By: Drew Marshall
This January we sent a team of 22 volunteers to Kingston, where they addressed several mission tasks (dental work, facilities, and housing). Due to various factors, there were just two volunteers available to build the house that was planned, and the recipients’ church provided one Jamaican worker to join them.
After worship on Sunday, a visit to the home site was arranged and up an overgrown path, behind a precarious wall fashioned from rusty sheets of tin, a tiny house sat next to a freshly poured 18’ x 25′ concrete foundation. Upon it was a stack of 2×4’s and other building materials. There they met the recipients.
The Andersons are an elderly couple with a mentally handicapped son who were living in a small decaying house that has not had secure roofing since the last hurricane, allowing water to stream in every time it rained. Whenever Pastor Drew asked her to describe aspects of their living conditions she wept, and it was heartbreaking to hear her stories.
The housing team set out on a rainy Monday to begin work and on the way the sign of God’s promise, a glorious rainbow, seemed to be landing upon the sign at the edge of the Hope Flat Community where the home was to be constructed and their spirits were lifted.
Gathering at the site, Rev. Davidson of the King’s Gate United Church was asked to lead a prayer of consecration in between raindrops, then work commenced. By the end of the third day the walls were up but the roof was not started.
The 4th day our JEMM partners located 2 skilled workers to assist the team, and the roof framing was up by the end of the day. Late Friday Rev Jermaine Gibson, JEMM director, led a moving prayer of thanksgiving and blessing and a secure, dry home was delivered to a grateful family just after dusk.
It is amazing what God can do with prayers, a pile of materials, and faithful servants – Thanks be to God!
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| Old roof | New roof |
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| Beginning jobsite | Nearly finished home |
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| Rainbow at Hope Flat | Matt Sumner, 1st Gainesville and Drew Marshall, Grace Gainesville with Gloria & Vincent Anderson at their new front doorway. |
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| Prayer for Consecration | Prayer of Blessing & Praise |