9...It's a Magic Number

...or I'll just keep telling myself that!

I sit here at my office making some final preparations for the trip and tidying up.  This is my ninth year traveling to Jamaica to work for/with the kids, and the butterflies still creep in a little bit.

I think I now get more excited for my fellow volunteers--particularly the ones coming for their first time.  We have Britt, who's in a networking group with me.  There's Jessika, a colleague of Britt's and jumped on board just about as soon as the topic was floated out there.  Then there's Lindsay, whom I met through Britt only about 8 weeks and dove right in.  Sheesh, Britt just killed it this year with the recruiting!

And finally, there's Jen--we met at a Jamaica fundraiser 6 weeks ago.  She expressed interest and then work commitments dictated otherwise.  Then, two days she emails me out of the blue to see if she could come.  Serendipity at it's finest.

Even after multiple meetings and conversations, they still do not quite know the joy they are about to experience, nor the sheer impact that will have on so many young lives.  I cannot wait to relive that first experience vicariously through each of them.

The newbies are joined by three returning team members: Jordan, Christina, Iryna.

If you're counting along, that is indeed seven women and me.  Pray for me!  :)

We'll be entertaining you each evening with a new entry (working internet permitting) so more to come!

In the meantime, you can donate to this phenomenal organization by clicking here (or eventually in the upper right-hand corner once we get that link updated).


Andrew (9th Year)
aka Sweetie Mon