Hoboken Cares

Where is Home?

2011-11-06T08:11:00.005-05:00

I'm a day late posting the blog for yesterday (Saturday), but I just couldn't manage to open the computer last night. I simply wanted to sit, enjoy some more time with a few members of the team, and reflect on what we just experienced.

The day we leave Jamaica is always difficult. We leave with mixed feelings because we are our best selves when we are there, serving God alongside the amazing people of Mustard Seed. But I know the whole team is eager to return home to share our stories and challenge ourselves to be those same best selves amid the pace and distraction of our "normal lives".

Our Saturday started with some time together around the breakfast table before we packed up and said goodbye. That simple joy- time together- is something I value so much about this week. Then we said goodbye to the kids at Sophie's Place and loaded the van one last time. On our way to the airport I sat in the back and just watched the team. I always enjoy seeing how the team changes during this week and how individuals grow. So I sat back and watched once again with a smile on my face knowing that every member of this team is so special and has answered a call that is not an easy one to answer. They all have taken the challenge to be the ones that change the world and I am absolutely sure they all will. How they will is going to be unique to each of them, but I know they have been touched by Mustard Seed and will touch others because of it.

After we got in the car to come home from the airport, it struck me that I was not an emotional wreck like I often am after this experience. It became clear that the emotions weren't as raw, and I wasn't overwhelmed to see NYC and be brought back to the pace and noise of the city. The why became clear right away. When something like this moves from being just an experience to being part of your life, you know it will never go away. Mustard Seed is now part of who I am and my time in Jamaica is a piece of my lifestyle that just is. I go, I come back...I go, I come back. And more than anything, I try to live what I see and feel every single day. It is just an experience if it is about the eight days that we are there. It changes to being part of your life when it moves beyond that.

Seven years ago, Mustard Seed and Kingston, Jamaica were new things to me. And now as I am about to renew my passport, I hesitate to get rid of the old one because each of the nine stamps of entry into Jamaica tell a story. Each trip has had a profound impact on my life. Each time I was there I changed. Each experience was alongside others that have gone on to have an impact on so many lives. And each mission opened my eyes to the stories of the caregivers, staff, and others that are the engine of Mustard Seed.

On the flight home yesterday, Andrew came up to me and asked me to go with him to the back of the plane. We spent the next half hour standing in the galley telling the flight crew about Mustard Seed and our work in Kingston. Everything was so fresh in my mind and the details just poured out of my mouth. And they stood there listening, crying, and sharing in the experience with us. One of the flight attendants grew up in Kingston and she shared with us her story of how she emigrated to America. As she talked, she suddenly looked up and told us that she could have been one of the kids we care for at MSC had one or two decisions made by her or her family in her life been different. That was so real and so raw, and it highlighted how necessary the work of MSC really is. Then one of the other flight attendants who was from Guyana asked if MSC would ever be in his home country as he told us about the needs there. What's startling is how many countries need the work of MSC. They need an organization that is willing to take a risk and make sure that no child is abandoned twice. That every human life is so precious and will be taken care of no matter what disability they have or what has happened in their life. That is the challenge of the faith we live- to tell these stories, make sure people's eyes are open, and to call people to action.

A new day has started for this team from Hoboken. Everyone that made the trip this year had been on our trip before. That means that all of them have moved from this being an experience to being part of their lives. They know what that means and they know what the challenge becomes for each of them. As we all spend the next few days reflecting and figuring out what our next steps are in our lives, I know that we will all look forward to going home. Yes, we may be "home" in Hoboken, but Kingston has truly become our other home. It is where our hearts feel full and we get to walk in Jesus' footsteps. We get to be witness to faith in action and join in that action. The question, not only for us but also for each of you reading this, is where do we go from here? What do we do with these stories? How do we take action?

I wish I had the answers. But honestly, I don't. I pray every single day that God will direct me to where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to be doing. But if all of us keep our hearts open and allow ourselves to be moved by these stories and experiences, we will hear the call to action. And I am truly inspired and thankful for all of the people that have already responded to that call. To this team, I thank you for you. Each of you has touched my heart and inspired me with your humor, affection, compassion, and action. You are the change that I wish to see in the world.

Michael

The End of the Journey

2011-11-05T00:26:00.003-04:00

Today was Friday…our last day of work here in Jamaica. The team went to Mustard Seed’s new Apostolate, St. Anthony’s, to help make final renovations before its official blessing on November 18^th. We saw some old MSC friends such as Peter, Brother Anthony, Nadia, and Mr. James. As promised, this was probably the most physically challenging day. We were given the tasks of digging a trench (18”x15”) for a new picket fence across the yard, digging out the foundation of two statues of St. Anthony and Mary with a Child, general cleanup of the entire landscape (rocks, logs, & concrete debris), and mowing the lawn. With lots of teamwork and the help of the girls from Mary’s Child, we completed all of our work.

Before we return to our lives in the hustle and bustle of New York City, there is one thing that we would like to remember. Work can be stopped for prayers but prayers should not be stopped for work. This is clearly a message that God wants us to bring home. During morning devotion at St. Anthony’s, Brother Anthony discussed how we find so much time for work but don’t seem to be able to make prayer the same priority. Kevin worked away from the group today at My Father’s House on the office computers and during midday devotion, Monsignor Gregory brought that same point, about 30 minutes away. He even requested that this message be posted throughout all of Mustard Seed Jamaica. When we return to New Jersey/New York, this is the message we want to bring home.

This trip puts your entire life in perspective. You look at the day-to-day stresses that we endure in the corporate world in a completely different light. TyTy, year after year, is content playing the “steal your nose and eat it game.” Dwight is happy when you hold his hand and show him your watch. The kids at Matthew 25:40 just want to jump on your back and spin around. The “Golden Girls” of Sophie’s Place just want you to sit with them for a short while and tell them how beautiful they look and they’ll smile for hours. Cedric is excited about being part of the team and pushing a wheel barrow. Monique wants someone to sit next to her. Akeem likes to show his powers as a ladies’ man….all it takes is one wag of the finger and the girls come flocking. What’s to stop us from being happy with the simple things and just being?

We will miss the kids. We will miss the sun. We will miss the unconditional love. We will miss building relationships. We will miss doing God's work in Jamaica. We will miss helping people. We will miss people smiling about what we're doing. We will miss making valuable lifelong relationships. We will miss the team. We will miss simplicity. But, we will take back with us the lessons that Mustard Seed has taught us this week. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with the children, the caretakers, the inspirations, administrators, and employees of Mustard Seed Communities.

- Meaghan (Two Year Veteran) and Kevin (Six Year Veteran)

Thank You Thursday

2011-11-03T23:15:00.002-04:00

Thursdays in the Mustard Seed world are known as Thank You Thursdays. One way Mustard Seed thanks us for our efforts is to give us a day of restful activity--activities that help refresh our bodies, minds, and spirits.

Here is a recap of what we got to experience today:
Our day began at 2:45am--yes, as in morning (or still night, depending on your perspective). We had some coffee and breakfast snack and were out the door by 3:30am so we could make it to My Father's House by 4:00am for morning devotion and mass. It was a quiet ride down the mountain and through Kingston. This year, as with every other, there was loud reggae club music playing as there is a "street club" on the same block as My Father's House (Mustard Seed's headquarters). We sang, prayed, and celebrated mass before the sun was up. In today's homily, Father Garvin shared a story about his time in Zimbabwe: there is a program where 500 children are fed daily. They all line up to receive their meal and then sit down--and without fail, they all wait until the last child is served before they begin eating. Father used this as an example of how we should be--that is, celebrating your day with your brothers and sisters, ensuring everyone has what they need before celebrating. After mass we prayed the rosary, which is always special because it is led by the children. Some are barely audible, but the children wait very patiently as those children make their way through their Our Father's and Hail Mary's--it never ceases to touch your heart in a unique way.

After mass we were treated to a wonderful breakfast prepared by our security guard for the week, Kevin, and our trip coordinator, Leroy. They made us eggs, aki and salt fish (the Jamaican national dish), banana fritters, breadfruit, fried plantains, and various boiled greens--after 3 1/2 days of hard outdoor work, this was a pleasant meal. I got to sit with Mike, Carla, and Father Garvin; Father talked about the direction of Mustard Seed, and told us many stories of life in Zimbabwe (where he's been for many years).

After breakfast we went back to the chapel for morning prayer, and were treated to a surprise song performed by the little first graders (very cute). We then perused the Mustard Seed pottery shop (they make everything at My Father's House--an impressive operation) and then got to visit with the children who live at My Father's House, most of whom are severely disabled and wheelchair-bound. Suzanne, Karin, and Gretchen helped feed some children their breakfast; Teri played with one rambunctious boy who was particular infatuated with her camera; Meaghan, Bridget, Smidgen (aka Jordan) made their way around to various children and sat with them one by one; Kevin stopped in the office to see what computer help they needed; Mike and Carla briefly attended Mustard Seed's monthly management meeting; and I, assuming my role as Sweetie Mon, brought out some sweeties for the children who could take solid food. One of our favorites is Dwight, a guy in his 20's who is always smiling and with whom Kevin has a special bond. Cesco and I played catch with one of the girls, teaching her many end zone dances (shake your legs; the Heisman stance; spin the ball and warm your hands over the fire; etc.)--she was having a blast!

We left My Father's House and headed to pick up our lunch on the way to the beach for a few hours. We made a quick roadside stop for coconut juice (stick a straw straight into a fresh coconut) and some sugar cane. With Island Grill food loaded in our industrial-sized cooler, we drove 20 minutes to Fort Clarence Beach, a private beach on the south side of Kingston. We were just about the only people there, so we had ample opportunity to relax on the sand or in the water, and let our muscles unwind. We broke for lunch and enjoyed jerk fish, jerk chicken, barbecue chicken, festivals, pumpkin rice, and calalloo rice. It was one of our quietest moments all week as we all feasted and enjoyed the sounds of the ocean. I won "palest missionary" for the fifth consecutive year (my skin thanks me).

After relaxing for three hours, it was back to work. But this work did not require shovels, gloves, or paint brushes. We headed to Matthew 25:40, the home for the pre-teen and teenage boys with HIV/AIDS. A number of these boys are close to every member of our team, as those of us who've been coming for 3+ year have gotten to see these boys grow into young men.The newest addition to the boys home was a basketball hoop (really, a plastic crate with the bottom cut out). But it worked well! I played basketball with Cesco and two of the boys (Ramon and Shane), followed by me winning the inaugural game of H-O-R-S-E. That quickly devolved into Mike pretending to be Shaq, rejecting every shot the 4'6" boys would put up.

Gretchen and Karin found plenty of takers for some soccer; others worked with some of the boys on their homework, and Kevin and Bridget got to see their sponsor son, Boom-Boom (aka Brian). Normally they would get to see him at Jerusalem!--where we worked yesterday--but Boom-Boom was at the doctor's all day. It's always nice to see their reunions because all three seem at their happiest when together.

Cesco and I bonded with Sheldon, one of the older boys who comes to help with the children. Sheldon captains his high school rugby team from the scrum-half position, so we talked rugby, football, and similar things. Cesco gave him his football, and I gave him my aviators. Before leaving, he taught all the girls how to Dougie (if you do not know this craze, you can search for many videos of it on YouTube). It always takes a good 10-15 minutes to leave Matthew 25:40 as neither we nor the boys want to part ways.

We returned to Sophie's Place, and before dinner got to play with and feed the children there. It was particularly special to see the progress Donovan has made: this time last year he was about six years old and constantly hitting and headbutting the other children; this time around he was polite, except to his dinner which he scarfed down very aggressively!

We ate a light dinner of fish (heads removed) and rice before our reflection. Just prior to that, though, we learned that one of our favorite children from Sophie's Place, Stephan, had recently died. There are a number of current and past team members who bonded with him. Stephan never spoke, but he was quite good at fist-bumping and motioning his arms to say "Come here." Smidgen summarized the latter with a picture she took of Stephan two years ago when she first met him: he had both arms outstretched on the day we left for the airport, and Smidgen has kept that picture at her desk as a reminder of why and for whom she is annually beckoned by to come back to Jamaica. We reflected on why we continue to come back year after year, knowing that most of the children we see do not have a comparatively long time in this life. To sum everyone's thoughts, we keep coming back precisely because these children do not have a lot of time, and part of our mission with these trips is to help enrich their day, week, and life for having met them--just as they do to us.

Now it's time to rest up for one final day of good, hard labor at St. Anthony's in downtown Kingston, the newly-acquired Apostolate that is focusing primarily on educating young women who otherwise could not afford a quality education.

Such are the bittersweet moments of a trip like this:

- it can feel weird taking a few hours to enjoy the beach, but it's a healthy pause amidst the long hours we have and will put in with construction projects and time with the children;

- it is sad to say goodbye to children you know you will not see for about a year, but it means you and they have formed a bond that something like a year cannot disintegrate;

- it can feel a little odd spending a few hours playing basketball, soccer, and football with the HIV/AIDS children, but serving them is not just building and repairing their homes, but also building up a positive outlook on life so they grow to positively influence everyone around them;

- it is sad to hear that one of the children you know has died, but you keep working because there are hundreds (within Mustard Seed) who are counting on your continued efforts.
This is the struggle we all go through in life with just about anything worthwhile: most of that which is worth attaining must be fought for--and if won, must be daily fought to protect.

A bittersweet day for a group of 13 young professionals from Hoboken, NJ--but it's a serving of life that probably cannot be prepared any other way.

To all of our family, friends, and strangers reading along this week--THANK YOU (and not just because it is still Thursday) to all of you for your thoughts, prayers, and everything you do for those of us you know and love and those of us you've never met. We are a day of labor and one flight away from being back home, ready to continue this work and share it with all of you.

God Bless,
Andrew Sweetie Mon Casper (Five Year Veteran)

P.S. Chris and Wendy, I hope my nephew has arrived safely. I cannot wait to meet him! Love you all.

Progress

2011-11-02T21:55:00.003-04:00

Today we worked at Jerusalem, a large Apostalate located in downtown Kingston.

After 4 days at Jacob's Ladder, getting to know the rural grounds and older residents at this place we have only briefly visited on past trips, pulling into Jerusalem was very much like coming home. Familiar places where we've worked in the past, smiling little faces that keep us coming back each year... Being there just felt right.

It's always fun to revisit the projects that our Hoboken Cares team has finished over the years. This is my 4th trip, and with this group I've knocked down damaged buildings and cleared debris from areas where new buildings now stand, spread tons of top soil so the kids now have grass to play on, painted buildings and created sidewalks and did lots of other little and big projects that simply needed to be done. The work is hard, and we love it. We love knowing we are making a difference in the kids' daily lives. We love that the caregivers and administrators consistently tell us that we are the best team, that they say they saved their most difficult projects for us, and that they always seem amazed when we finish the work ahead of schedule and ask for more. The praise is not necessary, but it is welcome after a hard day of physical labor.

What struck me today, as we visited the various areas of the Jerusalem Apostalate, was the progress that has been made by Mustard Seed over the past year, without us. There's a new "Play Room" there for the mentally and physically disabled children, complete with rubber flooring, educational toys, and lots of clean space to play. The youngest HIV Positive children have moved into the new Martha's House area, and seem happy and settled. The addition of an Early Childhood Center means that the children start organized learning earlier. There's a thriving vegetable garden where there was previously just an open field. Even the 900 chickens that are maintained for eggs and meat seemed heartier and healthier in their large chicken coup. And that's not to mention the progress and projects in the works at Jacob's Ladder and the other Apostalates.

The truth is that as hard as our team works while we are here in Jamaica, there are hundreds of Mustard Seed Communities' employees who work even harder when we are not. Their vision is one of self-sustainability, growth, premium care, and everlasting love, and watching that vision come to life is awe inspiring. Being part of that vision is a blessing that I will continue to thank God for it during the rest of the week, and every day until I can come back again.

Teri (Four Year Veteran)

The Big Question

2011-11-01T22:41:00.000-04:00

Happy birthday Max! (from Andrew)

Now on to today's blog...

This is my sixth trip to Jamaica with Mustard Seed and I have never met anyone like Sandy. As you probably already know, Jacob's Ladder is a home for adults with severe disabilities who have nowhere else to go. Often the hardest part of being here is learning to see past the disabilities as they appear in adults -- the physical deformities, limited communication, ticks, drooling, screaming, and all the other things that come along with these disabilities -- and see that each of these is a child of God with a soul. It is much easier to see this with the kids we usually work with, but there are no kids at Jacob's Ladder.

Sandy is different from all of the other residents here at Jacob's. She wears a wide smile and is ready to talk to you about any topic at hand -- what she prefers to eat, her friends, her past, her dreams, and her ambitions. In terms of her mental capacity, she is no different from you and me. Like any other 22-year-woman, she is interested in dating and thinks about her place in the world around her. She is lonely, though, because she is the only resident here who can communicate these thoughts.

Sandy came here in March and she told me it is very hard for her because she doesn't have anyone to talk to. Her mother abandoned her when she was six because of her cerebral palsy (a relatively minor case) and she has been in homes since then. She started to cry as she told me this from her wheelchair, which is a plastic patio chair screwed onto a base with wheels. I cannot imagine the faith and strength it takes to face each day in Sandy's world.

Michael and I decided to see what her reading levels were like and we administered an assessment my teachers use in New York. Sandy scored on a third grade level, which may seem low, but we were both blown away. We think there may be a better place for her at Mustard Seed where she can use her talents to help others and to grow herself.

Sandy makes me think about my calling as a follower of Jesus. I have been very blessed in my life in every way a person can be blessed. I can use these blessings to make the world better, if I choose to. So the big question is... Am I doing my best to use my talents and blessings to help others everyday? And the bigger question... Are you?

~ Carla (Four Year Veteran)

A special relationship

2011-10-31T23:51:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween from Jamaica!

Christina: After a great breakfast of pancakes & fresh scrambled eggs we had morning prayers with the residence of Jacobs Ladder (JL). Morning prayers at JL is unlike anywhere else at MSC. The residence here are older than what we are used to and they are severely mentally and physically disabled.

Francesco: Michael is one of the residents who can actually communicate with me (somewhat). He rubs his belly and will say "full" to let you know he just ate. His voice is deep, yet friendly. Michael likes to watch us work and help out. He seems happy to have us here and isn't shy to jump in and help out.

Christina: I first met Michael at My Father's House 5 years ago, on my first service trip. He is very affectionate and loves to sing praise to God. He loves to give hugs and always wants me near him. If I try to say hello to another resident he'll quickly pull me back to stay with him. He blows air kisses to me too.

Francesco: Michael even tries to kiss me!!! He'll pucker his lips up real strong and tight and blow me an air kiss. Man, if that happened back home I don't know what I would do!!!...but here I play along and blow a kiss back because these kids are coming from a fun loving place. They are so innocent. They don't have as much as us but they are so happy.

Christina: Spending more time with the people at JL makes me think of my sister who is a special education teacher. She tells me stories of her students and the difficulties she has during her workday. I commend the caregivers here who work so hard to take care of these residents. They feed them, bath them, praise with them, chase after them and so much more. Most of all they show them love and patience. What a lesson that is to me!

Francesco: While mixing concrete with Andrew, Michael came alongside me with an empty wheelchair and motioned for me to get in. He took me for a ride to the area where we were mixing concrete and I began to work. When I looked back I saw him sleeping in the chair like he just had a long night of partying. It was pretty cool that he wanted to push me around before taking his afternoon nap. He doesn't have anything to give me like food or a cup of coffee like a friend back home would offer me if I was at their home...so instead, he offered me a ride in a wheelchair to show me love. He's a really cool guy.

Christina: JL wasn't the first place I would have chosen to come to but now that I'm here I don't want to be anywhere else. JL is magical and lots of things are going on here. After a long day of the team working on painting the missions house, cleaning the area around the well and making new stairs, a rainbow appeared over the mountains. I think that was God's way of saying He is pleased with what we are doing here. I'm happy and so very proud to say we are a part of the JL team.

Just Be

2011-10-30T23:03:00.001-04:00

So.... during last night's reflection, we discussed our consolations, desolations, and hopes for the upcoming week. There seemed to be a common theme amongst all of us, one by one, as we circled around the room. The theme was how hard it is to leave our lives at home behind - whether it be our hectic work schedules, our families or our everyday comforts & routines - and embrace the simplicity of "just being".

Today we were trying to just be... by waking up and enjoying the gorgeous Jamaican mountainside and wonderful coffee. By joining the local community for mass and being welcomed with open arms and song. By taking in the natural smells of the farm such as cow manure, dead frogs and headless chickens. By jumping into our first task of cleaning debris and grading land around the new well (and boy were we happy to find out that is not where our drinking water was currently coming from). By not worrying what time it was or how dirty we were getting. By working as a team and appreciating each and every person that is here....

We aim to let go of our stresses back home so we can love the children of Mustard Seed with open hearts, provide the support the caregivers need, work physically as hard as we ever have, and completely embrace the opportunity to give of ourselves to others.

~ Gretchen and Suzanne (Three Year Veterans)

This Year Is Different

2011-10-30T14:12:00.002-04:00

Every year when the team leaves on the trip it rains. This year was different though - we escaped just in time to miss the snow. It was different and set the tone for this trip being different than any other.

After an early morning, quick trip to the airport, seamless check in and an overall uneventful flight, we arrived in Kingston. We piled 13 bags, plus 2 carry ons each, into the familiar white Mustard Seed van and set off on our journey, stopping only once for some delicious chicken and beef patties. Normally we'd be en route to Sophie's Place, but this year was different.

Up through the windy roads and down a long dirt path, we arrived at Jacob's Ladder. All veterans of this trip, we all have had the opportunity to see this community, which houses adults over 18 with disabilities, come further into being each year and have been nothing but impressed with it's progress.

After we settled into our beautiful new residences for the next few days, we exchanged pants for shorts and went on a tour of this truly majestic community. The chapel is taking shape - the two stories are getting built up, the tile is being laid on the floor, and we all paused a moment to feel the presence of God, while taking in the scenery of rolling hills that surround us. Next we moved on to tour the farm, picking up a few residents who were excited to join us on the tour. Chickens, pigs, cows and rabbits. The expansion plan to make this community self-sustaining is impressive. We walked over to the pond, past the huge greenhouses, all the while taking in the beautiful land around us.

After a long day we returned to our residences, to catch up, relax and journal. In the evening we reflected on our highs and lows of the day and also our hope for the trip. Mine was to be here, live here, experience life here, be open to the different and new experiences of this trip and simply live in the present.

While we have all been on this trip before we are challenged to live, not in the shadow of trips before or what awaits us back home, but to create new experiences here, to serve and be open to the challenges of this week.

~ Karin (Two Year Veteran)

"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned,so as to accept the life that is waiting for us." - Joseph Campbell

2011-10-28T20:58:00.004-04:00

In preparation for our trip we have talked a lot about what we are looking forward to as well as what we are challenged by facing this year's trip. Many of us, myself included, have trouble "letting go" without knowing what is around the next corner. By nature I am a planner; to the point where among my friends it has become a joke that I say "tomorrow is my only free day".

The focus for the entire team this year is to "just be" while we are in Jamaica and live in the moment. Each of us has experienced Jamaica in the past but we've never experienced it in 2011 as a part of this team. The past 2 years I have even slept in the same exact bed at Sophie's Place (I think something along with that planning nature also makes me a creature of habit). But as I face this trip to begin in just over 12 hours I know a brand new adventure awaits. While some of the kids will be the same, some will have made drastic changes for the better or sadly taken a turn for the worse. There may be new children changing the entire dynamic of a home. There will be new laughs, new tears, new songs and new jokes because it's a brand new trip. Now it's time for the whole team to let go of our worries, our cares and our schedules and embrace the adventure of Jamaica 2011.

I may have planned on going to mass one evening back in the beginning of 2009 when I first learned about Hoboken Cares but I could never have planned how this trip has changed my life.

Ready to Change

2011-10-27T21:03:00.004-04:00

Have you ever wondered what your life is all about? Have you wondered why you go to work every day and why it's so important that you show up before your boss and leave after him? Have you ever wondered why you HAVE to have those adorable shoes or that tv bigger than a small car? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you just stopped doing the same thing every single day?

Thirteen men and women have wondered. Thirteen men and women have found that after a very scary leap there is an incredible world out there that looks nothing like they thought. Thirteen men and women have answered the call and gone to Jamaica to live without luxury, to do hard labor, and to have the best vacation of their lives.

Those thirteen men and women are changing our world because God, working through Mustard Seed Communities, changed their hearts.

They are doing amazing things in this world from reading books to kids to working at soup kitchens to being board members for non-profit organizations.

This year we ask you, our friends and family, to join us in changing our hearts to change the world. Are you ready to have God change your heart? Are you ready to change the world? Join us not only on this journey for this week but for the journey of our lives that is taking a drastic turn starting today.

Trading Suits for Shovels

2011-10-18T23:37:00.005-04:00

For most people, when summer ends and the leaves begin to fall, thoughts turn to pumpkin-picking, halloween, and cozy sweaters. But for those of us on the HobokenCares team, autumn means preparing to head down to Kingston for our annual trip to work with Mustard Seed Communities (MSC). This will be the 7th trip for the HobokenCares team, and it will be the first time that the group consists entirely of veterans. And while it might seem that the ritual of one week in Jamaica has become familiar, each trip is always very different, and always has a profound effect on our lives in so many ways.... we hope you will share the journey with us again through this blog.

We head to Jamaica on October 29. Please keep us, and the children and caregivers at Mustard Seed, in your prayers as we finish our preparations this week.

http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/16055371/article-Trading-suits

Listen (72 hours later)

2010-11-24T08:38:00.008-05:00

Before we left I posted to this blog that I was looking forward to the peace I hoped to get while in Jamaica. Sitting here 72 hours after we returned, I am still at peace.

It is amazing that when we are stripped down to nothing...dirty, tired, and vulnerable...that we learn the most about ourselves and about what peace really is. It is only then that we can truly feel the power of a smile, the electricity of holding a sick child's hand, or the joy of being with 20 other people that feel compelled to do God's work. And it is only then that we can truly be open to what God is trying to tell us since most of the time we are too distracted to listen.

Before and during our mission I spend so much time talking at my team. From logistics to fundraising to reflection I have a lot to say. But when we met at the church on Saturday morning to leave, my voice was gone. What was I going to do? Instead of recognizing this as a good thing, I powered through and forced what little voice I had left out of my body. I didn't realize this at the time, but God was already trying to tell me something and I wasn't listening. Trust me, this would have been the easier way to learn the lesson He was trying to teach me (you'll see why later).

My voice came back by Sunday night and I felt whole again. But as the week went on and I became more vulnerable and open, God took another shot at the lesson He wanted me to learn.

On Thursday we woke up early to join the kids at My Father's House for adoration, rosary, and mass. So by the time we were on our way to Jacob's Ladder later that morning to spend time with that community, most people used the bus ride to catch up on sleep. But at some point Christina and I were awake and talking about weddings. I was telling her how amazing the sacrament was for me and Carla and how nothing else on that day mattered as much as that. How the ceremony, the homily, sharing in all of that with our family and friends and standing before God to commit to each other meant so much to us. Everything else was gravy! To stress my point I took off my wedding ring and said, "If I lose this, it doesn't matter. This doesn't mean as much as the sacrament. It's not about this."

So you can probably guess where this story is going. A few hours later as we enjoyed some time at the beach, I lost my ring. I had been in the water having a football catch and when I got up from diving for one ball, my ring was gone. I panicked. I yelled for Carla and others to come help me find it. I grabbed snorkeling gear and searched frantically. I was hyperventilating...not sure what to do. I didn't listen to Carla as she told me it was fine, not to worry about it. For 20 minutes, I was a mess.

And then as I searched the bottom of the ocean floor, a peace came over me. Well, first I got slapped in the side of the head with the lesson, and then a peace came over me. Where was my conviction in the words I had spoken just a few hours before? Where was my heart as I was spending a week serving God and then worrying about a ring? The Gospel that morning was the one where Jesus challenges the disciples to walk across the water to Him. And as the story goes, one disciple sinks since he doesn't have faith that Jesus will help him get there. I was sinking. I was not believing. I was not listening to my own words. How can I truly serve God if I don't listen to what He is saying? How can I help guide my team if my words are hollow?

Lesson learned (the hard way!). Sometimes we get caught up in what we know and we need a good shock to shake us up. We need to stop talking and just listen. Until we listen, the words we speak don't mean as much.

As I reflect on this year's time in Jamaica I have so much peace in my heart. I am so thankful for all of the time that I "listened" to Anthony before he died. I am so happy for all of the times that I was able to "listen" to the children that can't speak. I am so in love with God for the times he made me "listen" to him through my actions, not my words. I am so incredibly lucky to have been able to "listen" as my team told me how God changed them this week.

And as we go forward from this week, the challenge is to continue to listen. We don't always have the chance to spend 8 days holding babies, praying with kids who live with HIV/AIDS, and working alongside amazing people from Jamaica just trying to serve God. But we do have the chance to change lives everyday. We do have the chance to see God in every part of our day. We do have the chance to be our best...to be the person God means for us to be. We do have the chance to hear His call. But we have to listen...

--Michael (a rookie each year!)

What I am taking with me (Saturday)

2010-11-22T20:46:00.004-05:00

I am looking over the wing of our Jet Blue airbus and I see Jamaica growing smaller as we leave. I just finished the delicious beef patty and festival that Gretchen, Teri, and Suzanne bought for the team to eat on the plane. We nearly missed our flight - the airport had to page each of our names individually! But things are a bit quieter now that the plane has taken off and I can use this time to reflect on the past eight days.

This was my third year on the trip and something has felt a little different this whole week. And it feels different now, too. Usually on the plane ride I am close to tears and I feel that I have been torn away from a world where everything is better and God is everywhere. I dread going home and facing the daily grind of life in NYC. I don't feel this right now - I feel an incredible peace and sense of purpose; a knowledge that it is not over and that this is just the beginning.

This year, I do not feel so much that I am leaving something I love behind, but that I am taking a whole lot of love with me to share when I get home. I have begun to learn how to live the lessons of Jamaica and Mustard Seed everyday - whether in Jamaica or in Hoboken or in New York - and I am realizing that "real life" does not actually have to be a whole lot different than the beautiful eight days we just spent in Kingston.

Some other things were different this year, too...

This year... we spent most of our time working at Mary's Child, where we had the privilege to share three days with the most beautiful, generous, light-hearted, and wise teenage girls I have ever met... girls that have persevered through unthinkable challenges and have come through with smiles on their faces and beautiful babies in their arms. They are sisters to one another, mothers to their babies, and teachers to each of us. These girls showed us unconditional love despite all of the hurt they have lived and the many reasons they had not to trust us.

This year... we ventured up the hill past Sophie's Place. We have never gone up the hill before. The uphill climb took us to dinner at a modest rooftop bar where the owner served us food his wife had cooked in his kitchen. He served the food from his own bowls onto the same plates that his family eats from. He opened his home to us, letting us use his family's bathroom, which was located through his bedroom. He welcomed 20 strangers into his home like we were family and he charged us a total of $100 for dinner. The owner showed us love even though he had just met us that evening.

This year... the much-anticipated peace and quiet of our annual Thursday morning prayers were interrupted by excessively loud Jamaican rap music. We had to block it out and struggle to focus on the prayer and worship before us. This challenge was a reminder to each of us of the constant distractions we face back home and the effort it will take to block them out to focus on what really matters - living a life of love and service to others.

This year... we brought five of our boys with HIV to see their first musical show. They felt so special having a night out on the town with us and we felt so lucky to be there with them. We've never had the chance to take the kids out somewhere as a team. You could see how much love they felt and how much love the team had for each of those boys that night.

This year... we did things more simply. We ate fewer of the American snacks we brought. We only had water to shower once during the week and nobody complained. We turned off more lights that weren't being used. We had a sign up for who was on dinner and dish duty, but we did not even need to use it. These little things added up to a strong feeling of camaraderie and love. We were a team and we were living simply for those eight days so that we could grow closer to one another and to God.

Jamaica has vanished behind us by now. The plane will land and we will all get off and go back to our homes and our lives. We will savor hot showers and wash off a week's worth of dirt and sweat. We will take off our team t-shirts and eventually we will remove the Mustard Seed crosses from around our necks. On Monday morning we will put on our work clothes and, along with them, everything that comes with living and working in New York.

My prayer right now is that each of us may bring the simple love we experienced this week to every moment of our day-to-day lives. May we do all things differently because of the love we have shared with these children, with each other, and with many new friends this past week. May we take every moment of this experience and live it out each and everyday for God and for each other.

--Carla, 3rd year

My Final Reflection (Friday)

2010-11-19T23:23:00.008-05:00

Starting your day with Hardo bread, Kevin's eggs and a cup of Jamaican coffee while looking out at the mountains is close to perfection. After 7 days, it doesn't get old. For our last day of work we spent the morning at My Father's House, seeing some of the residents like Dwight and Michael, and then joining in the morning prayers with Father Gregory. After a tour of the grounds, we had the chance to buy some pottery that is made on site before heading back to Mary's Child to finish the work we had started earlier in the week. To quote Jenna, it's amazing what can be accomplished when you put 20 motivated and strong adults to work for 3 days. The entire yard was transformed. Bridget and Karen put the finishing touches on the walkway, Team Fence painted and finished off the fences, and the boys mixed concrete for the base of the trash storage unit. I even had enough time to plant some flowers, with the help of Julie #2 and Gary, Mustard Seed Communities' resident earth guru. I have never seen a man be so gentle with God's earth!

After some much needed baby holding (every woman on the trip had a baby on her shoulder out in the courtyard at the end of the day, there are pictures), we headed down to Mathew 25:40 for an ice cream party and some active playtime. My favorite memory from the day is Cesco, Kevin and Andrew forming the base of a human pyramid that held 5 or 6 boys at one time. Everyone was being showered in love and ice cream.

As the title of this post says, this is my final reflection on the week. Coming back for my 4th trip to Jamaica I thought I knew what to expect. However, once again, God has proven to me that He works in mysterious ways, and nothing is ever as you expect it. This week was an emotional roller coaster. I was thrilled to be coming back and so excited to see all the kids that have become part of my family. On the opposite end of that spectrum, this week we lost one of those family members. Anthony was one of my babies, one of the kids I always refer to when telling people about the trip, one of those people that is always on my mind. This colored my week. I was much more reflective and quiet. For those of you who know me, you know this is out of character. I started to think about how the work we does impacts these kids, and if my physical and emotional exhaustion helps one child live a better life for one day, then it is all worth it. I have always known that in coming here, but the perspective on Anthony's short life and how many people he touched in that time makes me want to work even harder to give all the other children one more happy day. And for that, I am eternally grateful to him.

In closing, I think it is appropriate to paraphrase one of my favorite benedictions: "Our worship has ended, but our service has just begun."

~ Kasey (4th Year)

Growing Up Jamaican (Thursday)

2010-11-18T21:51:00.007-05:00

Earlier this week Mike and Bridget asked us: "What brought you to Mustard Seed this year?" Unsure of of my answer on the spot, I delayed (but I couldn't escape a cross-fire stare competition from Mike for not answering at the time). It was hard to answer on the spot because I don't think about the "why" anymore. It's tradition. It's part of my life. It's an annual family vacation.

On my return each year, I measure how I've grown up throughout the year and (hopefully) how I've applied lessons learned from the previous year's trip in Boston. This year, the idea of family is on my mind...

We're getting older (as Kevin keeps reminding me because his joints ache), and several of the team members are in serious relationships - including Mike and Carla's marriage over the summer. I have to daydream what the future holds for me. For several years, I didn't want kids, and work was #1. My life's priorities have changed, and maybe career isn't this "Granola's" #1 priority anymore (a fun Jamaica nickname for my yoga alter-ego).

I come here to one of my families. It's easy to identify the kids as "our kids," but the team's family dynamic is truly unique, and I come back to this family, in part, to form the vision of the family I want to have someday.

A perfect example as I write this, is most of the team is going to bed; but Bridge, Kevin, Meaghan, Andrew, Mike, Casey, Carla and I are sitting in the common room. We're all exhausted; Mike and Andrew are fighting over the volume of the music; Kevin and I are trying to make a point to Mike (who's not listening); and I'm trying to thoughtfully blog. Sounds like a family antic to me. The others just wait for our ruckus to stop.

My first year here I was struck by mealtime tradition. Twenty of us would gather together for dinner; sit down together; linger at the table recapping the day; and wash dishes together. I was moved by how naturally we came together and helped the other with the pre- and post- chores just because. No one asked for help, but that's what people who love each other do.

I had pictured a happy, excited reunion with the tight-hugging and energetic Steffan on Saturday when we arrived. I couldn't wait to run up and grab him. Instead, I was met with a limp boy who didn't get out of bed for the day and barely recognized me. His meds changed, and he's still trying to adjust. I think that I felt 1/10 of how a mom feels when her son is sick, and she can't help.

The Early Breakfast Club is a funny tradition. Kevin and I started waking up before the sun a couple of years ago and drinking coffee before anyone else would arise. The team caught on to our coffee thievery, and now we're joined by Nisha, Mike, and Andrew each morning to see the sky light up over the mountains.

Perhaps my glory moment of the week was at Jerusalem yesterday. I mentioned that I didn't want kids for a while and still really struggle with babies and toddlers. I'm not someone who's great at high pitched voices and baby noises and non-conversations. I cherish the love and hugs they give but am self-conscious of my interactions with them. We exited the bus and spotted JoAnna - a small schoolgirl on her way to Little Angels (the onsite school). Mike said something like, "Oh, this cutie's mine. Can you hold this paper, Julie?" I took it as he bent down with his arms extended wide and a huge smile, urging her to run in for a hug. She beelined it toward him and made a sudden sharp right turn for... me? I was more shocked than anyone, but it made me believe for that moment that I do have it in me to carry all these family traditions with me to create my own one day.

It scares me to think about each of us growing up too much. Eventually, most of the group will be married and have kids and move about the country. We can't stay in our 20s, 30s, and 40s forever (I'm told). I hate thinking about the day when just some of us will return and it won't be the same. But until then, all I can do is live inside the moments that we are here - and our family is still this tight. For as long as I can, I'll keep coming back to Jamaica without re-questioning my decision each year. This is tradition. And we're a family. That's what you do.

--Julie (4th year)

Rain, Rain Go Away (Wednesday)

2010-11-17T22:04:00.016-05:00

Wake up 6:30 - Jamaican coffee! Depart for Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a special place for many of our group members because it is the home of many sponsor children and Dare to Care, the community where children living with HIV/AIDS reside. Jerusalem includes about 200 children and caregivers on a campus like facility, with housing, schools, a chapel and even a health clinic. Oh and also real actual free range livestock including sheep and goats.

A morning at Jerusalem always begins with a tour, morning prayer and many songs. We sang one our favorite songs "Tings Already Betta" in hopes to stop the rain. However, the Mustard Seed Leaders are never impressed with our singing and neither were the heavens since it rained and rained all morning long. Due to the rain, we found ourselves inside of the multi-purpose building (think small warehouse) full of miscellaneous items just waiting to be organized. We created TEAMS to better tackle the many obstacles: candle team, tile team, diaper team & the box stacking team. We managed to create some type of order before we got into the rough heavy lifting and moving of items after lunch. A few of us stayed at Dare to Care (Julie #2, Christina, Bridget & Kevin) to visit with our sponsor children and help with other things there.

We missed Father Benny at our afternoon prayer service, but we managed on our own (and "Father Michael") with lots of songs, readings and reflections. In hopes that the rain would stop (which it didn't) we had lunch and then continued our work in the warehouse.

After our hard work it was off to PARTY! (Of course at this point the rain stopped.) KFC, Cake and Ice Cream for Boom-Boom's Birthday (Bridget & Kevin's sponsor child). Looking around the room every single child was perfectly behaved while either gobbling up their food or singing a hit single from back home (renditions of Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls" and Jennifer Hudson's "Spotlight" were among them). Bridget and Kevin sat as the proud parents in the front of the room, while all of us held onto a child, the youngest one, Leo, fast asleep in Smidgen (Jordan's) arms.

Sad farewells and lots of hugs with the children followed before Auntie Clovel revealed the results of our previous year's project- rebuilding and renovating "Martha's House", a home which will house over 30 children. It was clear that our long back-wrenching days of tearing up cement, grading the land, tiling and painting had created a beautiful grassy yard for the children to play in and a cozy home for them to live.

We thought one good thing would come of the rain - SHOWERS - but alas we have no water at Sophie's Place again. Baby wipes it is...

~ Julie & Gretchen (2nd years)

Mary's Child (Tuesday)

2010-11-16T20:50:00.017-05:00

Tuesday morning (12:57am) power was out...the rains beat down hard on the tin roof...Nisha running to the bathroom with a flashlight...Kevin sitting in the dark waiting for the power to come on...Nisha, points the light at Kevin and walks back into the room wondering who that was...5:30am Nisha, Julie, Kevin, Michael, and Andrew (Early Morning Breakfast Club) wake up and enjoy a cup of instant Jamaican coffee watching the skies turn bright as the day begins...6:45am Eucharist at the chapel at Sophie's Place...8am Off to Mary's Child to continue our work...Michael creating groups to complete work (i.e. mortar and cement mixers, path layers, adoration room masons, and grotto builders)...Carla teaches the kids...Bridget rubbing mortar onto the inside walls of the grotto...two religious brothers (Victor and Brian) laying stones on the outside of the grotto while Abby and Nisha patted mortar between rocks...Suzanne, Meghan, Teri, and Gary from Mustard Seed, sawed the cement even and laid broken white tiles to decorate the path...Cesco, Christina, and our job foreman, Roy James, laid blocks, filling spaces in the walls with mortar, sawed steel tubes...Christina teaching Religious Studies to the Little Angels...Gretchen, Kasey, Jordan, Julie 1, Karen, and Lauren measuring, cutting, and hammering the wooden fencing for the garbage area...Andrew, Kevin, Jenna, Julie 2, and Lauren mixing mortar to pave the path, lay stones for the grotto, and for blocks in the adoration room...Roy James overlooking our handy work...Some members go to Matthew 25:40 to play with the little boys and some play with the little babies at Mary's Child...12:00pm Midday prayers and lunch of pork, rice and peas, and sugar water...Leroy, our guide, gave us an orientation for the sake of the rookies, Lauren, Meghan, and Abby...About 1:00pm back to work...Sun beating down but a quick rain shower cooling off the day slightly...3:30pm the work was done...Team Hoboken Cares 2010 enjoys an end of day hose "shower" at the work site...Rushed home to get ready to go for dinner at King's Jacket...A night of Red Stripe, Jamaican food, Jamaican national anthem, and group interaction under the night sky was what we needed after a long day.

All I can say is that as we continue on our mission and we get closer to Thanksgiving, it really felt like a good reason to be thankful...family, friends, work, fun, jokes, sharing, emotions, and love. In the famous words of Roy James - One heart, one God, one love. Jamaica the land we love.

--Nisha (2nd year)

We're On Jamaica Time (Monday)

2010-11-15T21:44:00.007-05:00

One of the hardest things to adjust to while being in Jamaica is being on "Jamaica Time." We all come from a place where things are expected to be done at a fast pace and efficiently. That is not how things in Jamaica always work. It has definitely been a challenge for me to let go of my need for a well defined schedule and project plan to be on Jamaica Time.

Today while working at Mary's Child, I found myself frustrated by the amount of time that I felt was being wasted. There seemed to be more people than work and often times a group of us was just standing around. We all had been so eager to start working today, so standing idle was not something we had planned on.

While at first frustrating, I've come to realize that not being able to all work at once gave us other opportunities. Karen and Carla got to spend time with the mothers at Mary's Child and play with the babies. Smaller projects let Christina and Nisha work closely with Roy James and get to know him. And while we are all waiting around, Kasey and Jamaica Kevin treated us all to a walkoff. (Sorry, Kasey, but Jamaica Kevin definitely won.)

I'm learning to appreciate the moments that all of the waiting allows for. In the morning when we are ready and waiting to leave, we get to spend more time with the kids at Sophie's Place. Today, while waiting for there to be materials to complete projects, we got to spend time with the babies and mothers at Mary's Child. When we return home, it most likely will not be building a walkway that we remember. It will be the moments that we spent getting to know the people of Mustard Seed, the conversations with mothers at Mary's Child and the smiles from the kids that stay with us long after we leave Jamaica.

~Meaghan (1st year)

Our Friend Anthony aka "Tony" (Sunday)

2010-11-14T21:03:00.007-05:00

Today was a very tough day. Anthony died. He was gregarious, loving, and so happy. He was a child of God who has touched our lives in so many ways. Anthony was a resident of Sophie's Place and had hydrocephalus, was blind and also deaf. Because of all this he was closer to God and showed our group what life is about every time we held his hand, touched his ears, or sat with him. We'd like to share our letter of thanksgiving to him with you.

Dear Anthony,

I want to thank you for being who you were. You had this amazing way of connecting with people through your touch that I will never forget. The first time you grabbed my hands and held them to your ears was something I'll never forget. You took my hands and struggled to help me understand what you wanted me to do. But as soon as I understood and held my hands tight on your ears a peace came over you and you smiled. It clearly felt good for you...and honestly, it changed my life. It was all so simple- you just wanted touch. You just wanted to connect with me. You wanted to feel and to share love. In that moment you touched my heart.

Some people have felt sorry for you. They have asked why you were living with so many struggles. The answer became so clear over the years- God was using you to change the world. You had the chance to touch the life of every person that ever visited Sophie's Place. And through them you touched even more lives. I've heard stories over the years about this boy in Kingston that suffered from hydrocephalus that just wanted people to hold their hands over his ears and when he did his face lit up. Yep, you were kind of a big deal around here. People sat with you for hours and held you. And in those moments you truly were changing the world. So for that, we thank you Anthony.

While we struggle to know what we are on this earth for and what we are "doing" with our lives you have always been a reality check for us. Our jobs, relationships, to do lists, cell phones, blackberries, family and numerous other distractions are always pulling at us and telling us that if we did this or that we'd be happy but you made us sit down and just be. You only cared that we cared enough to sit with you and hold your hand. You didn't care what car we drove, how much our bonus was, who we were dating, or what clubs we belonged to. You didn't care how skinny, fat, pretty, ugly, or smart we were. You just cared that we were. We were there when you needed us and we let you lead us. Thank you for making us less than we care to be and more than we ever could be.

You were also an amazing friend to the other boys at Sophie's Place. I remember so many times walking into your cottage and you would be sitting next to TyTy and Reinhardt and all three of you would be smiling. I'm sure they are going to miss you. Honestly, I already miss you. Knowing you aren't downstairs right now sleeping and knowing that I don't get to hold your hands tomorrow makes me sad. But I also know that your work here is done. You have touched enough people that will go on and touch so many other people. Your hands have touched me and my hands will go on to touch others. You truly have created a world of people that have learned from you and have come closer to God because of you. You were and you are special.

Our sadness in losing you is only matched by our joy in knowing that you are with God. The smile you used to bring to my face by holding my hands is again on my face thinking of you dancing and singing in heaven. God's light that has always shone out from you is lighting the sky tonight and continues to touch the world.

Thank You Anthony for doing God's work.

Love,

Team Hoboken

While we are devastated by the news of Anthony's death we are fortified that Anthony had a life. Mustard Seed is home to so many children who have been abandoned and without the work that we do children like Anthony would not be able to live day to day let alone change the world. Our team's challenge, as it has always been, is to strip ourselves bare of our "normal" lives and to immerse ourselves in the work Mustard Seed is doing in Jamaica. Then we have to determine how we can take this experience, make it our own, and change the world. Each of us shares in the responsibility to make sure that all children are taken care of and are loved. Our mission goes on. The mission of Mustard Seed goes on. Anthony's mission goes on.

--The Hoboken Cares Team

Lessons of God (Saturday)

2010-11-14T12:04:00.007-05:00

An early start to the day (or a late ending to the night), packing the trailer with all of the supplies, stuffing last minute donations into already overflowing suitcases, and we were off to begin our journey.

We know we're supposed to trust in God on this trip but sometimes we forget that until we're tested. We arrived at JFK and attempted to check 20- 50lb bins, 20 suitcases, and 20 carry-ons full of medical supplies, donations, and other important things for the week but this year they told us we couldn't get the baggage fee waived. This is not what we wanted to hear since we were counting on not having to spend that amount of money on luggage. But by the grace of God we met an incredible Jet Blue agent named Faquan who had done mission work in college. He helped us, along with some very passionate begging and a few tears, convince his supervisor to waive the fees and we were able to avoid spending $600 that can now be used to feed the children. Lesson one- trust.

Going anywhere with 20 people can be difficult but add in international travel, no sleep, and some very thorough custom agents and we were very thankful to make it on to our bus and leave the airport behind us!

After a quick stop for some very delicious Jamaican beef patties, we finally made it to Sophie's Place! We settled in, unpacked, and most of the group headed right downstairs to spend time with the kids. For some of us we saw familiar faces, and for others they were meeting some incredible new friends for the first time. What was striking to some of us was the reality we sometimes forget- these kids are sick. Anthony, one of our favorite kids because of his impact on us in past years, was asleep in one of the back rooms which is not like him. We found out later that shortly after we first saw him he was taken to the hospital. We take for granted that these kids will be here year to year changing lives and it is easy to forget how fragile they are. We know that God has His hand on them and we need to believe that He will always be with them in their good times and their suffering. Lesson two- faith.

After a dinner of dumplings and Hardo bread we were treated to a very special concert by Fr. Ho Lung and Friends with Missionaries of the Poor. While the Jamaica humor and references to cricket were a little hard to follow the pure joy and celebration of Jesus Christ was amazing to see and be a part of. The name of the concert was "Praise Him" and the entire auditorium was so full of faith and passion and just overflowing with Joy in Him. It was humbling to be a part of and such a reminder that in all things including singing and dancing and laughing He is with us. Lesson three - praise.

It wasn't long after we got in the bus to come home that half the team was asleep. It was a long day but one full of trust, faith, and praise. We know we have so much more to experience this week, but day one certainly reminded us of why we are here. Until tomorrow...

Bridget & Michael (6th year, Co-Leaders)

Feel the Rhythm...Feel The Rhyme...Get on Up, It's Mission Time!

2010-11-12T08:07:00.011-05:00

It has been one of those weeks where days blend together, thoughts are all over the place, and the unimportant becomes a little too important. I've been on the road since Monday and each morning as I woke up in hotel rooms all I could think of was how peaceful it is going to be to wake up in Jamaica with the mountains in the background, a cup of delicious coffee in my hand, the sound of the kids at Sophie's Place crying in the background, and a sore body from the hard work we'll be doing. It's funny what can become the definition of peaceful.

When are you most at peace? For me it is when I am at my best. It is when I know I am living the kind of life I am called to live. When I am striving to get closer to God and be the person He means for me to be. In those moments days don't blend together...thoughts aren't all over the place...and the unimportant doesn't even cross my mind. In those moments I can be who I am supposed to be. In those moments I have the ability to be the change I wish to see in the world.

In less than 24 hours I will be in this place again. But why is it only in Jamaica that I feel truly at peace? Leading this trip with Bridget for six years, our teams have heard me preach about how we need to take the lessons we learn in Jamaica back home with us. They have heard me talk about how the feelings we have need to drive us everyday. They have heard me beg them to find the words to describe their experiences in Jamaica because in sharing it they will influence others. The truth is, it isn't easy.

This year I am afraid. I am afraid because I don't know what God is going to reveal to me this week. What does He need me to see? What does He need me to know? At the same time I am so excited for this team. They have worked so hard to raise the money for this trip. They have given of themselves so selflessly for the kids, many of them having never been before so they don't truly know exactly what they have been working for. That's the moment I can't wait for- watching this team arrive in Jamaica. Watching them meet the kids and be unable to contain their smiles. Watching them hold the hands of Daniel, Ramario, and all of the other kids. Watching them find peace. Watching them be who He meant for them to be.

And together we'll figure out the rest. We'll talk about how we process what we experience. We'll talk about how we bring it back with us and use it in our everyday lives. We'll work together to change the world.

Every year I ask the team to leave all of their worries and expectations at home. I ask them to come ready to work and to be open to the experience. I ask them to live simply, give generously, and smile. This year I am going to ask them one more thing- be ready to find peace.

On Tuesday morning I turned on the TV and Cool Runnings, the movie about the Jamaican bobsled team, was on. I smiled and I quickly emailed the team with my own variation of the key line from the movie: Feel the rhythm...feel the rhyme...get on up, it's mission time!

--Michael (6th Year, Team Co-Leader)

Rookie No More

2010-11-05T14:31:00.000-04:00

Last year I wrote a blog from my rookie standpoint and now I’m only days away from starting year 2. Some of my feelings are the same, and some are completely different than a year ago, however one thing is the same—there are a lot of them. As I said in my half marathon blog post this team has forever changed the person I am. No matter where we are as a team: the church, a fundraiser at a bar, trying to sell used items on a sidewalk, just spending time together enjoying a meal or a drink, or of course Jamaica, I always feel at home and at peace. Somewhere someone said the people to surround yourself with are the people who make you the best version of yourself and that is what I see in this team. So my first emotion is that I feel Lucky. First lucky to have to this team in my everyday life and then that is compounded by the love from the children and caretakers at Mustard Seed.

I’m also feeling anxious in every sense of the word. I’ve been working toward this year’s trip since we returned last year and now it’s ALMOST here and the countdown is always going in my head and now I’m just anxious to get on the road. Of course the anxiety also sets in other ways. But there is also just the worrying side of the anxiety of getting everything ready to go to Jamaica and what we will experience once we’re there. I’m trying to mentally prepare myself knowing some kids I saw last year that were relativity healthy could have taken a turn for the worse in the past year. I try to remember that on the other side of that I will also be seeing progress in children learning and getting healthier.

So this no longer rookie is ready to bring on the new challenges and new rewards of the 2010 trip!

I can do all things through God who strengthens me

2010-05-17T18:45:00.004-04:00

I did it! I reached my goal of finishing the race in less than 2 hours! Who cares if the clock read 1:59:58??? It was still under 2!!! WOO HOO!!! (And I’m alive to tell about it!) :-)

I made it through my relay with a few special gifts from God. I was able to walk/run as planned for the first 4 miles. During that period I did start to feel pain from my planter facetious... but I pushed through and made it as far along as I could. The second toe on my right foot went numb a few times but I got the blood flowing again and kept pushing on!

At about 4.5 miles my first gift from God appeared...my amazing boyfriend Francesco was there on the sidelines cheering me on. More importantly he was holding my bag that had my walking shoes in them!!! I HAD TO change my sneakers. The pain in my right heal was so bad that I couldn't even put it down...so the walking sneakers with more support were a God sent at this point! Francesco walked about 1/2 a mile with me then went back to the end of the race as I continued on.

Around mile 5.5 I was feeling the strain in my right leg. The pain in my heel was making me compensate while walking and the pain was shooting down my right calf muscle and Achilles…pain was kicking in. My second gift from God was this older woman who ran by me. She patted me and said, “Keep it up, you can do it!” and then pointed to the back of her t-shirt as she ran by. Her shirt read, “I can do all things through God who strengthens me.” That was a big push for me and I began the ultimate speed walk at this point. I walked as hard as I could through the pain. I was just praising God through my head and shortly thereafter a song came on my iPod and it made me think of our Lord Jesus and the pain he had carrying that cross on Calvary. I felt the size of an ant as my humble heart was beating. The pain I felt in my foot and leg was nothing compared to what Jesus went through for me. I pushed and pushed and just prayed. Jesus was with me and held my hand as I continued on and worked through the pain.

The next gift God sent me to keep me going and not give up was towards the very end. I knew I was getting close to the end but I still had a thought to give up or just take a break. Well, right as I was about to, I spotted the street sign where I was turning on. It was Dwyer Lane. I immediately thought of my chiropractor/friend Kelly Dwyer. She was the FIRST person to give me a donation and this was the LAST leg of my race. Talk about a literal sign from God! Well, I thought of Kelly and how generous she was to support me and I sped up once again and refused to be conquered by pain (besides, if the pain got really bad, she would fix me up!) :-) So I continued to push and I made it past the last curve…

I’ve never been in a race or an event like this before so I didn’t expect to see ALL THESE PEOPLE cheering me on! Sure, everyone had a friend or family member there to see but EVERYONE was cheering for EVERYONE! People were calling out my number and pushing me along and cheering me on! It was a great feeling…my final gift from God was my relay partner Andrea. As soon as she spotted me she came over and arm in arm we ran through the finish line together! To share that moment with such a dear friend was amazing and I was so happy that we were able to cross that line at the same moment and collect our medals!

I would never have done this event if it wasn’t to support the children of Mustard Seed Communities. Those children are MY babies. They are MY children. They are MY life. They have changed my life more than I have theirs. I will be going on my 4th mission trip this November to see my kids. Because of the love and support of everyone who has donated, I will be able to see healthier, happier, educated, nourished children once again. Your support gives these children a chance that they didn’t have before. Thank you for supporting me and the children of Mustard Seed Communities - you really have no idea how grateful I am!

~ Christina

What Running Has Taught Me

2010-05-16T21:25:00.006-04:00

It had been a long and anxious wait, lacing up the sneakers through the past 18 weeks of training, through a gamut of weather conditions and dealing with just a few aches and pains along the way, but we've come so far in our running quest, all in the name of Mustard Seed Communities.

Finally, it was here - the culmination of all of our hard work-the big show- my first half marathon, knowing I didn't want to let down our supporters, friends, and of course all of the "Super Heroes" at MSC. Although it took me 2 hours and 41 minutes, I ran alongside my awesome teammate Kasey in her bright green and yellow outfit, through the woods, and picturesque residential streets, past "Larry the Lighthouse," encouraging each other through all kinds of uphills and long stretches of open road. I felt an emotional burst of energy sprinting toward the time clock, with all of my teammates cheering me on. Even though I was feeling "a bit" tired, so many of them came up to me saying I was aglow crossing the finish line. For sure, I had a flashback of all the times I was tempted to be discouraged or focus on the negative but didn't, from checking my fund-raising page and all that were inspired to support us, and all associated with MSC Jamaica.

Running has taught me many things - to live in the moment, to understand my body, it's needs and all it can do, and although I'm not the fastest runner, to be thankful for all that I have and all I can give. Michael and the team never once gave up on me, as crazy as a half marathon seemed to me, when we first started talking about it last winter. Mile after mile as long as I put in the effort, and it was certainly God who brought me exactly what I needed at all the right time in my life - the inspiration and power to accomplish great things, especially for my favorite cause.

~ Melissa

Teamwork

2010-05-15T14:14:00.001-04:00

Before our trip last year i wrote a blog from the rookie perspective. In the case of running a half marathon, I am actually not so much of a rookie. I ran a half marathon in April of 2009 kind of by accident. I had been running 5ks and some women in my office were signing up for the More and Fitness half marathon in central park, I said I would do it with them and before I knew it I was "training" for my first half. I had some knee issues in the past and it became an issue during my training last year and I let it get in the way in a major way. Then race day came along and it happened to be an unseasonable 92 degrees. Basically I gave myself some excuses to not run as fast as I probably could have.

Training with the group this year has made all the difference. I never enjoyed running with people before, and definitely would never think of running without my ipod to motivate me. Now I can hardly imagine a long run without some of my favorite people by my side. I had some knee and hip problems along the way but knowing I had people waiting for me every Saturday morning for long runs was all I needed to get out of bed and run through the pains. The team work we pull together for our common goal for the kids continues to shape my life in so many ways. The motivation everyone has given me has even encouraged me to sign up for another half marathon in September! The kids in Jamaica and the Hoboken Cares team constantly push me to be the best person that I can be.

~ Jordan

Lets be Superheros!

2010-05-14T09:50:00.008-04:00

As some of you may know, the HobokenCares team has committed to running a half-marathon to raise money for Mustard Seed. Many of us have never run before, or never participated in a race or only run a 5K ... certainly most of the team has never run 13.2 miles! But we have a couple marathoners in our ranks so they have taken the rest of us under their wings and shown us the way. We have been training since January and now amazingly the race is only a few days away!

I am one of those who has run before but never this far. The most I've ever run was 5 miles, and I was so proud of myself after that accomplishment that I took a break from running - and never went back! I never thought I could run more than that, and quite frankly never wanted to :-) But when this challenge presented itself I thought - I have to do this for the kids. Part of me didn't believe i could do it but I had to try.

As it turns out, my body didn't believe I could do it either. As I progressed in my training, I started feeling the effects - first pain in my knee (probably the result of knee surgery many years ago) then in my hamstring. But I kept training and trying to push through it. I thought about our kids... and how they face hurdles and challenges and physical obstacles every day but they keep trying. I pictured Hakeem in his wheelchair or Jerome struggling to put on his leg braces and then impressing us all as he walked laps around the courtyard at Sophie's place.

I felt I could push through for the kids. But it became painful enough that I was having trouble walking so I went to a doctor to make sure I wasn't doing any long-term damage. Diagnosis - a rotated hip and hamstring tendonitis. Six weeks of physical therapy. And no running.

The race is 3 days away, and I am still on the fence about what to do. I ran 2 miles yesterday and did not feel good - the pain came back almost immediately. I could probably run part of the race and be ok, although the pain will worsen and I'll probably undo whatever healing I have had in PT so far. I know my body probably will not let me complete the whole 13.2 miles - but I'll do what I can... for the kids. Because as coach Michael has reminded us today: "We are their legs. They are our heart."

The SuperHero half-marathon is this sunday , May 16th... check out some of our fundraising pages and please consider supporting us in our efforts for the kids of Mustard Seed!

http://www.firstgiving.com/bridgethughes
http://www.firstgiving.com/karenimbach
http://www.firstgiving.com/andreamilo

~ andrea

Thank You

2009-11-10T00:13:00.002-05:00

Sitting at my desk in my office less than 48 hours after returning from Jamaica there are a lot of emotions…sadness (from missing the kids), joy (at not sweating profusely), regret (for not taking even more from my trip), peace (from knowing I have 16 team members supporting me), anger (for people who can't see what they are missing in life), and mostly love (for my team, the kids, and life). The transition from Jamaica to life in New York City is not an easy one yet each time I think it is hard I receive an email from a team member or a text message reliving some small moment from the past week. Life is not about where we are or what we have but about who we share it with and how we live it. If nothing else, my week in Jamaica has taught me that life is about living and about living to our highest potential. My challenge to myself and my team is to be the light every day for one person, to shine out into the world and be Akheim's smile. This past week and everything within it could not have happened without each and every person in our lives. From donations of diapers to prayers for safe travels, every single person in our lives has helped us have a once-in-a-lifetime experience that has changed us forever. We would like to say Thank You and so would all of the kids in Jamaica. So…THANK YOU!

~ Bridget (Co-Leader for 5 Successful Trips)

The Stuff We Left Behind

2009-11-08T09:28:00.003-05:00

It's Sunday morning and I am supposed to be posting the blog for yesterday but my head is spinning. So much has happened in the past 24 hours and I'm trying to make sense of all of it.

Yesterday we woke up in Jamaica. The team was together...we sat around the kitchen table drinking our delicious Jamaican coffee....we laughed and joked...and we were only a few steps away from some of the most remarkable children in the world. Now that all seems so far away. How do we come back to our lives here in the US without thinking constantly about TyTy and Anthony at Sophie's Place; Brian and Tia at Dare to Care; Alexia and Dwight at My Father's House; and Ramon and Nicholas at Matthew 25:40? What do we do with all of those emotions that we experienced? How do we incorporate the person we became this week into our daily lives? These are all questions that this team is going to be struggling with over the next few days. And you know what? Even after five years leading this trip with Bridget, I am sure I still don't know the answers. But before I get too far down that road let me rewind and tell you about our last day in Jamaica.

For the first time all week we didn't wake up to an alarm. Still I found myself up earlier than I would be at home and full of an energy that's hard to describe. Slowly the team started to wake up and join the early risers at the kitchen table. We sat around enjoying our last taste of coffee in Jamaica. As I looked around the table I saw people that had been changed. I saw eyes that were opened to a whole new world. I saw hearts that were touched and minds that were racing to figure out what all of this would mean when we got back home.

We spent the morning cleaning up and getting ready to leave Sophie's Place. When we left Hoboken last weekend we left with 17 pieces of luggage, 17 bins of supplies, and 17 carry-on bags. As we started to gather our luggage as we left Sophie's it was funny to see so much less. A few people only had carry on bags while others also carried half-full suitcases. The "stuff" we left behind was more than the clothes we had worn all week that would now be donated for the kids. The "stuff" we left behind was the unimportant stuff that often weighs us down. It was the stuff that gets in the way of us being who we are called to be. It was the stuff that keeps us from laughing and smiling each day. It was the stuff that gets in the way of us loving everyone around us. It was the stuff that keeps us from taking the time to pray each day. It was the stuff that gets in the way of living like we lived this week- simply and lovingly.

After we cleaned up and packed our bags we got to enjoy one last devotion with the kids. I stood in the back and watched as the team held kids in their arms and sang songs of praise and I couldn't help but smile. This team had given so much of themselves and I found so much joy in watching them receive so much love in this moment. That image will stay with me.

Then it was time to load the van one last time. Down the mountain...through Papine...and back to where it all started. The people of Mustard Seed have become our family, and watching the goodbye from the outside would have looked like any family saying their goodbyes at an airport terminal. Their were tears and hugs and promises of being back next year. But most importantly their was respect. Respect, mon, respect.

--Michael

Our Jamaica

2009-11-07T08:06:00.004-05:00

We have had many "snapshots" this week: making balloon animals, playing baseball, and horsing around with the boys of Matthew 25:40 who are stricken with HIV and AIDS; breaking up cement slabs and then moving tons--literally--of dirt to lay the groundwork for a new yard for the children displaced by the fire earlier this year; morning cups of Jamaican coffee as we got to know our fellow volunteers and prepare for the day with them; and feeding a lollipop to a boy who has no coordinated use of his hands and has never tasted one before.

It is very difficult to quantify the impact this trip has for us and all those we work with, play with, laugh with, sing with, pray with, hold, hug, touch, love. The beauty of these moments is that they will last much, much longer than the moment in time they took to actually occur. They leave an impression, a footprint, a memory of God. New friendships are created; old ones are strengthened; earth is moved; hearts are renewed; children are held; souls are refreshed.

And this *is* our week with Mustard Seed Communities in Kingston, Gordon Town, Spanish Town, and Ocho Rios, JAMAICA. "Is" -- not "was" -- because eight days pass, but the week lasts so much longer than that.

~ Andrew ("Sweetie Mon" and 3rd year mission tripper)

Early to Bed...?

2009-11-06T06:56:00.003-05:00

How does that old saying go? Early to bed, early to rise? What happens if it is late to bed after a full days work and heartfelt reflection and then insanely early to rise? And by insanely early we mean 3:00 AM. Well, don't worry; I think you can probably tell by reading the other entries that Jamaican coffee is the solution to everything including a tired team.

After piling the sleepy team into the van we were off to My Father's House for adoration, mass, and rosary with the kids. The scene always amazes us. It is pitch dark and the outdoor chapel is dotted with smiling faces of kids excited to be there praising God. Most of them can't speak yet they have such a deep awareness of what is happening. The dark combined with the sleepiness can make you almost trance-like but in that trance you can truly focus on God. "Thank you, Lord" is repeated over and over. Simple, yet so profound. Thank you for the day. Thank you for the children of Mustard Seed...for the caregivers...for the very existence of this place. Thank you for the smiles, the hugs, the astounding experience of love. Thank you, Lord, for my life.

After adoration Fr. Benny celebrated mass with Msgr. Gregory (the founder of Mustard Seed). Then we got to say the rosary with the kids. Each year we watch the kids who can not speak find the ability to lead us in the prayers. Yet, I can't find time to pray everyday in my life back home? What an amazing way to start 'Thank You Thursday'.

Back in the van for the long journey to Jacob's Ladder and Ocho Rios. It's always an experience driving on roads wide enough for one car on the edge of the mountain in a 30 person van! Jacob's ladder is a home for the adults of Mustard Seed to go and live out the rest of their lives. It has been remarkable to see the growth of Jacob's Ladder starting five years ago with 4 cottages to the mass operation it has become. The goal is to grow and provide 95% of the food needed to run all of the apostolates and they are almost there. With three greenhouses the size of a basketball court, livestock, a soon to be pond, and their own cinder block making they are well on their way to sustaining Mustard Seed within the next 3-7 years.

After all of the hard work we have done this week, Mustard Seed treated us to an afternoon on the beach for rest and relaxation. It was a blessing to swim in the ocean as a team and enjoy good friends, good conversation, and amazing food (yay, festivals!). The simplicity of just being together and challenging each other to chicken fights (that may have never happened) was a great way to spend the afternoon.

After so many experiences this week where we have seen and experienced God we thought it would be nice to have the team share one of those experiences from today (Thursday) with you.

God is...
- love. God is in everyone and everything.
- Brandon praying the rosary, Fr. Benny's homily, and Msgr.'s prayer and reflection.
- good friends and good conversations.
- seeing a beaming smile and the bright eyes of an orphan despite their hardships.
- Mustard Seed Communities. He is here!
- in everyone and everything.
- the provider of our fellowship.
- a mirror allowing you to be stripped away from your normal every day life to look at yourself through both good and bad and see a beautiful reflection of peace, love, and hopefulness through the eyes of all of His people in Jamaica, the land we love.
- allowing a child to teach you how to be loving again.
- a cup of Jamaican coffee at 3:00 AM, children with nothing but smiles and hugs to give (who give them out readily), and a day of fellowship with our team.
- a young man with severely disabled limbs who uses a ducted tape skateboard for mobility at adoration and spoke the first works, "Thank you, Lord, thank you for life...".
- the children of Mustard Seed, who can't speak but are somehow able to lead us in songs of praise and the prayers of the rosary.
- little Brandon who looked up at me and smiled as I sat down next to him at My Father's House during adoration. A refreshing picture at 3:00 AM!
- children who you thought couldn't speak who see you and light up because they remember you from year's past...unconditional love.
- sitting with 16 new and old friends and some of the most beautiful children in the world watching the sun rise as you revel in the Glory of God and the amazing gifts He has given you this week.

~ 17 Mission Trippers who have been changed forever

Being Me

2009-11-05T06:35:00.004-05:00

In a class I'm taking at Boston College, we've been talking a lot about our identities and what attributes or "jobs" in life define us. I love that here in Jamaica I'm none of those things. It doesn't matter at all what I do for work, how much money I have in my 401K, if my makeup is applied correctly (because it's been replaced by a dirt film covering my skin). None of that matters to the kids, nor our teammates here. It's the most freeing act to let go of the expectations of me. It's humbling and empowering. It's a simple yet stark realization to say, "I'm a full human without my job, apartment, dinners out, or particular brands of clothing." In Kingston, I'm charged to be emotional and make deep connections with people.

I'm not contained in a clean-cut, little box. I'm free to take direction from males, be a minority, and objectively see situations without judgement. For example, is it really "better" to have financial skills than know how to lay tile or what fruits to eat off a tree? Or on a more difficult level, is it "better" to live in a stark white, clean apartment than a shanti hut with no shower?

I'm no saint. Trust me, I'll be relieved to be mosquito-bite free and and be able to run a brush through my hair again. But here's what I'll be lacking: waking up with friends in the morning; making time for reflection on the day; watching the sky light up over the mountains; open arms from strangers, begging for hugs. I'll miss knowing that it's enough to just be me - without all the things I pile on to make me appear "better."

If you let yourself be open and vulnerable here, this is what you learn: you're enough. Just you. Bring nothing else except you, and it is better than enough - to make a little difference but more importantly, to be loved. I think that that's why I keep returning. I haven't gotten it perfect yet, but the act of letting it all go and letting yourself be loved - by your teammates, local guys in the field, or little Stefan - the newest addition to Sophie's Place, who just wants hugs all day and night. These simple acts become the essence of everything important. It's a compact week of truth and oneness to take home and keep in our pockets to pull out and distribute to others throughout the year.

~ Julie #1 (3rd Year Mission Tripper)

A Night on the Town

2009-11-04T06:51:00.000-05:00

Six AM wake up. Somehow here I bounce out of bed ready for the day. It might be the Jamaican coffee, it might be the thought of spending time with the kids...whatever it is, it works! Still the bus ride was quiet as we prepared for another tough day at work.

Once at Jerusalem, we had morning prayer with the staff and jumped right into our work. Francesco, Christina, and Fr. Benny moved wheelbarrows full of soil to fill in the yard at Martha's House that we had cleared of concrete yesterday. Kevin, Michael, and I organized boxes of tile until the entire room looked like a warehouse - 683 boxes plus lots of grout. Man am I going to be sore tomorrow! Carla, Smidgen (Jordan), Teri, Suzanne, Nisha, and Julie painted the outside of what will become the offices for the new Martha's House.

At lunch we had an awesome test of strength when Cedric (from Jerusalem) faced off in an arm wrestling match with both Mr. Smith (our work-site supervisor) and Francesco. Cedric won both! After a much needed sweetie (Jamaican for candy) break, we headed back to work for the afternoon. I am always amazed at how much work we can get done each day! We revel in the tasks at hand. It may take a few water and advil breaks in the shade but then we get right back to it.

Later in the afternoon a couple of the ladies went over to Dare to Care to give out sweeties and hugs. I have never made so many balloon animals in my life. Everyone wanted a sword at first and then they wanted the swords transformed into puppies. I also had the rare privilege of carrying the 'Bag o Fun'. If you want to be the most popular person on the mission trip then I highly recommend carrying that bag! Kimone, Clayon, Shashonna, and I had a sword fight while Christina, Tia, Dian, and Samayah blew up balloon animals for the other kids. We watched the sheep wander by and continued to eat sweeties (are you catching the underlying theme here?!)

On the way home we saw another rainbow which made us hope for another rainstorm to shower in; however, when we got back to Sophie's Place there was no rain but there was a little bit of running water! The women took showers but the men did not. They claimed it was to save water because it is so limited but I think they just enjoyed being dirty! So we suggested they get their own table at dinner.

After my quick shower I went down to see the kids here at Sophie's. A terrible cough is making it's way among the kids; particularly with Ty-Ty, Anthony, and Akhiem. Ty-Ty broke my heart today, he barely had the energy to smile while normally all he does is laugh and "steal" people's noses and eat them. His laugh is infectious and when he isn't laughing I feel obligated to do everything in my power to try and make him start again. Akhiem also made me take multiple pictures of him - what a ham! He has the heart of every woman on this trip and I'm betting a few of the men's as well.

Before dinner Fr. Benny said a quick mass, then we hopped in the van for our annual dinner on the town in Kingston. We had some good camaraderie, excellent food, and even a couple Red Stripes or Tsunami Rum Punches (foo-foo drinks). A Red Stripe down here after a full day of hard work in the sun and a lot of playing with the kids tastes better than almost anything in the world! We shared a ton of laughs around the table and then treated the people of Kingston to a rousing version of "Build Me Up Buttercup" on the ride home. That was topped though by Leroy (our trip coordinator from Mustard Seed) belting out the Jamaican national anthem. Who knew he could sing so well?!

I can't believe how quickly yet how slowly this week is going. I feel like I have been here for weeks yet each day goes so fast. As always I am humbled by the children and their caregivers and honored to be part of their family if only for a brief moment.

Tomorrow is going to bring more tile, more wheelbarrows full of dirt, more smiles, more sweeties, and more joy for me, the team, and the kids!

~ Kasey (3rd year mission tripper)

Hard Work With a Purpose

2009-11-02T21:37:00.000-05:00

After a couple of days of settling in and spending time with the kids at Sophie's place and Matthew 25:40, today was our first official work day at Jerusalem - another Mustard Seed home.

Jerusalem is a beautiful place in the middle of Spanish Town with a gorgeous chapel, cottages for the kids, and a school buzzing with energy from all the kids of "Dare to Care". There are also sheep, chickens, fish, and a garden that supply the community with food.

The staff at Jerusalem had plenty of challenging tasks lined up for us. Kevin, Michael, Andrew, Gretchen, Karen, Francesco, and Fr. Benny spent the morning chopping away at concrete in the ground to make way for a new lawn. While Suzanne, Teri, and Carla painted one of the newest cottages. I helped Bridget, Nisha, Kasey, Christina, and Julie clear away brush, scrap metal, and garbage around the area.

And then came the tile. Lots and lots of tile. Over 500 boxes of tile were donated for use in the newest cottages and we all helped unload them from trucks in preparation.

With the sun beating down and temperatures above 90 degrees, today was truly a challenging day. But getting to work alongside some of the older boys from Jerusalem and with frequent visits from the smiling kids of Dare to Care, we understood why the hard work was so important. The day was made more special by seeing members of our team reunited with their sponsor children and in delivering gifts and messages from sponsor parents who couldn't make it this year.

After a long day of work and playing with the kids we headed back to Sophie's for dinner and mass. On the bus ride home a rain shower appeared out of nowhere and delivered a beautiful rainbow and the unique opportunity to grab some soap, suds up, and use the rain as a natural shower. Once we were cleaned up, we celebrated mass for All Souls Day with Fr. Benny.

It's wonderful to be back on this trip for a second time and to see all the changes that have happened at Mustard Seed since we were last here. We all have something to learn from one another and we share a mutual sense of joy in being together. This is our Jamaica family, and families are all about love.

~ Melissa (2nd Year Mission Tripper)

Sunday Fun Day

2009-11-01T21:25:00.000-05:00

Today started for many of us with our first sip of the famous Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee with sweet cream (sweetened condensed milk). For others it started with catching up on some sleep after yesterday's 4:00 AM wake up call. But for all of us, the day really began with Sunday mass in the local community.

The first thing that struck most of us when mass started was the clapping and singing. From the first moment, the way the community worshiped was passionate and engaged. Soon Michael was dancing in the aisle and Teri was moving to the beat, all before the end of the opening procession. Even Laura, Akiem, and Tekeisha- the kids from Sophie's Place that came along- were clapping and singing in their own way! Most of us agree the community felt like family and it was obvious they wanted to be there...they wanted to be praying...and they wanted to celebrate God. What an amazing way to start the day! And since tomorrow is All Souls Day, we even got to experience a really cool tradition at the church where they did a blessing of the graves in the cemetery on the hillside behind the church.

After mass we headed back to Sophie's to change out of our church clothes and a grab a quick bite to eat. Then it was off to Mary's Child- a home for teenage girls who are pregnant and have nowhere else to go. The average age of the girls at Mary's Child is 13. What a blessing that this place exists to not only give the girls a place to live, but also to teach them how to be mother's at such a young age. They learn how to care for their babies, but they also learn basic life skills like cooking, sewing, and how to use computers.

Despite the blessing of this place, the reality of its existence struck our group hard. It was a tough place to visit for most of us because the girls seemed unsure around us. Their babies have changed their lives forever and they are still processing that. And for most of us, it is a reality that we can't truly comprehend, and ours is a reality they don't know either. We live in two different worlds and one hour together is not enough time to bridge that distance. Still there were moments of connection like watching Nisha cradle one of the small babies while his mother looked on.

After Mary's Child, we got to go back and play with the boys at Matthew: 25:40. And believe it or not, they had even more energy than yesterday. This time we were armed with balloon animals, bubbles, and lots of sweeties! Some of the best moments were watching four of the boys attack Francesco with balloon swords, seeing Jordan and Kasey blow bubbles with Fabian, and watching Julie play the whole time with Oshane, who cannot walk. There were a lot of smiles and laughter ruled the day!

Our Sunday Fun Day even included an unexpected treat! We got to stop by the Devon House, Jamaica's famous ice cream shop, for some delicious ice cream. More smiles all around! And then it was back to Sophie's Place for a few more hours with the kids. By the time we got back the kids were very relaxed. It was truly awesome to watch Carla sit and hold Courtney while he stared up at her and then fell asleep. And to watch Suzanne rub the backs of the littlest ones while they slept reminded me how important those simple moments really are. When all is said and done it is all about love, and that is something we all experienced in a lot of ways today.

So Sunday Fun Day is coming to an end as we get ready for a week full of hard work. Tomorrow we head to Jerusalem to meet the kids from Dare to Care and to get started on helping to build the new Martha's House. Until tomorrow...

~ Michael (the co-leader known as mom)

Not a Typical First Day

2009-10-31T22:18:00.000-04:00

Well it wasn't a typical first day but it was a great first day! We left JFK and all of our hectic lives behind around 8:00 this morning and landed in Jamaica around noon. Starting our time in Jamaica with a beef patty and ting soda on a patch of beach near the airport was probably the best start we could ask for and a whole lot better than our usual meals of rice and chicken.

Another pleasant change from years past was going directly to Matthew 25:40 and playing hide and seek (Jordan can testify it's hard to win when these kids know everything about their house), baseball (Phils versus Yanks), garden building (Karen is convinced the boys will be crushed when their leaf garden is dead in the morning but she's willing to help rebuild), and of course the all time favorite of 'human jungle gym' (Kevin and Andrew may need some icey hot in the morning). After an hour that went by way too fast we began the trek up the mountain to Sophie's Place, our home away from home.

It was so good to see the amazing progress made on the wall by the river after the demolition that we did last year. The kids are also doing so much better and seem really happy and adjusted to their renovated homes. Ty-Ty was of course stealing noses and Hakiem was very excited to see that our ratio of guys to girls leaned in favor of the girls!

It's been a long day but we are excited to be here and can't wait to go to sleep and see what tomorrow brings us. We never know what might happen but we do know that we are going to live in the moment and embrace each and every experience we can because these individual moments make up the beautiful love that we see in each and every child we meet here.

~ Bridget (Fearless Co-Leader)

Seventeen

2009-10-31T09:21:00.000-04:00

17 alarm clocks set for 4am
17 suitcases (under 50 pounds!)
17 bins of supplies for mustard seed
17 cell phones turned off for the week
17 team members, on our way to Jamaica
17 hearts ready to be opened
17 lives about to be forever changed

A "Rookie" Mission Tripper Gets Ready

2009-10-30T11:34:00.000-04:00

Here’s a chance for everyone to hear from a “rookie”. My name is Jordan and this year is my first year going on the trip. I summed up my feelings pretty well in a thank you note to a family friend. They always pick on me for getting myself into the craziest adventures whenever I leave my little hometown in Pennsylvania, in particular they like to mention that I ran off to Europe and jumped out of a helicopter (it’s really not as dramatic as it sounds, I was studying abroad and was in the extreme sports town of Interlaken, Switzerland). But I said to them in my note that my feelings are pretty similar to that day when I went skydiving because I am experiencing such a mix of emotions from minute to minute.

It seems a little surreal to me still. Through all of the preparations and countdowns it has become a sort of “thing” in my mind rather than an “experience” It seems like it’s already been a long road from when I first met the team, committed and turned my summer birthday party into a fundraiser. But now it’s just one day away and I am flooded with so many different emotions this is proving very hard to put together in any sort of logical way. But I feel so ready to jump in with both feet and experience what I have been hearing about for the past few months from the veterans on the team.

After procrastinating all week and filling my suitcase piece by piece and stopping into the same stores for just “one more thing” I feel like I’m almost packed, but I’m still worried I am forgetting something important. That’s one key emotion that keeps coming up in my head—worry; the what if’s keep going through my head. What if I get hurt or sick, what if I break down emotionally, what if I forget my passport, what if I can’t sleep, what if about a thousand other things. But just like before I jumped out of the helicopter the “what ifs” are all part of the experience and I trust that I am in good hands and that I am doing God’s work.

I think my overwhelming emotion that overpowers any of the others is that I feel so blessed. After such a short time I already feel so close to a team of great people. The team has welcomed this rookie with open arms and a funny nickname. The support that I have seen from people in my life has been truly uplifting and a reminder of what amazing people I am surrounded by. This feeling I know is about to multiply with the love from the children in Jamaica.

~ Jordan ("Rookie")

A Mission Tripper Returning

2009-10-29T13:50:00.000-04:00

My name is Carla and in two days I will leave my cozy home in Hoboken, New Jersey for my second service trip with Hoboken Cares. I cannot think of a better way to welcome in the month of November, a month of giving thanks, than by being with the children of Mustard Seed and by working alongside the beautiful men and women who care for these children.

As I pack my suitcase and open my heart to the experience that awaits me in Kingston, I am feeling…

Excitement, that I get the privilege of learning from the children of Mustard Seed once again.
Fear, that children I met and loved last year will have gotten worse or may even be gone.
Joy, to see children so uninhibited and vibrant in their songs, hugs, and prayers.
Relief, at knowing and remembering what is truly important in my life and in the world.
Anger, that there are so many more children who need help and are not getting it.
Gratitude, for our team’s strong leaders, for the chance to be a part of this week, and for all of the blessings in my life.

I know at this moment that I need to pull myself out of my comfortable NYC bubble and throw myself headfirst into a week of emotions, challenges, joy, and love. The daily obstacles in my life are insignificant compared with the challenges that our children in Jamaica live with everyday. Their courage in the face of hardship, joy in spite of physical limitations, and their hope despite desperate conditions have helped me remember what is truly important for the last 365 days. I miss them and I need that reminder again.

~ Carla (2nd Trip)

Jamaica 2009

2009-10-28T18:06:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Hoboken Cares' 5th annual service trip to Kingston, Jamaica. My name is Bridget and along with Michael we are the co-leaders of this trip. It is less than 72 hours until we load up the cars and head to JFK airport for our flight to Jamaica. Every year I'm always amazed at the group of people we take with us. They are completely selfless and give 100% with everything they do in the orphanages from singing with kids to building roofs to eating plates of rice and curry! I really hope that you can experience through our blog a small part of this amazing experience with our team. Please tune in every day after 10:00 PM to read our blog for that day. We are going to have pictures, videos, and short stories. Every day will be a glimpse of something different and from a different person's perspective (with maybe some narrating by me). After almost five months of planning we are excited and anxious to get down to Jamaica and start doing! Check in Thursday and Friday to see what a returning member and a new member are thinking about before the trip. And then on Saturday (October 31st) check in to see if we made it down there!

Welcome to the Hoboken Cares blog!

2009-10-15T19:47:00.000-04:00

If you've landed here, you are probably aware of our group, and our work with Mustard Seed Communities (www.mustardseed.com). We are a group of adults from Hoboken NJ and the surrounding NY/NJ area who are committed to supporting the work of Mustard Seed Communities in Kingston, Jamaica - we do this through fundraising, awareness-raising, and community-building efforts throughout the year, and then travel each year to Kingston to lend our hands in service.

We will be using this blog to post thoughts, photos and video during our trip to Kingston, Jamaica from Oct 31-Nov. 7. Once you subscribe to the blog you can track us throughout the week and see where we are and what a Mustard Seed mission trip is like. For those who have supported us with donations, this blog will help you to see where your money is going, and feel connected to the wonderful work Mustard Seed does every day to support the many children who need their help so desperately.