One Love

At 1:30 AM this morning I watched Katie and several other teenagers board a charter bus bound for LaGuardia International Airport in New York. From there they hopped a plane to Miami where they caught another plane for Jamaica. How exciting is that? I mean, what teenager wouldn’t want to take a vacation with a bunch of friends to the Caribbean?

But they’re not actually going on vacation. These teenagers are from the senior high youth group at Christ’s Church of the Valley and they’re going to be God’s hands and feet in an area of Jamaica the tourist never go.

Here’s a short description on the Adventures in Missions website, the organization that our group is working with:

Project Overview:
The world sees Jamaica as a tropical paradise, full of lush vegetation and a carefree lifestyle. Thousands enjoy Jamaican beaches but few realize the island nation is desperately poor. Areas remain where people are without running water or electricity.

Ministry Description:
We will work in Kingston and partner with the Salvation Army, where there is an orphanage, nursing home and school for the blind on site. Feeding programs, prayer walks, and street evangelism are all possible ministries for your team.

This is my first acquaintance with having a child leave the country without me and it’s, well, you know. It’s a tad bit on the difficult side – me being a mamma bear and all that.

On the other hand, however, I’m thrilled for Katie and the other kids – heck, I’m thrilled for the adults that accompanied them as well. What a great growing experience for all of them. And I’m very proud of her and the rest of the group. As exciting as a trip to Jamaica sounds, it’s not going to be a relaxing week on the beach.

I can’t wait to hear all the stories and see the pictures when she gets back. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to keeping up with them through the Mission Blog. Feel free to join me! Just click on the Jamaica banner below. Of course, posting may be spotty, but it’s our understanding that the Youth Pastor, Adam, will be able to blog while there.

I leave you with lyrics to part of One Love by Bob Marley, most often associated with Jamaica. I think it’s appropriate:

One love, one heart
Let’s get together and feel alright
One love, one heart
Give thanks and praise to the Lord, feel alright
Let’s get together and fell alright