So today in Jamaica our team, after concluding our three day Vacation Bible School in one of the schools got to go "work the farm."
"The farm" is one of the local microbusinesses that American Carribean Experience helps support. They grow many of the fruits and vegetables that the camp uses to feed missionaries like us.
While walking through the farm (picture top of a mountain in Jamaica with bannana and mango trees), we came upon a pepper bush that had peppers ready to pick. The farmer told us they were scotch bonnet peppers.
Now, being an avid Food Network Viewer like I am-I know that they are perhaps the hottest peppers in the world.
He picked one and passed it around. Now here's where the "former" youth pastor in me came out. Wanting to entertain the group and shock them I said "Watch this" (famous last words of most rednecks). I meant to take a small nibble of the pepper but due to the freshness of the pepper just picked I ended up biting off half of this inferno.
My eyes, nose instantly began to water as my head broke out into a sweat. My lips and mouth were on fire! I mistakenly followed my first instincts and quickly took a drink from my water bottle. THAT MADE IT WORSE!!!!
The farmer handed me a freshly cleaned carrot that everyone had been sampling and I bit off a piece and began to chew, then one of the other staff people handed me a piece of hard candy. It helped! About an hour later my mouth was finally back to semi-normal.
Holey Moley-That's Hot!!!!