Approximately two years ago, I inadvertently met Jennifer Everetts when I stumbled across a 5k event on Facebook that was to raise money for a ministry called Journey Home Jamaica. At that time, I was still every much into doing 5k events, AND, I had just went on my first mission trip to Jamaica, so, it was inevitable that this was the perfect race for me. I attempted to register on-line, and was having trouble getting it to go through, so I contacted the web page admin, which just happened to be Jennifer Everetts. We immediately began communicating back and forth via msgs, regarding our mutual passion for Jamaica. Not soon after, I went to Jennifer's home to meet her, and further discuss our mutual passion. We quickly hit it off and realized that we had a lot in common, including that I work as a Legal Assistant, and she used to, and that I had just begun teaching group exercise classes, and she was a certified Praise Moves instructor. But, more importantly, we were both passionate about missions in Jamaica!
At that point, I was preparing to lead the team that I took to Jamaica in September 2013 (my second mission trip), and was sharing that with Jennifer, when she offered to host a weekly bible study for myself and my team, along with anyone else interested in missions, at their home, leading up to our mission trip. That's where our story began! (We've been meeting just about every Monday evening since then, though our numbers have dwindled down to sometimes just myself and Jennifer and her husband).
Bruce and Jennifer Everetts founded Journey Home Jamaica ministries and are currently trying to raise funding to open a children's home in the Negril area in Jamaica. I have been assisting them by supporting them, praying with and for them, and helped lead a team of youth on a mission trip to Negril, Jamaica in the summer of 2014. The Everetts have graciously supported me in all of my mission efforts, in various parts of the Island, as well as my fundraising efforts here locally. They have been very supportive as I have attempted to discover and fulfill the calling God has placed on my life. So I was pretty excited when they asked me to go along with them and help lead a team of youth last summer, as we had all been to Jamaica several times, in various places, but never together.
JUNE 2014 SUMMER MISSION TRIP: This trip really was a great trip! There were 4 adults and 12 youth on this team. Just a quick summary of our week included: outreach at a local basic school in Negril, outreach at Robin's Nest Children's Home in Montego Bay, manual labor at a property in the middle of nowhere...lol, painting at a homeless shelter ran by a local church, and outreach and street ministry with Word To Life Ministries in Negril. This particular team worked very well together - never any grumbling or complaining - and though a very busy week, with things not always going as planned, it was a very productive and fun week!
We stayed at a local hotel in Negril, where I shared a room with two teenage girls, who traveled along with me - Tori & Marah. Oh what an experience!!! They kept me laughing - kept me on my toes! It was awesome to spend that time with them, and see them thrive in the environment. (Sidenote: Marah has since returned to Robin's Nest, on her own, to do a 2-month internship; and Tori has since went to Mexico with a group from college, to do mission work at an orphanage - GOD!).
It would probably take me several blogs to describe in great detail how insightful this trip was, but to sum it up, my favorite part was the street ministry - not because I felt qualified to do it, not because I wasn't scared to do it, not because it was within my comfort zone to do it - - but because it seemed like the most impactful thing we could do! Each time I go to Jamaica, I love learning more about the culture and just interacting with the people and building the relationships - all of which is kind of out of my comfort zone, but where I feel like I should be focused!
I have since been invited to again help lead a team back to Jamaica with the Everetts this summer (2015), which I am hopeful and excited about, especially since my 13-year-old nephew has expressed a desire in going - his first mission trip and my first time having a family member go with me! AND, a good friend of mine plans to go as well, which is VERY exciting!
I am still fasting, praying, and listening for direction from God on where He wants me exactly, in the mission field, and I feel hopeful that He is leading and guiding me every single step of the way, even if I cannot see exactly where He is taking me! My only goal is just to be used by Him, to be His hands and feet, to glorify Him in all that I do, to impact lives, to direct unbelievers, hurting, and broken people to Him, and to just continue to share with others His goodness and all that He has done for me! Other than that, I have no plan, as of yet; I have no specific direction, as of yet; my only plan - keep returning to the Island that has so captured my heart!
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