Day 2 - The Ministry Begins

Waking up to the ocean breeze is definitely something I could get used too! Our morning started off with a great breakfast and we got the awesome opportunity to pray with the other ministry team from Canada that is staying in our compound. Through talking to the Canadians and the Jamaican pastors it was so incredible to see how Christ unites people from every background and color for the purpose of sharing His love.

Today our ministry was at the West Haven Orphanage for special needs kids. It was very clear once we left Montego Bay that we definitely were not in America anymore. As our bus climbed up the mountain side I felt like I was transported to another world with overgrown foliage, sharp cliffs and goats on the sides of the roads! We were all very tentative when entering West Haven, it was clear these weren't kids that we normally get to be around. Seeing some of them unable to move, sprawled out on their mats made me want to break down and cry. It was the kind of thing you see in slideshows about poor African children, not something you'd picture in a tropical paradise like Jamaica.

I was horrified when noone was there to help as a paralyzed boy strapped to a wheel chair began to have an attack. As I attempted to comfort him by wheeling him around I only made it worse by not noticing that I was cutting the arm he couldn't move on his turning wheel. I began to bawl when I realized that I caused his pain filled screams, and I took him out of the wheel chair to go find help. His name is Donald, and for the next two hours I sat with him in my lap ticking him, singing songs my mother sang to me as a baby and clicking my tongue because that was the only way he could seem to communicate with me. I can't express how I felt holding this beautiful, helpless boy but I can say that in that short time I truly fell in love Donald and I know it was the love of Christ pouring out of me. All I could think of was this might be the first time he has ever been loved this way, and who knows how long it will be until he is again. I can't say enough how grateful I am for everyone who is praying for this team, without your full support none of this would have been possible! This is only the beginning and I can't believe how much I have already learned and can only imagine the amazing things that God is going to do this week.

-Natalie Allyn

Side note to this story by Sarah H: Donald is one of two kids in the orphanage that are in the process of being adopted by two American couples. When they found out that our group was coming today, they asked that we make contact with him and give him the love that they would give him. I was able to see several people share that love with Donald. It was such a blessing to watch our students share the love of Christ with these kids!