In July 2012 19 11th and 12th graders and leaders from MPC took a journey to Jamaica. They went on this journey expecting to serve the people, see and experience new things, meet some fun people and do whatever was asked of them. None of us knew what God really had in store, we just went. With blessings from the church body we went out to be the arms and legs of Jesus. And we saw Jesus in many of the people we met and worked with, in each other and especially in the children.
This trip was all about relationships. Relationships with God, each other, the children and the locals. It wasn't about building something or fixing something or doing work the American way. It was about sharing the love of God and being shown that love with everyone we met. Whether that be a disabled child in an orphanage, an elderly woman on her deathbed or the delighted kids at VBS singing, playing and worshipping with all their hearts. God taught every single person on the team through these encounters and grew us in ways we hadn't expected.
As we were debriefing on the last night there one of the students said it best in saying "We are not a youth group, we are family". That summed up our week, we became family with each other and with the Jamaicans. Family that has no bounds of blood or race or region but family that is bound together and finely woven in the loving arms of our savior. Family that will one day forever be worshipping our God together with no constraints of disabilities,poverty,old age,pain, and even time.
Enjoy the pictures, hopefully they will show you a little of the glimpse we got of the kingdom while in Jamaica. Thanks as always for your prayers and support, they are of eternal value!
