Facts You Should Know About Jamaica...

Lately I've discovered that many Americans know very little about the country of Jamaica. Even people who have been here multiple times don't know basic facts about the country. So, here is a little bit of Jamaican trivia for you! I'll have more facts about Harmons and Won By One To Jamaica later!!!

Country Name: Jamaica
Capital City: Kingston
Population: 3 million in Jamaica (2.5 live in or around Kingston, another 2 million Jamaicans live in Canada, Great Britain, and US)
Official Language: English
Slang Language: Patois
Motto: "Out of many, one people."
Discovery: Columbus discovered it in 1494 (It was first settled by the Spanish, but later ruled by the British until it gained independence)
Independence: 1962
Type of Government: Parliamentary Democracy
Prime Minister: Portia Simpson
Area: 4,244 square miles
Land Size: 141 miles from East to West; less than 50 miles from North to South
Location: Caribbean, West Indies, South of Cuba, and West of Haiti
14 Parishes: Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester (where we are), Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
Geography: Humid, tropical weather, jungle, and mountainous regions
National Holiday: Independence Day (August 6th)
National Flower: Lignum Vitae tree
National Bird: Doctor Bird
National Fruit: Ackee
National Tree: Blue Mahoe
National Dish: Ackee and Saltfish
Popular Sports: Cricket, Football (soccer), and net-ball
Jamaican Music: Reggae

Welp, that's it for tonight...

--- Lacy

Staff Bio #2

Name: Jonathan Joseph DiBenedetto
Jamaican Pet Name: Nappy

Age: 21

Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio

High School: Milford High School

College: Geneva College

Major: Student Ministries

Activities: Hockey

Interests: sports, snowboarding, college ministry

Favorite Color: Red

Favorite Team: Philadelphia Flyers

Favorite Book: Chronicles of Narnia

Favorite TV Show: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Favorite Food: Pizza

Favorite Jamaican food: Beef and gravy

Favorite Music: Punk

Biggest Dreams: Write a book

Job in Jamaica: Courtyard time, Coffee

Biggest thing I’ve learned lately: God is just as present and at work in the United States as He is in Jamaica or anywhere else in the world.

Week 2: Complete! Week 3: Beginning!

Week two is complete. We had a an incredibly busy week! Two houses were built, a foundation was made for a new house, lots of marl was hauled, the schools were visited, and about 60 families were able to shop. It was an incredible week! We said goodbye to our friends from Deerbrook Covenant Church, Christ Community Church, and Western PA this morning! Shortly after, we picked up our team for this week, Abundant Life Baptist Church from Lee's Summit, MO. (See picture below!)

Last week we had a brother and sister that were able to share this experience together. Devon Russel, a 17 year-old Senior from Lee's Summit, MO was here for her second trip. Her brother, Reed Russel, an 18 year-old high school graduate, was here as well. Each of these siblings had a very unique and challenging week and I wanted to share it with you. I asked each of them to write about what they learned this week...

My week here in Harmons was an awesome experience this year. Because I have traveled to Jamaica one time before, the mysteries and surprises of the week were not as eye popping as they were a year ago. Rather than having the anticipation of experiencing each day for the first time, I was able to focus on developing relationships with Jamaicans rather than focusing on my insecurities of being in a new place. This mindset proved to be very beneficial in understanding what the Lord was trying to teach me about His heart this week.

I came into this week with the prayer that God would capture my heart and give me a burning desire to know more about Him. Phil and Dave (the meeting guys) led our team to understand truth in waiting on the Lord to bestow His peace and joy upon us. For a year, I had been wanting the joy I found in Harmons last year, but that joy didn't last. I learned this week that I shouldn't be working for the gifts of God, but rather have a receiving attitude that I might allow Christ to fill me up and live through me.

--- Devon Russel

After taking an easy stroll up the slope of my faith for the past 17 years, I came face to face with a cliff. Growing up in the church, my hand had always been held throughout my life as a Christian. When I reached the cliff, which symbolizes the transition from my fake faith to my real faith, I slowing started to lose interest in the pursuit of my relationship with God. An impasse. I had drifted too far from the expectations of the Christian faith that I looked back and viewed my life in the church in a whole new perspective. I realized I was living a lie and I was tired of it. I began to question many of the accepted beliefs we as Christians posses. I looked past the cliches and started to become honest with myself. It was refreshing...

Because of these realizations, I had lost all motivation to practice my faith or pursue that relationship with God. Through the meetings led by Phil and David, I reached a conclusion. I lacked motivation because I had no idea how to take that first step up the cliff. If you don't know how to take the first step, you're not going to take it. Our discussions made it clear what this first step will be, to know that I am fully accepted by Christ and to allow Him to to fill me up and use me as He wants me. I feel like I am back on track and I feel a peace that everything is as it should be.

--- Reed Russel

That's all for now! Have a great night and check back soon!

--- Lacy

Jesus tends to rock my world...

So yesterday was a really hard day, but maybe one of the best days I’ve had yet. I was helping a lady named Annetta Reid in the store. She was talking very softly and I could tell she wasn’t well. She apologized for being out of it and went on to tell me that she had been in a car accident the day before. I asked her more about it and found that she had gotten in a car wreck on her way to shop at our store on Thursday. She was in a taxi when it hit a pothole, flipped and rolled, leaving a huge gash in her head. She had a towel on her head and asked me if I wanted to see it. I said yes, as she revealed a huge (probably 4-5 inches) gash in her skull that was no less than an inch deep. It looked as if it had just happened because it wasn’t cleaned or dressed or anything, so I asked if she had been to the hospital. She told me she had gone to the hospital right after it happened but they only gave her a shot, paid no attention to the gash in her skull, and told her to come back the next morning. When she returned in the morning, the doctor was not there, so they told her to come back around noon. In the meantime, she came to shop since she missed her chance Thursday due to the accident. I was so lucky to shop with her because I don’t know if she would have gotten the help she needed otherwise. After she told me about the accident and after I saw her wound, I gave her some pain medication and went inside to get Phil. Phil and I took her around to the side of the house where no one was looking and began to clean and dress her head. Before Phil poured peroxide on her, I told her it would hurt very badly, so if she wanted to hold my hand, I would be there for her. She took my hand and as Phil began to pour, she squeezed tighter and tighter and the look on her face was terrifying! I knew it had to hurt terribly. Phil blew on the gash to ease the stinging. After he cleaned it, we worked together to bandage her head and wrap her up in gauze. I then gave her a huge bottle of extra strength Tylenol and told her to get to the hospital as soon as she possibly could. I told her if they turned her away a third time to come back and I would get her the help she needed. After we were finished, I carried her suitcase and walked her up the road to catch a taxi. She didn’t come back last night so I’m hoping that she ended up seeing a doctor. I’m positive she needed tons of stitches, and probably lots of real pain medication and not just Tylenol. This was probably the worst and best part of my week, simply because I felt like I was doing this “changing the world thing” for the very first time. I knew that I was actually making a difference and that I had true compassion and true love for this woman, simply because she is a sister of mine and because she needed the help. It was as if Jesus was there the entire time, because I honestly had no idea what I was doing, but what needed to be done got accomplished. Annetta was a HUGE reminder of why I am here, - to love people who need love, to help people who need help, and to be Jesus to people who need to see Jesus in their lives.

Please keep Annetta in your prayers...

---Lacy

Serving Opportunities!

Many of you are probably wondering what exactly it is that we do here in Harmons. Therefore, I'm going to give you a tiny run-down of all our serving opportunities we have throughout the week...

The House: Every week a team is here, they will build 1-2 houses, depending on the size of the team. This week, since we have a larger team, they are building 2 houses in Porus, which is a city near Harmons. There is quite a process that goes into building, including building the foundation, putting up walls, adding layers of concrete, topping it with a zinc roof, etc. At the end of each week, the team will have a dedication ceremony where they will present the house to its new family. It is a very meaningful event and we will have a video of a dedication ceremony coming later!

The Store: The store is opened up 2-3 days a week, where Jamaicans from Harmons and surrounding areas can come to shop. Every team member that comes to Harmons brings 100 pounds of donations with them, and it is all stocked in the store. Jamaicans can shop for everything from clothes and shoes to school supplies and diapers. Check out our newest VideoCast for an in-depth description of how the store works!
Click Here For Video!

Hauling Marl: Marl (pronounced "mall") is a gravel/sand-like substance that is used for building things such as foundations, concrete, etc. Because many Jamaicans live up in the bush, marl must be carried up the hill where no vehicle can venture. Using burlap sacs, a pile of marl is hauled by an assembly line from the bottom of a hill to the top. It is a very grueling job, but it provides a necessity for many.

The School: Some team members get the crazy privilege of visiting either the St. Jago School or the Harmons All-Age School. School runs from September to July. When team members visit the schools, they often find themselves being a jungle-gym for the kids and even teaching the class. This is a very unique opportunity and the Jamaican children absolutely love to see the "whities" (as they call them) come to their school.

I hope that gives you a better picture of what we are doing here and what our days actually entail! Each of these opportunities contribute to the ministry of Won By One To Jamaica and provide so much for this small community of Harmons...

Lacy