Hardy's in Jamaica: Browns Town, Kingston, Port Royal, Cobert Castle and Ocho

Friday we went to Lime Hall for a car wash and then headed towards Discovery Bay to find out where our RS president lived. She was going to check out an Auntie Jackie who takes care of disabled people. The Whiteheads ask us to check Auntie Jackie out to see if there was anything that she needed in the way of humanitarian effort. We were able to find our RS president but she told us that Auntie Jackie had moved so we still don't know where she lives. While we were waiting for our RS president to get ready, we visited with her friend who makes blocks and pours concrete decorations. It was interesting to see his business. We drove with M into Browns Town to find some of our members. It was the first time that we have been there because it is about an hour from Ocho. We were able to find most of the members that we were wanting to visit with. It was a nice day.

Saturday we left our apartment around 7:15 a.m. so that we could meet up with the other couples for a Jamaican sight seeing trip. We left Kingston around 9:30 and headed towards Port Royal. It is the remains of an old fort that existed in the early 1600's. At one time it was an island and considered the most wicked place on the earth. An earthquake dropped 1/3 of the island into the sea. Many of the residents that survived the earthquake later died of disease. The earthquake actually created a sandbar that joined Port Royal to the Jamaica. They have a little building that they call the giddy house. Part of the house sunk into the sand so the building is on a slant and you kind of lose your balance when you walk inside. It was very interesting. From Port Royal, we headed for Old Harbor for lunch. There were only 9 of us and we were the only people in the restaurant. It took them about two hours to serve us. The food was good. Brian ordered Korean charcol chicken and I order chicken chop suey. We shared and both dishes were very good. From the restaurant, we head over to the Cobert Castle. I could imagine that it was quite the place in its day. On each corner of the property there were structures that resembled the castle. In one of the structures, there was an underground tunnel that housed the slaves.

It was a lot of fun to be with the other couples and to hear their stories. The length of travel makes it easy to get to know them. We have a single sister that is serving here by herself. Her companion ended up going back to the states but she doesn't mind being alone because she can get so much done. She is a convert to the church and was the controller for a successful business that oversaw about 28 other businesses. Evidently she promised the Lord that if he would help her with the business she would give him 10 years of missionary work. This is her third mission and she is one of the most positive persons that I have ever met. She is one smart sister. When we reached Kingston, we hopped in the truck and headed back to Ocho. I really hate driving those roads at night. When we got to Ocho, we still had to make a trip out to Huddersfield. Brian told the sister in our branch that if she would speak in church, he would give her money for the taxi since she probably would not have been able to come otherwise. After leaving her house, we drove to the store so that we could get some bread for the sacrament. We stopped at Pizza Hut and got a medium pizza. It was nice not to have to cook that late in the evening.

There were about 36 out to church today. A lot of our members have the Chikungunya. They call it ChikV.
I really feel blessed that we have not gotten it. Both the elders and sisters up here have had it. After church we went over to the L's so that Brian and R could administer to Sister L and her granddaughter. We then came home for the evening.