JAMAICA - 2007
I wanted to share some reports of our mission to Jamaica. We had seventeen travelers from Louisiana, Indiana, Mississippi, Florida, Arkansas, and Alabama. Be sure to read Ginger’s report. I didn’t do much editing on her travelogue because it was so precious. Ginger was saved from a stauch Catholic background many years ago and has a special love for children. She could have been any other religion – I was a Baptist before I was saved. This trip is wonderful for those who have never been on a Mission trip to another country. Jamaican’s speak English – the door is wide open for witness in the streets and in the public schools. I do this trip every year in January. Next year we’ll be going on January 12-19. Call me for more details.
Price Harris
318-347-4370
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Price,
Linda and I had a blessed time in Jamaica. It was wonderful being with everybody. Although everything we did was was really gratifying, three experiences stand out in my mind: Linda holding the orphan baby, me preaching to 700 high school students listening very attentively, and a young man at the airport with whom I shared the gospel - he was from India and was really seeking. May God bless you and Ann. We love you dearly.
Scott and Linda Teague
(Scott and Linda are in evangelism. They have recently moved to Arkansas after more that 25 years of street evangelism in New York City - what an honor to have them our team.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bro. Price
I just wanted you guys to know that we had so much fun getting to know you guys and doing work for the Lord with you in Jamaica. It was truly a wonderful experience that has drawn us closer to the Lord. Thank you Price for including us – there is no other place we would rather have been last week then on this mission trip (Ok, maybe we would have preferred a steady stream of hot water ! haha) Seriously, though, thank you all for being so open and fun! We have made lifelong friends. Please keep in touch!
Sincerely,
Melissa Walker (Mrs. John)
Summer Grove Baptist Church
Shreveport, LA
(John serves as worship pastor – the choir gave them this trip for their 20th Anniversary!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bro. Price,
I am so grateful the Lord allowed me to go to Jamaica as a short term missionary. I am forever changed! My prayer is that I never sing a song or teach the Word ever the same again!
I still cry as I tell of some of the wonderful doors the Lord opened for us. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of the team. Please keep me in mind for next year. I hope I was some sort of help and not much trouble. (I've already been nagging my husband about joining me)
Blessings,
Cheri Taylor
Music Evangelism
Santa Claus, IN
(Cheri was such a joy. I encourage any church to use her in a concert or ladies conference - cheritaylor.org)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Price Harris Mission Trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica (Ginger Horn)
For the trip to Jamaica I choose to meet with my daughter Christina in Atlanta, Ga. The main reason being not familiar with all the new airport security procedures, this would also be the first time Christiana will tell and show me what to do in the airport. In addition, I will not be able to see her again until December of this year; I wanted to use the extra 3 hours to spend more time with her on theflights. We arrive in Jamaica around 1 pm on Friday, January 26th along with three other members of the team.Our van driver, along with the other cars, drove on the left side of the 2 lane road; even the sterling wheel was on the right side [our passenger side]. I noticed no street signs, no caution lights, but each car proceeded with caution with a heavy foot to the pedal. No A/C in the car and one could inhale thesmell of exhausts from the other cars traveling nearby. All the vehicles drivers on the road drove zipping in and out of tiny spaces between cars. Onceour driver got so close behind a van; I believe we may perhaps have touched it. We were told the extra heavy traffic was resulting from visitors traveling on thisroad to a ‘Jazz Festival’ weekend outside of town. Even though the distance was only 3 miles from the airport to Hotel Gloriana, time ‘wise’ was longer because of this traffic.The Hotel Gloriana The front of the hotel was a series of small shops on both sides and in the middle under a blue covering was the main entrance into the hotel. [You can see for yourself at www. hotelgloriana.com] The cars wereparked at an angle in front of the different stores and as the van edge behind them to drop us off at the entrance. The space behind the cars was such a tightsqueeze between the parked cars, the van and the main road. The hotel feature 6 categories of room’s and rates and had 75 Air Conditioned rooms with hot and cold water, Cable TV, swimming pool, conference room and a restaurant. Every Saturday night, a live band performing Jamaica music was provided beside theswimming pool. My daughter explains to me that this hotel was one of the better hotels in Montero Bay because most did not have hot water or Air Conditionedrooms. In America, this would be like staying at Motel 6. The average living conditions of people living here do not have either A/C or hot water. The richestpeople or hotels do provide both.As we were getting off the van, Bro Price Harris walked up to me and whispers that the manager thought we {Christina and I} were a married couple and we were given a one bed. When we had received our room key, we walked into varies open breeze path toward our building. There were 3 separate buildings with different views: pool, garden, new wing, airport, or mountain view. Thelandscape had tall flower trees and scrubs surrounding the different direction to rooms and around the swimming pool. The floor was broken tile pieces withall different colors and shapes. The first floor walk way was shinny white tile with an open half-way wall with spaces of English Ivy climbing over and inter-twine. The second and third building from the second floor, one could look down at the same view of palm and banana trees which the height of these reaches above the second floor. All different color of plants spacey planted in the garden and growing underneath the second floor Spanish balcony. Even with this setting, even in this late afternoon sun, on this balcony, the air felt very cool because of the tall plants reaching upward and across the length of the open porch.Our Room Christina and I walked up pink stairs onto the second floor of the third building. Our room entrance was like the other rooms on this floor; each had 2 cushion chairs and a table overlooking the plants across on the second building.Christina opens the door of our room and we noticed pink flowers on the bed, and on top of the dresser. Inside the midpoint of the room was an enormous kingsize bed as a result trying to get in on one side it was very difficult to squeeze one leg between the wall and the bed. No way of rolling out of the bed ‘causethe wall will catch you. Ha Ha! The bathroom floor was 4 ½ tiles by 5 tiles, the sizes of the tiles was approx. 9 foot. The air condition unit was on a wallnearer to the ceiling, with no high or low control, just a handle for the off and on switch and no window. We stayed in this room for two nights and on Sunday wewere changed into a bigger room in the same section but on the first floor. Every time it was clean, we had fresh pastel flowers on the floor and on the furniture. The hotel staff was very friendly and helpful during our stay.Friday Night After we rested a bit, we met with Bro. Price and the other team members at 5:30 pm. There Bro. Price had arranged for a driver, Chris, and a van that will hold our group of 17, and headed 5 miles into the main partof Montego Bay. I can’t get over that the sterling wheel is on the opposite side of the vehicle or driving on the opposite and the different side that wein America are accustom to. The right side, the passenger sees the other cars and the left side sees the side of a hill, that appear to have been sliced off, the grass is so close, you could reach out to touch them. Really close!I have noticed a number of America fast food restaurant was present, such as Burger King, Pizza Hut, and K F C. K F C has a different meaning inJamaica – it means Keep From Cooking.We ate the Pelican, a nice restaurant which across the street was the soft waters of the ocean. My meal was a Jerk Chicken, small bottle of Water and aChocolate Milk Shake. Christian had a bowl of Con Chowder and a Soda drink. Total cost in Jamaica was $1440.00 but in USA the cost was more like $ 23.30.The exchange of money was .65 to $1.00.When we finished and return back to the hotel we all met the other members on a balcony over looking the swimming pool. We gave a brief introduction of ourselves and Bro. Price went over the schedule for each day and all the times to leave for morning visiting schools and evening visits to churches. Scott and Linda Teague from Chester, Ark; Bryan Chase from Benton, La., and his niece, Candice Chase from Ala.; Carl Carrigan from Princeton, La; John and Melissa Walker, Price and Ann Harris and Christina Horn all from Shreveport, La.; ShawnFargerson and David Lane from Bossier City, La.; Cheri Taylor from Santa Claus, In; Mac Milligan, Deborah Kirk and Sue Scott from Iuka, Ms. and myself. Bro. Price had divided all the 17 people into groups. Each of the four teams had one preacher, a singer -who also took care of the men and women group, youthand a children teacher. When Christina and I return to our room, it was after10 pm. During the night we heard a ‘tweet –tweet’ sound. If you can remember the Twiggy Bird cartoon long ago, well that was what we heard constant and it continue every seconds, every minute during those night hours.
Saturday Morning We all met in the conference room at 8:30 am. On 4 six foot tables joining together, we assemble, counted and stamp with the information of the Bro. Price Harris Ministry, on nearly 5000 Christian tracts, books andother materials. Bro. Price inform us that his brother-in-law and supplied nearly 2000 Bibles that would be given out to every pastors and his church andalso be past out during the following week. Our former pastor of 33 years, Bro W D ‘Step’ Martin at Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport, La., contacted Evangel Publications and received permission to make copies of Vance Havner, the author of “Truth for Each Day”. The whole assemble time took two hours to complete everything.Toward the end of our assemble time, the different pastors and key leaders started arriving and meeting with some of the team. During the program, the hotel kitchen staffs were bringing in our breakfast and this consisted of: slices of Tomatoes and juicy red watermelon, scrambled Egg, Bacon, plain and cinnamonToast, Ackee and salt fish, and a vegetable that looks like turnip greens(callaloo) plus Coffee, water or orange juice. Afterward when we had completed the meal, Bro Price gave the pastors and ladies opportunity to introduce themselves and tell a little about their church or ministry. Bro. Price introduced the singing group, Cheri T., John and Melissa Walker, Shawn Fargerson, Mac, Debbie, and Sue and they took turns to sing a song apiece. They did an outstandingjob. One of the teams did not have a children story, so I gave them one of mine and suggestion for children songs to use. We had four hours to spare before thenext event so I slept.The Streets of Montego Bay The trip into the city was not nearly as crowded as itwas on Friday, but more easily going until we came into the edge of the main street toward downtown. The bumper to bumper of cars, trucks, vans and other type of vehicles, plus the sidewalks was jam-packed with people. It was like a few salts and a lot of pepper. People that is! Music was playing loudly fromdifferent stores on each side of the streets. Some men had the Jamaican sagging head gear and some with braded long hair. People were walking almost shoulderto shoulder, walking left to right on many of the crowded streets. We noticed open stands of bananas, onions, watermelon, mango or vegetables. Each standhad a section of rows for whatever they were selling and were in open empty spaces between buildings or on any street corner.Our driver had stopped the van and the entire group got off onto a location in front of a museum. In a small square was a bronze statue of Sam Sharpe who was the first salve who was killed for his Christian belief. At this same location two different things were already in the progress. On our left was a groupof young people performing on a stage singing gospel type of songs. Each one of the young people was wearing blue T-shirt with a nice size crowd was listening to them.
Across the street to our right was a man playing an instrument and singing just outside a store. It was like a competition between the two groups on who couldbe the loudest in their own sounds of music. Each of the team members was given 4 New Testament Bibles and tracts to hand out to anyone in the crowdwho wanted them either before or after the street preaching. Within 15 minutes - men, women and children were already listening to our first speaker Bro. Carl[today was his 70th birthday], when he stood and talk,his tone was a volume that had to be above the other 2 distraction of sounds. It wasn’t screaming but hisvoice had to carry to reach the ears of the 4 rows of the circle of people who was surrounding him. When Bro. Scott turn came, we had a nice sizeable crowd asthey watch both speakers do their gospel tricks and present the Word. The sky was getting an overcast of grey clouds with a cooler breeze, I almost thought wewere going to get wet soon as we were standing, but the clouds passed over. We spent about an hour and passed out 44 Bibles and numerous tracts. Afterwards the team broke into group and we ate at several fast food spots before getting together again on the van.Sunday thru Thursday – Jamaican ChurchesWe visited a total of 7 churches in and around Montego Bay. All church services started at 7:00 pm, but depending on the church’s traveling time and distancewas the determine factor as to what time each team would had to be ready to leave the hotel. MacField Baptist and Welcome Missionary at 5 pm., HopewellBaptist at 6 pm, HillView Baptist and Rosemount Missionary at 6:15 pm, Barrett Town Missionary at 6:30 pm. Each church was visited by each team on a rotationschedule. Each person on the team was required to bring 50 inexpensive gifts or toys for each of the age group in the church and these would be handed out within 30 minutes before the main service began. Whatever the role of the mission team, it was their responsibilities to be prepare for the preaching,singing or having materials for the youth or children groups. Whenever the teams went to churches, Christian and I made sure we took Dramamine to ease the motion sickness. Two of the churches were in cars and two wasin a mini-van. Each church supplied the transportation for us and usually the driver drives without noticing the up’s and down’s of the road, the near misses of the street pot holes, the swaying of the car from the back seat or breathing dirt from inside and outside of the car. It would make one kind of sick, if you know what Imean. And one night, Christia did get sick. Most of these roads most of the time was not wide enough for two cars to pass at the same time. Most ofall of these churches was in and between mountains and the road was really narrow and dusty. Barrett Town Missionary was 56 steps up to walk to reach thechurch, but Welcome Missionary had only 80 steps. The scenery was breathtaking, one could see over the tip of the trees onward toward the ocean. My team was: David [preacher] Shawn [singer], Christiana and I met with the younger children and we sang songs and told 2 separate picture stories, eachnight we had an average of 18 children. On Sunday night, I was asked to give my personal testimony and another night, Christiana gave hers. The churches were filled with friendly faces and full of life as we lifted our voices together in hymns. Each and every church my team had visited, expressed theirappreciation that we had came to share the Word. Nearly every one of the teams, after returning from the churches, we all meet at a restaurant around 9:30pm or later to have our supper time. Monday thru Tuesday – What I learn about Jamaica on the way to the schools We were divided into 3 teams going to different schools. We usually left the hotel before 6 am to be at the schools by 7:30 am. Most of the times we didn’t eat breakfast until 9am and then return back to the same school around 12:30 pm. Christina forewarn me, so I had bought along water, Folgers instant coffee bags, Equal and Creamer and a box of Shredded wheat cereal to eat in the early wee hours before we was suppose to leave.Along the outskirts and the living section of Montego Bay we had noticed homes that were half-way finished with concrete. We were told, as the money is available to the person who is building the house, might take between 5 – 8 years to be completed. They work a little and when the money for materials runs out, they stop, work some where, save money and when they have other funds they will return and build some more until they run out of money again and start the progress over again.There are no welfare in Montego Bay – this explains why whenever we stop for a traffic light, Adults and children is waiting for us to give them money, for example; A group of 4 men wants to wash your car windows while waiting for the light to change, people selling anything from water bottles, newspaper, necklaces and so on, or so many stands of vendors to sell anything to you. No Nursing Homes – there are a few nursing homes for aging adults but the childrenprovides for their parents in a extra room of their homes to take care of the parents until they die. The Jamaican does not believe in sending a parent to anursing home. Jamaica has parishes. In the middle of St. Elizabeth Mountains, about 1 ½ hours outside of Montego Bay, you can not, by the law, make any changes or produce new homes on this land. The reason, generation ago, whenever a family member dies, the home owner has permission to bury the relative in their yard. This is past from generation to generations. Presently if you buy into this land, you also get a grave yard. The clothing of Jamaicanpeople, I noticed not many bright colors but of subdue or less noticeable colors and of white. I suppose that is how tourist is single out by the clothing colors they wear.Schools within the city limits of Montego Bay – The elementary and junior high schools we visited two a day. Except for one, all the schools we visit didn’thave a cafeteria inside the school along both side of the path way of the street leading up to the school; we notice make shift stands of vendors selling fooditems, school supplies, drinks or chips. One man got mad at Christiana because she took a picture of his stands and other rows of venders. For each of theseschools was 2 separate times for students and their attendance. The first shift was from 8 am to 12:30 pm and included its own principal and teachers. From 12:30 pm to 12:45 pm, the morning shift get out of the rooms and the next shift of principal, teachers and students move into the same room and this shiftlasted until 5 pm. All students wore different uniform colors at each school and the individual’s grade had also a different color. Very few cars wesaw in which mothers were bringing their child to school. The reminder children and young people was observe as walking uphill to school or waiting for acity bus in town. Some of the nights when we were traveling to churches around 7:30 pm, I noticed junior high students still walking toward their homes. Onejunior high school, we observe a policeman searched each student as they pass a narrow fence door. All the schools whenever our program had started, we were surprise when they were quiet and listen as the principal spoke, the singer sang or the preacher spoke, no one was talking and they listen. On every day, each school started with a devotion time. [Something we don’t see in the USA] We learned that the schools here are approaching the time where we were in the USA years back when God was taken out of schools. Right now, we can freely reach and preach God’s words in public schools but discussions arebeing made where in the future God’s word can no longer be taught in Jamaica schools. But that also means that the Buddhist, Muslim, or any other religioncan also go into those schools. The classrooms are very small, the building made out of concrete with 8 inches space holes on 2 opposite walls for airventilation. The grades of these are the same as in the states. They were very clean in appearance, friendly, and wave as we said our good-bye.Tuesday - Blossom Garden Orphanage – A facility to care for babies and small children, the youngest -a week and 4 days old baby. We tour the single building of classrooms, walked though a room that had maybe 20 baby cribs. We met several of the employees who have devoted many years working with deformed, mental, physically handicap or normal children. We left boxes of the New Testament books and other item of gifts to the orphanage.Wednesday – The mission teams spilt this day – part went to Dunn’s River Falls and the other half continue visiting with schools. Ten people including Christinaand I and the van driver went to the Falls. We had to be ready at 8 am, ate breakfast and were on the road by 9 am. The Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios, islocated in the heart of the North coast region. Visitors to Ocho Rios can enjoy a climb up the limestone tiers and a dramatic 600 foot drop of cascading water fall. Christina went on this climb, holding hands of those around her. I watch her looking for spots for her footing in the water. I stayed on the side, taking picture of her and the group. My walk back up hill was very steep and I had to stop ever so often to catch my breath. By the time I reach the top, I was sweating really good. After we return back to the hotel, refresh and was ready to leave again at 5 pm for Welcome Missionary church service. And this was the night my team walked the 80 steps upward to a church on top of a mountain. I believe the other team prayed for me that night, because I wasn’t out of breath when I reach the top.Thursday - The entire group left the hotel at 7 am, travel though 3 parishes to Mandeville to visit the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf, a 3 hour drive one way. Along the way, we passed about 3 miles of bamboo trees over hanging on the highway; we passed rows and rows of orange tress which was part of 10mile orchards. Our driver mentions these oranges are shipped to Florida and then to make the orange juice over there. When we had reached our destination, the Center is located on a mountain 4,000 feet above sea level. The campus tour was very impressive of every teacher class we had entered into. The Center had received many awards of Excellency in the past and present from sewing, cooking hair-dressing, to computer and many other subjects. They not only are taught Basic Education but also different trades that can be use to support themselves in the real world after graduation. We visited the library with vast number of books, the clean dormitory and their classroom. We were told eachand every student was responsible of daily chores. They have all ages at this school, some families can afford to pay, some can not, and some children don’thave families at all. They have a program where a child can have a sponsor. The school tries to have four sponsors [paying $25 a month] for a child, or if one sponsor wants to pay the full $ 100 a month for a child. This takes care of the books, food, uniform and other needs of the students. After lunch, we were invited to a program given by the students. The CCCD has a choir called “The Hands of Praise” which was truly a blessing to witness. Sometimes later on this year, they are planning a tour in the states. If you happen to see this name, it willbe a blessing for you to see them. Bro. Price had something very special plan for all the students after the program- Ice Cream. We had fun serving Ice Creamcones to all the students and the employee’s. We had the opportunity to purchase jelly or souvenirs that the students made as we were leaving the Center.Friday- Feb. 2 The new friends we met was making their departure at different times from the hotel and leaving to the airport. Christina and I gave our Christian hugs to each, exchange our e-mail address and said our good-byes.
Ginger Horn
Price Harris
318-347-4370
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Price,
Linda and I had a blessed time in Jamaica. It was wonderful being with everybody. Although everything we did was was really gratifying, three experiences stand out in my mind: Linda holding the orphan baby, me preaching to 700 high school students listening very attentively, and a young man at the airport with whom I shared the gospel - he was from India and was really seeking. May God bless you and Ann. We love you dearly.
Scott and Linda Teague
(Scott and Linda are in evangelism. They have recently moved to Arkansas after more that 25 years of street evangelism in New York City - what an honor to have them our team.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bro. Price
I just wanted you guys to know that we had so much fun getting to know you guys and doing work for the Lord with you in Jamaica. It was truly a wonderful experience that has drawn us closer to the Lord. Thank you Price for including us – there is no other place we would rather have been last week then on this mission trip (Ok, maybe we would have preferred a steady stream of hot water ! haha) Seriously, though, thank you all for being so open and fun! We have made lifelong friends. Please keep in touch!
Sincerely,
Melissa Walker (Mrs. John)
Summer Grove Baptist Church
Shreveport, LA
(John serves as worship pastor – the choir gave them this trip for their 20th Anniversary!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bro. Price,
I am so grateful the Lord allowed me to go to Jamaica as a short term missionary. I am forever changed! My prayer is that I never sing a song or teach the Word ever the same again!
I still cry as I tell of some of the wonderful doors the Lord opened for us. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of the team. Please keep me in mind for next year. I hope I was some sort of help and not much trouble. (I've already been nagging my husband about joining me)
Blessings,
Cheri Taylor
Music Evangelism
Santa Claus, IN
(Cheri was such a joy. I encourage any church to use her in a concert or ladies conference - cheritaylor.org)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Price Harris Mission Trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica (Ginger Horn)
For the trip to Jamaica I choose to meet with my daughter Christina in Atlanta, Ga. The main reason being not familiar with all the new airport security procedures, this would also be the first time Christiana will tell and show me what to do in the airport. In addition, I will not be able to see her again until December of this year; I wanted to use the extra 3 hours to spend more time with her on theflights. We arrive in Jamaica around 1 pm on Friday, January 26th along with three other members of the team.Our van driver, along with the other cars, drove on the left side of the 2 lane road; even the sterling wheel was on the right side [our passenger side]. I noticed no street signs, no caution lights, but each car proceeded with caution with a heavy foot to the pedal. No A/C in the car and one could inhale thesmell of exhausts from the other cars traveling nearby. All the vehicles drivers on the road drove zipping in and out of tiny spaces between cars. Onceour driver got so close behind a van; I believe we may perhaps have touched it. We were told the extra heavy traffic was resulting from visitors traveling on thisroad to a ‘Jazz Festival’ weekend outside of town. Even though the distance was only 3 miles from the airport to Hotel Gloriana, time ‘wise’ was longer because of this traffic.The Hotel Gloriana The front of the hotel was a series of small shops on both sides and in the middle under a blue covering was the main entrance into the hotel. [You can see for yourself at www. hotelgloriana.com] The cars wereparked at an angle in front of the different stores and as the van edge behind them to drop us off at the entrance. The space behind the cars was such a tightsqueeze between the parked cars, the van and the main road. The hotel feature 6 categories of room’s and rates and had 75 Air Conditioned rooms with hot and cold water, Cable TV, swimming pool, conference room and a restaurant. Every Saturday night, a live band performing Jamaica music was provided beside theswimming pool. My daughter explains to me that this hotel was one of the better hotels in Montero Bay because most did not have hot water or Air Conditionedrooms. In America, this would be like staying at Motel 6. The average living conditions of people living here do not have either A/C or hot water. The richestpeople or hotels do provide both.As we were getting off the van, Bro Price Harris walked up to me and whispers that the manager thought we {Christina and I} were a married couple and we were given a one bed. When we had received our room key, we walked into varies open breeze path toward our building. There were 3 separate buildings with different views: pool, garden, new wing, airport, or mountain view. Thelandscape had tall flower trees and scrubs surrounding the different direction to rooms and around the swimming pool. The floor was broken tile pieces withall different colors and shapes. The first floor walk way was shinny white tile with an open half-way wall with spaces of English Ivy climbing over and inter-twine. The second and third building from the second floor, one could look down at the same view of palm and banana trees which the height of these reaches above the second floor. All different color of plants spacey planted in the garden and growing underneath the second floor Spanish balcony. Even with this setting, even in this late afternoon sun, on this balcony, the air felt very cool because of the tall plants reaching upward and across the length of the open porch.Our Room Christina and I walked up pink stairs onto the second floor of the third building. Our room entrance was like the other rooms on this floor; each had 2 cushion chairs and a table overlooking the plants across on the second building.Christina opens the door of our room and we noticed pink flowers on the bed, and on top of the dresser. Inside the midpoint of the room was an enormous kingsize bed as a result trying to get in on one side it was very difficult to squeeze one leg between the wall and the bed. No way of rolling out of the bed ‘causethe wall will catch you. Ha Ha! The bathroom floor was 4 ½ tiles by 5 tiles, the sizes of the tiles was approx. 9 foot. The air condition unit was on a wallnearer to the ceiling, with no high or low control, just a handle for the off and on switch and no window. We stayed in this room for two nights and on Sunday wewere changed into a bigger room in the same section but on the first floor. Every time it was clean, we had fresh pastel flowers on the floor and on the furniture. The hotel staff was very friendly and helpful during our stay.Friday Night After we rested a bit, we met with Bro. Price and the other team members at 5:30 pm. There Bro. Price had arranged for a driver, Chris, and a van that will hold our group of 17, and headed 5 miles into the main partof Montego Bay. I can’t get over that the sterling wheel is on the opposite side of the vehicle or driving on the opposite and the different side that wein America are accustom to. The right side, the passenger sees the other cars and the left side sees the side of a hill, that appear to have been sliced off, the grass is so close, you could reach out to touch them. Really close!I have noticed a number of America fast food restaurant was present, such as Burger King, Pizza Hut, and K F C. K F C has a different meaning inJamaica – it means Keep From Cooking.We ate the Pelican, a nice restaurant which across the street was the soft waters of the ocean. My meal was a Jerk Chicken, small bottle of Water and aChocolate Milk Shake. Christian had a bowl of Con Chowder and a Soda drink. Total cost in Jamaica was $1440.00 but in USA the cost was more like $ 23.30.The exchange of money was .65 to $1.00.When we finished and return back to the hotel we all met the other members on a balcony over looking the swimming pool. We gave a brief introduction of ourselves and Bro. Price went over the schedule for each day and all the times to leave for morning visiting schools and evening visits to churches. Scott and Linda Teague from Chester, Ark; Bryan Chase from Benton, La., and his niece, Candice Chase from Ala.; Carl Carrigan from Princeton, La; John and Melissa Walker, Price and Ann Harris and Christina Horn all from Shreveport, La.; ShawnFargerson and David Lane from Bossier City, La.; Cheri Taylor from Santa Claus, In; Mac Milligan, Deborah Kirk and Sue Scott from Iuka, Ms. and myself. Bro. Price had divided all the 17 people into groups. Each of the four teams had one preacher, a singer -who also took care of the men and women group, youthand a children teacher. When Christina and I return to our room, it was after10 pm. During the night we heard a ‘tweet –tweet’ sound. If you can remember the Twiggy Bird cartoon long ago, well that was what we heard constant and it continue every seconds, every minute during those night hours.
Saturday Morning We all met in the conference room at 8:30 am. On 4 six foot tables joining together, we assemble, counted and stamp with the information of the Bro. Price Harris Ministry, on nearly 5000 Christian tracts, books andother materials. Bro. Price inform us that his brother-in-law and supplied nearly 2000 Bibles that would be given out to every pastors and his church andalso be past out during the following week. Our former pastor of 33 years, Bro W D ‘Step’ Martin at Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport, La., contacted Evangel Publications and received permission to make copies of Vance Havner, the author of “Truth for Each Day”. The whole assemble time took two hours to complete everything.Toward the end of our assemble time, the different pastors and key leaders started arriving and meeting with some of the team. During the program, the hotel kitchen staffs were bringing in our breakfast and this consisted of: slices of Tomatoes and juicy red watermelon, scrambled Egg, Bacon, plain and cinnamonToast, Ackee and salt fish, and a vegetable that looks like turnip greens(callaloo) plus Coffee, water or orange juice. Afterward when we had completed the meal, Bro Price gave the pastors and ladies opportunity to introduce themselves and tell a little about their church or ministry. Bro. Price introduced the singing group, Cheri T., John and Melissa Walker, Shawn Fargerson, Mac, Debbie, and Sue and they took turns to sing a song apiece. They did an outstandingjob. One of the teams did not have a children story, so I gave them one of mine and suggestion for children songs to use. We had four hours to spare before thenext event so I slept.The Streets of Montego Bay The trip into the city was not nearly as crowded as itwas on Friday, but more easily going until we came into the edge of the main street toward downtown. The bumper to bumper of cars, trucks, vans and other type of vehicles, plus the sidewalks was jam-packed with people. It was like a few salts and a lot of pepper. People that is! Music was playing loudly fromdifferent stores on each side of the streets. Some men had the Jamaican sagging head gear and some with braded long hair. People were walking almost shoulderto shoulder, walking left to right on many of the crowded streets. We noticed open stands of bananas, onions, watermelon, mango or vegetables. Each standhad a section of rows for whatever they were selling and were in open empty spaces between buildings or on any street corner.Our driver had stopped the van and the entire group got off onto a location in front of a museum. In a small square was a bronze statue of Sam Sharpe who was the first salve who was killed for his Christian belief. At this same location two different things were already in the progress. On our left was a groupof young people performing on a stage singing gospel type of songs. Each one of the young people was wearing blue T-shirt with a nice size crowd was listening to them.
Across the street to our right was a man playing an instrument and singing just outside a store. It was like a competition between the two groups on who couldbe the loudest in their own sounds of music. Each of the team members was given 4 New Testament Bibles and tracts to hand out to anyone in the crowdwho wanted them either before or after the street preaching. Within 15 minutes - men, women and children were already listening to our first speaker Bro. Carl[today was his 70th birthday], when he stood and talk,his tone was a volume that had to be above the other 2 distraction of sounds. It wasn’t screaming but hisvoice had to carry to reach the ears of the 4 rows of the circle of people who was surrounding him. When Bro. Scott turn came, we had a nice sizeable crowd asthey watch both speakers do their gospel tricks and present the Word. The sky was getting an overcast of grey clouds with a cooler breeze, I almost thought wewere going to get wet soon as we were standing, but the clouds passed over. We spent about an hour and passed out 44 Bibles and numerous tracts. Afterwards the team broke into group and we ate at several fast food spots before getting together again on the van.Sunday thru Thursday – Jamaican ChurchesWe visited a total of 7 churches in and around Montego Bay. All church services started at 7:00 pm, but depending on the church’s traveling time and distancewas the determine factor as to what time each team would had to be ready to leave the hotel. MacField Baptist and Welcome Missionary at 5 pm., HopewellBaptist at 6 pm, HillView Baptist and Rosemount Missionary at 6:15 pm, Barrett Town Missionary at 6:30 pm. Each church was visited by each team on a rotationschedule. Each person on the team was required to bring 50 inexpensive gifts or toys for each of the age group in the church and these would be handed out within 30 minutes before the main service began. Whatever the role of the mission team, it was their responsibilities to be prepare for the preaching,singing or having materials for the youth or children groups. Whenever the teams went to churches, Christian and I made sure we took Dramamine to ease the motion sickness. Two of the churches were in cars and two wasin a mini-van. Each church supplied the transportation for us and usually the driver drives without noticing the up’s and down’s of the road, the near misses of the street pot holes, the swaying of the car from the back seat or breathing dirt from inside and outside of the car. It would make one kind of sick, if you know what Imean. And one night, Christia did get sick. Most of these roads most of the time was not wide enough for two cars to pass at the same time. Most ofall of these churches was in and between mountains and the road was really narrow and dusty. Barrett Town Missionary was 56 steps up to walk to reach thechurch, but Welcome Missionary had only 80 steps. The scenery was breathtaking, one could see over the tip of the trees onward toward the ocean. My team was: David [preacher] Shawn [singer], Christiana and I met with the younger children and we sang songs and told 2 separate picture stories, eachnight we had an average of 18 children. On Sunday night, I was asked to give my personal testimony and another night, Christiana gave hers. The churches were filled with friendly faces and full of life as we lifted our voices together in hymns. Each and every church my team had visited, expressed theirappreciation that we had came to share the Word. Nearly every one of the teams, after returning from the churches, we all meet at a restaurant around 9:30pm or later to have our supper time. Monday thru Tuesday – What I learn about Jamaica on the way to the schools We were divided into 3 teams going to different schools. We usually left the hotel before 6 am to be at the schools by 7:30 am. Most of the times we didn’t eat breakfast until 9am and then return back to the same school around 12:30 pm. Christina forewarn me, so I had bought along water, Folgers instant coffee bags, Equal and Creamer and a box of Shredded wheat cereal to eat in the early wee hours before we was suppose to leave.Along the outskirts and the living section of Montego Bay we had noticed homes that were half-way finished with concrete. We were told, as the money is available to the person who is building the house, might take between 5 – 8 years to be completed. They work a little and when the money for materials runs out, they stop, work some where, save money and when they have other funds they will return and build some more until they run out of money again and start the progress over again.There are no welfare in Montego Bay – this explains why whenever we stop for a traffic light, Adults and children is waiting for us to give them money, for example; A group of 4 men wants to wash your car windows while waiting for the light to change, people selling anything from water bottles, newspaper, necklaces and so on, or so many stands of vendors to sell anything to you. No Nursing Homes – there are a few nursing homes for aging adults but the childrenprovides for their parents in a extra room of their homes to take care of the parents until they die. The Jamaican does not believe in sending a parent to anursing home. Jamaica has parishes. In the middle of St. Elizabeth Mountains, about 1 ½ hours outside of Montego Bay, you can not, by the law, make any changes or produce new homes on this land. The reason, generation ago, whenever a family member dies, the home owner has permission to bury the relative in their yard. This is past from generation to generations. Presently if you buy into this land, you also get a grave yard. The clothing of Jamaicanpeople, I noticed not many bright colors but of subdue or less noticeable colors and of white. I suppose that is how tourist is single out by the clothing colors they wear.Schools within the city limits of Montego Bay – The elementary and junior high schools we visited two a day. Except for one, all the schools we visit didn’thave a cafeteria inside the school along both side of the path way of the street leading up to the school; we notice make shift stands of vendors selling fooditems, school supplies, drinks or chips. One man got mad at Christiana because she took a picture of his stands and other rows of venders. For each of theseschools was 2 separate times for students and their attendance. The first shift was from 8 am to 12:30 pm and included its own principal and teachers. From 12:30 pm to 12:45 pm, the morning shift get out of the rooms and the next shift of principal, teachers and students move into the same room and this shiftlasted until 5 pm. All students wore different uniform colors at each school and the individual’s grade had also a different color. Very few cars wesaw in which mothers were bringing their child to school. The reminder children and young people was observe as walking uphill to school or waiting for acity bus in town. Some of the nights when we were traveling to churches around 7:30 pm, I noticed junior high students still walking toward their homes. Onejunior high school, we observe a policeman searched each student as they pass a narrow fence door. All the schools whenever our program had started, we were surprise when they were quiet and listen as the principal spoke, the singer sang or the preacher spoke, no one was talking and they listen. On every day, each school started with a devotion time. [Something we don’t see in the USA] We learned that the schools here are approaching the time where we were in the USA years back when God was taken out of schools. Right now, we can freely reach and preach God’s words in public schools but discussions arebeing made where in the future God’s word can no longer be taught in Jamaica schools. But that also means that the Buddhist, Muslim, or any other religioncan also go into those schools. The classrooms are very small, the building made out of concrete with 8 inches space holes on 2 opposite walls for airventilation. The grades of these are the same as in the states. They were very clean in appearance, friendly, and wave as we said our good-bye.Tuesday - Blossom Garden Orphanage – A facility to care for babies and small children, the youngest -a week and 4 days old baby. We tour the single building of classrooms, walked though a room that had maybe 20 baby cribs. We met several of the employees who have devoted many years working with deformed, mental, physically handicap or normal children. We left boxes of the New Testament books and other item of gifts to the orphanage.Wednesday – The mission teams spilt this day – part went to Dunn’s River Falls and the other half continue visiting with schools. Ten people including Christinaand I and the van driver went to the Falls. We had to be ready at 8 am, ate breakfast and were on the road by 9 am. The Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios, islocated in the heart of the North coast region. Visitors to Ocho Rios can enjoy a climb up the limestone tiers and a dramatic 600 foot drop of cascading water fall. Christina went on this climb, holding hands of those around her. I watch her looking for spots for her footing in the water. I stayed on the side, taking picture of her and the group. My walk back up hill was very steep and I had to stop ever so often to catch my breath. By the time I reach the top, I was sweating really good. After we return back to the hotel, refresh and was ready to leave again at 5 pm for Welcome Missionary church service. And this was the night my team walked the 80 steps upward to a church on top of a mountain. I believe the other team prayed for me that night, because I wasn’t out of breath when I reach the top.Thursday - The entire group left the hotel at 7 am, travel though 3 parishes to Mandeville to visit the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf, a 3 hour drive one way. Along the way, we passed about 3 miles of bamboo trees over hanging on the highway; we passed rows and rows of orange tress which was part of 10mile orchards. Our driver mentions these oranges are shipped to Florida and then to make the orange juice over there. When we had reached our destination, the Center is located on a mountain 4,000 feet above sea level. The campus tour was very impressive of every teacher class we had entered into. The Center had received many awards of Excellency in the past and present from sewing, cooking hair-dressing, to computer and many other subjects. They not only are taught Basic Education but also different trades that can be use to support themselves in the real world after graduation. We visited the library with vast number of books, the clean dormitory and their classroom. We were told eachand every student was responsible of daily chores. They have all ages at this school, some families can afford to pay, some can not, and some children don’thave families at all. They have a program where a child can have a sponsor. The school tries to have four sponsors [paying $25 a month] for a child, or if one sponsor wants to pay the full $ 100 a month for a child. This takes care of the books, food, uniform and other needs of the students. After lunch, we were invited to a program given by the students. The CCCD has a choir called “The Hands of Praise” which was truly a blessing to witness. Sometimes later on this year, they are planning a tour in the states. If you happen to see this name, it willbe a blessing for you to see them. Bro. Price had something very special plan for all the students after the program- Ice Cream. We had fun serving Ice Creamcones to all the students and the employee’s. We had the opportunity to purchase jelly or souvenirs that the students made as we were leaving the Center.Friday- Feb. 2 The new friends we met was making their departure at different times from the hotel and leaving to the airport. Christina and I gave our Christian hugs to each, exchange our e-mail address and said our good-byes.
Ginger Horn
posted by PHarris | 10:27 AM
|
0 comments
