After being at the Belly Flop Contest and talking with Rotary Club President, woman with St. Anthonyâ€s Kitchen and the little girls whoâ€d been help by the kitchen I wanted to stop by and see the operation for myself. The day before I was going to head over there, Sophie and I drove over to the shop on Sheffield Road where I picked up some soup bowls, dish towel and some pot scrubbers. These are the things the woman from the kitchen said they needed. (Sophie, can remember the name of that shop? I thought I took a picture but I canâ€t find one. Red Star, Red Sun, something like that?)
The next day that the kitchen was open, Richie and I stopped by. (BTW, the hours of the kitchen have been extended to being open every week day) I got to meet Miss Pearl and all the other ladies. Miss Pearl held the bowls up and a big cheer went up. I wish Iâ€d bought more – but I bought all they had at the time. We got there just after lunch had been served by design. I didnâ€t want to be in the way when people were trying to work and besides, I wanted to take some photos and I didnâ€t think it was my place to be taking photos of people in need without getting their approval. Jamaicans are very proud people and I donâ€t think it was my place to exploit their hardship.
Miss Pearl was the kitchenâ€s ambassador and told me all about how it started, how itâ€s run, etc. Then she gave me a tour; the kitchen, the office, storage, eating area. They do wonderful, much needed work there and, should I ever get back to Negril, I will for sure stop in and see if I can help.
Never will I ever “help†any individual in Jamaica, I will always go through a legitimate charity if the need to give hits me. Got burned there toooooooo many times. Yep, like a lot of you are now saying “Iâ€m just a tourist.â€