How well do you know your fellow congregants? Do you feel like RUMC is your family? Sometimes we can get so caught up in our own lives, that we miss an opportunity to be a part of a community. For the next year or so we will be introducing you to each other through Member Spotlight! And we want to hear from you! Who do you want to learn more about! Send us your nominations and we’ll have you all knowing everyone in RUMC by next year! 

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The Lattie Family

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HOW DID YOU MEET?

Our family is from Kingston, Jamaica. Ray, a Machinist and Claney, an Economist met at their community church – Braeton  Methodist Church located in St. Catherine. Our marriage in 1998 was quite unusual, as our families, though Christian, worshiped on the two days on which weddings are traditionally held - Saturday (the tradition in the Methodist denomination), and Sunday (the tradition in the Adventist denomination). So, we agreed to get married on a Wednesday morning, which was witnessed by very close family and friends who could be absent from their routine of work or school. We are both from large families, so our children usually enjoy family gatherings with aunts, uncles and cousins.

 

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TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY.

Our children are Caleeb (18 years), Rhea (15 years) and Ryan (10 years). We had pets while living in Jamaica, as Ray is very fond of dogs. Our dogs were named in common with family initials: Clifford, Russ, and Rambo. He also had birds and fish. But with adjusting to life in Maryland, we haven’t adopted any pets in our family. Caleeb, our first son, goes it of state to college. Frightening for us as parents,  but placing before him new horizons! I guess the fun is that we will get to visit North Carolina more frequently this year.

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TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY

Evie is almost 4, Clark is 22 months and Grant is 1 week old. We have a large Labradoodle named Marshall who loves his human brothers and sister!

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TELL US WHY YOU LOVE ROCKVILLE!

The children like visiting the Rockville Town Center. The quiet surroundings are also appreciated. Rockville seems so central to most places, and it’s easy to get to. Our special place however, is the Church which we have joined. Although we may be challenged with remembering all the names, this congregation has served a special purpose - to welcome families from across the globe! We note that since we have attended RUMC, we have seen families move to other countries, returned to their home countries, and have welcomed new families who relocated to the Rockville community. Likewise, our family has been welcomed and blessed by the fellowship at RUMC. Our children serve in two ministries: VBS as counselors and during worship as acolyte and crucifer.

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WHO IS THE MOST IMAGINATIVE IN THE FAMILY?

Ryan is the most imaginative. He describes himself as super imaginative! He loves to draw, and very creative .

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ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH THE CHURCH?

Some Jamaican Culture: Expectations for those who live in a foreign country (‘Merica) In Jamaica we speak a dialect called patois. It is a combination of English and Spanish - reflecting the influence of people from Europe who occupied the territory during our history. A famous writer describes the expectations of going to or living in a foreign country and returning to Jamaica. The expectation is that you will speak differently (changed language - twang), have a changed look (physical features more refined) and dress differently (suit and tie - pass di riddim coat, a gold chain)!  We have  given you a taste of our Jamaican dialect below. We hope that you can get the gist from reading the patois version. If not, we can recite it when you have time - we can share it in native patois at a ‘penny concert’ (a small gathering where performances are used a community fund-raiser - people pay for others to perform)!

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Noh Lickle Twang, 
by Louise Bennet

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 Me glad fe sei seh you come back bwoy
 But lawd yuh let me dung,
 Me shame o’ yuh soh till all o’ me proudness drop a grung.

 Yuh mean yuh goh dah ‘Merica an spen six whole mont’ deh, 
 An come back not a piece betta dan how yuh did goh wey?

 Bwoy yuh noh shame? Is soh you come? 
 Afta yuh tan soh lang! 
 Not even lickle language bwoy? Not even little twang?
   
   An yuh sista wat work ongle one week wid ‘ Merican
   She talk so nice now dat we have de jooce fe undastan?

 Yuh spen six mont’ a foreign, an come back ugly same way? 
 Bwoy yuh couldn’ improve yuhself! 
 An yuh get soh much pay?

   Not even a drapes trouziz? or a pass de rydim coat? 
   Bwoy not even a gole teet or a gole chain roun yuh t’roat!