Packing Up...

Almost all the luggage is in the courtyard, groups just finished watching the sunrise, and breakfast is served. We will all take a team picture before traveling west to Montego Bay.

You will have some tan/sunburned and tired children with lots of laundry when we land. Some will still be speckled with paint. However, you will have lots of stories and experiences to hear about.

It was a phenomenal week. The Staff and I appreciate your support, prayer, and willingness to share your child with us this week.

See each of you soon. As of this morning our flight was on schedule to arrive around 4:30.

Love,
William for the Staff

Raising Up A New Generation

This hot and sunny morning, our group visited the local Anglican church. It is a stunning structure set on a hill overlooking the city of Port Maria, with the Caribbean Sea roaring in the background. I guess that Bermuda Triangle is more than an urban legend! 

Anyway, that hour was one of the most monumental times of our entire school year. Freshmen and student leaders led a prayer meeting for the nation of Jamaica at the front of the sanctuary. 

For lunch, we enjoyed Jamaican fast food, followed by a brief stop at the beach- perfect opportunity for pictures with tropical waters behind us. 

Next, we divided into three groups. Forty-five people headed to a local elementary school to play with kids. Today was their “Field Day,” so we watched future Olympians race the track.

Meanwhile, approximately 20 people headed to the church and nursing homes to finish the paint projects. 

This evening, we held an extended session of personal ministry time for all of the freshmen and leaders. 

Each night, we enjoy Jamaican meals as a team as we watch beautiful sunsets design colors on the horizon that rests on the Caribbean. The stars are remarkable soon thereafter.

While I am typing this, many people are in small groups bonding over story time. Some people are playing card games in the dining room.

Virtually everyone on the trip has had their lives profoundly impacted in many unique and often emotional ways. I could author a book on how people’s lives were changed on this trip. 

Amazing Week

Today followed a similar routine to the previous two.

The group that went to the nursing home brought the painting project close to completion. Students rotated to different sites once again. Our crew engaged in deep conversation over lunch around a circle on the porch of the nursing home. We wrote letters of encouragement to its staff, which logs long hours. This group was led by our very own campus pastor, Bob Beckwith, and myself.

The crew that worked on the church finished the roof and painted the house and church pews. The pastor they assisted is well-networked in the area, and has high position within the community of Port Maria. Associate Director Lindsay Allgood and her fiancé Eric, a University of Georgia faculty member, led this group.

The farm team had a blast building a relationship with the farmer, and worked very hard today. Some vegetables were planted. They also enjoyed a taste of coconut juice. Freshley interns Jessica Longino and Jasmine Ye led this group.

The school team placed 120 blocks of concrete to build an eight-foot wall today. Daniel Simmons and Rebecca Hemingway, who both have teaching degrees, naturally led this team all week.

We have enjoyed washing off dirt in the pool after a long day, followed by a night of community in every way.

Team Unity

Today was similar to yesterday's schedule. One group visited the nursing home while another group went back to the school. Others worked on the farm and helped the church.

Students rotated between the various sites, visiting a new location each day. Students at the nursing home continued to scrape loose paint before replacing it with fresh paint. We also spent more time with the residents.  

At the school, the crew lay 150 blocks of concrete before an intense soccer meet with some of the students.

Another team continued roof work on the church edifice, while the "farmers" prepared land for planting tomorrow.

The various small groups that meet nightly have thoroughly enjoyed this time together. Our entire Jamaica team is unified- no one seems lonely. 

Let It Rain

I am typing this on the back porch of the lodge we are staying at. Panoramic view of the Caribbean. The waves are majestic: cobalt blue sharply hitting the clear, shallow waters at the front. A formidable mountain sits against a curve on the shoreline. At night, we gaze out at the moon shining on the water.

Next to me, all of the small group leaders are holding their nightly meeting with Jasmine and Jessica. In a few minutes, each small group of freshmen will meet to debrief the day. Then, we’ll participate in our personal evening worship service. After that, we will play games and exchange stories. I think everyone has been sleeping and eating well. Jamaican food is spicy, which I appreciate.

Today, we began our work projects. My group visited a local nursing home. We spent quality time with the patients. These people do not have anywhere to go, so they were very excited to see us. Some of them have severe physical and mental disabilities, but were still some of the happiest people I have ever met.

In addition to the visits, we worked hard all day on a paint project. We scraped loose paint off the wood  that is over the porch of the nursing home. Then, we placed fresh paint over the old paint. It had not been painted in 30 years. One of the student leaders is about to graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, so naturally she spearheaded the painting of a colorful mural on one wall of the nursing home.

We encountered some typical Jamaican thunderstorms, which slowed down our work sites.

A nearby group worked on a farm. Today, that team removed huge weeds everywhere. I was delighted to learn from their leaders that they removed nearly all of the weeds on the side of the large hill.

Meanwhile, a third group assisted one of the Jamaican churches that we visited yesterday. They labored on the roof and painted two sides of the church a shade of blue.

The last group headed to a local school in the city centre where they spent time with the students. But most of the day, they were hard at work building concrete walls.

A Jamaican Sunday...

The States are not the only place where Spring Forward occurred last night. 

This morning, I woke to my alarm, climbed out of bed, and looked out the window to discover a breaktaking sunrise over the Caribbean. Then I looked at my watch, and realized it was one hour earlier than I thought. My phone alarm had been automatically programmed to "spring forward." I found out later that many others had the same problem this morning and woke up an hour early…a week early.

After breakfast, we divided into three groups. My group visited a beautiful church in the center of Port Maria. Due to the former British colonization of Jamaica, this church was Anglican-influenced. We were alongside many locals from the Jamaican middle and upper classes. The service was lively and filled with authentic preaching, dancing, and warm hospitality.

Another group headed into the foothills of the Blue Mountains, and visited a small church that Wesley has a close relationship with.  Teams from Wesley visit this church annually when they travel to Port Maria.

And the other group walked right down the street to visit a new, contemporary church plant in Port Maria.

Major bonding time is the story of the day, as the freshmen have gathered around tables, playing games. and taking dives in the pool that overlooks the Caribbean. We are so excited about all of the new friendships that they are forming. We hope they bring those relationships with them into their college experiences at UGA.

Tonight, we are preparing for our upcoming week at various work sites. So, I don’t have much to share just yet, but there will be more to come! 

We Made It!

All 59 of us are now at the Casa Maria. Everyone has their rooms and dinner is served. We will meet in small groups tonight, worship, and pray. I am sure everyone is ready for some sleep tonight as well.

We will write more tomorrow after church.

Thanks to the parents, family, and friends that housed our students last night and for rides for the airport.

We are grateful for your support and covet your prayers.

Love,
William for the Team

Almost in Jamaica!

Greetings from beautiful Port Maria, Jamaica! Our home for the week, the Casa Maria, has been feverishly preparing for our arrival. I have been almost as busy finalizing our work projects, ministry opportunities, and purchasing materials. We will have 5 work projects for the week at 4 different locations.

-- Infirmary: A group will be scraping the porch overhang and repainting it. Most of those there spend time on the porch during the hot days. A few will paint a mural, and all will be spending time with the people there.
-- Prestonland: The church is in desperate need for roof repair and paint. We will be helping Pastor Kermit. UGA Wesley teams have been working with him and his 6 churches since 2003.
-- Bremmer Vale: One of the local high school needs some concrete work done. Two teams will assist in the construction.
-- McGiver's Farm: An emphasis has been placed in the region for increased farming. Our team will help McGiver and his family clearing the land and planting for this season's crops.

I will post as soon as I can once all 59 of us are under one roof. Should the need arise you may reach me at william@ugawesley.org or 1.876.299.1931 on my Jamaican cell.

I am excited to finally have the team join me. We appreciate your support and covet your prayers.



Love,
William for the Team