RobinsNest

Robins Nest Orphanage - Jamaica
July 15th, 2009

Thank you for your prayers as we traveled to Jamaica and visited
the Robins Nest Childrens Home in Jamaica. Our trip had many
goals: meet the new directors Joel and Angie Odell, shoot final
footage for a DVD telling their story (which we started before
Zachary's accident), interview the founder and ex-director Michelle
Robinette, identify current and future needs, and love on the 41
children currently at the Nest.

The orphanage is situated on 5 mountain-top acres in the jungle
about twenty minutes inland from Montego Bay. Their property
includes the beautiful ruins of a church where a man named Sam
Sharpe once preached. In the 1800's, Mr. Sharpe unified the slaves
in their uprising against England to abolish slavery.

The children were absolutely beautiful!
Through the program, they are obediently
being fed both spiritually and physically.
Their individual stories are hard to fathom but the smiles on their faces showed us that God's presence is
very much alive and at work. Robins Nest has received the "Best Orphanage" award for the island of
Jamaica for the last six years.

Unfortunately, times are tough (as they are for just about every ministry in the world). Budget issues have
forced the Nest to cut-back on many things we, in the United States, take for granted as "normal". The
Jamaicaans have a saying regarding their economy: "When the United States get the sniffles, Jamaica gets
a cold". The Nest just goes about their business and continues to walk in faith, as they have from the
beginning 15 years ago. They know that every one of their needs will be filled as they always have.

On our last day, we had the opportunity to accompany
the children down to a private beach called Doctors
Cove. The owners of this beach allow the orphanage
to bring the children down after church each Sunday to
swim, play, and enjoy the Caribbean sun. We had a
blast trying to match their energy as they enjoyed the
one time each week they get to spend out of the jungle
and away from the "Nest". We slept very, very well
that night!

At our next board meeting, we will be deciding if
Robins Nest will become one of the Z Foundations
offical organizations to support. They have so many
needs ranging from maintenance to building projects to monetary issues to everything else. Hopefully,
someday soon, you will be on a team heading to "The Nest" to see first-hand what we had the pleasure to
witness.

For more information or to send support, please visit their website at:

http://www.robinsnestchildrenshome.org/