photo: FreeImages.com Content License License #1540357 graphic: Martha G. Brady
During our first semester in Jamaica, we concentrated on settling in. Ron worked on his courses that were all new. I was learning about the culture: reading books on the country, black history, reading the newspaper, and getting to know our community and fellow missionaries.
During our first semester in Jamaica, we concentrated on settling in. Ron worked on his courses. I was learning about the culture and the town. Share on XWe returned to the US after graduation to have our baby and Dawn was born June 24, 1971. I was delighted she came before the birthday of our first little girl. It was a huge relief!
Eating my words…again!
Remember how I said I wasn’t sure I was going to ever learn to drive in Jamaica? Well, I ate those words along the way. Sometime during our first full school year, I learned to drive a car there. I don’t think I would ever have done it if I would have had to take a driving test, but I think my US license was okay. I probably had to buy some Jamaican paper to certify that it was good enough, but as long as I kept the US license up to date, we were ok.
I never drove a US car there with the steering wheel on the left side. I always drove a car that was made to be driven in Jamaica and driven on the left side of the road. As long as I did that, it was a piece of cake. Fortunately, I had learned to drive a stick shift car because the cars we had to share on campus included at least one stick shift car.
But after the first couple of years, they went to cars owned by individuals and away from sharing cars. We bought the shared cars and others available in the community without much difficulty. That way, the people who used the cars paid for them and it didn’t get complicated when everyone needed to pick up kids or go to the same activity at the same time!
Safety wasn’t the factor it is now. There were no safe car seats. There were no seat belts.
Of course, we didn’t have car seats then. Our babies were in infanseats, usually on the floor. Most of the time, we didn’t even have seat belts. It seems hard to imagine in this day and age! Miraculously, GOD watched over us in a place where preventative driving was not much of a consideration, nor was safety for that matter!
When I look back now, I am amazed that we weren’t in more accidents. GOD’s protection was ever present!
I said I would never move away from home. Now Iv’e lived away for almost 30 years.
did the words taste good or were they bitter? growth often involves eating words doesn’t it, gabriele 🙂
I remember hearing that expression when I was young – eating my words! As I have grown up, there have been times that I have been caught up in that very thing. Your story about driving in Jamaica also reminded me of the brave faith you had at that time. Way to go! Have a great weekend.
thanks mary:) thanks for stopping by mary:) i never tho’t of having any great faith when i was in Jamaica. i always compared myself to missionaries in irian jaya or other remote places and tho’t my faith wasn’t very big to be in Jamaica. once again, the comparison game messed up!