Jamaica Mission Trip

I had the amazing privilege of traveling with a group of ten people from St. Joseph Catholic Church in York, PA to Mandeville, Jamaica from January 21st-27th 2014. If you are new to my bog, welcome! Under this page you will find all the links to anything Jamaica related on my blog, as well as some information on where we we went!

Jamaican Mission Posts
Part 1 - Hello!
Part 2 - To the Sunshine
Part 3 - Blessings
Part 4 - Little Hands
Part 5 - Busy Days
Part 6  - Goodbyes
Part 7 - Mission Video

Where in Jamaica
The Dioceses of Mandeville is located in the south-central part of Jamaica and covers 1,282 square miles. The area is approximately one-third mountainous, one-third swamp and the rest farm land. The total population is 484,000 with a Catholic population of about 7,000.

The Diocese of Mandeville is mostly rural. Health facilities, running water and public transportation are not readily available. 68% of the people have no running water and only outside latrines. In the rural areas,
public transportation is poor at any time, but on Sunday, it is non-existent. It is not uncommon for the faithful to walk three or  more miles one way to Mass.

The average worker does not earn enough to pay for the minimum essentials of daily life. Thus the
average Sunday collection in most parishes is approximately $20.00 and in the smaller parishes only $8.00.

The average annual income in Jamaica is $1,500, a little less than $29.00 per week. Many workers don't even receive this wage. The education minister reported that 25% of people aged 15-19, are "functionally illiterate". 75% of the students who take standardized testing cannot pass even one subject. There are also an alarming number of destitute elderly and abandoned/neglected/abused children and adolescents. People are dying every day from diseases, ones that no longer exist in the United States because we have adequate medical care, and families are starving because they have no way to afford enough to eat.

Meet the Team
Fr. Jim Menkhus
Timothy Fives  
Robin Enochs
Thomas McGann
Kathy McGann
Elizabeth Anthony
Mary Kate Anthony
Zachary Dinwiddie
Arlene Schmitt
Katie Herrington

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