Warning, this post will have nothing to do with writing. Be forewarned.
As people promised me, the mission trip really changed my outlook and changed me. The conditions and kids I worked with probably had a lot to do with that. Let me paint a picture for you--with words.
The mission was based in Jamaica.
Hold on there, don't picture those pristine beaches and towering resorts. The only time I stepped on a beach was for a few minutes just to walk up and down it. The rest of the time was spent in out-of-the-way churches. One was in a swampy area with hard-packed dirt roads (and lots of rain-filled potholes). The other was high up in the mountains.
Yeah, cell phone reception and Internet was not an option. Verizon can only do so much.
I got very friendly with the mosquitoes. Apparently I'm so delicious, 40% Deet can't keep them away. I faced down heat accompanied by sunburn and swarming ants in my bed. I calmly handled a prank which involved red Kool-Aid streaming from my shower (yeah, I thought it was blood at first. Ugh). I faced my dirty bathroom phobia head on. The nicest bathroom I encountered while in Jamaica is pictured below. I basically fell in love with it.
The kids were the most exhausting bunch of children I've ever met, but a few of them snagged my heart. Serena who is only six, but acts like a mother toward her younger brother. Sierano who always said "please" and "thank you" and helped catch runaway children. Syon, super cute and smart, who loved my lamb craft. Damone with a penchant for sticking out his tongue and chewing on things not fit for human consumption, but helped me pick up my bags during a rainstorm.
I really understand now why my church supports such a mission. There is so much I could fill this blog post with on what happened in Jamaica last week, but I'm not going to bore you with the details. Know that it was a rewarding and eye opening trip that gave me a level of confidence in myself (in regards to handling kids) I didn't have before.
To God be the glory, great things He has done.
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