I am blessed

It was been a very busy two weeks and I’m sorry to my followers that I haven’t updated sooner. The past two weeks have been busy with home visits, doing errands around Kingston, and a trip to Mandeville. Mas John came home from the hospital two Tuesday’s past. He had been there for a week because his breathing had been so bad. While at the hospital he got a slight skin tear and I was able to change his dressing a few times during some of my home visits. Aunt Daph is primary care giver at home and she does an amazing job while still trying to run a household. He doesn’t have one bed sore on him and she always meets any one of his requests. I had the opportunity last Monday to sit with him for about two hours while Aunt Daph was in Annato Bay picking up his medication. I stopped by for what I thought was going to be a brief visit to change Mas John’s dressing and to say hi. Once I realized Aunt Daph wasn’t there I decided to stay awhile longer so Patricia could go about her days work without continuing to check in with Mas John. I sat with him for about two hours and we talked for only about 45 minutes during those two hours but there was a sense of just “being” for both of us which is almost indescribable. Because breathing is so hard for him conversation is as well but he does alright. He shared with me how frustrated he gets when he isn’t able to see and help around the house. A man who once had many trades is stuck in his bed now. He doesn’t even like to go outside because he finds it so depressing to know what he once had. He reminds me a lot of my Grampie who was a hard- working man but as old age set in he was more and more unable to work around the house. Mas John said he was a carpenter, a wood-worker; he could lay cement and build a road. He never got a formal education in these skills but I find here you learn best from those in your family who have already mastered that trade. College and higher education wasn’t really an option back in that day. I think what struck me the most during my visit was when I was leaving Mas John called me back into his room after I had already said good-bye and asked when I was going to spend a whole day there with him. The comment really caught me off-guard; our conversation wasn’t anything deep or really insightful but as I said before I think it was just the presence of someone being there that was comforting for us both.
I also spent a full afternoon at Ioka’s house last week watching all the kids while Carolyn went to do a little school shopping for the children. I brought over coloring books and crayons for the kids to play with as well as biscuits for them to share. After coloring for awhile Stead called me outside to take pictures and video of them pretending to be in the Olympics. Usian Bolt and all the Jamaican athletes are a very big deal here to the people all over the island…the World Championships were huge and exciting. Some of the athletes are from Kingston and train there as well so it hits close to home for many I work with and serve. They ran races in there yard which isn’t a yard at home, it’s more of an uneven dirt path but oh man they make it work and they have a blast doing it. I’m really enjoying getting to know the kids in each of my different communities. Ioka’s mom has already asked me to tutor her in math so she can be ready for her GSAT test at the end of the year.
I saw Osheen last week as well for the first time in about three weeks! She was so excited and ran up into my arms! I took Ioka and her to the school library on Monday so I could see it and they could color! I feel as though I am becoming more and more of a familiar face in the community which is exciting!
I taught my first Sunday school class today and for never having taught it before it went very well! I had 8 kids there which is low because usually there are 20-30 kids in church but the small number was kind of a blessing considering it was my first class. For my first class we made name tags and the kids wrote there name on the front and then drew a picture of something they were thankful for on the back. The answered ranged from school, church, and family. Ioka’s answer was especially touching, “I am very thankful for a good friend like you Miss Sarah.I will always love you. I am thankful for God to give me a family. Miss Sarah I want to thank you for everything you have done for me and my family.”
On this past Wednesday all my housemates and I went to Boostamonte Children’s Hospital in Kingston and spent the afternoon playing with kids who were in the burn unit. When we first arrived and were getting approved for being there I sat down with a little girl who was full of energy and kept getting up to run around. We had brought crayons and paper and we began to color and talk. Latanya is six years old. She is mostly healed from her burn but her entire body is covered with scars. Her head, elbow, and upper thighs are still covered with dressings. I found out that she has been there for about two years which means that the burns were terribly bad. After coloring for a bit she climbed up on my shoulders and had me walk her around the compound and play hide and seek with Jared. After walking for about a half an hour we decided to sit down and rest which is where she fell asleep in my arms for about 30 minutes. It was so special and such an amazing moment for me. When it was time to go I carried her into her bed and laid her down but after about 5 minutes she had gotten up and come back outside and stood next to me. She definitely left a mark on my heart and I plan to make the hospital visit about once or twice a month.
School starts Monday and I really couldn’t be more excited and anxious. It seems as though I will be doing a lot of tutoring with literacy and reading for kids that are struggling.
Overall things are going well here…my house community is continually growing and learning from each other. I have learned a lot about myself and it’s only been a month and a half so far but I find myself very in tuned with my emotions and those around me. Continually taking in and remembering that we are all at different stages in this process. I’m happy with where and how things are going for me so far.