Our Jamaican Mission is Coming to an End!

Monday’s visit to one of the local Kingston high schools was a special time for everyone. We were privileged to be part of their annual Easter Service, something that would never be allowed in a public school in the United States. Our students sang, Mark shared from the Bible and Tim prayed. At the end the service, a number of students raised their hand to indicate they had asked Jesus into their heart for the first time. Principal Hines presented the group with a large basket of fruit.

As the bus was getting ready to leave, a young girl named Shanique approached me to share that she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart. Shanique recited the sinner’s prayer for Jesus to be Lord of her life. Shanique gave me her phone number so one of the local churches could follow up with her. As we left, Shanique ran our bus down and handed me a small stamp with a Golden Retriever on it to remember her by. Meeting Shanique has been a personal highlight of my trip.

The Vacation Bible School held at Gardener’s View Monday went really well. Hannah reported to our team that a boy named Kevin prayed to accept Jesus into his heart. She said it was the first time she had ever led someone to Christ on her own. We are all very proud of her.

For the VBS our mission team had everything ready – crafts, music, balloons and Bible stories – for the 70 or so children there from the community.

Tuesday morning we were at one of the local mixed schools of both elementary and middle school age children. The students sang songs, shared testimonies, and handed out salvation bracelets to the entire school. Following a devotion time led by Tim and Mark, 11 students raised their hands indicating it was the first time they had asked Jesus to come into their heart.

Later Tuesday, we went to a Jamaican children’s home/orphanage where Sister Jackie serves several hours a week. All the children live there and either have no home or have been taken out of their home. They have been abused, are orphans or suffer from some other time of illness. Our students read stories to them, sang them songs and did crafts. Everyone left with a heavy heart for these children.

Mid-day our team went to the market in Kingston where students and leaders purchased souvenirs and crafts.

Tuesday evening the team wrapped up its mission efforts with another Vacation Bible School at Hanover Street Baptist Church in downtown Kingston. We had about 150 kids there. It was chaotic to say the least.

Today (Wednesday), we all went to Ocho Rios for a day of recreation and sightseeing. Everyone had a blast swimming in the ocean and climbing the waterfalls near the beach.

--Tim