Blessings || Jamaican Mission {Part 3}

Unfortunately, we had no internet connection yesterday, and even now we have a very limited  and slow connection, so blog posts are now a day behind. I wrote this post yesterday evening but am just now able to get it up. 

| Part 1 | Part 2 |

What a difference a day makes!

We woke up to another beautiful sunrise and headed out to build a house after breakfast and Mass. Not long after we started working on the house, the rain decided to give us a visit. It started as light drizzling and the men continued to work through it until it began to pour. Us ladies were huddled under umbrellas while the men picked up one of the sheets of aluminum for the roof and held it above their heads.

Since us girls weren't able to help much with the actual building part, the local priest, Fr. Patrick,  ended up taking us to visit his nearby parish of St. Joseph’s and their primary school (children ages 3-6).

By the time we made it back to the house, it was ready to be painted. When the house was completely finished, Fr. Jim blessed the house and ceremoniously handed the key to the family. The house we built was for a 25 year old single mother of three children (ages 9,6, and 3) with number four on the way. They were all so excited about their new house.

The whole group, including neighbors and relatives who came to help and watch throughout the day. 

The completed house.

While working on the house, we were given fresh bananas straight from a banana tree (which were the sweetest, most delicious bananas we’d ever had), and we were given sugar cane. You cut the hard outer skin off the stalk and then just bite into it, but you don’t swallow it. After chewing it for a while and getting all the delicious, sugary juice out, you spit it out.

Pocket knife vs. machete 

We are thankful for such a good day despite the rain!

-Mary Kate