Ah, Jamaica!

I'm sitting at my house thinking of all the things I need to do in the next 5 hours before I'm supposed to be at church. There are so many people I haven't talked to lately because of preparations for this trip. I should call you. Sorry that I'm not going to. I hope instead you'll read this for an update. Mostly I'm just thinking that I'm absolutely CRAZY for going on this. I know most people think I am, or at least the things I'll be doing are crazy.

I guess I should back up and tell you that I'm going on a mission trip to Jamaica with kids from the youth group I help. We are living like a Jamaicans for a week. Just one week. That's it. Why is that a big deal? I guess when you take into account that Jamaican families only make around $70 per week, it becomes a bit more disheartening. We are allowed to take a bed roll/ sleeping bag & a sheet, an insulated drinking container, a back pack, the outfit we are wearing on the plane, 1 extra outfit, flip-flops, 2 pair of unders, 1 bra, 2 pair of socks, a bible, a small note book, feminine supplies(if needed), and a flash light(to be used only in an emergency). If I didn't mention it, it's not to be in our bags. That's right, I'm going to be ripe at the end of the week.

Not only are we going to be living like them, and with them, we are going to build one family a home. It's only two rooms, but with 14 kids (by kids I mean they are 17 and 18) and 6 adults who don't know that much about building, it will be a huge challenge. Especially in the heat. (did I mention we have to work in pants and t-shirts?) We are broken up into groups of 4 to stay in homes with a family. We'll sleep on the floor in our bed rolls (did I mention the size of the roaches down there? I'm not talking about the ganga roaches, but rather the insects the size of your hand.)

The main thing I would like to get from this trip is to understand how people with Nothing can love Jesus so much, and yet people with all the money they desire never care to speak his name. I hope I can gain some insight. If you are the praying type, you should definitely keep us all in your prayers. There's so much more I want to say, but I really don't have time. I'm going to go have my last "real" meal for nine days. Remember me this week when you are eating your amazingly greasy fast food while I'll be lucky to get some cocoa bread and sardines. blech!

Here's to the "Jamaican diet!"