Ecuammokalamaica

#6 Immersions


During my time at John Carroll, I was blessed with not one, not two, but THREE unique opportunities to travel to and immerse myself with the people of Ecuador/Immokalee (FLA)/Jamaica. What I discovered amongst my physically impoverished, yet spiritually rich brothers and sisters was nearly indescribable. 

Never before had I been exposed to such material poverty. You cannot prepare yourself adequately for such experiences (and I am not even talking about the suffocating humidity). I undoubtedly grew in humility and gratitude those days and ever since. 

Never before have I drank so much (water), played so much futebol, and felt so welcome in a foreign land. On more than one occasion, I felt like the younger son who, in the biblical account of the Prodigal Son, is showered with love, mercy and a bountiful feast upon his return from squandering his father's inheritance. These people were real and they got it.

I will never forget Jon, the 7-year old boy from Duran, Ecuador whose love for his siblings and mother as well as his incredible skills in the game Memory were bewildering. While their names unfortunately escape me, I will always recall the fond times that I shared in the classroom and outdoors on the school grounds with the students of Pinecrest Elementary School in Immokalee, Florida. Then, of course, there is Paula. Living in an orphanage in Spanish Town, Jamaica, she was a character and a sweetheart all in one breath. It is my hope and prayer that these men, women and children of these communities will continue to realize how precious they are in the eyes and heart of God. They certainly have a special reservation in my own.