Reflections from Jamaica

I wrote this on the plane ride back to America....just reflecting and thinking on the past week..

• I really don't wanna go home. Normally, I miss my phone, texting, facebook, tv, but it's really been a great week without distractions and I'm so grateful. Even more so, grateful that God has guarded and directed my mind towards Him and the ministry that we are doing for HIm. It's always been so easy for me to miss home, but in all honesty, I didn't think about it very much, and I loved that. I loved being away from my life and focusing solely on serving. It's so much easier to keep my mind on service when I'm away from my distractions and I think that's going to be a huge challenge when I get back. God laid on my heart serving at home. This week, i want to call the nursing home and the hospital to talk about volunteering. I want to build relationships here, not have to leave home to serve God with a full, willing heart.


• God also laid on my heart that I want to share in church about Noadiah. This little girl is only 2 years old and has such an amazing amount of love and an incredible capacity for love. The first day I watched her color her pictures and it was so heartbreaking, yet inspiring to watch her do the "normal" things in her own way. She can't walk, yet she walks on her knees and is super fast. On her knees like that, she also has her own way of dancing. It's so inspiring. One of the things that hit me was watching other little kids come up to her and feel her hand and she would yell "stop to them. It was so hard seeing that. I know the little kids were innocent and didn't know better, but even at her young age, Noadiah realizes that there's something different. As I held her, multiple people stared at her. When we went to the infirmary, it hit me hard that Noadiah will probably end up there when she's older. She's the perfect candidate. It's hard realizing that this little girl will go through life constantly looked down upon when all she wants to do is give love and share joy. I will never forget that little girl. Her joy , happiness, love, voice will remain in my heart forever.
• I had a cool moment with Teandra while we were just sitting together during VBS. As we were sitting there during free time, she reached over to the table next to us and grabbed a Bible off of it. She told me that she liked to read her Bible and when I asked her why, she said because she was a Christian. She then told me she had been a Christian for 15 years (even though she's only five). But she said she's asked Jesus into her heart so that was awesome to hear. The only other time I really shared was when we did gospel bracelets with all the kids. I got to share the gospel about 5-8 times, which was great. Some kids understood, but some didn't care. Even so, the seed is planted or being watered, and I believe the Holy Spirit will take care of the rest.
• This has definitely been the most humbling week of my life by far. It's impossible to see the contrast in Jamaica of the rich and the poor and have no compassion. I was thinking last night about how I normally wish for technology when I come hom. But I've never fully experienced these types of conditions until this week. We stayed at a school which had grafitti everywhere with no air conditioning. The doors were bars and the windows were shuttesr of wood that never fully closed. We had to keep our doors locked and have a security guard throughout the day to make sure nothing was stolen. We were lucky when we did have toilet paper, not all of the toilets had seat covers, and the showers were a faucet of cold water. I'm not saying this to complain, but to remember the extreme contrast to what I have. This time when I return home, I will take more joy in the simple things: a bed, a secure home, windows that close, a hot shower, and my necessities. All the time I take these things for granted. In America, we think it's no big deal, but after Jamaica, I realize how much we all have. The Jamaicans sang a song one time this week saying over and over again that they were blessed. I've said before that I'm blessed, but not to the extent of them. They are content with the little they have and the poor conditions that they're living in and still stand strong and trust God with all they have. They are truly blessed so I am, but I haven't fully realized that until now. I have a family with 2 parents together and 4 siblings all together, something that's so rare in Jamaica. God's taught me an amazing amount of things here.
• This week, I wasn't as faithful with my devotions. However, we ended every night with worship. Hearing 60 voices crying out to God in unison who want to love him and serve him was awesome. It was such a great way to end the day. I wish I could end every day that way, maybe I'll start. Yet, I felt so close to God. Just talking to Him. It is so awesome to hear ways of seeing Him work here even when I didn't have a direct part in that. But I think at this point, it's better for me to help lower my pride so that ALL that I am is completely for God, with NO selfish ambitions.
• This week was amazing! God is so GREAT!