Jamaica Blog - Final Day

As our team heads home we would like to thank everyone who has watched and commented on our blog. Technology has made us able to see another dimension of the connectedness of the body of Christ. Even though we are only 25 people in Jamaica, you are all a part of our trip through your prayers and support. Enjoy this last blog, and we hope to see you all soon... weather permitting of course.

 

To Doc from Aaron

"Jeans day for them, week off for me"

Jamaica Blog - Day Six

Today's video blog shows some clips from yesterday (Valentine's Day) as well as our work today at the Bible College.

Jamaica Blog - Day Five

Special Valentine's Day Spectacular!

Day 5 by Austin Katai and Luke Thorne

We started off the day going to a school to perform our skits. The kids seemed to really enjoy our presence and our skits. After that we came back to Fairhaven to eat breakfast and do work projects around here. Our projects consisted of painting and cleaning. Following work, we had the choice of either going down the strip or going snorkeling. Snorkeling was an awesome opportunity and we really enjoyed experiencing God's creation. Tonight we are going out to dinner and then going to Glistening Waters. Today was a fun day and gave us the opportunity to catch our breath and relax before heading back to work tomorrow.


-Luke and Austin

Jamaica thoughts by Rachel

This trip has been harder because we don't see the rewards of our trip right away. We may never see them; or we may see results in our lives more than in the lives of the people we're ministering to. The work we are doing here is much more relational. I just hope that people have come before us and that people come after us to reinforce our message. Our group has mostly been working with kids and it is so heartwrenching to think of what will become of them after we leave. All we can do is love on them while we are with them. What has touched me was the joy on the faces of the special needs children. Most of them were laughing more than our group was even though they have less than a fraction of what we do. I just think of the quote, "love makes the world go round."

Jamaica Day Four

Our team spent today doing devotions at two schools, as well as visiting the Special Needs Orphanage called West Haven. Tonight we are going to a church service at a church in Montego Bay which should be very exciting. The video for today is short; but we hope it shows the joy our team had serving and loving the kids.

Jamaica Blog - Day Three

Today was a long day for the team. We did two devotions at two different schools, headed to an orphanage, and then to the Jamaica Christian School for the Deaf to do some work. Thanks to everyone who has been commenting on our blogs; we love the encouragement! 

Jamaica Pictures!

Kristin, Alex, and Rachel with some of the girls at the public school...they were so happy to see us and were such beautiful little girls.

James and Matt looking at the beautiful Jamaican countryside...this view was amazing!

Rhonda and Mrs. Baldwin playing with one of the babies at the orphanage; they were so cute!

Austin, Bo, Luke, and Ben waiting to start working

Rachel and Shannon playing with a couple of the babies at Robin's Nest Orphanage

Jamaica Blog - Day Two

Our team traveled to one grade school today to do our devotional skits and then after a brief stop at the Super Market headed over to Robin's Nest Orphanage where we spent the rest of our day.This video has some highlights of our day as well as a special focus as Matt explains in the beginning, enjoy.

One totally interesting thing i cannot get out of my head is what happened today at Robin's Nest. If you'd like to just skip to the video then please go ahead; this is mostly a personal comment on something our group encountered. We went to Robin's Nest expecting it to be like it had before; we would see the kids and hug them, and hold them, and play with them. Let them sit on our lap, give them a high five, just love on them right? Well as soon as we got to Robins Nest the owner spoke (Michelle)with us about a new approach they had recently begun. They had grouped all of the kids into "pods" with parents, or people who work full time at the orphanage. Maybe, four or five kids per pod, and these pods were the groups the kids were in the entire time they were at the orphanage. They told us that under no circumstance we were to hug or hold the kids. If they needed anything; discipline, love, anything, we were supposed to tell them to go to their mom/dad. Even the workers at the orphanage only dealt with the kids in their pod. At first this seems a little harsh; why can't we love on the kids? We won't hurt them? Or will we.

Michelle explained that the behavior problems kids from the orphanage have are in a large way due to their inability to attach and trust in a relationship if they ever get adopted. Think about it; as a child, you had no parents, but every week you had a new set of kids come in from a foreign country and love you. That's great, except then every week they left and for the most part you never saw them, ever. The next week another group came, and the same thing happens; you get close then they pull away. How is someone who grows up like that supposed to love, supposed to learn to trust? Michelle told us the idea behind the Pod parents is that they learn how to focus their love, how to focus their trust, and then once they are adopted to transfer that trust over to their parent. It made our whole group stop and think, and really see our motives. Is it really us being selfish wanting to love on the kids? No, but then again, honestly, our desire to attach to them in an emotionally deep way is probably is not the best thing for them. They do need consistent love, consistent attention, and consistent discipline; but from the same person. The revolutionary approach to being an orphanage Robin's Nest is taking was something very incredible to witness. It was something that made all of us stop and think, and see those who are pursuing something past the status quo to offer the best for these kids.

Well, that's all we got as a team. We'd like to say hi to all of our family and friends and once again THANK you for praying for us; your love and support is totally apprecitated.

Oh yes, and the fridge is freshly stocked FULL of Ting.

Jamaica Blog - Day One

The Jamaica Team has landed! After a minor delay in Detroit the rest of the trip went very smoothly. This video shows everything up to our arrival at Fair Haven Christian Retreat Center. After unpacking the team got into the Jamaican culture through hanging out at the "hip strip" and discovering the sea life in the ocean. After a great dinner and a some encouragement from Pastor Dave, the head of Jamaica Links Ministry, the team rested and planned for their first day of ministry tomorrow. 

I don't know if all of the blogs will turn out this well, but here is a quick look at our days events. Thanks to everyone who kept us in prayer; all of our luggage arrived smoothly and we are all safe. The excitement is brimming among the group and we are all excited for tomorrow. Our plan is to travel to the school for our devotional skit and then to Robin's Nest Orphanage. God bless.  

2 Jamaica with Love

This blog is for those hoping to keep in touch with the members of the 2008 SCS Jamaica Missions trip. We will try to update this blog while in Jamaica with video blogs and pictures. 

Please continue to pray for the team as they take off early on Sunday, Feb 10th.

 Some specifics of prayer we ask for are; Team Unity, Safety in travel and while in Jamaica, and  God's blessing on our ministry at the schools in Jamaica.

 

Also if you are a student at SCS remember to bring in supplies for the 2 Jamaica with love project, here are a few items we would like to collect:

New Twin Bed Sheet Set

Pens/Pencils

Puzzles (24-500 pieces)

Play Dough

Stuffed Animals

Games (Trouble, Connect Four, Checkers, etc)

Scotch Tape

Masking Tape

White out

Wet Wipes

Size 6 Diapers

Baby shampoo

Cotton Balls

Latex Gloves