Merry Christmas!

Christmas in another culture is always an eye-opener, I think. Especially when you are away from your family and all that you have known Christmas to entail. I mean an eye-opener in the sense that realizations can be made. My first realization is that it does not feel like Christmas for me when my family and I are not physically together. Not just my Mom and Dad, but my Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and of course the Lally family and such. My second realization is that I will forever associate Christmas with winter weather. Don’t get me wrong, the Jamaican warm weather is lovely, but I’m not ready to be without my winter wonderland on Christmas.

Let me share what I have learned about the Jamaicans and some of their Christmas traditions. First, the Christmas season starts at the beginning of November and gradually increases with spirit up until Christmas day (we do that too obviously).

Sorrel is a delicious Christmas drink here, made with rum, ginger, and of course the deep red, sorrel plant!

On Christmas Eve, traffic in the Kingston area is way more chaotic than usual, on account of the amount of people who travel to town for shopping, singing, and dancing on the streets.

Church is lovely, with lots of instruments, singing, and lights everywhere. Christmas lights are called "pepper lights."

Reggae Christmas songs can be found on the radio and country people come together to cut down the bush to make the roads nice for Christmas.

Instead of baking cookies like Americans tend to do around the Christmas season, the Jamaicans seem to be big on baking breads or “Christmas cake.” I have found a typical Christmas cake to be a wine bread of some sort.

Lastly, the Christmas day celebration seems to be centered on family and attending church services. I can’t say I don’t mind these values!

The past few weeks have been different for me here in Jamaica. I spent much time laying around and resting as a result of slipping down a hill in Mt. Friendship when walking some kids home from school. I “mashed up” my ankle a bit by damaging the ligaments. Thankfully, I can say that in times of dire need, like me sitting half way down a hill and not being able to move, that I can depend on the people in my mission for help. The assistance and care I received from the Mt. Friendshipers and my roommates were angelic.

Much of my sitting around enabled me to help wrap about 300 presents to be donated to one of the Mustardseed Communities, just outside Spanish Town. The wrapping was tedious, but having the opportunity to distribute them to the disabled children close to Christmas was well worth all the work. These children have real appreciation for what they have and all they receive. A simple yo-yo or toy car can become someone’s proudest possession!
My Christmas day was joyful as my roommates and I exchanged Secret Santa gifts with each other. We sat around our Jamaican Christmas tree, which is completely brown and looks like it could have bared fruit at one time, and next to our homemade, red and green stockings we made for each other. Separating from our American comfort zone, otherwise known as our apartment, we went to each of missions for mass on Christmas day. The food bags were handed out that we scrambled to get together, and of course the books from our book drive! Each child received 2 books appropriate for their age and gender. I can’t tell you how incredible it is to watch these children as they receive their gifts. The relationships we have formed with the children in our missions are so incredibly special that the thought of leaving them one day causes heartache.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Creeping up on my 4 month mark!

Coconuts and green bananas are a common sight in our kitchen lately. Sarah has been filling the pick up with these Jamaican fruits and carrying back to our apartment. It’s quite fun to watch my roommate take our dull machete and try to break open the coconut to get some of the jelly out-a very nice morning treat in our house.

Tuesdays have become a blessing and joy for me in Mt. Friendship. The after school club finally started and is working out well so far. The kids are loving the opportunity to do some arts and crafts and play some outdoor games. I can’t describe their excitement. Their excitement is contagious, and quickly puts a smile on my face. I enjoy this time to get to know the students and share a good time together.

After our chore of having to clean up the evidence of our creativity and fun, some of the kids pile up into our pickup (when we have it) and ride to “entrance.” At entrance, they can either walk farther up the mountain to Mt. Pleasant, Mt. James, or Big Road. Or, they can travel down to Iron River or Golden Spring. Some have to take taxis, which is about 50 cents U.S. money.

Other days, walking some of the children home from school can bring great experiences. Last week, I accompanied a 2nd grade girl, to her home. I was able to meet her mom and new baby brother. At the door of her house, I took my flip-flops off as usual and left them by the door. When leaving the house, my shoes were missing. Their dog had chewed them and thrown one down “da gully!” Luckily, the mother lent me her shoes to wear as I walked up the road to catch a taxi/bus home. I can honestly say that walking in someone else’s shoes is a different experience.

This weekend, my 4 roommates and I traveled across the island to Negril (aka the most touristy hot spot in Jamaica). Sarah showed off her amazing running skills in the annual “Reggae Race.” Supporting her as she ran the 13.1 miles in the half marathon was certainly worth waking up at 4 in the morning for! The three times she ran by resulted in extreme noise from me and the other volunteers. Can you tell I’m proud of her?

Of course, a trip to Negril meant a well-deserved visit to the beautiful, white sandy beaches. I also certainly worked on my haggling skills at the craft market, as I browsed among the beautiful, local made artifacts from the island. I had some of the best jerk fish and ackee and saltfish I have ever had.
Thank you to all who have sent books for our Christmas book drive! I am so thankful and very excited to start distributing them in a few weeks!

Life is Good!

As I alluded to before, I have seen many families that live in unremarkable living conditions…very different than what I have seen in the States. Wood floors with holes in them, allowing you to view the ground, tin roofs with cement blocks on top to make sure everything stays in place, no bathrooms or running water, and entire houses as big as many of our living rooms. For many poor in Jamaica, this is the reality of their living situation. One particular family in Mt. Friendship who I love to visit consists of a mother and father and their 5 children. This family is blessed with a very loving mother, Nicki, who is a faithful member of the church and a good friend to the volunteers. She has very little to offer, yet offers me something each time I visit her home. We sit and talk, take trips to the river, help her kids with their homework, and play with my hair (which is currently full of braids-finally)!

Today, I rejoice in the fact that this family has a new home to live in! There is an organization in the Caribbean, Food for the Poor, which will donate small homes to families with severe living situations. Of course the process for this large donation to take place is no easy task I’m sure, but luckily this family was able to make it through and receive one of these sturdy homes. It’s amazing to see how happy Nicki has become and how excited she is about life. She feels her prayers have been answered and has a great amount of hope for the future.

Honestly, I can’t believe it is November already. My fellow volunteer and I are in the initial stages of starting an after school program at Mt. Friendship School. Our goal is to give the students an opportunity to play organized games, make things, read stories, get some exercise in, write, and secretly learn among the various activities. Hopefully, I will have more to update about this topic soon!

It is already the beginning of the Christmas season here! There is Christmas songs being played sporadically, and people are often commenting on the “Christmas breeze” that makes its appearance.

Along with my weekly visits to the clinic, I will soon start spending some quality time at the hospice center attached to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Kingston. I have always felt that being with someone during his or her last days on Earth is a special time. As a nurse, I hope to be able to make their time a happy one, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Seems like a good time to try it out! I’m excited!


The 5 of us volunteers are having a book drive for the kids in our missions of Mt. Friendship, King Weston, Tom’s River, and Devon Pen. We hope for friends and family back home in the States to send a book(s) to us to be handed out during the week of Christmas. Anyone willing to send children’s books can send them to:

Tracy Petersante
Constant Spring
P.O. Box 848
Kingston 8
Jamaica, West Indies

I want you to know how much I miss all my friends and family back home! I can’t wait for visitors in January (parents, Brenna and Lindsay)! Thinking of you all and wishing you the best during the start of the Holiday season!

Moments

With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

We crucify ourselves between two thieves: regret for yesterday and fear of tomorrow. ~Fulton Oursler

It’s been almost 3 months that I have been in Jamaica now. I have gotten myself into a groove that is still flexible and constantly changing. I still concentrate on my health teaching at the Mt. Friendship School, in which we have moved on from hygiene to exercise importance. I have continued to volunteer at the clinic and I have continued my home visits to the wonderful people of Mt. Friendship.

During all this mission work that involves preparation for the future and learning from the past, I am trying to learn how to live in the present. This means really enjoying the little things each day, consciously training my brain not to become obsessed with what the future holds like I have done habitually for as long as I can remember, and learning to “just be” with the people. Although I have come a long way with this during my time in Jamaica, I hope that by the end of my year in Jamaica, my soul will become fully ingrained with this value of living each day in the present.

God Takes Care of his People!

These past few days have been so incredibly busy for me! I finally started health teaching in the primary school of Mt. Friendship. I am trying to finish up hand washing while starting a new topic about personal hygiene. So far, the kids are responding well to my teaching and so are their teachers. Along with this, I have still been spending time in the basic school. From my time there, I have realized one of my biggest frustrations here in Jamaica. I have great concern for the number of children that go on throughout the school system not knowing how to read or write. Because there is no ancillary help for the teachers, it is very easy for students to fall behind, and virtually stay left behind. Another frustrating factor plays along with this; the number of children who miss school because their parents cannot send them with lunch or snack foods. So needless to say, I am trying my hardest to work with those students who are struggling and not getting the extra help they need to learn to read and write. I think eventually all the volunteers that come to Jamaica have this same frustration in the schools and do the same thing of working with those struggling students. I am determined to teach the basic school kids that will move on to first grade next year, their alphabet and numbers. This sounds much easier than it actually is however.

I am settling in to a routine quite nicely here and I can honestly say that I have reached an all time high of happiness here in Jamaica! Some great things have happened to me here.

On Tuesdays, I have been walking Ms. Doris’ granddaughter, Kima-lee home from school (she’s 5). We stop at a certain spot along the way each time to read a story and it has now become our secret storytelling spot. Every now and then another student joins us and I have them sit on my backpack as I read to them. It has become a simple joy for me in Mt. Friendship.

This week, Kima-lee, who is extremely adventurous, stubborn, and intelligent, wanted to know if I was going to stop at some of the houses along the way back to her house and if she could go with me. So we socialized with a few people including Ms. Merkel who is a sweet old lady who passed out in church on me a few weeks ago, Miss Jean who usually sits out on her veranda in the afternoon, Jorgianna and Reshema (two adorable basic school girls who are 3 years old) and their moms who work very hard at home for their families, Mr. Williams who was sitting underneath a palm tree in his yard waiting for his wife to come home, and she introduced me to a new home I have yet to encounter. Kima-lee knocked on the door and introduced me to Miss Enid. I sat, and talked to her for a long time as Kima-lee squirmed all over the place and I soon found out that she is a very nice lady with many health problems. It turns out that she is a diabetic and has high blood pressure problems, as do many elderly people in Jamaica. Being the nurse that I am, I investigated a little to see if she was controlling these health problems. Her son, who lives in the States, sent her an automatic blood pressure cuff for her, but her husband and herself had no idea how to work it. She has insulin for her diabetes, but her husband and herself had no idea how to give an insulin injection. So I showed them how to work the blood pressure cuff, how to record it daily and realize the normal readings from the abnormal. I showed her husband how to read the insulin label, use the syringe, draw it up, and inject it into the skin (he practiced on a banana while I gave the actual injection to his wife). However, they did know how to use the glucometer and realize when her blood sugar is high. We also went over all her medications, what they were for, and when to take them.

I am so happy that Kima-lee took me to meet this couple! They were so thankful for the help and I can’t help but feel like I really made a difference in their life. Miss Enid explained to me early in the conversation that since the onset of their health problems, they have not been able to work like they used to and don’t always have the money to go to the doctor. I also, can’t help but think that God lead me to their house (with Kym’s help of course!). God works in wondrous ways.

This weekend, we plan to take some of the kids from the missions to a big show at the national arena! Should be fun and exciting for them! I can’t wait!

A Birthday Celebration

On Friday, I had the opportunity to celebrate the birthday of one of the kindest, strongest women I know.

I first met Dimple with Mr. Brooks. Mr. Brook’s wife, Aunt Edith, died this past January after a struggle with pneumonia. She was just 3 months short of turning 100 years old. Mr. Brooks is now 87 years old, and has lost some of his mental capacity since the death of his beloved wife. This of course, is not uncommon when an elder loses a mate that they have been with most of their life. This sweet man now lives alone in their house at Mt. Pleasant with his dog Toby and his new kitty. Dimple is Aunt Edith’s niece and watches out for Mr. Brooks. She lives a good walk away from Mr. Brooks, with her 5 children and husband, Harry. Mr. Brooks walks the distance to Dimple’s house each Thursday for dinner and the enjoyment of their company. Meanwhile, throughout the week, I noticed that Dimple stops by to visit, cook for him, or run an errand. It makes me so glad to know that there is someone there to help Mr. Brooks with anything he needs.

During this short time I have known Dimple, she has shown me unselfish kindness and the value of a faithful, strong woman. She has a lot on her plate, with feeding her children and taking care of her family and Mr. Brooks. She has been sick for the last couple weeks, but yet doesn’t complain a bit. She is one of the most loving mothers I have met and always tries to make me feel welcome in her home. She has little to give, yet gives so much. I love women like this. They are truly my role models and I aspire to have that much love all the time.

For her birthday, Charity (fellow volunteer in MF) and I baked a cake, made a card, and framed a picture of her with her husband and youngest daughter, Akeelah. She made us fried chicken, fries, and fried bananas for dinner, and we just sat around and talked for a long time. It’s making things like birthday celebrations happen in our missions that can really make a difference in someone’s life. Especially when someone may not have much excitement and works hard to survive at the poverty level.

It was a joy to have this celebration with this incredible woman.

September in Jamaica!

The past few weeks have been very busy and the start of a few new things for me. I have been spending a couple days a week in the basic school at Mount Friendship (MF). I love these little 3-5 year olds! In Jamaica, the students all wear uniforms according to what school they attend, and it makes them 100% adorable. There are two teachers in the basic school, Mr. Anderson for the younger ones and Miss Green for the older ones. I help out the teachers with whatever they may need, especially with students that are having difficulty with a lesson. The students at the school are very diverse in their abilities to read and write. It is easy for the students to fall behind when the teachers don’t have someone to help them with the students. This has become very evident to me during my short time at the school, so I try to help by working with those students to understand and complete an assignment.

I have already started some health teaching in the basic school! I decided to concentrate on the importance of hand washing as my first topic. So, I asked the basic schoolteachers to have them line up at the sink outside to wash their hands before snack time and lunch. I taught them this cute song, which they have become completely obsessed with! It is to the tune of Frere Jaques:
Tops and bottoms, tops and bottoms,
In between, in between,
All around your hands, all around your hands,
Makes them clean, makes them clean!

Although I had to start hiding the soap during class time, I am very happy that they enjoy the song and now love to wash their hands. I think some kids are starting to go to the bathroom just so we can wash our hands together after and sing the song. I also have them say, “Bye Germs!” when they’re done washing. It’s so cute! I will eventually do teaching about hand washing in the primary school as well. Can you tell I’m a little excited?

After school, I typically walk some kids home and make some home visits. Some of my regulars are Mr. Brooks in Mt. James (just a short walk from Mt. Friendship), Ms. Doris, and Ms. Hylton. Walking from one house to the other, can take about 2 hours after I stop and talk to people I see on the way. I am getting to know more and more people in the area each week. It’s so enjoyable and I can’t tell you how much I love it.

I started helping at another clinic in New Kingston called, “Our Lady of the Poor.” My paperwork is nowhere near done going through the Ministry of Health here, so there is limited nursing things I can do at this clinic for the time being. The head RN there is hilarious, nice, and takes great care of me there. I think I’m the only other RN there, but I haven’t met everyone yet, so I’m not sure. This past week, there was a group of students from Miami who are in LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) school. They had to come to Jamaica and do 2 weeks of clinical time because their program is mainly based in Jamaica. So for the majority of my time there this week, I assisted them in their learning about various things and helped them feel more comfortable with some nursing tasks. They were immigrants from Cuba and their life stories were incredible.

Other than my time at the clinics and in Mt. Friendship, we have experience our first “9 night” here. My fellow volunteer Sarah had a death in her mission of Devon Pen. Their process after death here is much more of a celebration of that person’s life than in the States. “9 nights,” happens on the 9th night after that person’s death and the day before the funeral. The family of the deceased holds a giant party that starts around 7 and goes until the early morning. There is tons of food, music, dancing, games, and just sitting around talking on a 9 night from my experience. It was a great way to celebrate that person’s life and the fact that he or she is no longer suffering and with God in a better place. Considering how many people come to a “9 night” and the expectations put on the family to provide food for everyone, I can only imagine how difficult it must be on a poor family. Honestly, I see a lot of poor families in the missions and I don’t understand how a family can always uphold this expectation. Hopefully, it is because of the kindness of family and friends that this can happen.

Walking the Roads of Mt. Friendship

On the 10th, it will have been a month since I first came to Jamaica. The time has been a mix of emotions, as one would expect. My source of happiness comes first from my mission, Mt. Friendship. School started this week, so for two days, I explored the area and introduced myself to the principal, Miss Rufus, the guidance counselor who I will be working very closely with, Mr. Hamilton, and the other 9 teachers of the primary school and the educators of the basic school for the little ones. There is an area of the school called sick bay, where the principal wishes to set up a little nurses station for me, considering they have never had a nurse in the school. So this year looks to be an experience in school nursing! I am most excited to be working with the students and teaching about different health related topics. But right now, my main concern is getting to know the students and their families.

Still, I am eager to explore the different areas of Mt. Friendship. So, yesterday I took a road I have not traveled before. This road is called Lime Edge. I walked along, meeting new people who were friendly as always. “Whitey!” was called to me from the side of a large hill. I reply back, “Good Morning!” I talked to people who were outside and soon came across this tiny dirt path. I really wanted to know where it would lead, so I followed it in my Old Navy flip-flops. I have never been so rustic in my entire life! It took me to the middle of the “bush,” as they call it. It’s a really woodsy area and it came with some beautiful scenery when I went as far as I could go. I layed down under a burnt palm tree for a few minutes. I heard voices coming from close by, but because of the plants and trees, I couldn’t see that far away. Tracking the voices, I found two farmers picking coffee! They were surprised to see me and tried to figure out why I was out in the middle of nowhere. The farmer gave me a piece of sugarcane and we talked for a while as I bit into the hard, juicy stick. I offered to help him pick some coffee and he gladly accepted.

Heading back to where the trail met the main road, I saw elderly gentleman who was walking. I waved and made my way over to see who he was. His name was Mr. Ellis, and he let me walk with him to his house and point me in the right direction of the river. However, instead of finding the river, I walked him to his home and met the family that lived in his house. An elderly lady and her 29-year old physically and mentally disabled inhabitant were sitting outside the small house. I learned that this woman had taken this man in when he was 9-months old, when his parents abandoned him after they found out he was disabled. I was struck by her desire to care for someone in this situation! What a genuine heart and representative of how we should take care of others who are in need. The man is wheel-chaired bound and is probably not able to leave the house, which is down a long, rocky road. I cannot wait to go visit them again.

With every intention of calling it a day and catching a taxi home, I ran into two children that I see at church every week. They were walking home from school and greeted me with hugs and by shouting, “Miss, Miss!” They took my hand and invited me to their home. We walked down a beautiful hidden trail that leads to their house. There are five children in this family and very loving, and devoted mother. This family was very close to the former volunteer, Betsy. I can only imagine how close they must have been. The six of us went to the river and swam for a while. I was so hot and so sweaty that I just went in fully dressed! I was quite a site on the bus back home, but it was worth it. They gave me two pears (we call them avocados at home) and sent me on my way to make it home before dark. I had the most wonderful time with this family.

It seems crazy I know, to walk around all day and meet people, take roads I do not know, and visit with total strangers, but that is what is so great about Jamaica. You can do these things here in the mountains. I wouldn’t dream of doing this back home, but here, there is a safeness in what we do. However, I know when I should not go off with someone I do not know and when to terminate a relationship. It is like taking a step back in time here in Mt. Friendship. Everybody knows everyone, and people will be glad to just talk for a few minutes or have a visitor. It’s important that you do not ignore someone as you pass him or her on the roads. It is sign of disrespect and rudeness.

Next week I plan to spend Monday and Tuesday at the school and I cannot wait to start my nursing and teaching there! I will do what I can for the school and with the supplies I have available to me.

The rainy season is definitely here! It rains for a while almost everyday. One of my biggest challenges of the rainy season so far is learning to live in community with the mosquitoes. Who am I kidding, I have never felt so good about killing a small insect in my entire life as I do now.

Jamaican Days

The past two weeks here in Jamaica have gone by faster than I can explain. We are busy. Very busy most of the time. But I would not take back a single moment I have spent here with the people of Jamaica. Camp in the city is over and I am back to spending time in Mt. Friendship. I am so eager for September when school starts in Jamaica. Some of my favorite moments from camp last week were: teaching a group of 9-11 year olds a dance to “Thriller” and “Beat It,” by request, and taking the children on a field trip to Ys Falls. The falls are about 3 hours away from Kingston and involved a fun bus trip of singing, laughter, and sleep. The children swam for a few hours in a beautiful water hole, experiencing the beauty of the Jamaican countryside.

At the falls, I did something I thought I could never do: swing off a rope into a water hole, too far for my liking in a tree. Thanks to Sarah and Matt (my fellow PVIs), this extraordinary event occurred twice. I am so afraid of heights it’s not funny. But it was fun, even in the midst of my panic attack.

I found out some sad statistics of the neighborhood that the camp takes place in: 3 out of 4 boys will not make it to age 20 and there have been 18 deaths (most murders) in the past month in the area. Each street has a rivalry with another street, and many seek revenge for only living on another street they don’t like. It’s sad to realize this reality, and see the kids that will become involved in this whether they want to or not. This makes me think about how lucky I am to have the opportunities I had as a child and to live in the place that I did for 22 years. Thanks Mom and Dad!

I also experienced church for the first time in Mt. Friendship this past Sunday. The church felt really dead; there were very few people there and little music to worship with. But the love was there and the potential to make this church as lively as it once was. Hopefully, over the next year, Charity and I can help the people of Mt. Friendship transform this church into a place of spirit and charisma. It’s exciting to think about!

During mass, I sat in back of three children. Not too long into the service, a little boy appearing around age 5 came to sit next to me. He had with him a little bag of juice and biscuits. I was like, “Great! A new friend to sit with!” The boy was very curious about the hymnal I was holding, and soon snatched it from me to get a better look. He then took the hymnal and lightly hit me with it over the head. Yes, I was more than surprised and even laughed a little inside. I quietly told him not to do that, and then watched him hit the child in front of him over the head with the hymnal. It was then that this child got the hymnal taken away. He was a mischievous little person and I had to pay close attention to him during church. But I fully enjoyed his company.

This weekend coming up, we are planning to FINALLY hit the beach for some much needed relaxation and fun. I can’t wait. But what I am most excited about is getting started in a clinic in the area. Yesterday, we went for a tour of Food for the Poor in Spanish Town. This is a huge organization in Jamaica that provides housing, food, healthcare, and more opportunities to the poor of Jamaica. They have a clinic in Kingston that provides free healthcare for those who cannot afford it. I have been welcomed as an RN volunteer! There is a lot of paperwork and other things I must do before I can actually start, but nonetheless, I am thrilled to be using my nursing abilities down here.

“The gift to love is the gift of the power and the capacity to love, and, therefore, to give love with full effect is also to receive it. So, love can only be kept by being given away, and it can only be given perfectly when it is also received”-Thomas Merton

CanJam plus 5 Americans

Sunday was my first time attending a Catholic Jamaican church service. As volunteers, we belong to the Immaculate Conception Parish in Stony Hill, where we live. Each week, we go to the service at this church on Sunday morning, followed by the church service at our primary mission in the afternoon. In my case, I will go to Mt. Friendship each Sunday. This week, however, there were no services in the four missions: Devon Pen, Tom’s River, King Weston, and Mt. Friendship. Instead, there was a pilgrimage in which people go to pray for God to spare them from the hurricanes and other natural disasters. August through the end of October is considered the hurricane season for Jamaica. Since I have been here, I have heard many natives of the island say that we are due for a severe hurricane this season because of the record breaking, hot temperatures this summer. As volunteers, we go to a nearby house that can withstand the winds and forces of a hurricane. We are lucky, but many of the people on the island, like during past natural disasters, will stay in their homes. Prayers welcome!

As we wait for school to start in September, we have decided to help a group of Canadians with a summer camp they are running in Kingston this week. They are a great group of college students to work with. Today was my first day at the camp (yesterday I couldn’t go because of Immigration like things). The camp name my fellow volunteers gave me is “Stubbs.” It’s a long story of why they chose that name, and I was interested to see how the kids liked my camp name.

Today was “Earth Day,” and we started the morning off with a little demonstration about the water cycle. This was after a few warm-up songs to get the kids having fun. I was a leader in the 8-11 year olds, and we soon got started on a small project of what is most precious to you on this Earth. I did my best to help the children figure out what was important to them from the Earth, like trees, flowers, the sun, water and why they are so essential to our life-not TV or other material things. A game of animal Pictionary followed, as well as a walk through the neighborhood to pick up trash.

So far since I have been here, I have seen the rural poor of Mt. Friendship. Today I saw first hand the inner-city poor of Kingston. It may easily have been the poorest I have ever seen. It makes my heart ache to see how little these children have, or the conditions they live under. There were large amounts of trash everywhere, especially in small, dirt streets. Things like glass and rusty metal were beginning to get picked up by the children. Needless to say, I had concerns about whether the kids were understanding what is appropriate to pick up, and what is not.

I don’t know enough about this particular community to say that the children are deprived of opportunities; but my guess is they are. But, as my fellow volunteer Matt put it, at least this camp gave them the opportunity to stay out of trouble for the day and learn something new. The children in Jamaica are generally very friendly, and are not afraid to come up to you and give you a giant hug, say “I love you,” or ask if they can play in your hair. They have endless amounts of energy and love to give you. It truly is a joy to know these children and see their happiness and love for others.

Introducing Mt. Friendship

I landed on the Island on Monday, and have been blessed with the Jamaican people’s warm welcome and my 4 roommates love and kindness. Each day brings something new and exciting into my world. My primary mission for the year will be in Mt. Friendship, which is a small rural community about 20 minutes from Stony Hill where I live. Unfortunately, Mt. Friendship is poverty struck and many of the families there are struggling to survive in today’s world.

Walking through this beautiful place for the first time today, I was lucky to meet a few people who live in Mt. Friendship. A boy yelled hello to me from atop a tall tree, as he cut individual mangos from the sky. I was offered the reddest apple I have ever seen from a group of children on my walk, and greetings from families outside their homes enjoying the sunny day.

After a long walk up the hills, I made it to Miss Doris and her granddaughter Kimberly. I picked up a rock as the 3 guard dogs growled, but made it through without having to do any harm. I met Kimberly for the first time with open arms and a gorgeous, 5-year old smile. She immediately went into my bag to look for any goodies I might have brought her. She found a camera and continued to take pictures for the entire visit. Miss Doris came out to greet me, Sr. Maureen and Charity and invite us to sit outside her house. I was once again struck with breath-taking views of the Jamaican landscape. Kimberly eagerly showed us the new puppies that a stray had next to their house. As Miss Doris and the others talked, Kimberly took me inside her house to show me around. We sang songs, played games, watched ET on a fuzzy screen, swung on a rope underneath a palm tree and she gave me a piece of bread and mango juice with two straws. Each time I took a drink, she would jump up to grab the other straw and take a drink with me. It may have been one of the cutest things I have ever seen. Among our playing, I couldn’t help but notice the conditions in which this family lives. The house is small and concrete, which they are lucky to have, as others in their area have nothing but tiny shacks.

It is easy to want to give everything you have to these families, but I must remember that I am here to give myself instead. Accompaniment means to walk with the people. I will learn to walk with the people of Mt. Friendship.

Summer Days in the 413

As the days draw closer to my departure for Jamaica, I seem to be a cocktail of excitement and nostalgia. A year of volunteering anywhere has been a dream of mine since my freshman year of college. If you had asked me then , however, where I would be post-graduation, the answer would have been, "At a hospital of course!" I never thought this ambition of volunteering would actually become a reality. Part of the joy that comes from this adventure is not knowing exactly what lays ahead of me for once. What I do know is, for some reason, I have followed a feeling from within to this journey of volunteering in a country I do not know. I am taking a risk and following this path the Lord has put in front of me. This path will teach me about life in a way I have never imagined. I am truly lucky to have this opportunity.

These days prior to my departure are being spent at home with my family (Mom, Dad, Stu, & Rosie), creating memories with my wonderful friends, and working my final days as a SNAP in the ER. I find myself noticing the little things around me that have become such a part of my everyday life. Like tripping over Stu in the morning because he is sleeping as close to my bed as possible, sitting outside on my deck, watching endless episodes of Gilmore Girls, and waking up at 530 to get to work on time to check the trauma room and the code carts, take the vitals, and care for those who are sometimes in the worst of situations. I am truly lucky for all that I have.

In the next two days, Matt, Sarah, Charity, and Jared will be heading to Jamaica to start their year as PVIs! I wish them the best of luck in the next few weeks and cannot wait to join them on August 10th!
Peace & Love to all!