Jamaica spring ministry update

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The spring ministry season in Jamaica is coming to an end. It sure has been an adventure and I've seen God work in great ways. Let me share some highlights!

Asbury United Methodist Church from Tulsa, OK came down with 116 students and adult leaders to minister in five different area schools and six different construction projects in the parish of Trelawny.
Asbury team picture below


One of our students pours a concrete column for a church parsonage in Trelawny

I was able to travel the island a bit during the last week in March to arrange some plans for summer ministry, connect with pastors, and scout out potential ministry locations for our mission teams. The beauty of the country surprised me. I've been coming to Jamaica for five years now and this is really the first time I soaked in the wonder of what God has created on this diverse island. Below are a couple pictures to share what I saw...



The picture below shows a school in the community of Hartlands, St. Catherine. This school sits on the same property as the Baptist Church. There are about 30-40 kids at the school. Hartlands is small and very rural. The school is underfunded and they don't have the facilities they need. the building to the right in the picture is supposed to be a library, bathrooms, and principal's office. The school uses outhouses right now and the principal doesn't have a proper office. Hartlands is a low-lying community so when it rains the whole area floods and no one goes to school. PPM will begin ministry in Hartlands in partnership with the Hartlands Baptist Church and the Hartlands Primary School in the summer of 2012.

I was blessed to be able to serve in the community of Sandy Bay, Hanover this past week. We partnered with the New Testament Church of God and the district overseer- Pastor Jephthah Reid. Our team was involved in ministry to children by working with the basic school and supporting the church's daycare program. We did some work at the church by completing a paint job on the interior of the fence wall as well as pouring concrete around the back of the church which typically floods when it rains. Our team spent time in ministry at a couple of different children's homes as well as the infirmary in Montego Bay. Our time with the congregation at Sandy Bay in worship was rich and spirit filled. We were all overwhelmed with the generous hospitality shown to our team by the church congregation and leaders. This week of ministry really is an ideal model of what Praying Pelican Missions is all about- genuine and mutual partnerships in God's Kingdom work. 

Below you can see our team (First UMC Albany, GA) leading in music during an outdoor evangelistic service and worship celebration.



On the final night as we said goodbye's and shared in a cross cultural worship exchange, the youngsters from the New Testament Church of God in Sandy Bay performed a powerful dance for our team and the rest of those in worship on Thursday night. This was impressive and an emotional ending to our time of ministry.


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