A Week With Mission Jamaica
Mission Jamaica is an outreach started over 30 years ago by St. Andrews Lutheran with the purpose of bringing people to serve on short-term trips to an island paradise where the needs are many. Their main focus is building homes for Jamaicans in need.
Twelve from North Heights flew to Montego Bay and bussed to Kingston this past January. We volunteered with around 40 others to build two homes, staff a popup health clinic, and help out with needs at a local school and preschool. We found beautiful, friendly people with strong faith and deep poverty in a land of stunning beauty and oppressive heat. We built sweet friendships with fellow servants and saw the Lord give opportunities to encourage, pray, and minister to needs of body, soul and spirit.
Our week began with Spirit-filled worship at Arlene Church (Arlene Gardens Gospel Assembly), where a precious family brought their baby girl for baptism. That afternoon we painted the running track and fence rails at Hope Valley, a Christian school where special needs children are included with typical students. As the week continued, we ministered alongside medical professionals to serve clinic walk-ins with many health needs and little access to medicines, glasses, and therapies.
We enjoyed crafts, devotions, and play time with fun and active three- to five-year-old kids at a preschool where children are given a solid foundation to succeed in school and be boosted out of poverty. We had prayer ministry times with teachers, clinic patients, building site neighbors, and team members. We also had nightly worship and team devotions.
The J’abode (small home) built by the North Heights team was given to Sharon, a mom and grandmother who was living in poor conditions with family members in a squatters’ shack. Three days of house wood framing, painting, roofing, cement work, etc. in challenging heat and humidity took its toll on our team, yet the Lord gave us strength. We completed this small building that included 3 windows and 2 doors. Our reward was giving Sharon keys to her new refuge and the glorious celebration with her family. Sharon is a mother of 6 and great grandmother of 18.
Psalm 91:1-2: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Our group was truly blessed to be a blessing. Luke 12:48 says, “From everyone to whom much was given, much will be expected. From the one who was entrusted with much, much more will be asked…” Our North Heights group was blessed by the Lord as He used the unique spiritual gifts of each one of us to make a difference in the lives of His children. We are especially thankful for the doors He opened, allowing us to share faith in Jesus and to pray with people He put in our paths.
North Heights is going to Jamaica in January of 2026! Registration begins in May, but if you have any interest, contact Mark at .