So here i was with a decision to make (see The Week That Almost Wasn't Part 1). Well as i said before i kinda had no choice in the matter. So it was decided i had to leave the mountain top and go back home to the test on Wednesday morning. Luckily i didn't have to take the bus down i was able to get a ride down with Rev. Hyde Riley as she had come to check on what was happening at the conference as it is under her portfolio as JBU's Ass. Gen Sec.
Wednesday morning i reached bright and early for the test. It was far from anything i had ever had to do to proceed to the interview stage of a potential job. I was given two sheets of paper and placed in front of a computer and told to read the question and use the information given to answer the question. The answer was to be typed, thus the reason i was placed before a computer. Now I don't know why but i was so nervous. My fingers trembled over the keyboard as i attempted to type my answer. I was given one hour to complete my answer and i used it all. I completed my answer in one hour only to realize they weren't actually timing me and that they would take another half hour before they would return to see if i was finish. Bah humbug
Well when the personnel came to collect my answer i was told if i was successful i would be contacted for an interview which would take place on Friday. Oh no God apart from the fact i don't think i did so well on the test there is no way I'm leaving nutshell on Friday to come back to this place! With that resolve I graciously said goodbye to the administrator and left the building. Full speed ahead to Duncans!
It wasn't exactly full speed ahead to Duncans as i had no car and had to head for the bus stop. To get to Nutshell from Kingston i would have to take something to Spanish Town in St. Catherine, then from Spanish Town get something to Ocho Rios in St. Ann, from Ocho Rios i'd have to get something going to Montego Bay in St. James and ask the driver to stop in Duncans and from Duncans i would walk (joke) take a taxi to Nutshell. Getting to Spanish Town was a no brainer. Not something i had done very often lately, mostly during my third year at UWI but nonetheless i knew what to do. After arriving in Spanish Town i had to ask how to get to the Ochi bus stop. So i scanned my environs and spotted a nice old woman who must know where to direct me to th bus stop. My judgment was right and i followed her direction to the bus stop, only asking about three people for clarification on the way :-D Lucky for me there was a bus that had been waiting for over half an hour (according to the disgruntle passengers) that just needed two more people to leave. Well thats not exactly true. The minibus as we call them here in Jamaica is built to seat 14 people including the driver, but here it doesnt leave the bus stand untill it has 20 people inside. Furtunetly we had a "considerate" driver who only waited for one more passenger after my arrival. I was passenger number 18.
We arrived in Ochi during the rain, so i rushed in the rain to the nearby Mobay bus stop and into a Mobay bus ready to leave. It was my lucky day! After telling the driver and the whole bus where i was going (i had to shout) we were off. In less than an hours time i reached Duncans, the rain was still with me. I hopped out and found a taxi going pass Nutshell that needed just one more person. The driver took me right up to the round about where i had received the disturbing call about the job test. I was finally back after missing one day of conference.
Only six people where on site as the rest of the conferees were in Spicy Hill handing out tracks and setting up for the street meeting we would have later. All was back to normal i was at Nutshell.
Midday Thursday between sessions my phone rang, it was PIOJ I had passed the test with high marks and was required for an interview on Friday. I immediately asked if the date could be moved to Monday (this wasn't the best time as i was supposed to be at InterII camp on Monday, but it was the next best thing). I was told that it was a panel and it would be hard to get all of them to reschedule but she would try. Thanks i would really appreciate that was the essence of my reply. I pushed the phone call to the back of my mind as i was not leaving Nutshell until Saturday.
On Friday i had still not received a call from them but curiosity got the better of me and i called them. They informed me that my interview was rescheduled to Monday. Praise the Lord!
To cut an already long story short i went to the interview on Monday it was ok and after that i went full spead ahead back to Nutshell for camp! To date i havent recieved a call from them which means i havent recieved the job. That doesnt bother me the least, i should in fact be upset that this whole thing interrupting my week at Spiritual Empowerment. I chose however to see the positives. I can now confidently get from Kingston to Duncans, I've experienced one form an interview/test for a position in an organization may take so next time no shaking fingers (hopefully). I'd ultimatly like to think though, that i was obedient to God's call to go to the test and the interview knowing it would interrupt my plans with the knowledge that getting this job was unlikely and had i gotten the job and been able to do it i doubt i would have liked to do it.
So that was the week that almost wasn't.
To see pictures of out of session times at Spiritual Empowerment go here.
Bless
