We are a small Episcopal Church on the banks of the Rappahannock in Port Royal, Virginia. We acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the first people of Port Royal, the Nandtaughtacund, and we respect and honor with gratitude the land itself, the legacy of the ancestors, and the life of the Rappahannock Tribe. Our mission statement is to do God’s Will in all that we do.

Jamaica

Jamaica Mission – School Supplies setup, Aug 24, 2023

(full size gallery)

The Jamaica team, Andrea and Ken Pogue and Laura Carey arrived in Jamaica on Wed, Aug 23. Thursday Aug. 24 was a work day preparing for Sat’s distribution of school supplies. See the gallery, above.

The supplies included drawstring backpacks, sharpeners, pencils, pens, toothpaste, toothbrushes, erasers, crayons, pencil cases, and rulers. Also six tablets were contributed as sell as seven used computers to the school.

The work involved sorting pencil case holders by colors for boys or girls and then placing supplies in them, organizing school books, packing backpacks and readying certificates noting achievement. It was a full day but now they are ready.

Back to Jamaica

The Jamaica mission trip participants depart on Aug. 23. Traveling are Ken Pogue, Andrea Pogue, and Laura Carey. The school supply distribution is Sat. Aug 26.

Top left to right – Ken Pogue, Andrea Pogue, Laura Carey

Special thanks to Andrea for arranging the original connection between Victoria Primary School and St. Peter’s in 2021 and for her work this year in planning the school supplies distribution on Sat. Aug. 26. Computer equipment which is needed at the school was added for this distribution.

Jamaica Project Update – Supplies left to purchase As of June 16

Donate school supplies for the children at the Victoria School in Jamaica. Two ways to do it:

  • 1. Purchase the actual supplies through Amazon. Ship the supplies to P.O. Box 385, Port Royal Va 22535. Purchases due on June 18, 2023

    Here are the current items left as of June 16 which are left to purchase.

  • 2. Make a check to St Peter’s with Jamaica/Victoria School on the memo line. This will cover remaining costs – computer supplies and shipping of school supplies. As of June 11, we had collected $1,500!

    • Checks are due by the end of June. Checks are needed in two areas. (We do not have the costs yet). 1. Cost of the monitors, keyboards and mice for 7 computers. The computers are being donated. The school does not have any computers, currently. 2. Cost of shipping- the school supplies and computers.

    Thank you for your donation.

    Welcome, Annette Steele!

    On Sunday Aug 13, 2023, Annette Steele, Principal of the Victoria Primary School in Jamaica, will be with us during the 11AM worship service. Two years ago we purchased enough school supplies for 350 children and sent 7 on a mission trip. We will return this month sending more school supplies and this time equipment.

    Annette was born in Jamaica and received her education at University of the West Indies, Jamaica with a Bachelors in Primary Education and a Masters in Education. She started as a 6th grade teacher and then moved toward administration, first as a vice principal and then a principal in 2010 at Victoria Primary School.

    Victoria Primary School has been in existence since 1932. They currently have 300-350 students in enrollment ages 6-12 years, 13 teachers, and one guidance counselor on staff. Annette is married and has two daughters

    What does she love about education? “Teaching and watching the kids excel is my ultimate goal, I am extremely passionate about my students.”

    “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Andrea, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and the community for initiating this Back to School Drive. Thanks for their continued support. It is making a tremendous impact on the students, parents, teachers, and the community alike.”

    We will have lunch to honor Annette following worship in the Parish House.

    Following the lunch, all are invited to come to the Davis residence from 2-5 PM for a time of renewal, recreation, and refreshments. During our time together, we will consider our baptisms and renew our baptismal vows, and those who would like to experience what baptism by John the Baptist might have been like will have that opportunity. Thank you to Cookie and Johnny Davis for hosting this party.

    Donations and Supplies for Jamaica, Update June 30, 2023

    1. Donations. Donations -collected $2,355 as of June 28. $1,499 is earmarked for the school principal to purchase notebooks, computers (keyboards, mouse and monitors), shipping, customs, checking suitcases on the plane for supplies).

    2. The rest of the funds were available for supplies which Andrea purchased on June 30. We are done! Pencil cases, 280. Rulers, 350 Pens, 100 Toothbrushes, 50 Sharpeners, 156 Erasers, 200 Drawstring backpacks, 220

    Thank you for your donations.

    Jamaican Mission Team send-off, Sun Aug 20, 2023

    The team leaves, Wed. Aug 23 for Jamaica ahead of the school distribution on Sat. Aug 26, 2023. Today, there were prayers for safe travel and a successful mission trip.

    Thank you to everyone who donated school supplies for each of the 300+ students at the Victoria School in Linstead, Jamaica, These donations included 3,000+ items including drawstring backpacks, sharpeners, pencils, pens, toothpaste, toothbrushes, erasers, crayons, pencil cases, rulers, Also 6 tablets were contributed. Finally, St Peter’s was able to donate seven used computers to the school, along with keyboards and monitors to use with each computer. We collected $2,355 at the end of June for the computers and remaining school supplies

    Annette Steele’s day at St. Peter’s, Sun Aug 13, 2023

    Annette Steele, principal of Victoria Primary School, enjoyed a full day at St. Peter’s on Sun, Aug. 13. She addressed the church at announcements about our joint mission to help the students in her elementary school get ready for school in Sept, both in 2021 and 2023. She explained how much it meant to the students and her community.

    After the service, she enjoyed St. Peter’s hospitality at a luncheon and met our parishioners and guests.

    Then, she came to the youth pool party to sample many flavors of ice cream. The rest of the mission team this year – Andrea and Ken Pogue and Laure Carey were also there. The team depart on Wed Aug. 23 in preparation for the school distribution on Sat. Aug. 26 for over 300 students.

    Addressing the church, having lunch with two of our guests and then a conversation with the Rev. Catherine Hicks.

    Filling up on ice cream at the youth pool party in the afternoon! Image at right shows Annette and to her right St. Peter’s mission team members, Laura Carey, Andrea Pogue and Ken Pogue.

    Thanks for all who have supported this mission and those who journey to Jamaica to help with the school distribution.

    Back to Jamaica in 2023

    In 2021, St. Peter’s fundraising contributed $3,000 for the school project. Here is the presentation from that trip.

    A mission trip was organized to setup the school distribution. The supplies were sent ahead of the distribution.

    In 2023 we are refreshing the supplies as well as moving to supply additional items, like computers. This year only Andrea, Ken and Laura will be going to deliver the supplies.

    Background

    Donate here

    Victoria Primary School, formerly Victoria All-Age is located in North West St. Catherine about two (2) miles from the major town of Linstead in the farming community of Victoria. Victoria, along with the adjoining community of Banbury, where most of the children are from, has a populace of over 20,000.

    Approximately 10 % of the adult population is dependent on farming for a living, some of the produce from this activity is sold at the Linstead Market and the remainder kept for domestic use. Another 30% depends on vending as their main means of livelihood, 40% is employed while the remaining 20% is unemployed.

    The current parent population is very young with the average age being about 25 years. Most of them have attained secondary level of education but have not moved on to tertiary learning but instead have acquired a skill in order to become employable.

    The school was originally a shift school, an elementary. It was built to house about 200 children. At the time of the 2021 mission trip school population it was 330

    At the beginning of each school year, some parents often have financial challenges in purchasing items to send their children back to school. Some of these include the purchasing of school bags, writing books, pencils and uniforms etc. There are times when past students will assist in purchasing some of these items.