After another morning run, the final day in clinic loomed large. We were going into unchartered water, even for the ministry, as the place we were seving today, Islington, was new to the medical teams and was known to serve around 7000 persons in the surrounding community. The good news was that it was the most “modern” of the clinics, the bad news is that meant it may have a light in each room. We arrived at Islington to find a mass of patients already assembled in a large anteroom in what appeared initially to be a chaotic congestion of hot, ill humanity. Once we began to set up, Mr.Myers, an employee of ACE who was 75 years young and looked about 50, took control, along with Jesse, and herded the flock into a semi-organized line up of patients. Again, Susan, as the slave driving patient router, kept all the providers busy. In fact, I think she took pleasure in telling me continually, “Just one more Pap” about 15 times. I was well past my hard earned peanut butter and jelly lunch break as I would see her lovingly sort another gyn patient my way. It was fun to watch her direct folks in what looked like a random fashion, yet she knew exactly who needed to go where and when. I am lucky to be married to such a take charge wife. She exhibits the same efficiency at the mall with our kids.
“Okay Caroline, you go to the Gap. Katie, over there to Macy’s. I’m heading this way since I am next in line at Wongs pedi-mani emporium” As I said, we all have our gifts.
As the day drew to a close, Betty,Mr. Myers, Susan and I and a couple of team members got into a van and ventured out into the countryside. One of the ACE programs involves child sponsorship providing a school uniform, school supplies, and, when available, some food products for their families. There were a few bags of rice in the back of the van so we sought to distribute what we could. When you see these folks in the clinics its easy to fantasize that they will get treated and go back to their houses and watch CSI Miami and eat TV dinners. There is a certain comfortable ignorance in seeing people dressed well (out of respect many patients would wear their nicest clothes to the clinics). Also many of the Jamaicans spoke very well so my western prejudice didn’t immediately associate them with the abject poverty that was their reality. I was soon to have that misconception exploded into a million pieces. We traveled down some barely passable roads, eventually having to walk as the roads became nonexistent, and visited some of the sponsored children’s hovels. Many of the kids were still in school so we met the moms, the dads were nowhere to be found, and gave them the foodstuffs. There was universal appreciation and warm and friendly hellos and goodbyes at each stop. The poverty was disturbing, but the spirit was strong. These are proud and friendly people who appreciate kindness and understand it is a leg up and not a hand out. ACE firmly believes that people respond better to ownership and responsibility rather than charity. A person’s dignity is the first wrung of the ladder from which they can climb out of their predicaments, and if they accept their responsibility to make sure their child goes to school and is looked after (which ACE insists upon), everyone becomes a winner. ACE is fostering a culture of self sufficiency and production, not dependence, and it’s accomplished with an attitude of Christian compassion,not pity. This demonstrable witness screams louder than any Bible tract or sermon. And it’s changing lives. The final house we visited was several miles down a back road thick into the countryside. Approximately 2 miles from the elementary school we spied Jonathan, a 6 year old sponsored child, making his way home from school. We picked him up and carried him the remaining 1 1/2 miles to his house. The fact that Jonathan walked 3 1/2 miles to and from school each day was not lost on us. He was a shy tyke, but warmed up immediately as Mr.Myers, a surrogate grandfather for many of these kids, hugged him and asked him about his school day. People can’t help to respond to sincere compassion and Mr.Myers oozed compassion. I think that was the thing that struck me the most about ACE; they really cared. This was not some “do what I say, not what I do” group of folks. These were people that, in their actions, words, and prayers, tried to be true to their calling. From Marla to the guys working on the landscape at the hotel, everyone keeps foremost in their hearts the necessity of a servants heart. Without that they couldn’t do what they do every day. These are people who are firmly grounded in the reality of their situation; they know for example that sometimes it takes some smoozing of local politicians to get things done; yet, they never lose the undercurrent of why they are there. They love these people and that is the simple yet powerful thread that binds them together. I’m sure there are times they get frustrated and upset at the mountain of problems they encounter, yet I sense that frustration and heartache is countered by having a vision for a better future, both here and beyond.
The flight home was not as eventful as our battle with customs on our way in, although Tish, the dental hyena who was Dr.Mike’s left, right, and middle hand, was briefly detained in the Atlanta airport by security for a “random” pat down, search, and otherwise hapless harassment. She was the sole African American on our team, and not to say that had anything to do with anything because we know that TSA doesn’t profile, but still I thought it rather bizarre that she was singled out. I suspect that if she had worn a Burka and veil she would have been waived right through! She was no worse for the trauma and vowed to return with us next year, but she insisted that she was going to drive herself to Jamaica next time and bypass the airlines completely! In the end we all returned safely and although we took our separate routes home, we knew we would be forever bound by the memories of our week on the island.
I write all this after being home about a week from the trip, mainly for my own edification as the creeping years create lapses in memory. I know I have left out some details, and heaven forbid, I might have even embellished a few things, but I assure you the people, events, and experiences were all true. My prayer is that this be the first of many medical trips with ACE and we can continue to serve Jesus and Jamaica. As I said early on, I am not really a mission kind of guy, at least not what I used to think missions were all about. I was one of an ocean of mission illeterates thinking that if I just dove under the sea when a need arose, I would be safe in my watery cocoon. I no longer have the safety of ignorance as I can never forget the need. We all have a duty, whether we acknowledge it or not, to make this place just a bit better than we found it, and inevitably it starts with one act. It doesn’t matter if it is at home or halfway around the world, the needs are the same. The only failure is failing to try. I, and I feel safe in assuming, all our team members will be just a bit different when we get up tomorrow. We will go to our jobs, wake our children, drink our coffee ...and remember. Its not what we have done already that matters so much, It is what we do with that memory that will determine our legacy.
“Okay Caroline, you go to the Gap. Katie, over there to Macy’s. I’m heading this way since I am next in line at Wongs pedi-mani emporium” As I said, we all have our gifts.
As the day drew to a close, Betty,Mr. Myers, Susan and I and a couple of team members got into a van and ventured out into the countryside. One of the ACE programs involves child sponsorship providing a school uniform, school supplies, and, when available, some food products for their families. There were a few bags of rice in the back of the van so we sought to distribute what we could. When you see these folks in the clinics its easy to fantasize that they will get treated and go back to their houses and watch CSI Miami and eat TV dinners. There is a certain comfortable ignorance in seeing people dressed well (out of respect many patients would wear their nicest clothes to the clinics). Also many of the Jamaicans spoke very well so my western prejudice didn’t immediately associate them with the abject poverty that was their reality. I was soon to have that misconception exploded into a million pieces. We traveled down some barely passable roads, eventually having to walk as the roads became nonexistent, and visited some of the sponsored children’s hovels. Many of the kids were still in school so we met the moms, the dads were nowhere to be found, and gave them the foodstuffs. There was universal appreciation and warm and friendly hellos and goodbyes at each stop. The poverty was disturbing, but the spirit was strong. These are proud and friendly people who appreciate kindness and understand it is a leg up and not a hand out. ACE firmly believes that people respond better to ownership and responsibility rather than charity. A person’s dignity is the first wrung of the ladder from which they can climb out of their predicaments, and if they accept their responsibility to make sure their child goes to school and is looked after (which ACE insists upon), everyone becomes a winner. ACE is fostering a culture of self sufficiency and production, not dependence, and it’s accomplished with an attitude of Christian compassion,not pity. This demonstrable witness screams louder than any Bible tract or sermon. And it’s changing lives. The final house we visited was several miles down a back road thick into the countryside. Approximately 2 miles from the elementary school we spied Jonathan, a 6 year old sponsored child, making his way home from school. We picked him up and carried him the remaining 1 1/2 miles to his house. The fact that Jonathan walked 3 1/2 miles to and from school each day was not lost on us. He was a shy tyke, but warmed up immediately as Mr.Myers, a surrogate grandfather for many of these kids, hugged him and asked him about his school day. People can’t help to respond to sincere compassion and Mr.Myers oozed compassion. I think that was the thing that struck me the most about ACE; they really cared. This was not some “do what I say, not what I do” group of folks. These were people that, in their actions, words, and prayers, tried to be true to their calling. From Marla to the guys working on the landscape at the hotel, everyone keeps foremost in their hearts the necessity of a servants heart. Without that they couldn’t do what they do every day. These are people who are firmly grounded in the reality of their situation; they know for example that sometimes it takes some smoozing of local politicians to get things done; yet, they never lose the undercurrent of why they are there. They love these people and that is the simple yet powerful thread that binds them together. I’m sure there are times they get frustrated and upset at the mountain of problems they encounter, yet I sense that frustration and heartache is countered by having a vision for a better future, both here and beyond.
The flight home was not as eventful as our battle with customs on our way in, although Tish, the dental hyena who was Dr.Mike’s left, right, and middle hand, was briefly detained in the Atlanta airport by security for a “random” pat down, search, and otherwise hapless harassment. She was the sole African American on our team, and not to say that had anything to do with anything because we know that TSA doesn’t profile, but still I thought it rather bizarre that she was singled out. I suspect that if she had worn a Burka and veil she would have been waived right through! She was no worse for the trauma and vowed to return with us next year, but she insisted that she was going to drive herself to Jamaica next time and bypass the airlines completely! In the end we all returned safely and although we took our separate routes home, we knew we would be forever bound by the memories of our week on the island.
I write all this after being home about a week from the trip, mainly for my own edification as the creeping years create lapses in memory. I know I have left out some details, and heaven forbid, I might have even embellished a few things, but I assure you the people, events, and experiences were all true. My prayer is that this be the first of many medical trips with ACE and we can continue to serve Jesus and Jamaica. As I said early on, I am not really a mission kind of guy, at least not what I used to think missions were all about. I was one of an ocean of mission illeterates thinking that if I just dove under the sea when a need arose, I would be safe in my watery cocoon. I no longer have the safety of ignorance as I can never forget the need. We all have a duty, whether we acknowledge it or not, to make this place just a bit better than we found it, and inevitably it starts with one act. It doesn’t matter if it is at home or halfway around the world, the needs are the same. The only failure is failing to try. I, and I feel safe in assuming, all our team members will be just a bit different when we get up tomorrow. We will go to our jobs, wake our children, drink our coffee ...and remember. Its not what we have done already that matters so much, It is what we do with that memory that will determine our legacy.
