People in Jamaica

Nestled in the Caribbean, about 160 miles south of Florida, is the beautiful island of Jamaica. When most people think of Jamaica, no doubt, visions of sandy beaches and resort tourist areas fill the imagination. There is much more to Jamaica than vacation paradise; there are over 2.7 million people who call Jamaica their home. For them, life in Jamaica is not a vacation but, in many cases, daily survival. The people of Jamaica are no different than any other people; they need the Gospel of Jesus Christ if they are to escape the torments of hell.

It was my privilege to lead a group of 20 to Jamaica on our first week of summer tour this year. Included in the group were the Sons of the Prophets men's quartet group from Hyles- Anderson College as well as several high school young men who each paid their own way to join us on this trip.

T.J. and Christa Kimmel are graduates of Hyles-Anderson College and are missionaries to the people of Jamaica. T.J. recently became the pastor of Emanuel Baptist Church in Kingston and is doing a great job leading his people to grow. Just recently he taught the members of this existing church how to be soul winners, and the excitement is growing. Our group was able to come and show their people the soul winning zeal of Hyles-Anderson College as well as provide special music and preaching for their Wednesday evening service.

Our trip was not all work. We found opportunity for some other activities. Though most of the guys had their first go at playing “cricket” in a schoolyard where we had just finished soul winning, without hesitation I'm sure everybody would agree the best activity was when we took a 55-foot boat to a nearby island. This island provided a secluded place for our group of young men to go into the water and go snorkeling. I never would have imagined that there was such an interesting world beneath the water; it was like swimming in an aquarium. Other than Bro. Ted Speer's stepping on a sea urchin and my being stung by a jellyfish, we all made it back safely onto the island to enjoy a meal of “patties” and “coco bread.” Though just about everything we ate was very good, including some of the fruit indigenous to Jamaica, there were differing opinions about the curried goat.

The snorkeling was a great time, but if we took that away, every participant in the mission trip would still feel it was worth his time and money spent to be part of what else took place.
We held services in two schools, one private and one public. In each school we shared the Gospel, and many received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Each of the public schools in Jamaica holds a time of devotions each morning. They sing many of the Bible choruses we sing in Sunday school and many I've never heard before. They quote scripture in these devotions and even have prayer. In these public schools the children wear uniforms and are modestly dressed, and never a more polite or excited group of young people could you find. Though all of this is true, most have never heard the truth that they can be saved and know it simply by believing in Jesus Christ and what He did for us for salvation.

One day we went to an orphanage, and one of our tour members was able to present the Gospel to a group of nearly 40 young people of varying ages that were starved for attention.

Soul winning on the streets of Jamaica is an experience in itself. Unlike many places where people are not interested in knowing what you have to say, most Jamaicans do not seem to mind to stop and listen. Most of the people to whom we talked were already familiar with the verses we typically use in soul winning but never had heard anyone explain that salvation is free and that they need not nor cannot work for it. How happy they are when they understand that they can “know” they are going to Heaven.

Our last evening in Jamaica we ate a very nice meal at a restaurant on the top of a hill that overlooked the city of Kingston. It was very picturesque and the perfect place for us to wrap up the week with testimonies by those who traveled with us. This was a very moving time and most everyone expressed that the trip was worth every penny they paid to go. Some of the young men realized for the first time in their life just how good they have it. Some realized that they had been playing the part of being a “good” Christian and were ready for a change. All were encouraged to go home and be soul winners where they live.

In all we saw 2,441 souls receive Christ as their Savior. If you are a high-school age young person and would be interested in taking a mission trip in the future with Hyles-Anderson College, please contact the FBMI offices at 219-932-0711 or Mr. Randy DeMoville at 219-365-4031 Ext. 1254 or missions@hylesanderson.edu.