Saturday March 13
As the van pulled up to the Morant Bay Church of Christ in Morant Bay, Jamaica, I was excited to see the faces of the brothers and sisters I have had the opportunity of knowing for the last several years. This is my fifth visit to Morant Bay Church of Christ, and because of the love, kindness, and hospitality the church has shown me in the past, I truly consider the brothers and sisters of the church to be my close friends and a part of my family. I am thankful that the members of the mission team who are visiting the church for the first time have the opportunity to meet and to commune with the people who have greatly impacted my life and outlook on the world. As the team entered the church building, the preacher, his wife, and other members of the church greeted everyone, even those they did not know, with smiles and hugs. They welcomed us into their family, showing us that love has no boundaries.
We spent a majority of the day in fellowship with the members of the church. Although a main purpose for the trip is to serve, our service is meaningless if we do not build relationships with the people. Because of the relaxed atmosphere of the Jamaican culture, a lot of time is spent just sitting and talking. Some of the greatest relationships that I have formed in Jamaica have been made through taking the time to sit down and to talk with someone, to learn who they are and to realize that although we are separated by distance and culture, we are brought together through our love of the Lord.
Sunday March 14
We woke up early this morning to the call of the rooster outside the church building and ate an authentic, homemade Jamaican breakfast before church service. After breakfast, half of the group stayed at the Morant Bay Church of Christ and the other half of the group went to church in Soho, a town located in the mountains about fifteen minutes away from Morant Bay. The church building in Soho was recently completed and is supported by the Morant Bay Church of Christ.
I attended the service at Morant Bay Church of Christ and was excited to worship with that church family again. One of the things I look forward to each year is hearing Sister Thelma sing. Sister Thelma is one of the oldest members of the church, but her voice is indeed the loudest. Sister Thelma is not able to read from a song book because she is blind, but she does not need to. She knows every word to every song. Sister Thelma does not have the most beautiful voice. In fact, she probably yells more than she sings, but I am motivated and inspired by her passion for the Lord and the conviction in her voice. For Sister Thelma, the sound of her voice is not important. The important thing for her is to worship the Lord with all of her heart.
Tonight, I was able to travel to Soho with other members of the group and worship with the Soho Church of Christ. The church has a congregation of no more than thirty members, and many of them are young children. The most memorable part of the night was when one of the young children that I know from last year named Jay remembered my name. At this moment, I realized the power of simply remembering someone’s name. To me, it meant that I had an influence on Jay’s life in some way. To Jay, I am not just a white American with pockets full of candy. But I am Tyler, a friend who continues to return to spend time with him and to show him love and kindness.
Monday March 15
Today was the group’s first day of work. Most of the group remained at the Morant Bay Church of Christ to begin painting the church building. The other group members went to Soho to replace the roof of a woman’s house. I stayed at the Morant Bay Church of Christ to help put a new coat of paint on the outside of the building. Both groups put in a full day of work under the hot, Jamaican sun. The church members greatly appreciate our help, and we also continue to receive positive responses from other people in the community concerning our efforts. Some people even stopped by to help us work.
At the end of the work day, we were greeted by a large group of young children walking home from Morant Bay Primary School. Bursting with energy, the children were excited to play with us. Although we were tired from the busy work day, we were rejuvenated by the smiles and laughter of the children. The time that we spent with the children outside of the church is just as important as the time our group spent painting the church. For many of these children, the time they spent playing with us was the most enjoyable part of their day. Attention is not something that some of the children get very often. I am thankful that God provided the opportunity for us to play with the children today and to show them God’s love.
Tuesday March 16
After a full night of rest, we were ready for another day of hard work. Just like the day before, most of the group stayed to work at the church, and the rest of the group went to Soho to replace the roof. I stayed at the church building to help finish painting the outside of the building and to paint the walls inside of the church.
Toward the end of the day, some members of the group had the opportunity to deliver bags of food to members of the church. Many members of the church have little to no possessions. Although they have little, they continue to rejoice and to praise the Lord. They have confidence that God will provide for them. Their joy is not in the materials of this life, but instead, their joy is in the Lord. I pray that the lessons God is teaching me do not fade from my heart and mind but continue to remain with me when I return home.
Wednesday March 17
It was another hard day of work, and the group took on a third project. Along with painting the church building and replacing the roof of a house in Soho, the group also decided to replace the roof and floor of house in Morant Bay. We stopped working around lunch time today to east lunch in Yallahs, a town about thirty minutes away from Morant Bay that is famous for its jerk chicken. After lunch, we returned to the church and spent time with the children who came by to play with us.
After church tonight, our group had a game night with members of the Morant Bay Church of Christ. This was a great opportunity for our group to interact with the members and to enjoy each others’ company through fun and laughter. I am thankful that the members welcomed our group into the church with open arms. Throughout the week, the members have shown us nothing but love and kindness. In their eyes, we are not strangers. We are family joined together through the love of the Lord.
Thursday March 18
Today was our last day of work. Some of the group returned to work on the houses in Soho and Morant Bay, and the rest of the group spent the day at a private Christian school playing with children and doing various work projects. I decided to spend the day at the school. As we toured the school and passed each classroom, the children’s eyes grew large with excitement. They could hardly sit still in their chairs as they anxiously waved their hands in the air. They were so thankful and excited that we took the time to visit them and play with them. They were all kind, respectful, and well-behaved. In their gentle and innocent eyes, I saw God’s love.
After leaving the school this afternoon, most of the group visited the local infirmary located near the church. The patients living in the infirmary consist of people who are physically and mentally impaired and who have little chance of recovery. The conditions of this government facility are poor and would be considered inhumane based on United States standards. The food and living arrangements are unsatisfactory, and the patients are given little attention. The visit to the infirmary was a humbling experience for the entire group. The suffering and pain on the patients’ faces were difficult to see. The Lord used us today to bring a smile to the faces of these lonely patients. Many of the patients rarely have visitors. Before we left the infirmary, we prayed with two members of the church who are visitors at the infirmary. In their faces, I saw their faith and hope in the Lord.