre. Google did not disappoint (even though they didn't have power!), and I WILL be taking future teams there. 

Jerk pork and roti + the local brew for Charles and watermelon ginger juice for me. 

Sunday after worship, we scouted out the cultural activity I have planned for this coming Sunday. More later, but let's just say I've got things covered from all angles. 

We spontaneously popped into a hotel in the same neighborhood as the Ministry Centre that we noticed driving by. Helloooooo, new go-to. Church discount, anyone? Nevertheless, we left a legacy in the form of Portals of Prayer at our former standby before checking out on Monday. (We had noticed a similar devotional on the table during previous stays but kept forgetting to bring Portals!)

We dashed to a haberdashery - and two pharmacies, and the hardware store, again - Monday morning and couldn't resist these mugs! Your guess as to how they wound up for ~$0.75 at AZAN Supercenter is as good as mine. 

I was anxious the whole time we were out running errands since the cleaning lady hadn't finished yet and the plumber was wrapping up one final project. What met my eyes early Monday afternoon, though, warmed my heart, and not just because it's way hotter than when I was last here at the end of March. I've seen these spaces transformed before my eyes, and I truly felt ready for Jamaica's first bona fide OIM short-term team: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church from Wichita Falls, TX. 

We welcomed them Monday night with Tastee Patties and hit the ground running. To summarize their first three days, we've got a wall that's very close to coming down and a ceiling that's very close to going up. Also, if I never see another mosquito, I'd be 100% OK with that. I'm going to go bathe myself in OFF! and get some sleep. 

Until next time, blessings!