The Ambassador Jamaica team (The JamFam) arrived in Kingston last Monday after an intense weekend of preparation at the Adventures office in Georgia. The way this team took every challenge that was thrown at them was more than impressive. They have tackled each ministry given to them with enthusiasm and have chosen joy in every situation. They continue love each other and encourage one another through it all. It has been an amazing time of renewal and breaking down walls within themselves so they can pour the Father’s love out on Jamaica. Here are some of their stories:
Katie Biggerstaff:
Once upon a time (what feels like a long, long time ago) I arrived at the AIM headquarters in Gainesville, GA. Right from the start our whole team bonded like we had known each other for our whole lives. We had an amazing time at training camp. Through intense worship sessions, team building exercises, and faith-stretching prayer walks we had a renewed spirit and were ready for whatever God had in store for us. Arriving in Jamaica, the first couple days flew by. They consisted of VBS, the elderly home, the orphanage, testimonies, and lots of prayer. My favorite part was definitely the Jesus Way ministry when we played with very poor kids and had a little VBS for them. I was able to teach the Bible story and they were all very open to hearing it. What broke my heart was how hungry they were. We gave them sandwiches after the lesson, but that was all we could do. It was very hard to leave them there. These past few days have been challenging because we are all exhausted. This has been a long but rewarding trip. To finish it out, my strength will come from Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Matt Seymour:
I applied for this mission trip to Jamaica simply because I wanted to take pictures and experience a different country; however, despite the fact that I came for the wrong reasons, God still used me, and the Holy Spirit has worked through me in ways that I could have never have imagined. The weeks leading up to this trip were excruciating. I have Tourette’s syndrome, which is a neurological disorder that makes me say obscene words. Without my knowing of it, Satan had put lies in my mind that made me think that people would judge me, or that my team would not accept me because I was different. Anyway, when I arrived at the training camp, I found my team and felt immediate acceptance. Every worry I had left me as I was surrounded in God’s love. After three days of team building activities, worship services, and prayer times, we got on a plane that was headed for Jamaica. Upon arrival, we started playing with the kids in a vacation bible school, as well as the kids in the orphanage. At night we had astounding worship services. Along with worship we also shared our testimony; we did not withhold anything from one another. I think that sharing my testimony (as well as all of the darkness and brokenness that goes along with it), was a big step in giving myself up to the Lord. Furthermore, we went to a park and shared the gospel with whoever we felt called to, sang worship songs for the elderly at a nursing home, and played futbol in a huge field with dozens of homeless children. Throughout all of this, I find myself not wanting to be a materialistic person. What I’ve realized is that the kids we have had fellowship with don’t have anything, and yet they are so much happier than us. Anyway, this trip has literally changed my life. God has been so present throughout all of this that it is hard to even fathom. I would like to finish by saying that we are called to go and make disciples of all nations, no matter what our situation is.
