Here is a link to the website for New Vision:
http://www.cityofrefugechildrenshome.com/Christiana/index.html
New Vision has 24 kids in residence, from age 5 to 18. Stuart and Wendy, the directors, told us they prefer to call it a children’s home, rather than an orphanage, because there is very little chance the children will be adopted. Once there, the kids usually stay until they “graduate” at age 18. Many of the older kids have been there most of their lives. Stuart and Wendy also told us that about 80% of the children born in Jamaica are born out of wedlock. Whoa! Between that and the poverty, it is easy to see why there is such a great need for places like New Vision, and why they want to expand.
Much of the work that our team did is auxiliary to the new building that is under construction. Here is a blog entry from Eric, one of the facilitators from Wonder Voyage, about some of that work: http://www.wondervoyage.com/journals/journal2007/565.php
At every J2A class we start with the same scripture: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.” This trip was the first time in a long time that I am sure I lived up to the “all your strength” part. It was hard work. But I’ll tell you, after the first night without flushing toilets, we all knew exactly how important that septic system would be.
Wonder Voyage, the company who arranged this trip for us, did a fabulous job by the way. The leaders were a bit nervous going into it, because we did not have as much information as we are used to. Part of that was just the flexibility that Wonder Voyage has learned is necessary to some extent. You can’t always see what is needed or how things will go until you get there. As we were told, Jamaicans are event oriented rather that time oriented and relationship oriented rather than task oriented. (I can vouch for that. It also explains Mexico pretty well.) The other part of it is that WV works with teams to customize. No pre-set schedule. But we have no regrets and many of our team are already talking about another trip!
Here are a few pictures:
/images/74935-65679/DSCN153801.JPG” width=350>
banana trees on the New vision property
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http://www.cityofrefugechildrenshome.com/Christiana/index.html
New Vision has 24 kids in residence, from age 5 to 18. Stuart and Wendy, the directors, told us they prefer to call it a children’s home, rather than an orphanage, because there is very little chance the children will be adopted. Once there, the kids usually stay until they “graduate” at age 18. Many of the older kids have been there most of their lives. Stuart and Wendy also told us that about 80% of the children born in Jamaica are born out of wedlock. Whoa! Between that and the poverty, it is easy to see why there is such a great need for places like New Vision, and why they want to expand.
Much of the work that our team did is auxiliary to the new building that is under construction. Here is a blog entry from Eric, one of the facilitators from Wonder Voyage, about some of that work: http://www.wondervoyage.com/journals/journal2007/565.php
At every J2A class we start with the same scripture: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.” This trip was the first time in a long time that I am sure I lived up to the “all your strength” part. It was hard work. But I’ll tell you, after the first night without flushing toilets, we all knew exactly how important that septic system would be.
Wonder Voyage, the company who arranged this trip for us, did a fabulous job by the way. The leaders were a bit nervous going into it, because we did not have as much information as we are used to. Part of that was just the flexibility that Wonder Voyage has learned is necessary to some extent. You can’t always see what is needed or how things will go until you get there. As we were told, Jamaicans are event oriented rather that time oriented and relationship oriented rather than task oriented. (I can vouch for that. It also explains Mexico pretty well.) The other part of it is that WV works with teams to customize. No pre-set schedule. But we have no regrets and many of our team are already talking about another trip!
Here are a few pictures:
/images/74935-65679/DSCN153801.JPG” width=350>banana trees on the New vision property