Preface to the Second Edition:

Ten years have passed since this “diary” was first published, and it has been a decade of great change. The world has changed, Canada has changed, and most importantly- Jamaica and my family have changed. It is the two latter changes that have motivated me to update Changing Worlds.

My first aim is to present biographical consistency between Changing Worlds and my subsequent writing. Pseudonyms were used for close family members in the 2004 Changing Worlds account. In the ensuing decade, my children have matured and granted permission for their real names to be used in my writing, acknowledging and giving God the glory for everything He has done in our lives. The substitution of their real names is (one) feature of this second edition. That has also allowed for the use of my husband’s first name, Michael, to replace “Spencer” which is actually his middle name.

The other important feature … has to do with Jamaica. When Changing Worlds first chronicled our 1999 migration from Jamaica to Canada, it was already 2004. At that time the (then) Jamaican High Commissioner to Canada said my writing had alluded too negatively to conditions in Jamaica. I disagreed, but resolved to honestly correct any unpatriotic impression that may have been created, at the earliest opportunity.

The factual memories of Jamaica, land of our birth, which I committed to the journal in 1999 were absolutely true then. Furthermore, relating them was necessary to explain some of the culture shock and what I termed “deprivation therapy” that I first experienced in Canada. However, some positive changes have taken place in Jamaica over the years, so I have looked forward to updating Changing Worlds to reflect that, and to encourage the anticipation of more answered prayers for Jamaica…

As a backdrop to other visible changes, it should be noted how foreign currency exchange rates have cumulatively affected Jamaica over the period. Simply put, in 1999 it cost $25 Jamaican to buy $1 Canadian. In September 2014 it cost $101 Jamaican to buy the same $1 Canadian. Given the far-reaching effects of this devaluation of Jamaican currency, it’s a miracle that so many good developments have nevertheless taken place. It is also an undeniable credit to the spirit of patriotic, law-abiding, morally upright Jamaicans that so many of them have remained at home to persevere, under God, with their nation-building and national transformation efforts.

In Chapter 19 under the subheading “Finally…” some positive changes were mentioned as having already taken place in Jamaica between 1999 and 2004. These were the improved telephone services, public transportation, roads, and increased media representation of the distinctly Christian voice. These trends have continued, with communication technology and highway infrastructure following hard after North American patterns, and with the Church becoming more united and vocal in Christian activism on matters of national importance.

In Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5 and 18, I have added footnotes to highlight areas in which improvements have taken place in Jamaica. Notably, there is better customer service offered by many organizations, better policing and law enforcement in some locations, and more effective security at buildings such as banks. The educational system has also been improved, especially by equal access to different secondary education options, and the increased use of computer technology in classrooms and school administration.

The government and various non-governmental organizations have increased their efforts to mobilize the Jamaican Diaspora in developed countries to assist with nation-building in various ways. Rather than simply providing materially for their relatives in Jamaica, Diaspora members have been encouraged to combine and increase their efforts for the national good. Certain government agencies have been newly tasked with facilitating this, liaising with Diaspora representatives through international conferences and other means, and courting investment in Jamaica from Diaspora-related sources. This movement of “Jamaicans-helping-Jamaica” supplements in a welcome way the international aid that remains available.

At the same time, Jamaican athletes and other performers have achieved increasing prominence in international competition. Many have also upheld high ethical and patriotic standards in the limelight. This has positively impacted Jamaica’s national self-image and, if psychological theories hold true, should auger well for the redirection of Jamaican youth who needed good role models to emulate.

Just before this manuscript update was submitted in October 2014, Jamaican media reported on an address by the Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Min Zhu, to community college students in the tourist hub of Montego Bay. Min Zhu reportedly said that Jamaica’s achievements under the Extended Fund Facility Agreement could only be described as miraculous, and that the local economy is turning around due to the financial “miracle” that the Government has performed.

While the 1999 perspectives shared in Changing Worlds: Diary of a Jamaican-Canadian Experience still offer interesting historical commentary, the updates shared in this 2014 edition will attest to the tireless work of such organizations as the Jamaica House of Prayer and Operation Save Jamaica. Yet this new edition also acknowledges that God has not yet finished answering the prayer of our National Anthem: “Eternal Father, bless our land; guide us with thy mighty hand, keep us free from evil powers, be our light through countless hours. To our leaders, Great Defender, grant true wisdom from above. Justice, truth be ours forever – Jamaica, land we love!