Ortonville- Jamaica is considered by many people as a tropical tourist spot, with beautiful beaches.
But 13 local teens and six adults got a look at another side of the West Indies country when they traveled to Catadupa, about 30-40 kilometers (about 20 miles) south of Montego Bay, in the center of the island.
The group from Ortonville Baptist Church went to Catadupa from July 10-17 to do mission work? specifically, to build outhouses and host a Vacation Bible School for local children. The group had to raise $950 per person to go on the trip.
‘We wanted to get involved with the community and help them,? said Ken Tison, youth pastor at OBC. ‘They have no indoor plumbing and sanitation is needed… They need proper outhouses to avoid disease.?
The teens were surprised by what they found in Jamaica, sometimes pleasantly so.
Phil Olney, 16, noted everything was green and he saw food everywhere, particularly fruit like bananas and plantains.
John Schwartz, Jr., 16, said that while it was a culture shock, he had not expected people to be religious, but found they were.
Alex Noonan, 17, wondered what she had gotten herself into, especially when she was crammed into a van with 24 other people in extreme heat.
Erica Iceberg, 15, was amazed by the children.
‘They were wandering everywhere and they don’t know you, but they come up and hug you,? she said. ‘They’re not shy like here.?
The group stayed at a school, using sleeping bags on a concrete floor at night and contending with bugs. They woke every day at 5:30 a.m. to the banging of pots and pans by the local women who cooked for them. Breakfast was fruit, eggs, and bread. They had cereal everyday until they ran out of milk. At 8 a.m., they hiked to their job site over mountainous terrain. They built three hurricane-proof outhouses that will last 10-15 years, if not longer, says Tison. Two of the outhouses will each serve single families, while the other will serve three families. The youth dug 4-by-4 holes and went 7-8 feet down before building a wooden structure on top. Tison described the structures as better than a lot of houses there.
For two days, the teens also ran a kids? club similar to Vacation Bible School, with a teaching segment, craft, games, songs and worship. On one of the days, the club had 70 children attend, and they enjoyed the Hokey-Pokey, the Chicken Dance, and Simon Says, among other songs and games.
The teens also did landscaping for an elderly couple, as well as rebuilding their outdoor shower, hanging two doors and building them a path so they wouldn’t slip.
‘They were tickled,? says Tison.
Schwartz was surprised by how often the people they were helping wanted to chip in.
‘In Jamaica, everyone is eager to help and wanted to be a part of it,? he said.
‘They’re really happy people,? added Noonan.
The teens finished working at about 3:30 or 4 p.m. everyday and hiked to a spring to take showers where the locals bathe. They then returned to the school to eat dinner, play cards and have worship time. Iceberg noted the locals would show up to play euchre and spoons.
She also noted the Jamaicans wanted to give away everything they had. But besides the work they did and the teaching and fun they had with the children, the group was also able to give something special to a Jamaican mother. The woman cooked for the group, but also had skill as a seamstress. From her, they purchased dresses and shirts, and the woman told them that money would pay for her children’s high school education.
The teens say the trip was a learning experience for them.
‘No matter where you go in the world, there are always good people,? Olney said.
Adds Noonan, ‘I learned that you’re sometimes put in a situation and don’t know your purpose, but God will show you. I may be a missionary someday.?