Laura's Service Immersion Trip

Hello, all! Just over a week ago, I returned home to Fairfield after my service immersion trip to Jamaica, W.I. Despite having our flight back delayed by a great deal and getting back to my house at 5 am the morning classes started (at 9:30 for me!), the trip went smoothly. Smoothly does not begin to describe it, though, as it truly was an eye-opening experience for me. I hope that this brief account of the trip can lead to further conversation in the future, and that you can gain even a little bit of insight into what I went through.

Flying into Montego Bay the first morning, we had the opportunity to drive the five hours across the Jamaican countryside. What really made this experience golden was that we drove from the touristy Montego Bay to where the locals reside – Kingston. This gave us a means to physically see the transition between the two, and how drastically different they are. We went from resorts, luxury and an extensive collection of white tourists, to shacks, some partially finished (in order to avoid taxes), poverty, and our van-full being the only white people in the region. We stayed in Ursuline Convent, protected by a few guard dogs, first-floor windows barred, and a barbed wire-topped fence with a gate at the entrance. Truly, Kingston is not where the tourists go.

The vegetation is truly beautiful down there, being a tropical region, and the Blue Mountains that run through Kingston make for a picturesque sight. Jamaicans love their color, and it makes even the simplest of things seem spectacular. Their food is phenomenal. In fact, I wish that I could have Jamaican cuisine every day! We did get to try all of their most popular dishes, from patties and jerk chicken to curry goat and chicken foot soup. Yes, there were chicken feet actually in the soup. Even more incredible than even the sights and cuisine was the sense of community and faith that the people had. It was truly inspiring to hear all – from old to young – speak of his or her faith in God as something that they hold dearly and is unwavering. These people speak of being blessed for all that they have, while many have no running water and even fewer have electricity. They deal every day with the violence that gangs bring about, and children speak of being “lucky to make it to [his/her] 14th birthday.” It really puts your own life in perspective.

My group went to a few different sites: two Kingston schools, a children’s hospital’s burn ward, a nursing home, and a hospice. Needless to say, none were easy. Even being with children all day was so difficult, because you could teach them in their class and play with them during recess, but you would see their rotting teeth and the impoverished way of life they lead. All were difficult. The burn ward was hands-down the most difficult. We did not know where in the hospital we were working, and walked into a room filled with grinning children, some covered with burns on up to 75 percent of their bodies. Not an easy day. What got us through was that these children had so much vivacity. It made me feel a little bit better knowing that, though God had let this child be physically and therefore mentally harmed, they had the spirit and strength to get them through.

Each night we would have a period of reflection to discuss our thoughts and concerns of that day. It really helped make the experience ferment in my mind, as I could bounce my experiences off of the others and gain insight from their own opinions. We would have prayer before and after the reflection time, and before meals. My faith helped me get through the trip and has begun to flourish. I’ve grown so much from this experience, and my eyes have truly been opened to the world beyond the bubble that we live in. I’m blessed to have had the opportunity to go on this service immersion trip, and am so grateful for all of you for helping me on my way and speaking with me about it. If you have any questions or thoughts, please email or call me. LCBarry987@gmail.com, (401) 749-2582. Thank you so very much for all your support.

Peace and love,

Laura