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and I feel so bad, no this is not one of those oh boo hoo woah is we post
You see since 2008 we have visited Askenish Basic School on fall and winter reaches
It's always an adventure in the country. But even more I truly believe what little we give does mean so much.
Could my bad feeling become your good day?
http://www.mydeo.com/videorequest.as...990&CID=325340
Much Love sent your way !
Health and Happiness.
semi(and crew):):)
When I click the link I only get audio, but no video?
Sad to see you're not going this February. Tell Us more about the trips to the school.
Chet and Coleen,the kids will truly miss you as it looks like they really enjoyed you,respect!!
Enjoyed the video very much.I just love all those sweet likkle faces.Thanks for sharing.Jah bless :o)
Husker, we found the school by accident, I believe it was in Sept 2007.Quote:
Originally Posted by HuskerJohn
http://www.mydeo.com/videorequest.as...743&CID=171736
Coleen and I were in on a trip by ourselves doing a wander about up in the hills. I had vague directions to 5 Fingers and had been told stories as we studied Dolphins Head from the Green Island side of Rasta's spending a few nights atop Dolphins Head in sabbatical.
My curiosity was how far up Dolphins Head could we make it in a vehicle from the Luceau side. So in we headed from the turn off from A1 at the Lucy River. Of course every turn in the road was a new vista to us. It just so happened we had a back seat full of school supplies with no intended target and as Dolphins Head defeated my conquest I noticed an Askenish Basic School sign leading up a lane.
The principle actually cried. She said that school had just started and she was very short of supplies, had no idea how she was going to get through the next few weeks. Prayers answered by for all intents and purposes a couple of lost travelers.
That year there were rain stains on the walls, a rudimentary food prep area, no play equipment.
On subsequent visits we were shown a basic list of what a school had to have to meet state guidelines and get some help. Roof fixed, a kitchen for lunch prep with stove, hot water, toilets, teaching equipment.
Them already having a swing frame made it easy to bring swing seats and chains from the states. So little money to us goes a long way for them.
Someone repaired the roof, they now have one of those black plastic water heaters, toilets and a propane stove in the kitchen.
Various trips various items. 1 year back packs went on sell at Staples for a couple bucks and we took 40 or so in. 1 year the Church Ladies here in Burlington collected stuffed toys and hand puppets and we took 2 suitcases full in. A trip to Sav for soccer balls is always part of the adventure. School supplies of every kind brought in from the states or purchased in Sav have made their way up the side of that mountain. DVD's are great the school now has a 20 inch TV and DVD player and I am told that they have movie night with ice cream for the community upon occasion.
I must also say that more than a few bucks have passed hands. Many of our friends bring stuff in and still dig into their pockets when they see need.
Our second or third year up I got to thinking that the road that we go in and come out from Lucy on has to continue to somewhere. So that trips adventure started in Grange and after a few mis-steps we found Askenish. Today a trip often starts in Sav for supplies and comes out at Peters Bar outside Lucy. Of course important equipment includes a cooler and a sense of adventure, the trip up from Fromme is a 1 lane track with no houses for miles, a true transition through forest from sea level to the 1700 or so feet at Dolphins Head.
I can probabley safely say that less than 1% of all visitors to Jamaica have ever traveled this road. Turn the stereo off, roll the windows down and experience real Jamaica.
i hope were both there at the same time sometime Chet - would love to tag along and bring some supplies with you two..
What a great story! Thanks for all you've done in Askenish.
Fantastic,
So nice to hear about great things being done by great people!
GREAT video. So close yet so FAR~~
You guys are as sweet as Isreal's "Somehwere Over the Rainbow." Bless --Marblehead
This would be a good school to arrange donations for...somewhere that is way off the beaten path. I wonder if we could start some kind of drive via the board?
Yes, Chet and Coleen are truely great people, and I am honored to call them friends. I remember one of our trips up the mountain with C&C. A beautiful day it was! The cooler was packed and school supplies were on board. I know Chet, and he would rather walk than not be able to be in the drivers seat and is always prepared for a trip. No problem mon. Chet always has his very worn, but trusty road map with lots of miles on it of Jamaica with him but prefers to go freestyle most of the time. Using that map takes the adventure out of most trips. That map and it's placement in the van is key to this story. Going up the winding narrow roads, there is almost a optical orgasm with brain overload with the sights of the Jamacian countryside. This is not the beach that most visitors see. This is the reality and beauty of Jamaica. The colors of the folage, the small houses built on the side of a hill, the people going about their business and a friendly wave of the hand to 6 strangers in a small van. Once at Askenish, the kids and teachers are very happy to see us. We deliver our load of supplies and spend some time with kids. My wife Cindy is reading to a couple of the cutest little girls over in the corner as I snap a few photos. Some of the gang is outside watching the kids jump rope, playing frisbee, and kicking the balls around. Its time for the kids to get back to their desks and get back to work. As the motly 6 pile back into the van, I hear several cuss words coming from the drivers seat. Whats up, as Chets pulls the map away from the dash of the car. To be more exact, he removed the map from in front of the gas gauge. We are on top of a mountain with the gas light on and no gas for many miles. Wellllllll......Thank God for the netural position on the gear shift and thank God that we are on TOP of a mountain. You know the saying "a body in motion, stays in motion", thats going to be out battle cry. Chet can answer this better but I think its at least 30 miles to the nearest gas coming down the back side of the mountain. Lots of coasting, very little gas pedal, a lot of laughs and a few red stripes got us to the station. I have never been so excited to see a gas station. I think we but 20 gallons into a 18 gallon tank. My points to all of this rambling is this, Chet & Coleen are some our best friends. They talked us into coming to Negril 5 years ago (been back 6 times) and have shown us the "real Jamaica" every time. Get off the beach, go see the country, meet the people, respect their way of life, show some compassion and just enjoy the people and the island. With 10 sleeps for Cindy and I, we will miss our crazy friends in Negril this trip. Almost guarantee they will be back soon.
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Bless all of you who are so generous with your hearts, time and resources. We would love to get involved also. Our reach is always the last 2 weeks in Feb. Pm with details if anyone is going this year.
Awesome.. Blessings....
Happy Travels,
Skb