From the Inside Out: Unto Him be the Glory!

Our Team :)

I returned home from beautiful Jamaica late Friday night. I have experienced a trip that will forever leave me changed. Seeing the contrast of the beauty of the beaches to the sadness and poverty in Canterbury left me speechless, and the faces of the people that I developed a passion to love and help will be forever etched in my memory.

The Community of Canterbury

The beautiful view on the way to Ocho Rios

I feel so blessed to have been a part of the missions team in Jamaica. Pastor Titus and Tammy were wonderful to work with, and we are very grateful for all they did to help us follow through with what we felt God was calling us to do. We were able to paint nails, give baby dolls, basketballs, food, flip flops, frame a porch, fix ceilings, and best of all present the gospel to people who desperately need Christ. As a team our goal was to share the love of Christ and the gospel with the people in Jamaica, and we were blessed to see 25 Jamaicans come to know Jesus Christ as their savior!

Saneika and Tiandra

In Canterbury, I became close with a few little girls: Tiandra, Omeica, and Saneika. I had talked with Tiandra some the first day we were there, but I didn't meet Omeica and Saneika until the second day. I helped Saneika with a bracelet, and then later Omeica and Saneika both started braiding or "platting" my hair. Tiandra jumped in and from that point on the three girls were like glue to me. To my knowledge the girls have not come to a full understanding of their sin nature and the need to accept Christ as their savior. They are young, and seeds have been planted. God's word will not turn void and I hope that one day those seeds will come to fruition, even if I don't personally get to see it happen. As we were leaving Canterbury on our last day of VBS, I was telling everyone goodbye with hopes that I would be able to see them next year. One little girl ran and jumped into my arms giving me the biggest hug I had gotten all week. I had played with her a few times, and comforted her after she had fallen and scraped her knee. I was enjoying the sweet hug as I told her goodbye when she leaned over and said "kiss me please". So, I gave her a kiss on the cheek and she did me the same. I can't explain the feelings that rushed in as my heart broke having to leave her there.

Omeica working on my hair :)

Micala : Another little girl I had the joy of talking with some

"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."
Galatians 6:9 NLT

Besides working in the community of Canterbury, we also spent a morning at the Robin's Nest Children's Home. We did various odd jobs to help out such as replacing light bulbs, doing laundry, and feeding some of the younger children. I enjoyed getting to help feed baby Asia. She is 10 months old and has adoptive parents in the States, but has not yet been able to go home with them. Please pray that the adoption process will speed up so that she can be with her new mommy and daddy.

Baby Asia

One of the children at the Robin's Nest preschool

The kids at the fence as we were leaving. They wanted to know if we were coming back tomorrow and it broke my heart to think that we wouldn't be able to spend more time with them before the end of the week.

We also had the priveledge of getting to know a very nice couple: Andrew and Tanesha. Andrew is the associate pastor of Bay Life Baptist in Jamaica. He and Tanesha will be getting married on the same day as Ben and I. We really enjoyed getting to know them throughout the week. They are both very sweet people and you can see the love of Christ in them. I count it a blessing to call them my friends.