Thank You Thursday

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.