We're Here!!

It's 7:24pm on Monday and I'm typing and talking at the same time as we use the laptop provided by the two young women - Monica and Melanie, who are from the states and teaching at the school for a time - and visit with them and Martin, our main contact here. So please forgive any serious grammatical errors.

I want to provide a quick update on what's happened so far.

Thank you so much for praying for our travel here. We had a very interesting time managing all of our supplies as each of us had two check ins and two carry one - most of them weighed down to the 70 pound maximum. However we were ecstatic that all of our very suspicious looking items passed muster in customs here in jamaica. We almost had to pay a security deposit on the compressor, but at the last minute they waved us through.

Our first night was in Montego Bay at a Christian retreat center. While not in thenicest part of town, our hosts were very hospitable and we all enjoyed being just off the beach.

our trip over the mountains to Junction/Top Hill where our project is located was fascinating - but sobering; both due to the driving habits of most jamaicans, and the sight of such poverty intermixed with ostentatious wealth. And this all side by side with a churches and bars - almost in equal numbers - everywhere. Every corner we truned it seemed like there was another church and or another bar.

Once we got here we visited a little bit with the kids and staff of the Maranatha Deaf School - where we are staying. Then we surveyed and did some cleanup of the church (just down the hill from the school).

Today was a long day. Sunrise to just after sunset we worked on the church. Despite a realtively long rain shower - which always seemed on the verge of stopping - we got the first truss - the longest and most difficult set up against the roof (though not yet flipped into place). We're looking forward to getting more trusses in place tomorrow - weather permitting.

Keep praying for safety - as we have been very blessed so far. And pray that we will continue to have good relations with some very helpful minded locals.

More to follow...