How Very Fortunate We Are…

We venture through life thinking we’re pretty much like everyone else. For the most part, we all have the things we need for daily living. Most of us know someone who struggles with something, but the majority of the people with whom we interact on a regular basis are folks who are a lot like us…or quite close.

As I continue to prepare our mission team for our trip to Jamaica, I realize that what we will encounter is so very different from what we know here. I wonder if our youth will grasp the magnitude of some of these differences. A struggle for us could be considered a day at the park for people in developing countries.

We have recently learned that the cost of one cell phone would cover the cost of tuition, uniforms and school supplies for 2 years for a Jamaican child. We will be traveling with 15 cell phones! I wonder how long I will listen to complaints about them having to give those phones up for one trip.

We’ve been watching informative videos about what to expect, how to pack, what kinds of work we will be doing, etc. There are modest dress codes we will need to adhere to while in country. These codes are slightly different than our own cultural norms. It has been suggested that we clean out our closets or shop thrift stores and leave in Jamaica what we wear while serving there. We learned that the people we serve own 2 sets of clothes: 1 set of ‘yard clothes’ which are for work and everyday wear, and 1 set of ‘church clothes’ which are nicer and are given great care to make last. This makes me reconsider my feelings of frustration because my pile of laundry tends to get out of hand when life is busy.

Oh, I think this is going to be a great trip…and I cannot wait to see how our kids will be impacted by it.

Thank you, all, for loving and supporting our group and sending us out to represent you in the world! This is going to be really good for everyone!

Blessings,
Tracy