Written by: Sam Barber   Pastor of Shepherd Church of the Nazarene

The Shepherd Work and Witness team boarded the Delta flight and, in what seemed like no time, those in window seats wondered if the island they were flying over might be Cuba.  It was, and what a gorgeous early November day we had to fly--the deep blue ocean interrupted only by white caps that fooled us for small boats from our 20,000 foot vantage point.  

A tip of the wing and Montego Bay, Jamaica, came into view.  The water morphed from deep blue to crystal clear aqua and the sandy beach beckoned.  We were fully awake now, chattering and planning, gawking and craning to see what the Caribbean looked like.  As we expected, just like a travel brochure.   

Luggage and customs and out into the humid air. We shed our Ohio layers as quickly as we could and bought water and juice.  Though it would never be allowed in America, our whole team crammed into every seat and aisle “jump seats” on the Toyota bus and we began the very bumpy trip through the verdant mountains.  Mountains gave way to savannah and the sugar cane fields spread out like oceans.   

Cane demands workers and workers live in little communities.  Dogs, goats, bicycles, and cars all vie for right of way on the Jamaican roads.  Villages gave way to towns and our eyes darted from colorful house to brilliant foliage and back again a hundred times, the beautiful people busily creating an existence while we bounced past in the bus. 

Frome Technical High School caught our attention and distracted us as we turned a sharp right. We had arrived, the lush foliage interrupted by the beauty of the Mission House, the home of Revs. Lionel and Jennifer Brown, and our lodgings for the next 10 days.  Next to it, our project, the Gamertsfelder Mission Center stood out powerfully against the darkening Caribbean sky. 

We were greeted by the Browns and ushered into a delicious meal prepared by a few fine ladies with a gift for hospitality.  Our minds were filled with ideas and a quick tour of the work project implied a week of hard but rewarding work.  Rev. Lionel Brown and our American hosts, Sam and Barbara Rhodes, described the schedule, answered questions I’m certain they hear from every team, and then allowed us time to rest and fellowship.   

We were weary from travel but all found it difficult to sleep due to the anticipation of the first day of work.  The mission house held us all comfortably, and after a healthy breakfast we began wheel barrow loads of sand, gravel, and concrete.  Before the week was over, we had poured one half of the main floor the old fashioned way --one load at a time.  The concrete was mixed by hand on the floor of the project.  Shovel by shovel, we made progress until the floor was done.  We loved the work and working side by side with the local Jamaican men and women.  Their strength and work ethic pushed our limits of endurance, but they were gracious and we made a strong team. 

The laughter and fellowship, American and Jamaican alike, made the heat and work enjoyable. We quickly forgot our typical clock-watching and let the labor before us set the pace.   

On Sundays we worshipped at the Burnt Savannah Church of the Nazarene, a place named for the process by which the sugar cane in this savannah is harvested.  Celebratory singing, powerful preaching and prayers, and a deep appreciation for the international family of God characterized these service times.  After one morning service, we walked the streets of the community and invited folks to church and offered prayers for salvation and help.  Midweek, we joined a street preaching service with the Burnt Savannah congregation, again celebrating with worship, testimony and powerful preaching.  Though our American communities would frown upon the practice, we joyfully celebrated the bold witness of our host church. 

A trip up the Black River was punctuated with a Crocodile-kissing boat captain and some breathtaking scenery.  We followed that journey with a mountain-top, open-air buffet lunch and an excursion to Y.S. Falls for zip lining, rope swings into the falls, and a refreshing dip in the pool.   We bounced and swerved our way back to the mission house weary and enriched by the beauty of the handiwork of God.  Saturday took us to Negril beach for some top-notch souvenir acquisitions, lounge chairs and sunbathing, Jamaican cliff divers, and watching the sun sink into the Caribbean Sea. 

Most rewarding, however, was the first ever eye exam and medical clinic offered in the partially finished Gamertsfelder Mission Center. The cameras flashed as brightly as the smiles as Dr. Paul Gamertsfelder performed the first ever eye exam in the center and the patient received his first pair of glasses.  All told, 90 exams happened that day, complete with blood pressure and blood sugar checks, eye exams, and prayer stations.  More than just a humanitarian gesture, Dr. Doug McCloy, the impetus behind this great project coined the phrase, “humani-eternal” to describe the work.  Not just the eyes or the body, but also the soul will receive help at the GMC (Gamertsfelder Mission Center).   

On Monday morning we bid a tearful goodbye to our hosts and new Jamaican family and headed out for the Montego Bay Airport.  Once through customs, we couldn’t get to Burger King and Dominos pizza fast enough.  We celebrated a rewarding week of work with some good old American junk food.   

None of us will ever be the same.  We went as willing workers for the sake of Jesus and returned ambassadors for Jamaica and the work of the Gospel there.  We’re making plans already to return at least once before the dedication and we’d like to invite you to go, too.  The work was exhausting, but the people, the promise of the GMC, and the hospitality of the Jamaican people made it all worth while.