Short-term mission projects are much more than eight days of carpentry or interaction with children, they are experiential opportunities to put faith into action. Discover how God is working through your life to change the life of another. Join other Christians who have the same passion to live out their spiritual gifts and share their blessing.

Dates for our Mission Jamaica

Informational meetings

July 15th: at 9:30 between services

July 17th: at 7:00 PM.

August 12th: at 9:30 between services

August 14th: at 7:00 PM.

Mission Jamaica Team Report:
February 14-21, 2007

The Decision:

Jim Wallis is the leader of Sojourners Ministries in Washington, D.C. He wrote a book called God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It. Wallis says that most of us see that all is not right with our world. Knowing this, the big choice that we have to make in our lives is between cynicism and hope. If we choose cynicism, we believe it is impossible to right the wrongs. If we choose hope, we believe that God can use us to make a difference. Twenty-four of us made a decision for hope and invested a week of vacation in serving as short term missionaries to Garland Hall Children’s Home. It was twenty-four missionaries serving twenty-five children. Our team consists of the following people: Pastor Jim Sbertoli, Spiritual Leader, Glenna Sbertoli, Diane Schmidtke, Karen Parker, Dan Froiland, Construction Leader, Dan Lysholm, Katherine Lysholm, Marilyn Emond, Dr. Joe Emond, Charlie Olson, Ginny Olson, Bill Eggers, Bob Armitage, Bruce Hanson, Beth Bulleigh, Jim Bulleigh, Janet Fulkerson, Pam Gruner, Shannon Morrison, Sara Pechauer, Karla Shirley, Carol Jokinen, Dorothy Krinke and Pastor Tom Nyman, Team Leader. Besides those present, we were supported by others who have served on previous teams, by prayer partners from several congregations, by donors who offered gifts for children and staff, and by people who collected gifts, supplies and materials. Of course we were ably supported by Mission Jamaica Director/Consultant, Denny Kiel.

The Work:

This year, it was twenty-four missionaries working on thirteen projects.

• Dining Room: Repair and paint ceiling and walls
• Girls’ Large Dorm Room: Repair floor; repair and paint ceiling and walls.
• Girls Dormitory – Small Room: Repair door and paint walls.
• Hallway and Pantry: Repair/replace floor and doorways.
• Kitchen: Install screens, repair cabinets, replace door and paint walls.
• Hallway Bathroom: Install shower rod, repair plumbing and caulk
• Main Bathroom off Rear Porch: Repair tile and door and paint.
• Rear Porch: Repair electrical and paint.
• Upstairs Boys Dorm Large Room: Repair windows and paint
• Room off Rear Porch: Remove rats, replace floor and ceiling; paint all.
• Downstairs Boys’ Dorm: Bleach stains, paint walls and ceiling, install new door
• Downstairs Boys’ Bathroom: Repair plumbing; paint.
• Exterior: Repair roof and re-coat; repair cooking shed.

The Party:

Twenty-five orphans + four staff = 29 gift bags. Saturday afternoon was Christmas in February at Garland Hall Children's Home. We sang songs, ate sweets, gave presents and enjoyed a great time together. Oh, we also gave the home a new refrigerator. And, oh, we gave all the children Garland Hall Children's Home shirts.

The Worship:

Each evening we gathered on the beach for worship led by our Spiritual Leader, Pastor Jim Sbertoli. We sang and prayed; we reflected on our work and our relationships and we renewed our Christian stance of hope. On Sunday, we attended Sunday School and worshipped with the children at Mt. Carey Baptist Church. Pastor Jim and I had been invited to preach and we shared the pulpit.

Sunday Afternoon:

After worship, missionaries and orphans were paired and we all went to the Palace Multiplex Theater in Montego Bay. We had arranged for a special showing of Cars. It was wonderful because that is the way everyone drives in Jamaica. We all had popcorn and sodas and we made multiple trips to the bathroom during the movie.

When the movie ended, we walked down the block to the Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant. The missionaries helped the children order and eat their meals and then accompanied them to the restaurant’s play land for a little recreation. After the movie and dinner we boarded the busses for our trip back to Anchovy. We said our goodbyes, made promises to return next year and the missionaries had a very quiet bus ride back to Sunset Beach.

The Future:

Over half of our twenty-four team members are repeaters. We find that our lives are changed as we change the lives of the residents of Garland Hall Children's Home. We build relationships and trust by returning year after year. We serve Jesus and his people. Our servant purpose is to affirm hope and to live out that stance of hope with each other and with the people God places before us in Jamaica. We know God will bless us and we pray that God will lead us back to Jamaica February 13-20, 2008. And we will bring hope and love from Minnesota.

Respectfully submitted,

Tom Nyman