Impromptu Easter Sunday Decision Results in First-Time Mission Trip to Jamaica for BHS Alums Hartley, Stewart and Palmer
By Julie Perine on September 18, 2016 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
Before services started at Meadowbrook Church of Christ on Easter Sunday, Anne Hartley was looking at some literature about an upcoming mission trip to Jamaica. Her adult niece Traci Stewart remembers asking her what she was reading.
“She answered that it was the mission trip we were going on in July,” Stewart said. “I was like, ‘Oh, ok.’”
As the church service came to a close, Hartley announced the plans to the congregation. Stewart remembers her parents and other family members looking her way.
“Well, I guess I’m going to Jamaica,” she remembers replying.
Working with children and sharing God’s word and his love with them is something both women had always talked about doing someday.
“I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just something I always wanted to do – and for as long as I can remember,” Stewart said. “I just never really had the opportunity present itself when the timing was right.”
Not only was the timing right, but doing with her Aunt Anne – with whom she is very close – made it even better.
A few short months after making the commitment, the women were in Jamaica. They arrived Thurs.,, July 21 with plans for a nine-day stay.
“We had a 15-person mission team made up of two countries – Jamaica and the U.S.,” Stewart said.
The U.S. team members were from West Virginia, Ohio and Texas. Among the West Virginia travelers were Hartley, Stewart and Thomas Palmer, all three graduates of Bridgeport High School.
“We all flew on different flights into Montego Bay and traveled by bus for about two hours inland to a city called Linstead,” Hartley said.
The days went like this: Morning Vacation Bible School, afternoon medical screenings and evening revivals with various area ministers and worship leaders.
“VBS and the medical screenings were a huge success and the amount of bible studies that came from both those missions were amazing,” Hartley said.
Medical screenings included blood pressure screenings, glucose testing and eye examinations.
“Because of the generosity of so many local people, we were able to supply many Jamaicans with glucometers and strips to keep track of their elevated sugars,” Hartley said. “We were also able to provide several pair of reading glasses because the need was phenomenal.”
In hindsight, the children could have benefited from sunglasses.
“Constant exposure to the sun is something we didn’t even give much thought to, but I would like to be able to also provide sunglasses next year for eye protection,” Hartley said.
Interacting with the Jamaican children was as rewarding as Stewart thought it would be.
“It was awesome,” she said. “They were so open and willing and accepting.”
Hartley agrees that the entire experience was amazing.
“I’d be fooling myself if I even thought I could put it into words,” she said.
One Jamaican told her that she and her fellow travelers were lucky they were Americans and that they were so blessed.
“With my American mindset, I immediately thought about materialistic blessings,” Hartley said. “He said, ‘No. I mean you can take the gospel to so many people.
The native proceeded to tell Hartley that God said to go and spread the word and he shared that he could only do that within his walking distance.
“You can go all over,” said the man.
It made Hartley put some things into perspective.
“It made me think how right he is,” she said. “We can; not everyone will, but we can.”
Needless to say, Hartley and Stewart plan to repeat the experience and they will likely make plans even before Easter Sunday.
