As I stepped off the plane in Jamaica I remember thinking, "This is it- no turning back now." I twiddled my phone in my thumbs, and thought of all the friends and family I was leaving behind. When I signed up for this trip I 110% knew what I was getting into. Through prayer, fundraising and packing you would have thought I had all the time in the world to prepare myself for the next six months. In reality, the last couple months before leaving was spent shuffling three jobs, couch surfacing to save money on gas and finishing up what felt like am endless amount of term papers. It felt the only time I had time to truly stop and breathe was when I was in the car driving to the next place. It was as if I had been on auto-pilot, struggling to get tie up all my responsibilities and fitting in my farewells.
And then all of a sudden- in what felt like a blink of an eye I was in the back off a 10 seater van, sweat pouring off my face with a view much different than hours before. Green and more green, mixed with bright colored houses. Goats lined the streets, children running alongside the road- hurrying to beat the 3 o'clock rain storm. We were split amoungst eachother in pairs, and one by one dropped off at host homes. Though we had just met a couple weeks ago, these 9 girls had already became like family. Yet here we were being split againt, plucked out of our comfort zone. Again I looked at my phone, "No service." Faith. Trust. God what was I doing?
Immersion, to immerse yourself in anothers culture. To live the local life. To put your agenda, your way of doing things aside. Learning to just BE, and not always DO. It's what drew me to the trip in the first place- but knowing, learning and accepting are three very different words with all very diferent meanings. My teammate, Kara and I jumped out of the van hearing the words "Come to Mama Debbie!" And that was just the beginning of getting to know the extentric Mama Debbie, who is well known in Catadupa. We have two older host brothers, named Cruze and Biggs. Cruze is our age, and works nights at a local tourist resort. Biggs lives with girlfriend, "T" and their three month old baby boy named Tyrease. Each day looks vastly different. Some days have been spent helping watch the baby, other days call for a 40 minute walk up the mountain to sell clothes at the local market with Mama. Island time is a real thing. The pace of life here in Jamaica is slow, and the "cool vibes" you so often here about - that ' a real thing too. Our teammates ventured down to our house the other day just to tell us they found our we were leading youth group "around 3ish" and that we would be leading worship too. You really never know what is in store, always a surprise!
"Ya man" is a phrase I have begun to hear quite frequaently in my stay. The people here are down to earth, present, and show great appreciatation for all they have. Cruze and I spoke about how in Jamaica it's all about just being, and speaking what is on your mind. They desire raw, true relationships with others where you can be yourself. I wake up every morning with little to no plan as to how I'm going to spend my day. I no longer live by a strict to do list, with footnotes of future to do's. Every minute I spend is spent is in the moment. Mark, a local and growing friend said to me recently, "Distraction free- look around at all the beauty. You may think about those back home, but don't think too long- look up, look aroud and thank God for all you see."
To live in the present moment, to just be. To them it is a way of life, and to me, it's a growing opprotunity. Away from all the distractions I am learning to dig deeper in my faith. I'm slowly but surely learning new meaning to God's love, and what it means to truly CLING to Him.
"........Listen to His voice, serve Him, and CLING to Him." -Deuteronomy 13:4
This week has been spent learning the routine of our host family, and settling into the community. The Church is about 40 minutes away by foot, up a steep winding hill. Due to the rain the road is often slick, creating the perfect ground for countless wipeouts / rumbles of belly laughter. Whether it is gripping my friends arm following them by headlamp on our way home from church, or Mama Debbie coasting us down the slipper slope it is always fun. Today I even managed to hold a conversation with a local as I slipped down a muddy side trail. That shaved off 5 minutes was well worth the scapes, bruises and free entertainment. I have a funny feeling a lot of this trip is going to involve falling down, and getting back up. Learning to lean on one another, as brothers and sisters of Christ. Miles away we are a united body of believers.
I can not wait to see where God continues to lead us in the coming days. As we continue to develope relationships in the community, with the local youth on Tuesday nights or the children during the school program. From church on Sunday's to weekly Bible Studies. To remember daily that God loves us despite our short comings. That no matter how many times we fall, He'll be there to pick us back up. In the midst of my crazy busyiness He was always constant. Now- miles away from home, deep in the mountains of Jamaica the same God that commanded the sun to rise back home is the same God that brings the countless starts to shine at night here.
"But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed us how much He loved us by sending His one and only son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love- not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His son as a sacrafice to take away our sins." -1 John 4:8-10
Immersion, to immerse yourself in anothers culture. To live the local life. To put your agenda, your way of doing things aside. Learning to just BE, and not always DO. It's what drew me to the trip in the first place- but knowing, learning and accepting are three very different words with all very diferent meanings. My teammate, Kara and I jumped out of the van hearing the words "Come to Mama Debbie!" And that was just the beginning of getting to know the extentric Mama Debbie, who is well known in Catadupa. We have two older host brothers, named Cruze and Biggs. Cruze is our age, and works nights at a local tourist resort. Biggs lives with girlfriend, "T" and their three month old baby boy named Tyrease. Each day looks vastly different. Some days have been spent helping watch the baby, other days call for a 40 minute walk up the mountain to sell clothes at the local market with Mama. Island time is a real thing. The pace of life here in Jamaica is slow, and the "cool vibes" you so often here about - that ' a real thing too. Our teammates ventured down to our house the other day just to tell us they found our we were leading youth group "around 3ish" and that we would be leading worship too. You really never know what is in store, always a surprise!
"Ya man" is a phrase I have begun to hear quite frequaently in my stay. The people here are down to earth, present, and show great appreciatation for all they have. Cruze and I spoke about how in Jamaica it's all about just being, and speaking what is on your mind. They desire raw, true relationships with others where you can be yourself. I wake up every morning with little to no plan as to how I'm going to spend my day. I no longer live by a strict to do list, with footnotes of future to do's. Every minute I spend is spent is in the moment. Mark, a local and growing friend said to me recently, "Distraction free- look around at all the beauty. You may think about those back home, but don't think too long- look up, look aroud and thank God for all you see."
To live in the present moment, to just be. To them it is a way of life, and to me, it's a growing opprotunity. Away from all the distractions I am learning to dig deeper in my faith. I'm slowly but surely learning new meaning to God's love, and what it means to truly CLING to Him.
"........Listen to His voice, serve Him, and CLING to Him." -Deuteronomy 13:4
This week has been spent learning the routine of our host family, and settling into the community. The Church is about 40 minutes away by foot, up a steep winding hill. Due to the rain the road is often slick, creating the perfect ground for countless wipeouts / rumbles of belly laughter. Whether it is gripping my friends arm following them by headlamp on our way home from church, or Mama Debbie coasting us down the slipper slope it is always fun. Today I even managed to hold a conversation with a local as I slipped down a muddy side trail. That shaved off 5 minutes was well worth the scapes, bruises and free entertainment. I have a funny feeling a lot of this trip is going to involve falling down, and getting back up. Learning to lean on one another, as brothers and sisters of Christ. Miles away we are a united body of believers.
I can not wait to see where God continues to lead us in the coming days. As we continue to develope relationships in the community, with the local youth on Tuesday nights or the children during the school program. From church on Sunday's to weekly Bible Studies. To remember daily that God loves us despite our short comings. That no matter how many times we fall, He'll be there to pick us back up. In the midst of my crazy busyiness He was always constant. Now- miles away from home, deep in the mountains of Jamaica the same God that commanded the sun to rise back home is the same God that brings the countless starts to shine at night here.
"But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed us how much He loved us by sending His one and only son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love- not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His son as a sacrafice to take away our sins." -1 John 4:8-10
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