Monday, January 14th Journal

Monday (January 14, 2013)

Morning Journal Entry

Today is my first morning waking up in Harmons! It’s hot. Yesterday we flew out of St. Louis to Atlanta, then Atlanta to Montego Bay. I slept on both flights, since I had not slept much the night before at the church.

Going through customs in Jamaica was nerve wracking! Mike Yemm from Phi Delt was my “partner/boyfriend/husband” to go with me through customs to make it look like we were just on vacation as a couple, and not on a mission trip. The customs man drilled us on why we were visiting Jamaica (we were told  by the group leaders to answer “vacation”, which we did), and asked if we are traveling with other people. The leaders had not told us how to answer that question, so I was honest and said yes. He asked what Mike and I have in common with all of these people, and I said they are our friends. Then the Jamaican asked which airline we were flying home, and I (stupidly) said Southwest, when it was actually AirTran. The Jamaican said there is no such airline called Southwest, and was very mad. He asked who booked our flights. Thankfully, Mike stepped in and said he had booked the flights, and that he had misspoken when he was Southwest (even though it was me who said it! Haha). The Jamaican man still seemed mad/annoyed, but he let us go. Phew!

Then I had to go through one more stop with my two checked bags, and my carry on. They asked what was in my bags and I said clothes, shoes, and toiletries, and that they were all mine for personal use, and that they would all be coming back with me. Apparently we have to lie about this because the Jamaicans are afraid we are bringing these items to sell and make money for ourselves, not just to donate.

After that, most people got on the Won By One busses to go to the “Harmony House” in Harmons, Jamaica, where we would be staying until Saturday morning. I was one of the last people to (attempt) to get on a bus, so I ended up actually riding in the Won By One van. It was very nice compared to the busses. Much less crowded! I was very lucky to ride on it. The other people in the van were the two trip leaders, Sam and Joanie, Helena, Trent, and Lauren Sharpe. A Jamaican Won By One employee, “Creamy”, was our driver. He has this nickname because he is also the ice cream guy!

It was a loooong ride to the Harmony House. It only took the busses about 3 hours, because they were going normal speed. However, since we were in the van with Creamy, and the truck loaded with everyone’s two each checked bags was following us, Creamy went slow in case the truck needed to pull over to fix the suitcases. It took our van/the truck behind us about 4 or 4.5 hours I think to get to Harmons.

Despite being long, the ride was beautiful, and a lot fun. It was interesting to see the “cities” in Jamaica that have bigger/nicer houses, gas stations, fast food, before getting to Harmons where they are very poor, live in very small houses, and have very little tangible things in general.

My favorite part of the entire ride was being up on a hill, looking down, and seeing green everywhere! The hills, down below, were covered in trees. Absolutely amazing. I think I felt God in that moment.

I also really enjoyed hearing the stories of the returners in the van with us. Joanie (one of the trip leaders) kept saying our bus ride was also giving us our first stories, which is true! We laughed a lot, slept some, asked each other questions like who would play you in a movie or what is one thing on your bucket lists.

When it started to get dark during the drive, and the windows were open, it got a little chilly. The night breeze/air reminded me of Florida breeze/air at night.

Once we made it to the Harmony House, we ate the food they saved for us, since everyone else had already eaten. We had “festivals” (SO GOOD!), a juicy beef patty, and soup with chicken in it.

Then, we unloaded the suitcases off of the truck, and unpacked them. The guys held garbage sacks under signs like “shoes” or “toiletries”, and the girls sorted the suitcase items into those bags. It was mass chaos, crowded, and a little hot in the room, but also fun! They played cool music (***at the end of the week I ended up buying the CD with these songs), which made it way better, and it took us less than an hour to get every suitcase unpacked, with the items in the correct bags. I couldn’t believe how fast it went!

Next, we had a quick info meeting, put our valuables (phones, most of our money) in the safe.  

I am in a 3 person room with Brewer (also a Tri Sigma) and Helena. 

Monday Night Journal Entry

            This morning we had orientation, then went on a tour of Harmons. There is definitely a big difference between seeing Harmons in pictures, and seeing it in person. The houses are very small, and you can see the poverty all around you, yet the Jamaicans smile and wave as you walk by.

            After lunch (PB & J on the most amazing bread I’ve ever had!) we went to our first work sites.  I was at house #2 with Melanie, Courtney, BK, Arianna, Addison, Mike Yemm, Austin (Pi Kap), Eric, and Jack.

It was really fun! We put up the “wall”- Styrofoam with metal on it, and cut out the two doors and two windows. We also sifted the rocks out of the marl, and put the sifted maul in a pile inside the house (to use later for the walls).  It was very hot in the sun, but when it the shade it felt great, and the breeze felt great too.

            The house owner, a woman, was there with her 8-month-old daughter, Kimone Shakira. She was so adorable, and had the best pouty lip ever!

            I just read my first note from my ***“Caribbean Comrade” and it was really sweet. 

***Caribbean Comrade is someone that anonymously writes you a note every day of the trip. The guys have the girls and the girls have the guys. My Caribbean Comrade, who I am writing to, is Mike Yemm, the only Phi Delt on the trip. 

Thursday, January 17th Journal

Thursday (January 17, 2013)

Journal Entry

I think today was one of my best! I worked at house one putting the second layer of cement on the inside and outside walls. I was with Eric, Sam, Jeff, Josh, Kerstyn, and Olivia, and Pucci. I loved the Jamaicans we were working with (Big Man, Dirty Man, and Nicky). The woman whose house we were working on is called “Cutie”, and she’s been waiting four years for this house.

One of the discussions I had with the Jamaicans I think really impacted me. Big Man said he is thankful for God because no matter what, he always provides. He only has a job when groups come on mission trips to Harmons, which is only about 20 weeks out of the year. The rest of the year, he is unemployed and has no income. He said he is thankful to God because the money he makes during the 20 weeks he is working, lasts him the entire year, even when he is not working. He said he never goes to bed hungry.

It was a great reminder that God will give you everything you need, and that you should not take that for granted.

Another thing that happened was the Jamaican workers, Kerstyn, and I had a discussion about how some people believe you can only be baptized once in your entire life (even if you were a baby when you were baptized, and did not have a say in the matter), and how some people believe you have to be baptized again as an adult, once you accept Christ. It was an interesting topic to discuss because there are good points on both sides, and truthfully I’m not sure I have a solid opinion on the issue. I remember discussing this same question in high school when I would go as a guest to St. Paul’s youth group Bible studies.

Jeff said something really cool when I was talking to him. We were talking about what we’ve enjoyed about the trip, and how we both love hearing what everyone else has enjoyed and experienced. I said I liked hearing about other people’s God moments because I wasn’t sure I had really had my own yet. Jeff said he thinks hearing others people’s God moments are his God moments, which I think is really cool and powerful way to look at God moments!

Thursday Night

By far my favorite night so far!!! Went to another Jamaican’s home for “Meals on Heels.” Won by One provided the food for us to eat, and the hosts worked all day to prepare it. We had fried chicken, rice, green beans, and brownies. We also took Jamaican pop for everyone to drink. I took a Pink Ting for myself because I love it.

My group at the house we went to was Litz, Logan, and Zach Nicols.

The family of the house we went to is an older, married man and woman, their adult daughter, and her five year old daughter. The older couple has been married 50 years! They have six daughters and two daughters. They also have 28 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren!

It was a very nice house for Harmons, with a family room, small kitchen, small bathroom, and two decent sized bedrooms. The older couple share one bedroom, and their daughter and granddaughter share the other bedroom. Their shower looked like a time machine, very modern and cool. It had a seat in it, and a backlight! I was shocked to see it in a Harmons home since they have such little water. The adult daughter (Pamela) said it has both hot and cold water, and that she prefers the hot water for showers.

The mother’s name was Adella. I cannot remember the man’s name. Pamela’s sister lives just up the hill behind their house, so she brought over her Meals on Heels group after they were done eating.

Later Thursday Night

Tonight we got in a circle and did shout outs to each other. I was the first one to volunteer to share. I prefaced before sharing by saying I had not spoken to the group a single time this whole trip, not even to just the girls. I said how thankful I am to all of them for sharing their God moments. I said was getting discouraged about not having my own yet, but that Jeff helped me realize that hearing others’ God moments is a God moment. I did a shout out to BK for being there for me all week to talk to, and to make me laugh because she’s so funny.  Also did a shout out to Eric for sitting by me on the bus to and from the infirmary, putting his arm around me, and letting me cry on his shoulder! I told them about how I told Eric something that I had previously only ever told one person. Grandpar died the day after my 18^th birthday, and I have carried with me a lot of guilt for not visiting him on my birthday. I was being selfish by picking up my senior pictures, Momentum practice, etc. Opening up and sharing that with Eric, and then the whole group, I think really made me feel a lot better about it.

Then, after a ton of other people had done their shout outs to people, Kayley and Brewer both went in a row. It was weird because when Kayley started to speak, I had my mouth open to speak, just waiting for the words to come out, but she beat me to it. After Kayley, Brewer gave her shout out, so I decided I had to go after them since I was the only Sigma left.

I shared with the group that I thought I had just had a mini God moment right then. I was sitting listening to people give shout outs to other people in their chapter, and it made me think about my own experience with Tri Sigma. Suddenly I remembered that Brewer was the person who walked me in at Sigma on pref day (Friday) when I was going through recruitment freshman year. I mentioned that she probably didn’t remember that, but she said she did which I thought was cool (hopefully she remembers it for good reasons, and not bad!)

I realized that if I had not stuck with recruitment (I wanted to drop on Thursday, but didn’t) I would not have gone to Sigma on Friday, been walked in by Brewer, gotten a bid, joined, and would not have gotten to know Brewer and found out about this trip. It was a crazy “a-ha” moment that reminded me God has a plan for me! A plan that involves me joining Tri Sigma, meeting Brewer, and God using her in my life as part of His plan, to get me on this trip.

 It’s like being here brings me full circle from the day we met during pref day of recruitment, to today where we’re sitting in the same room in Jamaica with 60 other Greek students, on a mission trip, serving God.

After we were all done sharing, we were over by the kitchen and I decided to tell Leighton (what I had wanted to tell her Wednesday morning) that I loved her testimony, and that I think she is inspirational. We also talked about how we both had been concerned that we weren’t feeling something we were supposed to earlier in the week, and about how we need to have patience to let all the experiences come together to change us.

BK hugged me and thanked me for the shout out, so did Eric. He said he’s always here (that he’s just across the street because he lives in Delt, and that’s right across the street from Sigma) if I ever need anything.

I think the coolest thing was Justin hugging me, telling me he had noticed I had been quiet so far all week, and that he was proud of me for sharing!

John 15: 12-17

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, o that you will love one another.

Tuesday, January 15th Journal

Tuesday (January 15, 2013)

Journal Entry

Today I went to a school in Harmons, grades 1-6. I volunteered to be in a 5^th grade classroom.

When I got there, the teachers had switched rooms to teach different subjects, so the first teacher I met was actually not the 5^th grade teacher. The students were working on a worksheet about finding the perimeter. Then the 5^th grade teacher came back, and talked to the class about lightning.

After learning about lightning, she took the students outside to have class, which I was excited about because the view behind the school was absolutely incredible. The students were learning and talking about differences in weather and climate between the Caribbean countries. Tony (Jamaican photographer hired by Won by One to take pictures of us all week) came to take pictures, but could only take one of me sitting in front of the class. No students could be in it, which is disappointing.

Kerstyn, Rachel L., and Sawyer came outside to get me to go eat the lunches we had packed. We ate in the school’s “teacher’s lounge” and shared our morning experiences in our classrooms.

After lunch I went back to the 5^th grade classroom. The teacher had me write some questions out of a workbook about collective nouns. Then she asked me if I could teach them, and I said yes, and she left the room before I could ask her any questions! So since I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, I just let the kids ask me questions about myself!             

They asked how old I am. I made them guess, and they said 19 or 20 (one kid said 100). They asked where I’m from. When I said Missouri they asked if I’m from Joplin, and I said no, but I’m sort of close to there! They asked if I live with my parents, and if I have a pool at home. Finally the teacher came back, had them complete the assignment, had me grade it, and then asked if I would mind taking the kids outside for P.E. I said sure, and she told me to have them race each other. When we got outside, they all raced each other a few times, then played some sort of game on their own.

One of the girls asked if I wanted to sit down on the grass with her, so I did. When I did that, almost all of the other girls came and sat down with us. Then the boys joined too. They were all fascinated by my tattoo. They asked what is was, how it got there, if it is under my skin, if it will ever come off. I said it’s a tattoo, it was put on with a needle and ink by someone I paid to do it, yes it is under my skin, and no it won’t ever come off. I was very surprised that they acted like they had never seen a tattoo before!

They also asked if I am leaving Saturday, and I said yes, I am going to Ocho Rios on Saturday.

Tonight was amazing, and really reminded me why I am here, and why I should be here. So great hearing about other people’s days and life stories that have molded people into who they are today. Tears all around, especially at girls’ night, while the men had courtyard time, playing dominos with the local men of Harmons. Leighton shared her testimony, then others shared very deep stories about things that have happened in their lives. Very powerful and amazing to watching people open up, and become vulnerable, while building relationships with each other.

After girls’ time was over, BK and I played the game “Signs” for a little bit with some of the boys, until BK then started a card game called “Mao.” It was Rob T., Zach N., Trent, Logan, BK, and I playing, and it was a lot of fun!