So yeah, God totally showed up today!
We started the day off with breakfast at 8:00am...the team had to be ready to be gone for the enitre day out "On Ministry". We did 3 shows and drove for a total of about 5 hours to the various locations around the island.
Our first stop was a government run home for children...the approx. age was 6-14 years old. There were probably between 30 and 40 children total living in the complex. Our performance area was about 20 feet sqaure, and it was on an angle about 45 degress...we knew it was going to be a neat show right away because the kdis saw us coming from the street corner and started clapping. We did the "normal" routine of songs and puppets, and a drama...Alyssa Gentry shared her testimony and the kids really responded to us well. Lots of hugs when we left, and they really didn't want us to leave, and admittedly, it was difficult. Zach Sharp gave the Gospel, and the kids were bery respectful and responsive.
From there we went KFC for lunch before preparing for the hour and a half trip up the hill to a boys home run by "Miss Irene"...what a sweet lady. She's been doing a Mother Theresa type of work on the island for over 30 years. She and her staff care for over 30 boys who have been abandoned or gotten into minor trouble. Age range was 6 to 16 or so, and their love for this sweet woman was palpable. One snag here was that another team from Ohio had already been there for half of the day doing ministry (they were not associated with our group, they were an independant group that comes to the island regularly). They also planned to spend the remainder of the day there. So we played a little soccer with them and waited for their craft time to finish and then did an abbreviated show (about 30 minutes). Marquis gave his testimony and Rusty shared the Gospel. It was kind of neat to "turn over" the boys that made diecisions to the team from Ohio.
Then it was another hour drive or so to dinner at Burger King (believe it or not, the kids are actually tired of American fast food, they want Jamaican food!), before heading to our night show in the Westmoreland area. This was an incredible event, and easily the early hi-lite of our trip here. There were at least 100 people there, including a local pastor and some of the church body from another church there.
One quick thing about this show is that we knew it was going to be awesome before we ever got there...because we were randomly pulled over and our driver's (Mr. Beddie) papers were checked and challenged for a good 15 minutes. It was pretty cool to see the kdis go to prayer over the situation, and the respect they showed as he got back on the bus.
The show started right in the middle of the neighborhood, at a market type area. Some of the ladies from the church kicked off the show by singing some of their local worship songs! What a fun challenge and blessing we had when our band (Hannah and Cristian on guitar, Missy on piano, and I was on bass) was expected to figure out what key they were singing in, let alone try to figure out their songs. Did I mention that singing ability is NOT a requirement to lead worship for the Jamaican people? But worship still happened and it was amazing! Props to Hannah for picking the notes by ear and having the rest of us follow her!
We did a rather long show (probably close to 2 hours) and the heat and humidity were intense. Nothing like the intensity of the Holy Spirit though! Zach Baumgartner and Kalena Skvarek both gave meaningful and effective testionies. Zach Sharp was an excellent Emcee, as he broke into a full Jamaican accent for the entire show. We did both of our dramas and they were very well received. The night concluded with me giving my personal testimony and the opportunity for people to turn thier lives to Christ, and for believers to get rid of some of the temptations they may have been beginning to give into. Can I just say Annie Abate and Wuanita Fraley would have loved this group, as there were "Amen" and "Praise Jesus" comments all over the place. Kind of fun to interact while preaching!
Following the challenge and prayer, I had some fun conversations with people, including "Carol" who has been divorced twice, but wanted to begin to follow Christ with her life again. Many of our team were interacting with the peole and it seems many lives were changed and connected with the local body of believers.
Our bus ride home (about an hour thru twisty but beautiful green terrain) was a blast. Full of energy as students shared their stories, lots of laughter with Emma and her Kazoo, and our NextGen sound tech Kristen's amazing laugh kept everyone in high spirits.
As I type many of the students are in the pool on a simply beautiful night. The weather feels almost San Diegoish, and we are looking forward to tomorrow's ministry.
Tomorrow's sites will be a different taste as we'll travel first to a government run home for kids with Disibalities, obviously gonna be a special place for me. Then we're off to an infirmary to simply visit and share with some older folks facing serious medical issues.
This is my 3rd time here in Jamaica, and I have to say, today is easily in the top 2 or 3 days of ministry here I've experienced. The group is a bonded and tight as ever, and spirits are so high as the Lord is working in great ways!
Sorry no pictures tonight, as it takes an incredibly long time to upload them here.
Please keep praying, and be very proud of your kids, they are ALL stepping up huge!
TN
GOD RULZ!