Today was saturday, Jan 2nd 2016....
this will be a long day with several stops...one of our best days in Negril...ever....
My wife and I dont have any kids, been married 26 years...we all know Jamaica has a lot of poverty...we have been bringing gifts since our first trip...been to schools, donated time and stuff to St Anthonys soup kitchen(alot of people dont know that many kids in negril meet there every morning for a free breakfast and ride to school... we donated gifts to Joan to give out for perfect attendance, good grades, incentives, birthdays, etc...)and to kids we run across during our tours of negril...this trip we wanted to give to some who may never get anything....we were gonna do this last trip, but it fell through...Dwayne volunteered to do this for free, because of the kids....so this reach, i called and asked if he wanted in...he jumped at the chance....and insisted on doing it for free...Big ups to Dwayne...karma works it magic, too, cuz I gave him a nice tip and then he got a transfer from mobay later in the week because we told someone about it......
we hit sales all year long for small toys, make up for the ladies, sand paper for the carvers, back to school sales for stuff, and after halloween and christmas sales for candy...we get 2 suitcases and 2 carry ons...1 suitcase and 1 carry on just for this stuff....i have had to leave my stuff back because i have no room...lol...
just like we all do, sometimes i catch grief because i refuse to buy someone a beer(Im not even drinking, not buying you one...how about a water?) or buy whatever from them...you dont like us, why do u come here....I help many, i reply...just cant help everyone....lol....it is all part of the experience...
anyway, we organize it into age groups, gender, etc and below is what we got...Dwayne just laughed when he pulled up...this is just a little more than half...much more left in the room to give out along the way...
after Dwayne picks us, we head to T's by da Sea in Green Island...T's friend, Anthony, aka Barracuda, aka shooter, aka supersonic...lol.., is a spear fisherman...hunter of the barracuda.....anyway, he knows several spots in the Hills above Green Island that have kids that rarely get visitors...so he is our guide, along with Dwayne, who is also from Green Island....T has a guest staying in her guest house..her name is Giulia, and she wanted to come along for the ride...
view of the sea from the bar at T's by da Sea
and at the bar
our cast of characters...
Dwayne---formerly of Rockies, now on his own---Dwaynes taxi and tours
baby face---my best friend...one of the friendliest and most generous guys ever...never meets a stranger...exchanges pleasantries with everyone he passes...sometimes, when we are on a mission, roy will stop and talk to someone, and the rest will keep walking...he'll catch up...also puts down red stripes like wata....
Ginger---my holiday wife, my sista, the lady who has a great big heart...if we dont watch it, she will have the whole room in tears...lol...when i surprised her by showing up during her thanksgiving trip, she started screaming and balling...love her to pieces...
T---of T's by da Sea---she helped me set this up, when i told her we wanted to go to places where noone else goes...beautiful Cali girl...be sure to stop and have a beverage or two
Barracuda---our super guide
Giulia---she was so fun.....
Janet Claus and myself----we have taken things to schools, donated time and stuff to St Anthonys soup kitchen, taken stuff around negril and pass to the kids we see....but this was the most rewarding to us by far....during different times during this trip, i think we all shed a tear or two, seeing the joy in the little ones faces...and the sincere appreciation they showed...
