This spring, I was talking with a dear friend & she mentioned that she had just signed up for a trip to Jamaica! "You should come too!" she laughed. I laughed too, saying that I would just love to go back to Jamaica...But, I really did not think it would happen. I had been to Jamaica with my family two times in the past (see here and here to read past blog-journals about those trips!) and always have LOVED the Jamaican culture, the experience of being on a work team, and the time of growth in my relationship with God. Yet, going to Jamaica was not something that I had been thinking about, so when it DID work out for me to go & God brought all the pieces together, it was a such a sweet surprise!!
Sunday morning with all of the amazing girls on our team!! It was so beautiful to be together, but it made going home so sad. The seven of us are from such different parts of the country ~ three from California, two from Illinois, & two from Georgia.
We went to the infirmary, a Jamaican nursing home.
In 2010, I wrote about my first experience at the Infirmary & my perspective of the elderly here in a blog-journal entry (http://joshua24-15-family.blogspot.com/2010/03/infirmary-story-from-jamaica.html).
Now, I smile to go back & read those words! Right now, I am working in a home for the elderly in America and God has grown my heart so much in love towards the elderly!! He is so faithful to gently and lovingly change hearts by pouring His love within unloving hearts.
It was neat to go back & witness the souls who have such eternal perspective! My heart was touched how breathtaking gratefulness is when it comes from the lips of those who have so little. The answer of one man specifically touched my heart: I asked him, "How are you doing today, sir?" and he joyfully answered, "I am doin' goot, ma'am! Did yo' know it is Sunda' ma'am?" I smiled and said "Yes" and gazed at this little man sitting on a simple bed in a dirty room with a joyful heart.
During the weekdays we got to do some construction-type work. I got to be on the paint team (which really means quality talking time! SMILE!).
Playing with the children who live at the Jamaica Deaf Village (where we were visiting for the week) was so fun! So much energy and love for life! :)
One day, we went to visit a children's home. When we first pulled up, I was a bit unsure what to do or how to respond to the children - they were jumping into our arms and pulling off our sunglasses, headbands, etc. My heart was so conflicted because I wanted to show them love, yet I did not want to encourage a superfical-surface type of love by giving the children whatever they ask for....oh, my heart was soo torn and confused and sad! Guys are so great! They just jumped right into playing a game with some of the kids. (I think it was cricket.)
We were outside in a courtyard area and I really wanted to go inside! So, I asked one little girl to show me her bed. She took me back around the buildings to a long building. She was about five years old. When we walked into the first room, there was many toddlers playing, a nurse feeding a baby, and a TV with cartoons playing. It had a familiar feel - almost like how I would picture a day care.
I followed the little girl down a hallway into a room full of bunk beds. Another girl (maybe a year or two younger) was there. They posed cute little girl poses as I snapped photos of them. :) I could hear a baby crying in the next room - and followed the cry to find a beautiful baby girl lying under a mosquito neat in a crib. I scooped her up and held her - she was so precious!!
There was three little babies in that room. One was a small little boy and the third was a little handicapped boy with very small & weak hands and feet. My heart was just stolen by that little one. I just wanted to take him home and care for him forever!
Our time at the children's home was so short. As I laid the little one back into his crib, I was so aware of my dependence on God and of this little one's dependence on God. After I left that room, I could do nothing for his little soul but pray to our Heavenly Father for his life.
"Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is Strong."
This is one of the only photos I have of our team minister, Mr. Ted! Oh, I am disappointed I do not have more... I was so blessed to have Mr. Ted as my prayer partner for the week! It was so humbling to pray for a man who has made praying for others a purposeful part of his life. Mr. Ted's example of care & love for others displayed Christ so much through each day of the week! Oh, what a privilege it was to spend that time with Mr. Ted!
We visited a school for the deaf in Jamaica at the end of our trip & I loved meeting this beautiful young girl! She radiated love and was so patient to communicate with me and try to teach me signs! She was so sweet!
On the last full day of our trip, we went to some Jamaican falls! They were sooo lovely!! It was such a refreshing and fun day to spend with these dear people I had come to love so much. :)
The last night of our trip was so special! We sat up on the roof of one of the building for a long time waiting for some amazing lightening bugs we had heard about but never seen. The bugs did not ever end up showing up, but that was okay. I loved that time - I loved those people. Oh, what a great group of people from all over America who love the Lord and are serving Him in unique ways in their own communities!
It was a beautiful trip.... I was reminded that God is the creator of beauty, of friendship, of life! It was a week of seeing God's gifts in new light, in a culture different from my own. It was a week of experiencing His strength in my weakness. God has done such good things!! God is so good.
With gratefulness for His faithfulness,
e.n.:)
