PJ

Senior, Human Services, Chicago, Illinois

“As I left for my trip to Jamaica I had no idea what to expect. I did not know who we would come in contact with, what we would see, feel, hear, touch, or smell. When people asked me what I was going to do when I went to Jamaica I told them I was going to build a house and help feed the poor. I hoped it would be a life changing experience but it was so much more than that. I cannot speak for my classmates but for me, personally, I have had endless possibilities of what I can do with my life. I’ve always known I would never go hungry and I would always have a roof over my head. I remember packing for my trip to Jamaica and looking in my closet for a pair of jeans that cost less than $200 and I could not find a pair that I wanted to ruin — how sick is that?

This trip made me wonder, if I had everything I every needed in life, why was it that when I looked in the eyes of the poorest of the poor they looked more alive than I have ever been? These men have lost their legs, their homes, their families, and have not had a real meal in weeks. When they woke up in the morning they were not worried about sleeping through class — they woke up in the morning hungry, sore, and worried if they would live through another day. Why is it that even though I had everything, I felt nothing? And the poor, homeless people of Kingston, Jamaica had nothing but felt everything? They were so humble, so full of life, so happy to get a piece of bread. I think about all the times I have looked in the pantry with all sorts of food in there and say, “There is nothing to eat”! How sick is that? We forget about the simple things in life that truly make us happy — friends, family, God and laughter because we are so self-absorbed.

At the hotel, we joked about how uncomfortable the beds were — How sick is that? We spent the next day looking at the beds of the men in the shelter. Their beds made the floor look comfortable — their sheets had all sorts of stain and rips in them, they had no air conditioning or screens on the windows. And we were complaining that our beds in our RESORT were not comfortable? That our air conditioners made weird noises? That the lighting in the rooms was awful? What kind of hypocrit would I be if I saw firsthand the reality of how these people live and then I just go back to my life with my comfortable bed, my apartment, my car and never do anything about it, like I never went and saw what I saw. I have only been back a short time and I pray to keep myself humble. I don’t want to just think of this trip as a great experience but to stand up and make a difference. Nothing changes if nothing changes, right?

I remember going to the Dare to Care facility and running around with the kids and laughing with them. A teacher pulled me aside and said, “Those kids you were just playing with are all HIV positive”. WOW, I thought, I would never have known. These kids were so happy just to have someone to play with — it was like they did not have a care in the world. I could even go as far as to say that they looked happier than kids in America that have “everything”. Which brings me back to my question; why is it that kids with nothing look like they have everything? And why is it that kids with everything are never content? These kids are going to die way earlier than they should because of a disease that they had at birth. They did not chose to be born that way but they live everyday to the fullest. How amazing is that? Some people might say God dealt them a bad hand; you could look at it that way. Or you could look at it like they probably lived more, smiled more, and laughed more than people that lived a long life. If you ask me, I think God gave them the best gift, LIFE! I mean, to really live, to not take anything for granted. To live everyday like it is your last, no regrets.

I remember thinking in the bus on the way to the building site that none of the girls were going to help build and there were only a few guys. But I was so wrong!! Everyone rolled up their sleeves and got to work. It was hot and tiring but no one quit and I was really impressed. At one point, I felt my arm was going to fall off from hammering so much. Then I would look around and everyone else would still be hammering away which kept me motivated. I didn’t quit — I couldn’t! It was not like we were just building something for fun, we were building a home for a mother and her two children who had nothing and were sleeping on the streets. I just kept reminding myself that this wasn’t about us. Everyone had different jobs and was assigned to different workers. My guy’s name was Leon, but he told me to call him Bubo because that is what his friends called him. My job was to saw the wood for the top of the house, and to help put up one of the walls. In Jamaica, Bubo wasn’t labeled homeless or poor because he had a place to sleep and a job. In America he would be considered the poorest of the poor.

I did not go on this trip to make friends, but I did. That was the biggest bonus. I remember the first day in class when we went around talking to each other and everyone felt awkward not really knowing each other. I thought to myself that I probably would not hang out with any of these people. I was so wrong. Not only can I call the majority of the students that went on the trip my friends — they are great friends that I know I will stay close with. At the start of this trip, I didn’t have anyone to lean on so I was a little nervous. By the end of the trip, I had real conversations, shared stories, laughed, and had great moments with everyone. At the start of the trip, I knew no one but when we returned I had at least 18 people I can call real friends. That was an awesome bonus to my experience. I believe God put every one of us on this trip for a reason and all for different reasons. I went on this trip hoping I would help the poor people of Jamaica. Never did I think that each person I met would help make me a better person.”

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