As a three year old in 1955, I was in for a great adventure with my parents, Ray & Lavena Crooks, had accepted a call to the mission field of Jamaica. We, along with my baby sister, Pat, lived on the campus of Venture High School, run by a Holiness denomination near Glen Isley, on the west end of the island. For four years my parents taught during the week and then we'd travel to area churches on Sunday to minister.

Then we returned to the United States for a four year furlough and deputation, in 1963 we were privileged to go back to Jamaica for a three-year term. This time we lived in Kingston on the east end of the island. We were home schooled during my junior-high years. My father traveled the island to many churches where he held classes for young ministerial students. We again traveled on Sundays to preach and minister in music. While living in Kingston, we were blessed to be able to attend the Jamaica School of Music where we had world class instructors and gained valuable experience, although that involved those dreaded recitals and competitions.

I have many fond memories of my seven years as a missionary child. We fell in love with those dear people who were naturally kind, warm, amusing and friendly. We enjoyed the friendship and companionship of Jamaicans as well as other missionary families. During church, choruses were repeated many times so it was easy to get involved in clapping on the offbeat and to enjoy the good use of tambourines. My little sister learned to get in the way of things (much to my big sisterly dismay and embarrassment). Two of my favorite choruses were Jesus, He's the Way Maker and We'll Soon Be Done With Troubles and Trials. At age five, while attending a children's service, I gave my heart to Jesus.

There were some difficult times also. The mosquitoes proved to be quite a problem for me, since insect bites gave me extreme reactions that were long lasting and misery producing. I also suffered a bout of malaria (a disease carried by mosquitoes). In one month's time, one after another, our whole family suffered Dengue fever, an acute mosquito-borne viral illness that also goes by the name breakbone fever. We also had firsthand experience with an earthquake and a hurricane.

Jamaican cuisine is one subject that still brings great delight and desire to my taste buds. Some of my favorites were guineps, plantain, tamarind balls, salt fish and ackee, green banana porridge, hot patties, bun & cheese, curried goat with rice and peas, honey bananas, mangos, avocados, guava jelly, sugarcane, baked or fried breadfruit and even purchasing tangerines or roasted corn from roadside vendors in the country. Ahhhh......I can't wait to enjoy them all again.

We loved trips to the beach. Back in those days the beaches were free of most tourists, condos and resorts. We would have the whole beach to ourselves as far as the eye could see. After playing in the sea, we would spread out a blanket and savor homemade fried chicken, eat mangos until juice dripped off our elbows and dig into some hand-cranked, homemade, banana ice cream.

As a child, I couldn't have understood the impact my parents' choice would have on my life and its contribution in shaping me into the person I am today. I have long wanted to return to this place of my childhood, but this time I will experience it through the eyes of an adult. Howard, my husband of 36 years, and I are excited to be able to take this Work and Witness trip to Jamaica. While desiring to renew and revisit old memories, we also plan to work hard at making a difference in those we go to serve. We also anticipate making new friends and creating special memories to enrich our life.

Submitted by Pamela Robinson & Husband Harold

NOTE FROM EDITOR It is always exciting to me when a misionary or a MK joins our PT W&W Team. The work of Ray & Lavena Crooks provided a foundation upon which the holiness churches have built growing congregations. I am certain Pamela will be flooded with memories warming her heart and filling her eyes with tears of fantastic joy as she relives some of the sights and aromas that are stored in her memories. Thank you, Pamela, for this interesting story from your childhood.