Jamaica? Are we going to the beach?

Well, after a four month break, I think I’ll get on with my life story.  Sorry to those of you who have been waiting for this.  Check out the first five posts here.  My last post covered my high school life and how I passed through that portion of life.  But there were a few events I didn’t mention.

In ‘97, I had the opportunity to go on a short term missions trip to Kingston, Jamaica.  My church partners with a ministry there called the Caribbean Christian Center for the Deaf, or CCCD.  My Dad and step-mother made it a point to take each of us kids on a short-term missions trip during our high schools years.

I remember going with an attitude.  After all, the trip was in the winter and so this was messing with my basketball schedule!  But I went.  I don’t remember much about how I felt at the time.  But I do remember a sense of cold resistance to the idea of missions work.  I thought it to be admirable and all, but I was highly resistant to my parents ploys to try and get me to be a Christian.  I was on guard!

But then the unthinkable happened.  I got there on this trip, with all those cramped up old Christian types and had a good time!  What!?  How was this?  Christians were supposed to be boring.  They can’t have fun!

I think back about some of the bonds that were made on that trip.  Men that I haven’t seen in person for years, or even talked to, but that I can still think of as I build a list of influential people in my life.  They were classic examples of how to minister through your actions and relationships.  Not to mention the Jamaicans that we were there to help.  The CCCD campus in Kingston is a school for deaf children.  These kids are a classic example of the needs present in third world environments.  Even if just from a purely humanitarian standpoint, I was touched.

This was the first time in my life that I had realized just how much was going on around the world outside of my little box.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but God was beginning to open my eyes.  I never would have guessed that 12 years later I would be moving on the mission field, but I thank God for showing me that one little aspect of His compassion for the hurting, way back then, 9 years before I would put my faith in Christ.

 

 

I know realize the importance of compassion ministry as a segment of the Lord’s work throughout the world.  Love in the name of Christ Jesus is a powerful act of worship.  I challenge anybody who has not done already been a part of this type of ministry to take a look at what is around for opportunities to do so.  This world is fallen and in need.  Take the time to love, Christ did.

 

JAE