Returning Home

I'm sitting in the airport in Kingston, waiting to return to the U.S. We have an early flight (6:40 am). My host suggesting getting a van from the hotel at 4:00am. Nothing else this weekend has gone on time, so I figured this was a good idea to aim for being early. But the driver called from the hotel lobby at 3:28am this morning--a full 17 minutes before we set the alarm. We got here to the airport and checked in and whizzed through immigration. The plane is expected to be late (no shock there). So we sit in the waiting area...

It was a great cultural experience for Casey and me this weekend. It wasn't very much tourism at all. We got the authentic experience. The commencement ceremony at JTS was late and long; church yesterday was late and long. And then there is just the different pace of everything. Yesterday, we were to drive from Kingston to Mandeville for church (about 90 minutes) and expected to return to the hotel by about 3pm. We got back at 8:30. But it was a good time. We stopped and visited with people along the way, and everything is just very relaxed.

Our hosts were very gracious at every point. We hope to return soon.

Jamaican me crazy, mon

Tonight my son Casey and I leave for the land of reggae, Red Stripe, and 100m sprinters. I'm speaking at the Jamaica Theological Seminary commencement ceremony on Saturday and at a church in Mandeville on Sunday.

My wife and I decided that I'd try to take one of the sons (not sexist: we have no daughters) along with me when I go on trips like these, so they can start to experience more of the world first-hand. This is an especially significant sacrifice for her this time as we'll be missing her birthday on Sunday. We'll try to bring back something good!