Throughout the Season of Service we have watched as the community has taken a liking to the enjoyable taste of service! Once you’ve gotten a taste of its goodness it truly becomes a craving, and a recent team of young adults shows us just how sweet it can be once you indulge yourself!

A group of six young adults from St. Marks United Methodist Church could not resist the opportunity to travel to the land of “no worries, mon!” as they embarked on a journey where they were able to serve far beyond their local community in a place called Balaclava, Jamaica. With the support of their families, friends, and church families they were off to be put to use where it was needed. Entering the project without complete knowledge of what exact use they were to be made of, they arrived without expectations, and left in utter surprise of the power of the spirit that worked through them throughout the entire week.

The Jamaican team shares in a photo with the energetic 6th grade class that is due to celebrate their promotion from primary school!

The adventure began as they literally took to the hills of Jamaica, walking alongside the local Roses Valley Baptist Church minister. The nervous San Diegan group trudged through rugged terrain and heat to make special home visits to shut-ins (mostly elders suffering from different illnesses and disabilities) where they were asked to give their testimonies. This word “testimony” frightened the timid group at first, but they soon realized that these people likewise did not have any expectations. Together, they shared in the simple comfort and joys that came from entering in fellowship with one another. One particular woman was so excited just at the sight of the group approaching, she sang all the way until they arrived on her porch steps!

In the afternoons, the group spent time with the local primary school taking part in classroom activities and outdoor fun. The young adults were amazed by the well-mannered and knowledgeable students as they engaged in bible trivia, devotional time, and crafts with the elementary school students. The children’s spirits left an everlasting mark in all of the groups’ hearts. Saying goodbye to the children was most challenging for the San Diegans; one member shared that in her goodbyes one particular girl asked “Excuse me miss, when is your birthday?” after answering, the girl sweetly responded “I will pray for you on that day miss.”

children from the Roses Valley Primary School crowd around excited by the sight of a "football"

One day out of the group’s week agenda included a day spent in a place called Missions of Charity, a group care home. The miraculous story behind this home was very special, the care was entirely provided by the humble charity of 3 Indian nuns. Members of the home ranged from disabled elders to young adults suffering from mental illnesses. It was a tough place to be, especially after hearing that residents were not their by choice, rather they had been left completely abandoned by their families or picked up after being homeless. Once again, the group was surprised at the joy that came from their experiences and time spent with the people at this home. They interacted by playing music, reading, drawing, feeding, and just sitting in comfort and community with the people. One San Diegan explained his incredible experience and the warmth he felt after he spent an hour spoon feeding an elderly man who was both deaf and blind. He was especially touched by the fact that not only did they share in this time together but they also shared the same name.

As a member of the San Diego CityFest team and also this Jamaican team, I felt inspired to share my thoughts and stories from this incredible experience. The mission trip opened my eyes to many new things and I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to take part in such wonderful work. I was able to meet and share with such a loving community all while serving others! The experiences that came from serving the people of Balaclava, Jamaica changed my life and it is my hope now that these stories will inspire others to serve. The benefits and joy that come from service are endless, so start now and join in the celebration of the Season of Service beginning right here in your very own community of San Diego!

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 1st, 2010 at 7:14 pm and is filed under Season of Service. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.