My Beautiful Team

In a week filled with detours--actual and metaphorical--our team found our way.


This was my 10th trip to Jamaica working with Mustard Seed.  It was everyone else's first.  Invariably throughout the week I would mention experiences from some of my previous trips.  Some wondered aloud if I was comparing this trip to the others.



The teamwork with getting all of this safely to Jamaica.


The truth is: that I was so in the moment with them, that as those thoughts came across my mind, I simply shared them.

The truth is: there is no comparing one trip to another.  Everything about each one is different.  Everything, that is, except for overall ethos of Mustard Seed: the children they care for--so much in fact that they are lovingly referred to a residents--have been abandoned once, and will never be abandoned again.

Rather than compare them, I will share with you all the beauty I came to know in each of my team members.



Look at everyone feverishly share the blog!


Una: she is beautiful in her peacefulness.  She took on each new experience without as much as a grumble (even though sometimes my "leader tone" would likely warrant such).

Angie: she is beautiful in her headstrong nature.  She kept me in check throughout the week, and was undistracted when she was spending one-to-one time with a child.

Nanette: she is beautiful in her observational skills.  She was always on the lookout for cool snapshots each day; I cannot wait to see the work of our very own Instagram star ;-)

Lola: she is beautiful in her energy.  She was always the first awake to start up "Cafe Lola" each morning, and she kept our entire team energized with her playful antics and conversations during our work and our downtime.



Such beautiful painting!


Steve: he is beautiful in his gentleness.  The skill he showed both with the children and with a paintbrush was impressive to say the least.

Kathy: she is beautiful in her conversational skills.  She made meals and bus rides a more pleasurable experience for whoever was lucky enough to sit near her.

Jose: he is beautiful in his patience.  He showed massive patience when reading with Donovan (one of the residents of Sophie's Place) and when awaiting direction from Mr. Williams (our General Contractor for the week).

Eve: she is beautiful in her eye for efficiency.  She was unabashed in pointing out opportunities to complete our work projects more efficiently so that we could have more time with the children and more downtime as a team.



Such a great team effort all week.


Katie: she is beautiful in her perspective.  She showed no hesitancy in providing me live feedback in how to make the week better for everyone as it all played out, and she always had something insightful to share as we reflected on our experiences each evening.

John: he is beautiful in his lightheartedness.  He provided a ready-to-work attitude injected with a simple joyfulness that helped me get things going smoothly in the morning, keep our team working smoothly despite the heat during the day, and keep kids fed and entertained in the evening.

Victoria: she is beautiful in her strength.  She is no doubt the fittest member of our team, but her strongest strength lies in her willingness to dive in every experience with courage and fervor--from joining our team about two weeks prior, to interacting seamlessly with children with various kinds of disabilities, to laughing at my jokes.  That last one take a lot of courage as there is no guarantee that anyone else with join :-)

Gabby: she is beautiful in her versatility.  Gabby surprised me the most this week; she was relatively reserved during our team meetings leading up to the trip, so it was hard to get a read on her.  Once we set foot in Jamaica, she unleashed her true nature: that of a kind soul with childlike playfulness and a strong work ethic who was all about experiencing everything this trip had to offer--the children, her fellow team members, the little side-trips, and of course the pigs.


To me, this week was perfect.  I find myself wishing we were still only mid-week as this trip seems to bring out the very best in everyone who comes--including yours truly.



TANK YUH to all who have donated money and teddy bears and to all who have written us notes of consolation throughout the week.  TANK YUH to all of my team members.  I love you all.



Andrew / Sweetie Mon
One Very Grateful & Tired Trip Leader

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Savoring the Snapshots

As we near the end of our time in Jamaica, we individually reflect on our own special moments had within the larger group experience. Thirteen relative strangers coming together with the common goal of participating in something larger than any one of us, though in giving we recognize the gifts we are simultaneously receiving. The emphasis this week has been on staying present in the moment and savoring the experiences as they come. While the moments are many, we have decided to each choose one picture to represent the snapshot that is most salient in our minds, the moment that we will bring back to our busy (and much colder) New York City lives.



Andrew worked with Tashai and her Dream Team to lead us through the week.



Gabby enjoyed meeting and helping feed residents at Sophie's Place.



Angie felt accomplished painting houses in Jerusalem!.



Kathy savored time with the residents at Sophie's Place.



Jose connected with students at Little Angels Basics School in My Father's House.



Lola kept the Sophie's Place residents company during and after deep-cleaning wheelchairs.



Steve helped collect 1,000+ stuffed animals for the children of Kingston to receive this Christmas.



Eve learned a new game with the residents at Matthew 25:40.



John found inspiration to continue his service work in New York.



Katie read, sang, and danced with the residents at Sophie's Place.



Victoria found inspiration at Jacob's Ladder.



Nanette found God in the colorful cottages at Sophie's Place.



Una was moved by Steve's tenderness with a resident of Sophie's Place.

Compiled by Katie
(Now a Bona Fide Trip Veteran)

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Tank Yuh Lawd!

“With every turn there is a purpose under heaven."


Us this morning as we finally finished writing this blog entry!

Everyday, 13 different worlds get up at Sophie’s Place in Kingston, Jamaica for the same purpose: the kids!  Every morning the day begins with brewed and espresso cafe.  Everyone quickly scurrying around before the 7:30 am roll call and countdown by our “Jefe” Andrew.  20 minutes...10 minutes...5 minutes on the bus!  Some of us dash down the stairs  to get a good morning peek at our children as we rush to get on the bus.

Three MSC “bodyguards”: Ms. Tashai, Commander in Chief; Mr. Ahkeem, Assistant Commander, and Mr. Alonzo, pilot--rise and shine to fetch and transport us to our daily journey on a private caravan bus.  We fasten our seat belts and hold on tight as we travel zig-zagging the traffic and “jumping over” potholes.  But for the grace of God our goings and comings are safe!

Today, Thursday, Nanette and Lola are scheduled to blog!?!?  Don’t think that this is a voluntary activity--no way!--it was assigned by our “Jefe” Andrew.

Now that you have read about most of the MSC apostolates from our team, we will introduce you to Jacob’s Ladder--the connection between earth and heaven; the final home of MSC residents who are unable to live independently.


Welcome to Jacob's Ladder


Land for this apostolate was partly donated by a bauxite company.  150 hilly acres located in Moneague, Ocho Rios, this vast land allows for agriculture and animal husbandry--pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, chicken.  This enables them to be self-sufficient and at the same time generate additional income to help sustain their needs.

Upon arriving to the site, behind the iron gates 95 men and women, aged 18-40 years with physical and mental disabilities have found refuge, love, a family, and a lifelong home.  They continue to build and expand because their goal is be able to house 500 residents.


The authors of this blog have to include an obligatory picture of just themselves, of course!



The two of us with one of the residents.


Upon disembarking, we were warmly and lovingly greeted with teddy bear hugs from the residents. Our first stop was the Chapel of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary where we were given an introduction before touring the grounds.


From inside the chapel.  HE IS HERE


Finally we visited with the residents and interacted with them.


Auntie Lola with a resident of Jacob's Ladder


We traveled down a 7 mile winding road, the Fern Gully Scenic highway where the tree branches formed arches that shaded the sun.  Believe it or not, after all is said and done, we were on our way for RnR at the beach in Ocho Rios.  What a treat!!!  Some jerk chicken and cool drinks under the beautiful Jamaica blue sky, crystal clear water, and sunny sun--most of us never got out of the "wata."  Boy, we were grateful not to be in New York City today!  :-)


The forecast in New York at the time this picture was taken was 29 and snowy :-)


Our Dream Team

Back at Sophie's Place, and for our nightly routine with Jefe, not even our only RnR day could we get away without group circle of consolation, desolation, snapshot reflection session.  We recapped our mission with a few thoughts, expressions, and lessons.  After visiting all of the apostolates, we leave with feeling that family is not necessarily a bloodline, but the loving and caring "we" have for one another.

Our family:
- Sophie's Place - "Thank you Lord for your guiding light"
- Matthew 25:40 - "Whatever you did for one of the least of your brothers and sisters you did for me"
- My Father's House - "HE IS HERE"
- Jersusalem! - "DARE TO CARE"
- Mary's Child - "You know my name but not my story"
- Jacob's Ladder - "The connection between Earth and Heaven"

Team Member Impressions of Mission--we take with us:
- Sparkle in kids' eyes
- Affectionate hugs
- Smiles communicating "we feel your presence"
- Evening feeding with the kids
- Visiting with Tiara bossing us, requesting a manicure
- Reading to Donovan while he has his daily sweetie (lollipop)
- Arriving at Jersualem! and greeted by our children helpers who adopted us as family
- Matthew 25:40 playing soccer with boys as they won kicking the ball with their bare feet; sharing their dreams with us; and playing board games.
- Didn't realize how severe the individuals are but still get their needs met.
- They are well-cared for, happy, and comfortable.
- I felt helpless in their presence.
- I was impressed by how bright a lot of them are.
- Their sense of community and they way they work together.
- They all do well and are content with themselves.
- Their ability to love and be happy with their challenges.
- The presence of their soul.
- The dedication and genuine caring the caregivers provide.
- How 13 professionals from New York City can come to change lives, and have theirs transformed as well.
- "We must not be afraid to give, for Christ gave himself completely and will reward with salvation all those who are waiting for him."
- I thought about Fr. Dan and how much I was looking forward to him being with us.

Gracias for accompanying us through the blog!


I am so pensive!



Nanette & Lola
One Dictated, the other's a Dictator

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From Jerusalem! to Mary’s Child

We boarded the bus to Jerusalem! at 730am. After running into the typical morning rush hour, we were invited to the morning devotion in the chapel.  The prayer was led by one of the young resident girls.  We  were impressed by how in-sync the whole community was, which included the residents, the aunties/uncles, and us, the volunteers.


Morning Devotion with people who are very devoted to Mustard Seed.


We spent the rest of the morning finishing the paint job on the projects we started the previous day.  Mr. Williams, the general contractor, was impressed by how fast we kept finishing the work he assigned to us, and how we kept asking for more to do.


Our full team in front of one of our completed works (from our "Jamaica Period").


Highlight was when we were asked to paint the gazebo where we all joined as a team on the same project.  Esprit de Corps in action!



Look at this teamwork painting the gazebo at Jerusalem!


At the midday prayer the administrator, Ms. Suzette Dickson, expressed her appreciation for our willingness to give our time and efforts.

After lunch we headed over to Mary’s Child, a home for teenage girls and their babies.  At this time there are 17 mothers/mothers-to-be ranging from the ages of 11-16 and 11 babies.



Two of the cute ones at Mary's Child.


We were given a tour of the house Ms. Nadia Williams and met some of the residents.  We were impressed with the bedrooms we came across. Each room was shared by a mother and her baby.  It appeared like a very welcoming place, the residents are able to personalize their rooms and make it feel homey.
Some of the girls were in school, but the girls we met were very smart and articulate.  There was a 16-year-old mother who greeted us with “Je m’appelle…” and shared with us her dreams of traveling and her love for languages.

All in all, it was another exhilarating, heart-warming day in Jamaica!

Dictated by Angie to Gabby
Both Rookies and Sworn Adversaries

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In the Groove

We’re starting to get into the groove of our life here at Sophie’s Place.  It took four days to get used to the cold showers, dormitory living, and sharing kitchen responsibilities. Today started with an early morning breakfast, which was extended an extra half hour due to "Jamaica time."  This resulted in enjoying a second cup of coffee, but it also meant sitting in Jamaican traffic for an hour and 15 minutes to get to Jerusalem!.  We have now learned that Kingston is infamous for its frequent traffic jams.


Sitting in typical Jamaica traffic.


We had been to Jerusalem! the day before and upon returning continued our work project.  We jumped back in and began refreshing the resident cottages, painting them bright teal, green, and yellow. The sun was hot but there was the occasional breeze which we attempted to “savor."  This theme was salient in our minds from our reflection the evening before.  Both the sheep and the residents were cautiously checking out our work.  The chitter chatter of the neighborhood slowed as the residents made their way to circle time, for singing and socializing.  The sound of their singing and musical instruments cheered us on as we sweat.


Team "before" shot



Steve painting from a homemade scaffold.



Katie & Eve showing off their work.



One of the homes we finished.


After a quick lunch, we got back to work to finish painting for the day.  At 2:30, we headed over to Martha’s House, a facility in the Jerusalem! complex, to visit the children as they came home from school.  Martha’s House is home to 35 children living with HIV/AIDS and other comorbid disabilities.  Here we shared our time with the children playing games, coloring, blowing bubbles, and of course handing out sweeties, stickers, and balloons.  While the children were ecstatic, we felt for the Aunties left to deal with the sugar high and shifting their focus to homework.  After more Jamaica traffic, we headed back to Sophie’s Place for quick showers then off to dinner in Kingston at a restaurant called "100."  For me, the highlight of the dinner was speaking in depth with Tashai, the mission group coordinator.  Her passion for the Mustard Seed organization was only outdone by her commitment to the children they serve.  The night served to further build the relationships in this quirky group we have come to know.


Katie & Steve

Halfway Through Their Rookie Season

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Painting Jerusalem!

Monday started with an early wake up and simple breakfast at our residence at Sophie’s Place.  Around 8am, we hopped on the bus and made our way to My Father’s House, a Mustard Seed property with an urban vibe. This was an eye opening glimpse at how amazingly self-sufficient and well run these properties are for the community and residents.  Our first stop was at Little Angels Learning Center, a pre-school for about sixty students, ages 3, 4, and 5, from various Mustard Seed residences and the nearby local community.  There is not a set tuition, but a donation is suggested.  The children attend school from 8:30am-2pm and are served both breakfast and lunch (a real selling point for parents!).   Little Angels is focused on preparing children for the next step in their educational journey, which requires them to take an exam to gain entrance to competitive primary schools in the area.  Due to the rigorous education the Little Angels students receive, they are highly successful in gaining access to some of the best schools in Kingston.  We were able to watch the children sing their morning songs, including the Jamaican Anthem, say a few prayers, and hang out together for a few minutes before they started their school day.  It only took a few minutes for them to warm our hearts.  They wanted to touch and braid our hair, learn our names and ages, and play with our cell phones and watches. 😊 

Next, we took a tour of the rest of the property, starting with the day school.  The building was bursting with colors, letters, numbers, books, and toys!  From every angle, learning is made easy and interactive for these kids.  As with all of the Mustard Seed properties we have seen so far, this property was also extremely clean, the kids were well dressed and smelled good, and the staff was attentive, upbeat and friendly.

Katie, Kathy, and Steve make their live radio debut.
Andrew makes his directorial debut.

Next, we stopped by to visit the children at My Father’s House with Cerebral Palsy.  These children are a little older than the children at Sophie’s Place.  We all sung songs and participated in circle time before the kids were brought out for a nature walk and our group moved on.

Next up, we visited the radio station called “Roots 96.1 FM.”  The radio station was established in the 1990’s as a way to communicate to the local community about public health issues and explanations on how to work with people in the community with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and HIV/AIDS.  Katie, Steve, and Kathy made their live radio debut as they were interviewed about our mission trip to Jamaica which can be found on Facebook (https:/m.facebook.com/ROOTSFMJA) and then moved on to the on-site pottery shop.

At the pottery shop, we were given a brief explanation on how the pottery (dishes, bowls, vases, and ornaments) is made and glazed.  Mustard Seed uses this pottery as a way of earning money to support the various locations, and we brought our credit cards to do our part in stimulating the Mustard Seed economy (and to bring home some beautiful pottery!).

After leaving, My Father’s House we hopped back on the bus and headed to the second location of the day called Jerusalem!.  This is the largest of the Mustard Seed properties in the Kingston area and is located in a much more rural setting.  Within Jerusalem!, there are a few sub-communities; a home for teenage girls with HIV/AIDS called Dare to Care, a home for young boys and girls called Martha’s House, and a third area for children with Cerebral Palsy, similar to Sophie’s Place.


Our team at the chapel at Jerusalem!

In addition to the residential areas, Jerusalem also has an amazing farm with 3,000 chickens that supply the Jamaican residences of Mustard Seed with eggs.  Eggs are also sold to the local community to earn income for Mustard Seed.  Vegetable gardens, honey bees, and two tilapia ponds also act as food and income for Jerusalem. 

The fish pond at Jerusalem!

Next, it was time to put our Xavier team to work!  Our project for the day was to repaint a few homes at Jerusalem bright yellow and pastel green.  Some of the team was pretty hot, frustrated, and exhausted by the time this projected started which resulted in some badly needed quality control.  We got through our task just as a storm rolled in.  We headed back to our residence at Sophie’s place on the bus to reflect the day and contemplate our game plan for tomorrow.

Preparing for our paint job this afternoon.

Victoria & Kathy

Rookies

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Motivational Moments

The day started with a shower after our first full night at Sophie’s Place.  I slept well in a bedroom with every door and window left open to the sound of the Jamaican mountainside.  A small black fan is tied to every bedpost and when plugged in provides circulation to the humid air.  I left my socks on to combat the bugs that have been floating around but found myself cold enough to use the sheet left for us on our bunks throughout the night. I was happy to find that I wasn’t the last team member to wake up, some were already helping to prepare breakfast, coffee, and fruit for the rest of the team.  After trying our first Johnny Cakes and 2 fresh bananas, I went downstairs to help work with the children at Sophie’s Place. We were in time for a music session, complete with instruments for each child and Sunday School songs led by the caregivers (Auntie’s).  After the singing and music playing, the Auntie’s led a bible reading for the children, sharing their bibles with us so we could help read along.



Preparing for our walk over to church.


After a great Jamaican breakfast and some relaxing conversation, we went downstairs to leave for Mass.  I was surprised …  you might say shocked … to be greeted by so many of the children, all dressed in their finest clothes.  Tiara was wearing her ‘diamond’ necklace and so proud of how she looked.  As Lola wheeled her down the street, she kept warning us about when we had to stay away from cars in the street.  When we got to church, she sat right up in the front row, so she could see, be seen and sway to the music.  The children are like one solid family, looking after and protecting one another, and at the same time, eager to meet their guests and interact with us.  Steve was blessed with the opportunity to hold Raheem in his arms during Mass, a truly spiritual experience for him.  All the children adopted a friend to sit with.  The Mass itself was itself a spiritual experience.  The readings and the Gospel dealt with the feelings we were experiencing … the first about the prophet Elijah and the Gospel was about the rich who gave from their bounty or surplus, while the poor gave the last of what they had.  The music – so uplifting and joyous, the children’s collection before the regular collection was a joy to behold.  All the children come up to the front of the altar to give their tithe before the regular collection is taken.  We had one particularly funny experience … one little who’d given his money and gone back to his seat, had second thoughts about it and decided to go back up, retrieve it and return to his seat.  A little coaxing from mom finally convinced him to go back up and place it in the basket.  The entire service was inspiring and what a wonderful way to start our first full day of adventure with these beautiful kids.



Steve holding Raheem throughout mass.


After Mass, the children were ready for lunch.  After our team members pushed back the children’s wheelchairs from the Church, we were ready for lunch too.  I decided to stay for lunch with the children, but it was actually Tiara, who demanded I stay with her to give her lunch.  While the Auntie’s fed most of the children a mashed mixture, Tiara kept repeating that she was excited to eat her favorite meal ever: Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables (Jamaican Accent).  I was nervous sitting with her this whole time because of the Jamaican preference to leave bones in their Chicken and Meat.  I was feeding a 10 year old girl with cerebral palsy chicken with bones. I was nervous with every spoon-fed bite I gave her, but she was quick to let me know when a bone was in her mouth and pushed it quickly to her lower lip with her tongue for me to remove. I wasn’t expecting this process to take 45 minutes, but I enjoyed every bite that she took.  In between bites, the Auntie’s and I had to remind Tiara to “Chew more and Speak less.”  Obviously we were called “mad” by Tiara for even considering that she didn’t give us her opinion of every topic of conversation.  After Tiara finished her lunch bowl, which was about half of her size, I was eager to eat myself.  After scooping down some pasta salad, I was excited to find that we would be heading to Matthew 25:40, to work with young men and teenage boys affected with HIV/Aids.

These young boys are amazing, so smart, talented and happy.  We found them with so much hope.  Niko is so bright … he told us of his plans to finish school, then move to NYC for more education and to open his first business.  He plans to have stores in New York, Canada and China, marry a gal from Canada and start a second career as a motivational speaker.  Niko was so positive, and full of hope.  Then there was Keemo, an absolutely beautiful, happy young man who also plans to be a motivational speaker.  We already decided on his introduction to a group:  Finding Keemo!  These boys, along with all those who interacted with us, playing soccer, football and just some all-round fun sports … then absolutely overjoyed with the reward of candy, balloons, stickers, etc.  What a wonderful afternoon!

When we returned to Sophie’s Place, we were able to spend time with the children here, feeding them … Tiara requesting a manicure-pedicure, while Donovan wanted someone to read to him.  I had a chance for the second time to feed my little pal, Raheem (RaRa) and loved every minute of it.
We’re excited to begin a new week of interaction with the remainder of Mustard Seed Communities.  We’re excited to make new friendships and see new smiles on the faces of the children that we interact with. We are blessed to be here and excited to share more with you as our trip continues.



The evening sky over Sophie's Place.

Una & John

Rookies

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Welcome to Sophie's Place

After a sleepless night—we had to be at airport at 2:00AM—we arrived at the beautiful island of Jamaica.  Tired but anxious of the journey ahead.   All set aside when we felt the warmth and smiles of the people awaiting us at the airport.  A drive through a classic Caribbean landscape got us to Sophie’s Place.  Then all at once we met Donovan who greeted us wanting to hold our hands and take pictures.  One of the aunties (the caregivers) introduced us to all the residents ranging from age from 5 years old to 30 something.  Truth be told it was difficult to take in as most of the residents were wheelchair-bound and severely challenged.  A surprise for most of us.  Yet as the day ensued we became increasingly engaged – they opened up their world at Sophie’s Place to us.

Evelyn & Jose

Rookies (and Begrudging Siblings)

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Jose, Evelyn, Dolores, Una, Angie, and Kathy getting a tour of our home for the next week.



Jose with two of the residents.

Safe and Sound (and Tired)

We've had a long day--getting 13 people with 16 bins + 28 bags full of supplies and stuffed animals to another country is a masterclass in organization!

But alas, everyone was too tired to stay up to write about our day.  So, I'm posting this so that you know we've arrived safely.  More to come tomorrow.

In the meantime, share words of encouragement, jealousy, etc. and I will pass them along!


Andrew (Sweetie Mon)
10-Year Veteran

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T-Minus 4 Days!

Here I sit in my office on a dark, rainy day in Manhattan.  In four days, I will be in bright, sunny Jamaica with 14 people from Xavier--so all is "Irie, Mon."

Check in each day to this blog for a running commentary on our trip from the perspective of each of our members.


Andrew (Sweetie Mon)
10-Year Veteran

Click here to visit our donation page :-)