I am pleased to report that everything is going well. Although these past two months have been rather chaotic, they have been by far the most enjoyable.
Last month, a group of us (locals and P2P volunteers) went up to the Drakensberg for the weekend and broke bread with an elderly couple in isolation. It was an extremely uplifting weekend for all of us!
At the end of last month I went down to Margate to help the P2P volunteers – Richard and Suzie from the UK. We had a praise and worship afternoon on the Saturday as well as an ecclesial lunch on the Sunday.
During the August and September months, the Beeler family has traveled all the way to the cape, visiting ecclesias from Durban through Cape-town; created a youth development program at the request of the Mariannhill youth, increased the frequency of classes for Happy's school bible students and added Rose to our Happy's youth activities. In the same period, Kwanda has increased his assistance in the Durban BEC, and now Mary and Kwanda have begun managing the Durban BEC scheduling and Ordering, freeing myself and David White up for increased bible class activities with BEC students, and helping the BEC become even more sustainable.
The economic crisis has not spared Jamaica which depends on the generosity of tourists for much of its employment. The Port Maria Ecclesia has 13 members, 2 work in retail, one is a chambermaid and one is retired. This means that fully 2/3 of the members need financial support just to provide the necessities of life.
When we had an working farm all you could work were employed. Now as they go out into the regular workforce they are finding that they lack qualifications. And the bar to employment has been raised considerable as thousands vie for a handful of position. Fluency in English along with certification in Mathematics and English are essential.
The young adults have been working toward meeting those qualifications since April when I arrived in Port Maria. I am pleased to report that they have been enrolled in an evening program for adults. They are all taking English, Mathematics, Biology and the young men are taking Accounting.
Love and greetings to all.
Wow, another 2 months have passed. Time is fleeting and may it continue to fly by as we await the return of our Lord. The last 2 months have seen us spend a lot more time in Hyderabad than has been the case over the past 12 months. It has allowed us to focus on family priorities, such as schooling, and also gave us an opportunity to help organise a Bible Week at Vijayawada.
Mission to Jamaica
Overview of Port Maria, Jamaica Projects
White Fields
White Fields Home Page
Gallery of Recent Photos
White Fields Concept
Fieldwork News Archive
WCF Newsletter - Winter 2009
White Fields Reports - Oct. & Nov. 2009
WCF Newsletter - Fall 2009
White Fields Reports - September 2009
White Fields Reports - August 2009
White Fields Reports - July 2009
White Fields Reports - June 2009
White Fields Reports - May 2009
White Fields Reports - April 2009
White Fields Reports - March 2009
White Fields Reports - Feb 2009
Compilation from Cambodia Feb, 2009
Report from Jamaica Oct, 2008
Report from South Africa Oct, 2008
Baptism in Cambodia Feb, 2008
Trip to Nayudapeta India Jan, 2008
Allen and Tara Laben – India 4
Allen and Tara Laben – India 3
Allen and Tara Laben – India 2
Allen and Tara Laben – India 1
Gospel of Peace–Hawaii
WCF Brethren Visit Romania and Turkey, March, 2005
Exploring Cambodia–Early Preaching Activities
Jamaica, December 2004–January 2005 [1.1 MB PDF]
Basic Bible Teaching in Joliet, Illinois
Newsletter Archive
Spring 2009 Newsletter (PDF)
Winter 2008 Newsletter (PDF)
Summer 2008 Newsletter (PDF)
Focus on P2P–Spring 2007 (PDF)
The Year in Review–Winter 2006 (PDF)
FOCUS ON Outreach DVDs–Fall 2006 (PDF)
FOCUS ON Sisters–Summer 2006 (DOC)
FOCUS ON Fellow Workers–Spring 2006 (PDF)
FOCUS ON Life Solutions–December 2005 (PDF)
FOCUS ON 30th Anniversary–Fall 2005 (PDF)
December 2004 (PDF)
December 2003
May 2003 (PDF)
December 2002 (PDF)
December 2001
January 2001
