rachelanna.com

Dear Friends and family,

I have enjoyed my Peace Corps experience in Jamaica and guess what? It has
been two years already and it is time to come home! The experience has been

a good one that I will treasure forever. I will be coming home on Tuesday,
June 21! That’s less than a week away! For those of you in the SF Bay
Area, there will be a welcome home party on Sunday, June 26. Venue and time

are yet to be determined and if anyone is interested, please reply so that I

can keep you updated. For those at Principia, I am planning on coming to
give my presentation (to any class or group that invites me) in the fall.
Who knows? If I make it to the 10 year reuinion, I could give it there too.

As for plans, I am still listening. I would be honored to work at Principia

or The Mother Church, or another organization that harmonizes with what I
believe in (honesty, efficiency, compassion, also known as wisdom, economy,
and brotherly love, also known as Life, Truth, and Love).

If I stay in the Bay Area, I am hoping to set up my studio and start
committing time to art (making jewelry) and the Practice.

That is about all the news I can think of right now.

Much love and I would love to hear from everyone and anyone!

Rachel

Today I had a remarkable experience. I was on Duke Street in downtown Kingston around 5:00 pm, I had a warm can of juice and proceeded to the closest establishment (a bar) that could give me a cup with ice. I was standing on the sidewalk drinking my now cool drink when the barman and I saw a very elderly man trying to take a step in the street. He had one shoe on and the foot without a shoe was quite swollen. The barman said that he thought that the man was pretty ill. I asked the barman if he thought that the man would accept the rest of my juice. He said “Its possible. Go try.” I went to where the man was and held out my juice. The look on his face was priceless. He looked genuinely grateful that someone would offer him something but even more, that someone would take the time to recognize him as a human being and friend. I helped him to the sidewalk and we both went our separate ways, but I can say that I am very grateful that I was privledged to have that experience. The whole thing only lasted about two minutes or less, but I hope that I won’t forget that precious smile that he shared with me.

Drugs and homelessness are very challenging here in Jamaica, and every day I pass people that are dealing with those problems on my way to work. Often, the same men, women, and children beg people for money and it is very difficult to know what to do. Giving money supports their drug and begging habits, but not giving leaves a person feeling like they are stingy and lack compassion. Often, walking on the street I have prayed for opportunities to show kindness that will mean something and not just taken advantage of. I pray that my heart will be open to future opportunites where I can continue to bless others through wisdom, kindness and compassion. The key to navigating these waters is to fully understand the depth of Jesus’ statement in Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmelss as doves.”

Today I read several articles from the Monitor World, the weekly international version of The Christian Science Monitor. One such article (from the week of January 29- February 4) spoke of the US tactics in Afghanistan to destroy the opium trade. I was upset to learn of the strategies being implemented by the US government—crop spraying. This sounds simple at first, but accomplishes very little and would actually cause much more harm than benefits for all involved, including the Americans who devised the plan. Readers learn that the poppy trade comprises about 60% of the legal trade market and 40% of the market overall.

Now, I understand that the US has interests in the safety, health, and well-being of its citizens, and that drug use is a problem, and of course I am not a supporter of drugs, but I do not believe this gives cause to destroy 60% of another country’s “legal” revenues. An alternative [and I believe much wiser] option, as the article points out, would be to provide cash for farmers that were willing to grow other crops. Yes, this will take a lot of money, work, and creativity, since poppy farming is much more lucrative than other crops, but the end result is worth it. The article succinctly states “Economic shrinkage is one of the surest predictors of instability and conflict”.

And if the plan had gone through, “economic shrinkage” is an understatement. We would have had an instant civil war on our hands, one that the US had caused.

When you consider what the US was planning to do—spend $152 million on a mission to invade a country and destroy the livelihoods of how many countless people, just like that (with no knowledge of the side effects, the article noted) and no concern whatsoever for the well-being of the citizens, bystanders, and children in the area—that sounds like one plan for disaster to me. There has to be better methods and stratagies that consider everyone’s interests, and the US government needs to have the willingness to find creative solutions. Above all, if Bush is a Christian as he claims to be, he should start acting like one and practice the Golden Rule—to do unto others (other countries) as he would have them do unto him (his country).

Side note: The Golden Rule is embedded in most all of the world religions, each with their own version, but with the same idea: be loving/don’t be nasty. Each individual’s job is to focus on his/her own actions, and make sure that they are in line with this simple and universal principle—not to judge other persons and complain about how the other is not living up to the standard.

Dear Friends,

Last week I moved to Kingston, both to live and work. I had hoped that I would still be able to carry the cause of Old Harbour Bay from Kingston (which would have been easy to do, since there are many agencies here that have an interest/stake in the betterment of that seaside town) but I was reassigned to a totally different agency as well. You are probably wondering why the change since I only have two more months in Jamaica, and the answer is kind of complicated, but I will try.

Way back in early January, I was informed that there was a man in the community that was allegedly in the US armed forces and then tortured in prison and later deported. So he has been here in Old Harbour Bay for some years now, daily (according to his neighbors) cursing America and Americans. Rumours were going around that he was saying that if he ever saw me, he would inflict harm (in not so many words).

When this information came to me, the person asked me to tell the Peace Corps office, which I did that day. I was already planning a 6-day trip home to the States for later that week. The Safety and Security Officer asked me to pack my things that day and I would be spending the week in Kingston (until my departure).

Upon questioning the man, he told the police that if he had ever wanted to do anything to me, he would’ve done it a long time ago, since it is a small town and he saw me all the while (so he allegedly said). This is all so ironic to me because apparently he feared that I was a CIA agent and he felt that Bush had sent me to spy on him!— I don’t even know what he looks like! I guess some would be afraid in that situation, but I never felt the least bit fearful—I instinctively felt that I was protected.

Anyway, I did as I was told and packed my things that day (January 3rd), filed the required police report, and was whisked away in the large Peace Corps SUV. I came back to the community (as planned) on January 12 because I had a very important meeting that I wanted to attend and the PCO permitted me to go.

A few weeks later however, the Peace Corps Office asked/encouraged me to consider moving. They left it open to me where I would like to live. Kingston was a natural choice for me because that would enable me to attend Wednesday evening church service and make getting to church on Sundays much easier. Currently, it is only a 10 minute drive/20 minute bus ride instead of 1 ½ -2 hour ride of two buses and two taxis. It is great—I love my new place and this is only one of many benefits.

On the whole, my living situation is much easier to deal with—much quieter neighbors, a quieter household, no reggae/dancehall music shaking the walls, and I LOVE being so close to everything in town. The employment situation was not as smooth a transition, but I need to trust God, that He is in control and has a plan.

I am actually supposed to be leaving in August, but I have decided that I want to attend two events in June in Boston and CA, so I am applying to leave Jamaica on June 1st.

I always love questions, so please submit them and I will address them in the most appropriate way—either an entry or a personal email.

Take care and may each of you have a blessed day!