The Jamaica Journal—Final Day—Friday, June 19, 2008

Final Thoughts

We awakened early today to another beautiful Jamaican morning. The sky was strikingly blue, and one could tell it was going to be a “hot one” in Jamaica today as the bright sun beat down on us as we made the short walk from our room to the dining area. The importance of an early start was underscored during the previous evening’s announcement time, and judging from the previous week’s trip from Kingston to Jamaica we had to plan for the unexpected along the way! It has been amazing all week at how the kids have responded to their “appointment” times. We gave specific times for each morning’s breakfast and bus pick up times, and without fail, all of the kids have been right on time (and often early). So parents, take heart—your kids can be on time. Following a quick breakfast, we began our trek to Kingston. We determined (at least hoped) that the coast road (as opposed to the previous week’s more mountainous road) would not be quite as bad. Our judgment was good. The coastal journey is quite breathtaking throughout the trip. We could see the devastation from previous hurricanes, but we also saw some dazzling views of the ocean and the mountains. The best of both worlds! It was interesting to see the sugar cane fields for miles and miles, along with the banana trees. Seeing children carry water in large plastic jugs to their homes reminded once again of the plight of this country. Seeing the dilapidated houses made of roof tin also reminded me that many of these people are one storm away from being homeless. Seeing the street vendors plying their wares reminded me that so many of these people are not privileged to make a “living,” they are simply trying to eek out an existence. It is a sobering experience. The drive was anything but boring. Passing eighteen wheelers on winding roads is just not my cup of tea. There are no markings on these roads, certainly no “double yellow, do not pass” lines. So, it is basically, “If you think you can make it, Go fast mon!” Several times the jury was out on whether we would make it, but thankfully people in Jamaica understand how others drive and they make the necessary concessions—I know that we did on many occasions as well. We arrived at the airport in ample time for our flight. Saying goodbye to my friend, Brother Thompson (who had made the trip on the bus with us), was a difficult thing. He is such a wonderful man and presence. I wish all of you could get to know the depth of this man and the Christian character that he exudes. He is a wonderful role model for this community.

Our flight from Kingston began well. We soon learned that there was a thunderstorm (“weather”) in the Miami area that was delaying the flights into Miami. The pilot told us not to worry we would simply be in a holding pattern heading down toward the lower Keys. I was “okay” with that until he told me that we would soon be clearing Cuban air space (not a good feeling) and then a little later telling us that we might defer to Fort Myers and refuel there if needed. I wondered why he felt the need to mention our fuel! I wondered if he was like me—you know, the gas light comes on and you see just how far you can go before you finally make a decision to stop for gas. I certainly hoped not. We finally were cleared to land in Miami and the pilot landed us quite smoothly about one hour past our scheduled arrival time. We cleared immigration and customs with ease, and I immediately made my way to Burger King! I was in desperate need of some fast food. Following supper, we learned that our Atlanta flight was delayed because of the earlier weather. Our 6:45 p.m. flight finally left Miami at 9:00 p.m. and we arrived safely in Atlanta at 11:00 p.m. We then traveled to Dalton arriving at the church around 1:30 p.m. (you kind of lose track of time that late at night).

As I have thought about closing this journal for this week, I realized that there is no way to convey all that I have learned and felt this week as I have seen God move in variety of ways. I will attempt to convey just a few thoughts to you on those things that will be forever engraved in my hearts and etched in my mind.

1. For more than four years now, I have read it, I have heard it, and I have spoken the words— time and time again. But, this week, perhaps more than at any other time in these four plus years I realized the fullness of the meaning of Together in Christ…Sharing His Love. First, the word “together.” Thirty-two young people and adults together daily for a specific mission and responding to a specific call—Sharing His Love. Together—seeing and meeting new friends that I had only known by telephone or email. Together—being with the Port Antonio churches in a variety of venues and settings to share His love. Together—having the opportunity to minister to preschoolers, children, and youth through song and celebration. Together—sharing in a variety of worship settings with the people of these churches allowed me to experience a spectrum of worship that I have seldom witnessed or been a part of in the past. Together—sharing the culture of this place through song, skit, drama, and worship. Together—“at play” with the people of Port Antonio again in a variety of settings and situations. Together—experiencing the sights, sounds, beauty, and tragedy of these people has transformed my world view. Together—seeing twenty three young people never get cross with one another—no major complaining, no major murmuring, it was remarkable. Together—walking the streets of Port Antonio—our skin color being in the minority transforms how we might view others when we find ourselves in the majority. The opportunity to be together was great—only superseded by the gift of sharing His love. At our concluding worship service on Thursday evening, I was enthralled as Pastor Grant and the deacons of his churches came to share holy communion with us. Having Brother Thompson share the bread and the juice with me was a true highlight of this trip. Seeing the people of Port Antonio join with the members of First Baptist Church at this service of worship showed me clearly that this partnership has been worth every investment that has been made in it.

2. The partnership between First Baptist Church and the Port Antonio Circuit of Churches has reaped benefits that will bear fruit for years to come—perhaps even generations. Seeing the profound work of these three churches in this community is a heartening. Though all three of the churches continue to have “opportunities” that can be met through this partnership, there is so much that has been accomplished. The pastoral manse is nearing completion. The completion of this beautiful home will provide the pastor excellent living conditions. The manse will bring strong stability to the work and ministries of these churches in Port Antonio.

Seeing the remarkably excellent work that has been done by our construction crews at each of the churches was truly rewarding. These crews have transformed these churches in unimaginable ways. Rooms have been provided for spiritual growth and fellowship that would have never been possible without the work of these crews. There are many construction needs that remain. We must prioritize those and begin to work on them with through the partnership. The daycare ministry is going full speed ahead with room for growth. The center is already operating beyond a break even basis providing a small stream of income for the church, but more importantly it is provided a missing service in this community that opens the doors of the Port Antonio church even wider that community.

3. Even with all that has been done through this partnership; I could only envision what could be done in the future. I dreamed…of continuing the growth of the daycare ministry by renovating (perhaps more like rebuilding) the “house” that is on the church property. This added daycare growth would only enhance the ministry of this church. I dreamed…of another possible sports camp and Vacation Bible School or Kid’s Club Camp for this community. These children are so open to the ministries that might be provided to them. I dreamed…of a leadership development conference for these churches by offering to them some of the expertise and training that is so available in our congregation. Not only would we assist them, but they, at the same time would work with us sharing their experience and expertise. Perhaps this might be accomplished through a culture swap, where on one Sunday we lead in their churches and on the next (or same Sunday), they lead in our church. I dreamed…and this was a big one, of how we might use the ministry of micro-business in this area. Port Antonio has an unemployment rate of around 60-65%. I was amazed each day as I saw so many young adults, a lot of men, just kind of “hanging out” each day. Many of the jobs In Port Antonio are provided by and through the government, and those positions are limited. Service industries and positions since the departure of the cruise lines to other areas of the island are basically nonexistent. With the wealth of business savvy in our church and community, I wondered if there might be some business venture that might be transferred to this city. After speaking with Dr. Daniel Vestal a few weeks ago about a new micro-business ministry through CBF, my curiosity was only piqued as I saw such great potential. Again, I am no expert here, but there are some in our church who could certainly at least entertain this conversation. (Again, if we could transfer our equipment, technology, and materials for road construction, that field is ripe unto harvest!) I dreamed…of strengthening the partnership that exists with the Port Antonio Hospital. Can we provide them with some of the equipment that they so desperately need? Can we provide the resources on an ongoing basis that would enable them to provide the medical services that would enhance the quality of life in this area? And, what about those despicable living conditions at the Infirmary? Could we provide clean linens and clothing to these people? Could we go in and work on the electrical aspects of these wards to at least provide constant ventilation of these large open rooms? And speaking of large open rooms, would there be a way to provide some privacy barriers in the rooms? I could go on and on about what might be done in Port Antonio. The needs remain great.

4. Finally, and of such great importance to me, to have the opportunity to be with my entire family on a mission trip is beyond description. I felt so blessed as I saw my wife and children interacting with, embracing, and loving the people of Jamaica. My strong encouragement to all of you who have families—make it a priority to go on a mission trip together! As I thought while I reflected on seeing my family on mission the question that kept coming to me was, “Why have I not done this sooner?” Please, please do not miss this opportunity. I want to thank you, the church, for allowing me the privilege of not only serving you, but opening doors of opportunity like this week to me and to my family!

The Jamaica Journal-Day Seven-Thursday, June 19, 2008

I want to begin today's journal with one final note from yesterday's experience at the Port Antonio Infirmary. You all know how articulate and impressive Jordan Paynter is, and I wanted to share with you his thoughts on his experience yesterday. Jordan has been such a fine role model for our young people this week, and has the ability to interact so well with all of the kids-no matter their ages-that we have encountered this week. Jordan writes, "Today we went to see the Port Antonio Infirmary. I remembered it from last time, but today I had a completely different experience. I came away with a wonderful feeling of hope. Although the residents had various handicaps, each of them wore the same thing: a smile. As I walked around talking to them, I realized they are still very much alive; maybe not so much physically, but spiritually. While we were singing songs such as Amazing Grace, Precious Lord, and Soon and Very Soon, they began to sing along with us. Even in their old age and failing health, they had beautiful voices and memories. They knew the words. And that is why I have hope: the one thing they still have is a song in their heart. I want to be like that one day. I want to be ready to see the King of all Kings. I want to be ready to dance before the Lord. I want to share in their knowledge and peace. For though I probably have more intelligence than they ever had, especially now, I know that they have something that I do not have. Their wisdom and readiness far outdoes that of my own, and I only hope I can share in their knowledge before I die. Then and only then will I have lived a full life." To read something like this from the pen of one of our young people gives me such great hope-I know it does the same for you also. I am very proud of Jordan for his spiritual insight. I think that he has far more "knowledge" there than he thinks, and that knowledge will only grow as he continues to grow in the Lord.

Our day today got off to another early start as we had our breakfast and made the short drive to the Port Antonio Infant School. This event was not originally on our schedule for the week, and there was a little bit of wondering what our group might "do" at the Infant School. Remembering the terminology is important as it relates to the schools in Jamaica. An Infant School would be a school for three years olds through six year olds. As we drove up to the school, we could see that this was going to be an exciting event. The bright smiles of the children greeted up gladly at the gate to the school and clung to us until we said our goodbyes. You would have all loved to see this program! The youth did a couple of their more "upbeat" songs, but the real hits for the kids were the "sing along" songs. I cannot remember the last time that I have seen such a large group sing "Father Abraham" with all of the motions. It was fantastic! We also sang "Deep and Wide" and interjected a new verse that I had never heard that was sung to us by the teachers and their kids. "Jesus Loves Me" is the same in any language with kids of this age as they vibrantly shared from the depths of their small bodies their love for the Lord. It was a most memorable experience. Following our concert together we attempted to make our way out of the large one room school house. Well we did not make much progress at all as the kids kind of "mobbed" our young people as we "greeted" each other in song as we departed. Plenty of picture taking went on outside with the children as we prepared to depart. These children love to have their pictures taken and with the advent of the digital camera where you can see the picture right after it has been taken only adds to their high level of interest. We finally were able to make our way out of the school to the buses and the buzz among the young people was just how much this stop on our trip meant to them.

From the Infant School we made our way to the Errol Flynn Marina. Brother Thompson had met us when we arrived at the Infant School and he would be our host for the remainder of the morning. He gave us a quick tour of the marina, which used to be the docking point for the large cruise line ships. The view across the harbor area is quite spectacular. Following that brief tour, we made our much anticipated trip to the market. Brother Thompson, the retired Chief of Police for Port Antonio, talked to us all about the "do's and don'ts" of shopping at the market. It was good to have our friend to lead us into the market as he demands a good deal of respect in this community. As soon as we entered the market we encountered "Rock Bottom." I had heard about Rock Bottom from previous ventures to this city market. He is all and more than advertised. He will not be undersold (and in reality will not let you leave without haggling over the price with him). He told us all that he would love for us to come every day to the market. In essence, the market is a place for barter for the best price on anything that you see, and they have it all. The young people seemed to enjoy this experience very much and many treasures were collected at the market.

Following a quick lunch at the church, we decided that we would spend the remainder of the afternoon at beautiful Fisherman's Cove. This beautiful inlet beach is fed by a river/stream that flows directly into the ocean. The water is crystal clear and quite cold that comes from the stream, thus the beach water is really cold as well. As you go out into the ocean the water remains cold and then suddenly it becomes typical lukewarm beach water. Nevertheless, the beauty of this place is breathtaking. The young people enjoyed several hours of free play, and play they did. We returned to the hotel with sufficient time for all to freshen up and shower as we anticipated our closing event of "Cultural Expressions" at the Drapers Church.

"Cultural Expressions" really cannot be described with words; it has to be experienced. Basically the program consists of the three circuit churches coming together to share with their American friends the fullness of the culture of Jamaica. Musical selections, dances, skits, monologues-you name it and it is on the program at Cultural Expressions Night. The music was quite upbeat using once again the tambourines, maracas, drums, and keyboard. The small room literally shook with excitement as all of the instruments came together. The fellowship dance numbers and songs were big hits. Someone even spotted a rather large American minister being captured to dance in front of the church (I was not as bad as Ron Chadwick and don't let anyone tell you I was!). The program ended with an all-church fellowship dance. I am working on how we can do this at our next service. Stay tuned! Of course, it would not be Cultural Expressions if you did not feed your stomach as well as your heart and soul. The ladies had prepared a meal native to their country for us to enjoy. I was proud of the kids for not saying "oooh" at anything. They allowed the hosts to fix their plates and they graciously took what was given to them. The food was good, but was far outclassed by the warmth and love of these people who were our hosts for the evening.

Our evening closed as we returned to the hotel for our time of devotion. Reverend Grant and the deacons of his churches came and shared a worship service of communion with us. I will close my week's reflections tomorrow with my thoughts on this worship service and the impact of this week on my life. The Friday post may not be up until Monday, but rest assured it is coming! I hope you will stay tuned.

The Jamaica Journal-Day Six-Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Today got off to an early start as we had breakfast at 6:45 a.m. The kids all came dressed and ready for two concerts that were planned for the morning hours. Following our breakfast, we made our way to the nearby Drapers Primary School. I may not have this quite right, but I think that primary schools are for children from seven to about eleven (sixth grade). In Jamaica, there are three sets of schools-infant schools, primary schools, and high schools. Thus, once you leave the primary school you go straight into high school where you graduate after the eleventh grade. The schools also meet in shifts. The first shift begins at 7:00 a.m. and concludes at 12:00 p.m. The second shift begins at 12:00 p.m. and concludes at 5:00 p.m. We are not sure how the teachers are divided, but I do know that one of the principals that I met at church on Sunday stays the entire day. Drapers Primary, like all of the schools, begins their daily sessions with a time of "devotions." It is a thirty minute session that brings a definitive spiritual focus to the day. We would be the "provider" of the daily devotions for the Draper Primary School. The youth sang an abbreviated program and once again did an excellent job. The small classroom was packed with children and teachers. I must say that by the end of the program, it was sweltering in the room, without a lot of air moving. But, our young people were unfazed by the circumstances and sang with strength and vigor. The session concluded with the Jamaican children all standing and reciting their morning prayers and saying their country's pledge. This is a site that I wish all of our people had the opportunity to witness. The children, fully decked out in their school uniforms, with smiling faces, proclaim the prayer and pledge with such intensity and meaning. I have been moved each time I have witnessed this part of the children's day. I heard the pledge to Jamaica for the first time this morning as well. Now please do not get me wrong, I love our Pledge of Allegiance in the United States, but as I listened to the children say their pledge, I was deeply moved. Read the words carefully and imagine seventy five or more Jamaican children with their wonderful accents reciting these words:
Before God and all mankind
I pledge the love of loyalty of my heart
The wisdom and courage of my mind,
The strength and vigour of my body
In the service of my fellow citizens.

I promise to stand up for justice,
Brotherhood and Peace, to work
Diligently and creatively,
To think generously and honestly, so that,
Jamaica may, under God,
Increase in beauty, fellowship
And prosperity; and play her part
In advancing the welfare
Of the whole human race.

The children were then dismissed to class, but in large part, it was a general time of play with our kids before we finally were able to gather our children onto the buses and allow the Drapers School to begin their day. Once again, seeing the interaction of the two cultures has been most exciting, entertaining, and invigorating to me. We returned to the hotel for a brief time of rest before going to the church to enjoy a lunch prepared by Chefs Ron and Elizabeth.

Following lunch, we journeyed to the Port Antonio High School for a noon concert there. We were greeted by our hostess at the school, Sister Thompson, who is an Assistant Principal at the school. The concert was both well done and well received. The room was much larger as was the crowd of Jamaican children. We actually sang between shifts. The first shift of the day had ended and the second was beginning. Again, we were the devotions for the second shift, though many of the first shift kids stayed to hear the concert. Again, it was an abbreviated concert, but it was so well done. I have heard several of the kids talk about "tired voices," but this is not evidenced in their performance. Sister Thompson is such a gracious lady. She implored the kids to do an encore, which they gladly did.

After a time of rest in the afternoon, we journeyed to the Port Antonio Infirmary, which is, in essence, the state funded local nursing home. Even though I had been told by Patti to be prepared, nothing could have prepared us for what we encountered at this site. The conditions that we encountered were devastating to say the least. Yet the people were eager to hear and anxious to feel the love that would be shared by our young people in song and in action. I shall never forget the feeling that I felt when Jordan Paynter began singing "Amazing Grace" and several of the residents joined in with him as he sang (we were basically singing on a covered walk that led from ward to ward with the patients sitting on the side walls or in their wheelchairs or on the ground). I looked around at our adults as we openly wept together. Quite an experience of worship! The people joined with the kids on several songs-it was such a blessing to us and them. We concluded our concert and then shared the toiletry bags that the kids had put together for the residents. They received the gifts with joy and many of them clung to the bags as if they were some priceless possession. Our kids then toured each of the wards meeting and talking with all of the residents. The conditions at the Infirmary are simply indescribable. Mere words cannot convey the pain that our young people felt as they experienced first-hand the pain of these people. Tears flowed freely from all of us. Yet there was a sense in talking with these people that many of them were happy even in the midst of their circumstances. Perhaps happy may not be the best words-should it be "blessed?" I want to share with you the journal of the day from SAM BATTS related to his experience at the Infirmary. It speaks so clearly about the impact of our trip there:

"Although all of the experiences of today were wonderful, I think the Infirmary was the most life changing. I met many people, but there was one special man that I met named Keith. He had almost nothing, but was so thankful for the little bit that he did have. He told me, `Sammy, I do not have much, but I feel blessed to have clothes on my back, a clean room to sleep in, and the good friends that I have met here.' I gave Keith my Bob Marley necklace and told him to hold on to it as a sign of our friendship. He was very thankful for the gift and told me that he was very sorry for not having anything special to give me. He told me that the next time I came to visit that he would take me to the ocean to swim. Although I knew he could barely get out of bed, it was nice for him to even mention doing something nice for me. He clung to my hand as I tried to tell him goodbye and he said, `Brother Sam, this is the best day I can remember. We are brothers of God. Until next time, God bless you, as you have blessed me.' Today was a life changing experience." --- Sam Batts

Many of our young people and adults watched as "Sammy" tied the necklace around Keith's neck and saw the joy on his face. Tears of joy, yet filled with sadness, flowed freely from us all. One of our young people said, "Mr. Cannon, Sam is giving all of his stuff away. He gave away his cap this morning and now he is giving away his necklace." I thought to myself, "No, Sam is giving himself away, and it is a wonderful sight to behold." It is an indeed a life-changing experience. Ethan Fromm summed it up well when he said in his journal,

"These people impress me with their happiness and courage…Jamaica has shown me that even in outstanding pain, they are the most righteous people ever introduced to me."-- Ethan Fromm

The Jamaican Journal-Day Five-Tuesday, June 17, 2008

"And Jesus said, whenever you have done it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you have done it to Me."

A simple cup of cold water brings refreshment to a parched soul, and to a parched people. Today it was our privilege to share that cup of cold water from Christ to three specific people in Port Antonio. We were able to bring some "refreshment" to these people. Yet, in reality, we became the ones who received the wonderful refreshment of God's Spirit and presence in our lives as we ministered as His hands, His feet, and with His heart. Pastor Grant had selected three specific "homebound" members of each of his congregations-Port Antonio, Drapers, and Norwich-to be the beneficiaries of the gifts and talents of our young people's hands at work. Sister Babbylyn from Norwich, Sister Belle from Port Antonio, and Sister Frances from Drapers blessed us by allowing us to be with them in ministry today. Our group was divided into three teams-fifteen youth and adults headed by Alan Jewell led the work at Drapers, six young people and adults headed by Barry Brubaker led the work at Port Antonio, and I headed (now that is a scary thought from a handy person perspective!) a group of eight young people and adults at Norwich.

Tonight at our devotional time our kids shared the impact of the day on their lives. We heard amazing stories of how these kids' lives were touched by the opportunity to serve that cup of cold water. I want you to know that it was a HOT day today, but the heat did not detract in any way from our kids giving 110% of effort in their work. All of us left our work sites tired, hot, sweaty, and spent following a tough day of labor. I was so proud of the work of my group, and our finished product of painting at our friend Sister Babbylyn's home was quite good if I do say so myself! If you are a parent who is reading this blog, or if you know of one of the young people on our trip, ask them about their work today. You will be blessed by the stories that you hear.

For those who are parents of our college kids (all recent graduates)-Laura Paynter, Jeremy McClure, and Ryan Wilson-I want to say a special word of thanks to you for the impact of these three young people on this mission trip. They are setting fine examples for our younger kids and serving as wonderful role models. They are assuming "adult" responsibilities and even asking for more to do to assist the more "aged" adults. They are interacting so well with our younger kids as well, making them all "feel important." You parents can be very proud of the job that you have done in raising such fine young adults. Their ministry and presence with our group has been a blessing to me and many others this week. Their investment in these days is being well spent and laying wonderful foundations for the future of many of the youth on our trip.

I have asked our young people to submit some of their personal journal thoughts to me to share with you. Here is what I hope will be the first in a series of these youth reflections.

From Ethan Fromm: Today I met a woman named Mablel Frances. This woman and her condition totally altered my life. I felt so humbled by her condition and yet still how right she was in her mindset. All she said was, "God bless you," and "We are all together as one." She hugged and kissed us. Her yard was a total mess and covered in litter and fallen trees. It was so hurtful to see her living space. But, I feel like her influence has changed my outlook on Christianity and it has made this whole trip worthwhile.

From Sheridan Fromm: Today our church group went to people's homes to work on their houses. These people were homebound and some could not even get out of bed. I went to Norwich Church to help paint at Sister Babbylyn's home. When I first walked in I was shocked at what I saw. She was so happy yet her home was nothing to be happy about. She constantly had a smile on her face, and I could not help but smile back. The home was covered in mildew and there were bugs and lizards in the home as well. We moved out the furniture and started painting the kitchen. When we asked her if she wanted us to paint the dining room, she said no. She insisted that it was fine even though there was a lot of dust and many paint chippings all over the room. We had plenty of paint left so we painted the dining room and an outside wall of the house. We had a little helper name Chaevaroy, and he was a little boy. He did not go to school because he had sickle cell anemia. I felt like he enjoyed us coming to help the lady. When we finished painting we walked outside and prayed with the sister. I was truly touched at how to us, all that we did seemed so little, but to her it meant so much. When I got back into the bus, I asked myself what it would be like to live in that situation. My heart felt challenged as I thought about the question. I don't need so much to be happy. All I need to know is that God will love me and so will my family. Today's work was a great life lesson that may have changed my life forever.

[Side note: If I am not mistaken, Sheridan is the youngest young person on our trip. She was a part of my group today at Norwich. She worked so hard from the time we got there until the time we left. She told us her Grandfather Dunn taught her how to paint. She is an excellent painter and was so responsive to Sister Babbylyn. I know her parents (and grandparents) would be proud!]

From Blakely Thomason: Today we went to Sister Frances' house. The first thing that I saw was that the tiny house was grown up with bushes and lots of plants. When we walked inside, in the first room was a little old lady that was on the bed. She gave us all hugs and told us that we were truly doing God's work. Sister Frances was not able to walk or move around. All she can do is sit up on her bed or lie down. She has a hearing problem and much more. Sister Frances' house was so dirty that I don't think that anyone has tried to clean it in a very long time, and the outside was so grown up that you could not walk up or down the stairs that led to the house. While many of the youth worked outside, I worked inside. The boards on the floor had holes in them and some of the holes were so big that you could not even go into those rooms. It was the most sad thing to see. After all was said and done, we cleaned the inside of the house and cleared all of the overgrown plants. It was a very rewarding day!

I know that you all are proud of your children as they worked so very hard today. I know that I am!

The Jamaican Journal-Day Four-June 16, 2008

Right now I am in our bus with twelve of the "older" kids traveling back from a day of concerts. The sun is beginning to set and it has been a beautiful day in so many ways. I will not comment any more on these roads in Jamaica. It continues to be interesting-there have been several collective gasps today as we have encountered eighteen wheelers plowing their way down the road and-again you would just have to be here.

The scenery along this coast road is more than majestic. The beauty of this paradise is far too glorious to put into words. We have seen the famous "Blue Lagoon" today and it is quite stunning. We have also passed thousands of acres that are owned by the widow of Errol Flynn. Errol Flynn is quite famous on the island. I, of course, have shown my age by being the only person on my bus (other than Winston, our driver) to know who Errol Flynn was. Winston and I both tried to give hints by explaining who he was but it was no use! The ocean views along this road are breathtaking. The sea itself is a miraculous blue/green/aqua color; it is too beautiful for my words to describe. I wish all of you could see the white caps and the rush of the waves as they beat against the cliffs. Stunning!

Tonight I will conduct our devotions for the group as we gather in the pavilion beside the pool at the Palace. The gazebo-like pavilion is a wonderful place to hold these devotionals. It is quite comfortable for the kids and has well arranged seating and tables as well. The night sounds of the creatures on our property adds to the ambiance of this location. At the devotional I plan to talk to the kids again about compassion-Jesus as He touched and healed the leper. That word compassion has plagued me today. Frederick Buechner said, "Compassion is that sometimes fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live in someone else's skin." We talked a few nights ago in our devotions about compassion as exhibited in the life of the Good Samaritan. I have the head knowledge to know what compassion means-kind of putting myself in the shoes of another person and knowing what they are going through as they live their lives. I have come to understand that it is more than feeling for another person; it is more like feeling with that person. As I have seen these people for these past few days, I can certainly feel for them, but am I really able to feel with them? I have seen poverty, pain, and squalor on every corner-yet I have also experienced the beauty of these people (especially their children) in ways that I simply cannot describe.

Our morning began as Alan, Larry, Linda Brubaker, and I traveled to make a visit to the Port Antonio Hospital. Reverend Grant, the Port Antonio pastor, took us on this short trip. Many of you will remember that several years ago, under the direction of Dr. Steve Paynter and Tommy Caldwell, our church, with the generous support of Hamilton Medical Center, sent a container of medical supplies, hospital beds, chairs, tables and other such equipment to this hospital. Today we were met graciously by the Matron of the hospital, who is actually the head nurse for the hospital. Again, my eyes were opened to how very blessed we are to have the medical community and services that are provided for us. I said many prayers over the next hour thanking God for the skill, wisdom, and expertise of my physicians. I thanked Him for our wonderful hospital and the many medical clinics that surround our community. I thanked Him for the technology that we have in our country that is so far advanced. I simply thanked Him for all of my blessings.

The Matron took us on a tour of the hospital, which is basically a series of wards. There is a general men's ward and women's ward, men's surgical ward, women's surgical ward, pediatric ward, and maternity ward. The maternity ward is actually suited for six beds, but there are twelve beds in the ward. They average nearly seventy births per month at this hospital. For uncomplicated deliveries, there are two tiny labor rooms that adjoin the ward. If a woman has to go to the operating room for delivery, she must walk both to the operating room for delivery and from the operating room following delivery. Amazing! Linda and Alan toured the operating area. The hospital is in such need of equipment. They only have one working operating table. They have another one, but it is broken (they raised it up and it will not lower-it will continue to go up, it just will not go down!). There is not a single computer in the hospital. Amazing! I want you to remember all the while that no section of the hospital, with the exception of the emergency area, which was built by a Nova Scotia Bank, is air conditioned. Fans and open windows are the only methods of air circulation. I also noticed once again two huge black containers (that I had seen around in other areas this week) sat outside the labor and delivery area. The Matron told me that this was extra water tanks in the event that water pressure dropped. I asked her if that ever happened and she told me that on Sunday the water stopped for some reason and they had to use the stored water. Amazing! We ended our tour in the emergency room meeting two of the staff doctors and the head nurse for emergency. The area and waiting area was packed. This hospital is totally dependent on contributions to meet their needs as far as equipment goes. We are bringing back a list of their most pressing needs in hopes of possibly sending another shipment to the hospital. We all sat somewhat stunned at what we witnessed at the hospital as we drove the short distance back to the church.

Following a fine lunch of hot dogs, chips, and cookies prepared by Chefs Ron and Elizabeth, we headed out for our next concert at the Rural Primary School where Sister Doilee of the Port Antonio Church serves as Principal. The drive is about one and a half hours-though beautiful, it is quite a rough trip. We arrived at the school and the first thing I noticed was that breathtaking view from the school over the cliffs to the ocean. Quite a picture perfect location! I went into the school and the 50-60 children were anxiously awaiting our arrival. The school is two large open rooms that form somewhat of an "L" shape. The children are seated in multi-person desks, the old wooden and metal type. All of the children were together in the same room, with the younger children sitting three people to a desk and the older boys and girls sometimes two to a desk-never one at a desk. Each of the children looked immaculate in their uniforms. Their smiles and enthusiasm was contagious. We set up our equipment as they watched with great interest. They were quite proud that we had prepared programs for each of them to have one. They held the programs and followed along with great interest. One thing that I really like about worship services and this program today is the welcome. At the start of worship, you will hear, "Good morning, Church," or "Good Evening, Church." Today, it was, "Good Afternoon Friends, Welcome to Rural Primary School." It is a collective greeting that is done with vigor and enthusiasm and in perfect unison. Our kids performed splendidly. I watched their children and many parents and other teachers who had come to the event and they had looks of delight on their faces as the program went on to its conclusion. The only thing that was missing was an encore!

Following the program, the staff led the children of the school in a time of evening prayers prior to their dismissal. Hearing them (and seeing them) say the Lord's Prayer and concluding benediction was a highlight of this trip. The kids were then dismissed for the day, but in reality it was "play time" with our kids. Seeing them get their pictures taken by and with our kids was delightful, especially as they got to see immediate photos with the digital cameras. These kids were great!

We then traveled another twenty to thirty minutes to the Muirton Boys School for another concert. Muirton is a home for "unfortunate" boys between the ages of eight and eighteen. "Unfortunate" means boys who have been abused, neglected, abandoned, or whose parents are not able to take care of them. Twenty-four boys are in residence at the facility. The view from the home to the ocean is wonderful, as the home sits high on a mountain. The room that we sang in was quite smaller than the Rural Primary Room and it was quite hot-still no complaints from our kids at all. One small floor fan attempted to stir the air in the room, but I must say it was quite sultry. The boys at the home enjoyed the excellent singing of our group; the program closed with a fine greeting and words of appreciation from one of the young men who lives in the home. We then had a time of "play" with the boys before we boarded the bus to return to the Port Antonio Church to enjoy dinner. Chefs Ron and Elizabeth had prepared hamburger steak, macaroni and cheese (a huge favorite), peas, and corn for the kids. It was delicious!

My observations from today…

1. The beauty here is astounding. People and scenery.

2. I am so thankful for our medical services and I hope that we can send another container of medical equipment to help these people who are in such desperate need.

3. The children of this area are so receptive; the looks on their faces when our kids play with them is priceless; their openness and love is so evident by their actions.

4. Compassion is hard to fully comprehend…but I must do better in living out that word.

5. We are blessed!!!

The Jamaican Journal-Day Three-Sunday, June 15, 2008

Our day began with more liquid sunshine, yet our spirits were and are not dampened. It was good to see the young people dressed in their Sunday finest coming down for breakfast. We enjoyed our meal together then looked forward to having a great time worshipping with our Port Antonio friends. It was important for us to make sure that First Dalton had a presence at each of the three Port Antonio churches. Thus, Alan Jewell and Ron and Elizabeth Chadwick would represent First Baptist at the Norwich church; along with Barry and Linda Brubaker and Ryan Wilson, I traveled the short distance to the Drapers Baptist Church; Larry and Linda Flanagan and Patti, along with the remainder of our group attended the services at Port Antonio Baptist Church.

Sister Veronica Johnson picked up our group at the hotel and drove us the short distance to the Drapers Baptist Church. Again, being in the church where we have invested time and effort was an awesome experience. Though small in physical size, it was evident that God's Spirit would loom large in this church. The church has one large room for its sanctuary, and a couple of side rooms down a hallway that lead to the side entrance to the building. On the other side of the sanctuary there is a door that leads directly outside to a small cemetery. Both of these side doors remained open throughout the service. The windows had large metal louvers to let air in and out of the room, and overhead ceiling fans stirred the air in the room. The pews were single standing wood pews (seat and back), unattached from the floor. Carpet runners over tile floor lined the center aisle and an aisle after the third pew that ran from each side door to the other. A small Sunday School class was being led by one of the matriarchs of the church. The five children in the class listened intently, as I did.

As I sat in the room, I was reminded of the comfort and beauty in which we worship each week. Do we take that comfort for granted? I was also reminded how uncomfortable we become when it is either too hot or too cold in our buildings, or how we cringe when the sound system is not exactly right. These people are simply glad that they have a place to worship. Maybe we can take a few lessons from them at this point.

Sister Johnson asked us to join her with several others in the room which led to the pulpit. We sang "Spirit of the Living God" as we prepared ourselves for the service. We were then introduced to our worship leader for the day. The young lady was sixteen years old and a recent convert. To say that we were all impressed with this young lady would be an understatement. She handled herself throughout the service with remarkable presence and a servant's spirit. Her name was Sherry McKenzie. As the service began, we all knew that something special was in store for each of us.

The music throughout the service was captivating. The people sang with fervor that I have seldom heard. Their songs echoed their love for the Lord. It was contagious singing-I even sang out (and no one looked around at me). The singing was matched by several of the ladies with their tambourines, one gentleman with his maracas, and Sister Johnson on her drum. Ryan Wilson played along on the keyboard with amazing quality, even not knowing where the songs were taking us at times! Midway through the service Sister Ann Marie Shaw, our preacher for the day, led in a time of prayer. It was an overwhelming experience of worship for each of us to hear her pray. She led us all to the throne of grace. I was so proud of Barry and Linda and Ryan for their wonderful leadership in worship. I had the opportunity to bring greetings from our church, which I gladly did.

Aside from the wonderfully presented and excellently prepared sermon by Sister Shaw, there were two experiences in worship that will forever be etched in my mind. First, there was a time of tribute to fathers. Sister Johnson introduced a young boy, seven year old Deshaun Morris, who had asked her two weeks ago to read a tribute to his father. Though young in age, Deshaun spoke with clarity and expression far beyond his years. His words and his presentation touched me deeply. I asked him if he would allow me to write them down. He proudly handed them to me. Here they are:

Dad, you are the greatest
For showing me the way that I should go,
And teaching me the things that I should know
For helping me through the ups and downs
For being all that a Dad could be
Thanks! You mean the world to me
Happy Father's Day…I love you very, very much.

Powerful words. I only wish the boy's father would have been there to hear his son.

The other experience occurred when Ryan was performing his solo in the service. I was listening intently to him as he sang, "Give Me Jesus." It was beautiful. About thirty seconds into the song, I heard an awe-inspiring humming in perfect pitch with Ryan's words and tune; it was a Spirit-filled sound, deep and intensely moving. The humming continued throughout the song, not missing a measure or a pitch. I wondered how Ryan was able to produce the words and the humming at the same time-with the humming coming from behind me! I finally realized that an older gentlemen, who later introduced himself only as "Thompson," who was seated a few rows behind me, was humming while Ryan sang. It was a true experience of worship as the sounds blended so beautifully together from Ryan and Thompson.

The worship service ended at 12:20 p.m.-a little later than normal for us, but you have to also remember we started the service at 10:00 a.m. Little did any of us realize we had been worshipping almost two and one-half hours! We then enjoyed a time of fellowship with members of the congregation before we returned to the Port Antonio church for another feast prepared by the women of the church and our master chef "PaPa." I have enjoyed seeing the pleasure that my eating brings to PaPa. Today he prepared not only the regular jerk chicken, but also had prepared fried jerk chicken, as well as some grilled trout. The ladies had done an excellent job with all of the trimmings and we enjoyed the feast together.

Tonight, following a great supper prepared by our home chefs Ron and Elizabeth Chadwick, our young people presented their first concert of the week. While we ate our dinner, the rains came once again and they came with a force and vigor of a deluge-what we call in South Georgia a true "frog strangler." It was relentless and left all of us wondering if anyone would venture out on such an evening. Many of the congregants walk to church and those who drive have to brave the road situations, which are only exacerbated by the deluges of the last few days. The concert was to begin at 7:00 p.m., and it finally got underway at 7:30 p.m. Time is somewhat irrelevant here, but the rain only added to that complacency related to being "on time" in Jamaica. You all would have been very proud of each of our young people as they sang beautifully. The solos were tremendous, and the testimonies inspiring. We were all so pleased that so many young people from the Port Antonio church were at the concert. I know that seeing our young people and their "togetherness" and ministry only heightens their desire to follow that lead. Following the concert, we returned to the Palace for our evening devotions and prayers filled full with feelings of a good day of service and ministry in Jamaica.

My observations from today…

1. I may never get used to these roads and driving on the wrong side of the road. I asked Jeremy McClure to sit up front last night on the way home from the church and he agreed that the front seat gives a totally different vantage point in the driving experiences of Jamaica. It is harrowing!

2. The warmth and friendliness of these people continue to amaze me. There seems to be no strangers in their midst. We were made to feel so welcome, so important, so honored as we worshipped this morning in Jamaica.

3. Everyone needs to experience worship with our Jamaican friends here. It is a powerful experience to hear their songs, prayers, and messages. Their openness to God's Spirit is revealed fully in their response to His call to commune with Him. I was moved deeply as I sat and worshipped with this small congregation at Drapers today.

4. God's love knows no bounds! Enough said!!!

5. I continue to be impressed with our kids. Their energy level remains high. This has, thus far, been such a well planned trip, allowing them to be on mission, but also allowing them enough "down time" to develop deeper bonds with one another. It is good to see those bonds strengthening.

6. Seeing our kids "playing with" the Port Antonio kids has been a fun thing to watch. Children are children and the need to feel loved is universal. Our kids are showing true Christian love in their words and their actions. I am so proud of them!

The Jamaican Journal-Day 2-Saturday, June 14, 2008

We awoke this morning filled with anticipation for what the day might bring, and most thankful for a good night's sleep. I think there was some admission of the fatigue from the "rush" of Friday, but most of us fully realized just how tired we were when our heads hit the pillows for the evening. As we joined together for breakfast at the hotel, we were warmly greeted by our hotel owner, Siggy Fahmi. I have spoken with Siggy on the telephone a number of times. It is strange how we develop pictures in our minds of people as we speak to them by phone or communicate with them via email. Siggy was nothing like I pictured her. She is a German baroness who not only owns the palace hotel, but she is quite a successful artist. She is a commanding presence. She has owned some other beautiful properties in Port Antonio. She has treated each one of our groups with warmth and hospitality. She believes fully in the mission of our church's work in Port Antonio and affords her wonderful property to us at an excellent rate-with full amenities included. A most gracious host!

Needing to recuperate from the long day yesterday we had planned a "light" day of activity. Though we are excited about our work, it was good to look forward to a day to reenergize ourselves with fun and pleasure with our Port Antonio hosts. Following breakfast we made our way to the Port Antonio Baptist Church where we would be met with that grace-filled smile of Brother Thompson. Now remember we are in the Caribbean area and sun, beach, and fun are the orders of the day. Of course, it was raining, and raining hard. The water did not dampen our spirits or the spirits of our hosts either. My first sight at the church was a series of "grills" set up to prepare our much anticipated "cook-out" lunch. I went over and had a wonderful conversation with our chef for the day. His name is "PaPa." He obviously was an expert in the "jerk" menu and recipes. He showed me the chicken that we would be eating that day-it was going to be a veritable feast.

We went inside the church for a time of orientation with Sister Doilee. She is one of the matriarchs of the church as well as Principal of the Rural Hill Primary School. She is also a gifted church leader and a fine preacher from what I have been told. We enjoyed meeting her and many other ladies who would be preparing our meal. The young people of the churches began to trickle in as the rain continued to fall. Seeing the children that my children have been talking about and communicating with for two years now was a wonderful experience for me. It was amazing to watch the kids throughout the day as they mixed and mingled with one another.

Backing up-it was somewhat of a surreal experience to walk into the Port Antonio Church (and daycare) today. I have seen pictures of the work done by our work crews, but to actually see it was awe-inspiring. The great job that was done by each of these teams has transformed this church into an excellent facility. Excellent tile work, great painting, a new kitchen, masterful carpeting, daycare construction and code compliance, outside work on retaining walls-the list could go on and on. When I looked at each of the rooms I saw more than rooms. I saw ministry centers and opportunities for sharing Christ's love. I saw each of our church member's handprints etched across the walls and floors and ceilings. We have all invested in the lives of these people and let me assure you that the investment is bearing a great return today.

We finished our orientation and went to the beach-pouring rain and all, but we were going to the beach. The Port Antonio youth piled into our buses with us and some came in cars. When we got to the beach it was still raining, but starting to clear somewhat. The two groups of young people continued to mix and mingle so well. Many started to venture out into the ocean while others sat and talked. Before too long most of the kids were enjoying their time together in the ocean. Watching the kids together was indeed memorable. There was a great soccer match-three on three. Ryan Wilson, Sam Batts, and Joshua Brubaker against three of the younger Port Antonio youth. It was a great match. Great sportsmanship, great action, great speed, and great fun for all to enjoy. Watching the kids bond quickly with those they had never met was amazing. Shelema (a Port Antonio youth) and Sheridan Fromm quickly became master shell finders and gatherers. As the time at the beach continued more of the Port Antonio youth began to arrive. It was a great event together.

We arranged for the buses to return us to the church for our cook-out meal with the Port Antonio kids at 2:30 p.m. (Port Antonio is on eastern time though they do not adhere to Daylight Savings Time). You could tell that we all were getting a little bit "lunchey" by the time the buses came. We looked forward to our meal together.

I must tell you that we were not disappointed by the spread that the Port Antonio Church had provided for us. Jerk chicken, masterfully prepared. I had never heard of "jerk" preparation until our partnership with this area began. I had my doubts about my liking "jerk" chicken or pork since I am not a big spicey person. Brother Thompson told me this was the best jerk in the area-just right with the spices. He was right. I loved the preparation. We also had fried plantain (I am not sure about the spelling, but it was good-kind of like fried squash), grilled bread fruit (a little bit on the tasteless/bland side), and festival bread (kind of like sweet corn bread). I ate my fill and then some! To show you the graciousness of our hosts these ladies also grilled hamburgers and made French fries because they knew that some of the kids might not like the jerk. Awesome! The meal was topped off with fresh, and I mean fresh, pineapple. It was sweet and delicious. I needed a nap after such a wonderful meal.
Following our time of fun and fellowship at the church we came back to the hotel to allow the kids some "free" time to rest, swim, or just relax. Dinner would be at 7:30 p.m. delivered by Reverends Cannon and Flanagan who took a taxi ride into town to visit the local Kentucky Fried Chicken. Judging by the few scraps that we had left, we have some good eaters on this trip. Following our devotional and prayer time, we turned in early in preparation for our worship services on Sunday.

My observations from today…

1. These are some of the most gracious and caring people that I have ever met. There is a sense of genuine hospitality that is certainly one of the gifts of this church. As with any well prepared meal, I think these ladies enjoyed seeing how much we enjoyed the meal together. I went to our "chef" and told him how much I loved the jerk chicken and he beamed with pleasure at my pleasure. It is good to have the opportunity to affirm these people in how they minister to others. Could there be some in our church with a talent to cooking "jerk" (or, you name it) that God might use like he used this man today?

2. How can people with seemingly so little want to give so much? It seems that often we have so much and we tend to hoard, while these people want to give it all away-"it all" referring to what Christ has given to them.

3. It is SO good to put a face to names. People become real! In our high tech, media savvy world we have often distanced ourselves from the personal touch of meeting and greeting. Has that become a lost art?

4. Kids being kids! It's wonderful!!!

5. The politeness of the Port Antonio youth is amazing. These are some of the most respectful and kind children that I have ever met. They seem genuinely interested in meeting adults as well as being with the kids.

6. Again, as we travelled in the daylight today, the poverty of this area is overwhelming. Needs are prevalent as you pass each house, hut, or lean-to that is on the road. As Larry and I traveled in to the city tonight to get supper, it was amazing to see the droves of younger adults in this community going to town and in town on a Saturday night. "The fields are white unto harvest"…does that ring a bell.

7. Thank you for your children. They are a blessing to me and have been a blessing to the people of Port Antonio today.