To Empower
Our Friends in Christ
Alex reflects on her recent trip to Robin's Nest in Jamaica in October with our CLC Youth Group. She is in 10th grade and attends Stillwater High School. Robin's Nest is an orphanage located in Montego Bay Jamaica.
It’s easy to get caught up in everyday life when you’re stuck in the routine of your everyday reality of work, school, plays, sports or whatever it might be. That’s why our youth mission trip to Jamaica came at the perfect time. I needed a break from school and life here in Minnesota and was excited to go experience what it would be like in another place. However I wasn’t aware of the levels of poverty there. It was so different to come from little Lake Elmo where you see no one begging on the streets, to there, where the streets are filled with homeless and poor begging for food and spare change, or wanting you to buy something from their shop so badly, it would be hard to say no and bypass them to come back out. We experienced that harsh reality the very first day when we went shopping down an ally close to where we were staying.
Then we got to meet the kids and they were the most energetic and willing kids I have ever met. They all ran along the side of the bus when we pulled up and greeted us with the biggest eyes and warmest smiles. They quickly gravitated towards us and the week began. The one thing that really stood out to me was how much they wanted to help with everything. It was mostly the guys, but we all had to dig a trench through the mountain rock that would later be used for a fence. It was hard work and some of the boys from the nest would literally take the shovels and tools out of our hands and ask us if they could work. That was mind blowing to me. These kids should just be playing with the soccer balls and scooters laying out for them, but they wanted to help us work so we could get done and play with them.
The most powerful event that happened to me while on the trip happened one afternoon at the beach. We had just finished eating our lunch when one of the kids that I had grown particularly close with named Everton came over to me and my beach towel and sat down on my lap. He grabbed my hands and started clapping them together and began singing Jesus loves me. It was the cutest thing ever and I yelled to my mom who was in the water to come take a picture. He stopped all of a sudden and twisted to look up at me. He said, “That’s your mom?” and I said, “Yeah that’s my mom” and he said, “you live with her?” and I nodded my head and said “Yeah…” then he looked up at me and kissed my forehead and put his arms around my neck and smiled. It’s amazing to me how strong he is. He has no parents, yet was so happy for me when I told him that I live with my mom. It really was an eye opener having that privilege to meet such wonderful kids that were able to show so much love.
Click to see our CLC Youth Mission Trip Pictures
Click to learn more about Robin's Nest Orphange | 