more pictures.
It's Monday morning and I am awake. If it was a normal day I would still be asleep. But I just woke up on my own at about 8:00. I'm just use to waking up and going to a run down school or working on the campus. I have never felt so meaningful and selfless all at the same time. My trip to Jamaica was outstanding.
We left Evangel at 4:00AM on Friday, February 29. Luke and I were too excited to sleep that night even though we had decided we should. The flight was only 4 hours and Jamaican customs were a breeze.
We arrived in Montego Bay, Jamaica around 4:00. Stewart Brown, the Missionary we worked with, one of his daughters and a hired driver were there to take us to New Vision City of Refuge. We piled our luggage and all 17 of us into a shuttle and SUV and began the two hour drive up the mountain to Christiana in Manchester, Jamaica.
As we traveled along the coast I was in shock at the living conditions, unfinished houses and poorly dressed people lined the road. I thought this was the extent of the poverty. I fell asleep as soon as we turned into a road taking us off the ocean view.
As I woke up I realized I had not seen the full view of life in this island. I began to see little shacks turned into houses some with barely a roof, stores made out of cargo trailers and people lining the street with seemingly nothing to do. As we passed a large group of people I heard one of them say "White people!" I think that is when I realized that we were now the minority. We arrived at New Vision City of Refuge Children's Home that evening.
We were introduced to some of the kids and started a game of football (soccer.) As the game progressed and we realized there was no set score to end the game many of the kids and my team began to leave and do other things. Myself and a friend stayed in the game through the rain and that's when I realized how much I wanted to be a part of their lives.
Although games and sports lined my time with the kids for the entire 9 days, the guys were also there to disciple and have devotions with the boys of the home. I had the first night and was not prepared to speak. I gave it my best shot and spoke on the faithfulness of God. As i looked into the faces of my new found friends I saw no emotion. I new then that even if I had prepared nothing I could say would move these lives in any way.
I was heartbroken. That night in team reflections I shared how inadequate I felt. Michael, one of the student leaders, said that Mr. Brown wanted the teams to press hard on the kids the salvation message. That is what we began to do. Luke spoke the next night and that's when things started to change. We weren't candy coating things we told them straight up that a life without Christ is a life destined for hell.
We asked if any of the guys thought they were saved. Only Wesley, The missionary's son, raised his hand. Throughout the week we began to see the guys open up. On Wednesday we had one-on-one discussion. Kent, one of the older boys chose to come and talk to me. Our conversation started with the mundane. Then I asked him, "Where is God in your life?" He began to tell me he had been baptized and that he had once known Jesus, but now he had fallen away.
He told me he was going to ask Christ back into his life at church on Sunday as a public declaration. I told him he didn't have to wait and I could help him then and there. Kent wanted to wait. I believe Luke was able to lead him in that prayer later in the week but Kent still wants to make that declaration on Sunday. He also plans to be baptized this Easter as baptism is a huge statement in Jamaica.
This trip has taught me so much. I knew where I was going and what I would be doing, but you never realize that you are interacting with true lives until you get there. Leaving wasn't easy. I wanted to stay where I was making a difference and could be used.
When we got to the resort and I saw all the white faces, all the men and women in their designer clothes, The first thought in my mind was "this isn't Jamaica."
