One day left

Hey Everyone, Adam here!

I can't believe that the summer journey is finally coming to an end. It has been a challenging, rewarding, and growing experience. I know that God called me to Harmons although there many times that I wondered whether it was so. It was nothing like what I expected-- I can't really put in to words how it was different but I know I could never have imagined it being like this.

This week has been a combination of saying goodbyes, cleaning up around the house, and debriefing with the staff to prepare mentally, emotionally and spiritually for going home. Tonight we served dinner to the 40-some Jamaican staff that we employ throughout the summer. From the house crews to the cleaning ladies to the cooks, they all piled in for a delicious meal and some great fellowship. It was really cool to see them all together but tonight was the first time I really realized that goodbyes were in order-- some of them I will not see again before I leave.

I know now that Harmons will never be an experience that I had that I learned from and moved on. Harmons is a part of me. The people here have had such in impact on my life that I can't imagine just continuing on with life. Harmons will, God willing, be a place that I keep returning to as often as possible. To serve those in need, yes; to spread Christ's love, yes; but also because I have friends here that I will never forget about.

We fly home Friday but it's not goodbye, it's see ya later.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers and support. I'd love to talk with anyone about my experiences, but have patience because words can explain only so much.

In Him,

Adam "Chapel Hill" Salloum

Coming to an end...

Hello Everyone! This is the last blog that I will write for the summer. It is hard to believe that in one week we will be making our journeys back home. We say goodbye to our last group on Sunday, and then have a few days by ourselves to say goodbye to all of the friends that we have made. Over the past two weeks I have been hearing the question of how am I feeling now that the time is coming to say goodbye. The only way to truly answer that question is by saying that I have mixed emotions. I am excited about seeing my family and friends, but I do not want to leave this community. I have been blessed to make friends here in Harmons that I know would be willing to do anything for me. Friends who I am extremely close with. Saying goodbye to them is difficult because I do not know when I will be back again. Unlike when I said to goodbye to everyone in the States, there was a set date for me to return. Here I have to tell everyone that I am leaving and that I am not sure of when I will be able to make it back. I know for sure I will come back, because Harmons is Home and such a big part of my life, but it is hard to leave not knowing when that time will be.

Lastly I would like to thank everyone who has supported Won by One to Jamaica and our staff over the summer. Everything that we have been able to do this summer would not have been done without you. I am thankful to each of the groups who have come down and am so thankful to have had the opportunity to meet you all. Finally I am thankful to have had this wonderful opportunity to be in Harmons for the summer, and to become part of this community. To all of my friends here in Harmons I am not saying ‘Goodbye’, but rather ‘Later’.

Love,
Michael

So long sweet summer...I stumbled upon you and gratefully basked in your rays

Hello again everyone!!

This is probably the last blog I will ever write again in my life. Exciting eh? My time here in Harmons is running short. We have about a week and a half left until we fly home and its back to the real world. (I already know that I will be crying a few times a day). But as time is winding down I find myself preparing myself for the switch. I have learned recently something big about myself: I begin to separate myself from people and places when I know I have to leave soon. Although I have noticed this, it is something I plan to work on. I refuse to leave this place with relationships closing down and refuse to let myself become unassembled with this community. Even if that means leaving with half my heart here, I know that the last week of my time spent here will not be half, but whole-hearted.
Thank you all for your continued prayer, support, and love. I am very excited to tell you all about my summer and everything I learned and experienced. But, I am also excited to open another chapter of my life and learn and grow from those experiences. No matter what happens or what comes my way, Harmons will always be home and hold a large part of my heart.

Lovelovelove,

Krista

Hooray Jamaica!

Hey guys and gals,
Wow…pretty crazy that the summer’s already coming to a close. Our last group from Mecklenburg Community Church is here right now and then we have four days as a staff to say goodbye to all our friends from the summer. The team is a mixture of 18 students and adults, so it’s really intimate and personal. One really exciting thing about this week is that my parents are here!!! They’ve watched me and my sister come down for five years now, and finally get to experience everything themselves and meet all my Jamaican friends. So far everything’s been sweet; I’ve gotten to work with my dad twice at a house and a foundation and my mom got to go to the store and infirmary for a full day. I’m really excited for the rest of the week and think it’ll be a growing week for all of us personally and together.
Another really exciting thing that happened recently was that Michael and I got to stay in Harmons this past weekend. We got up early to say goodbye to Carmel on Saturday then slept in a lot more. Then we found Pops, Tarraine, Kashka, and Little John and headed up to visit Mr. Reed in John Robinson. He lived a while in England and we talked about everything from his farm, car, house, technology, jobs, smoking, God, and everything in between. After that, we walked back and played regular and French dominoes with Barry, Pops, Bull, and Kashka. Then, we made a glorious dinner for 8 awesome Jamaicans (most of them previously mentioned) of macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, bread, and kool-aid. It was great to serve them and we had some great conversation. Afterwards we played drug dealer and mafia, and then we watched Batman Begins. Tarraine and Barry fell asleep. Later that night Michael and I cleaned upstairs in our boxers because no one else was at the house and we felt like it. The next morning, we went to the Open Bible Church in Green Pond with Pops which was very enjoyable. Then we watched the Harmons cricket team play the all stars of every other team from their league because they won the tournament. Hung out with Danika, Rashan, and Lamar. After that the team got here and I went with Suma to pick up my parents in Kingston.
Anyways, it’s going to be a bitter sweet week and a half or so. Definitely not ready to leave, but I’m starting to get ready for a tough transition and the next stage of my life. Please pray for my week with my parents here. Pray that my last days with Jamaicans would be meaningful and that we’d finish strong. Thanks again all you students who are reading this who have come this summer! I loved getting to know you and serve with you. You guys ministered to us just as much as we were able to do for you. Hope everyone has a great end to their summers. Adios!
John

He's Everything

Hey everybody, Tay-Tay here.


Some of my favorite nights here in Harmons is when we host a talent show at the Harmony House during courtyard time. It is always such a fun time for Americans and Jamaicans alike, as brave souls show off legitimate and silly talents alike. While some acts are quite ridiculous, (like for example we had one guy tonight who stopped a moving fan blade with his tongue), others prove to be quite moving.
Our team this week from Charlotte, NC performed a well known drama choreographed to the song “You’re Everything” by Lifehouse to close the show. You can see it for yourself here:


www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA


While I have seen this particular skit performed on numerous occasions, it never ceases to reach right into my heart and strike a chord. As a result I cry practically every time I watch it, whether online or in person. Embarrassingly enough, I even cried watching the team practice earlier this week. I guess I just can’t help it…I become so overwhelmed with emotion when I see an accurate reminder of how even though as humans we are in perpetual brokenness, Christ never ceases to stretch His love over us as a shelter.


Something I have been learning this summer is how to let God into my own personal brokenness and pain, and seeing this skit once again has reminded me of just how much He loves me and was willing to sacrifice it all in order for me to live whole. In the end, I have realized that no matter what we try to replace God with in our life it will always fall short because He is all we need to fulfill us.If you are feeling broken, or even if you’re not, I would encourage you to take 5 minutes to watch this powerful skit as a reminder of just how great His love is for us.


Love from Harmons,
Tayler

Reunions

Hey everyone, Adam here.

Carmel Baptist has been here two full days now and it's been awesome hanging out with them. It helps that it is the youth group that I grew up in (the picture is of me and Emily Nolte, a girl that I went to youth group with for years and then interned with last year for the youth group). I've really enjoyed reuniting with youth leaders, friends, and students that I've led in various ways throughout the years. Seeing how each individual has grown physically and spiritually is truly amazing. Some of the kids I remember as timid 7th graders are now taking on leadership roles in the church. How humbling to see that God is raising up the next generation while I've been away at college. It can be easy to subconsciously fall into the mindset that God is only at work where we currently are. Thank God that this is not the case, because the impact that I am leaving is so small in the grand scheme of things.

I'm struggling to accept the fact that I have less than 3 weeks left in Harmons. There are so many things I still want to do and so many relationships I want to invest more into. I can only find rest knowing that God had a purpose for me this summer and I may never fully know what it was. Although I may never see the fruit of my labor I trust that God knows what he is doing.

Thanks everyone for the continuous support!

In Him,

Adam

HOLA!

HEY! It’s McKenzie.

The summer staff is reading Spiritual Direction, a book inspired by the thoughts of Henri Nouwen. To be honest, I am not really a fan of reading, and I really don’t enjoy being assigned chapters to read and having conversations about the assigned chapters. But, fortunately some things in the book have really stood out to me, so it makes the assigned reading a lot more bearable!

One chapter, called Who am I?, talks a lot about how we are God’s beloved. Even though the word beloved makes me cringe, the chapter has really made me consider the love God has for each of us. I am not sure that anyone can really comprehend this love, because no one I know can even come close to loving like God does.

Anyway, at one point in the chapter, the author is discussing how we answer the question, “Who Am I?” Like, if I were to write a definition of myself for everyone around me, what would I say? One paragraph says this:

“How much of our energy goes into defining ourselves by deciding “I am what I do,” “I am what others say about me,” or “I am what I have”? When that’s the case, life often follows a repetitive up-and-down motion. When people speak well about me, and when I do good things, and when I have a lot, I am quite up and excited. But when I start losing, when I suddenly find out that I can’t do some task anymore, when I learn that people talk against me, when I lose my friends, then I slip into the pit.”

He goes on to say that this approach to defining who we are is flat out wrong. None of these things define who I am. The only thing that truly defines who I am is that I am God’s beloved. It sounds kind of weird to say, “I am McKenzie and I am worth so much to God.” But it is so true and so forgotten in today’s world. It doesn’t matter that we have a lot of things. It doesn’t matter that we work 99 hours in one week. It doesn’t matter that a friend is talking against us right now. It doesn’t matter that we have made 400 mistakes in the past day. It doesn’t matter that we are recovering addicts. None of these things should be defining who we are.

Maybe this passage has a lot more significance to me than it does for you. This past week was one of those breaking points in my life – one that I think we all experience once in a while. Like when everything that you have been pouring yourself into backfires and breaks you so far down you can hardly breathe. Working in the store every day of every week all summer caught up to me, and I began to feel so weak and frustrated with every aspect of the store. I wanted there to be more clothes to give to the shoppers. I was frustrated with a few people who wait outside the store every day and ask for more. I was mad at myself for not being able to say no. I was mad that the kids’ clothes had run out again. All of these problems are out of my control, but I took all of them upon myself. If I was a better store manager, I should be able to provide for everyone. I heard people cursing me, saying that I couldn’t provide for their families. I saw people walk away disappointed that the store didn’t have what they needed. I heard Americans complaining that working in the store was boring. I was defining myself through the store, through the shoppers, through things that don’t matter.

The only thing that we should allow to define us is that we are worth so much to God, that we are His beloved. We are beautiful, precious beings to God, and we can never do anything that would make Him stop loving us.

Alright, that's all I have right now. Thanks for reading!

Just Bloggin

Hello Everyone! I am finding it hard to believe that we are already coming to the end of July. We are now finishing with our 5th group, and only have 2 more to go. This week has been the craziest that I have ever seen the Harmony House. With a group of over 50, there seemed to be someone every time around. At times it was a challenge to have so many people in the house, but we have overcome the obstacles and have had an amazing week.

The past two weeks since the retreat have seemed to just fly by. I have received a lot of help in these two weeks from a good friend and previous Courtyard Director, Debo, who leaves on Sunday. Thanks to Debo, we have had some of the best Courtyards the past two weeks.

This week I was once again able to spend time with my good friend James at the infirmary. On Wednesday, he was sick and was not himself. I was unaware of what to think; just watching him lay there in pain. I was fearful that it might be the last time that I got to spend with James. I remember praying with him, and for most of the way back from the infirmary. Praying that God would remove the pain that he has been suffering from. Thankfully, I received word on Thursday that James was back to his usual self, and most of the pain had left after taking a little medicine. It feels like such a relief to know that James is doing better than he has been the past couple of weeks. I look forward to the time we still have left to be able to spend together.

This past week was also a little difficult for me in that my Grandfather was taken to the hospital on Tuesday due to small stroke. Knowing that he was lying in a hospital bed, and the rest of my family gathering there, was a struggle. However, he is going to make a full recovery, and I looking forward to being able to spend time together when I return home.

At the times of these struggles, it may feel like we are all alone, and that we to take everything on our shoulders. But God is always there for us. He is our Shepherd who watches over us. He protects and guides us. It is in times of struggles that he is waiting there willing to carry us.

In Christ
Michael

The life of a Jamerican

Hello all. It has been quite the summer and it is slowly winding down. There are only three weeks left and know for a fact that if I were at home working, summer would be dragging on. Even though summer is going so fast, I am determined to make the most of every moment. So for your entertainment I am going to give you a rundown of the fun things I do!! (Other than my job responsibilities).

…Walking to the store to get peanut punch (my favorite)---Peanut punch is like a chocolate peanut butter milkshake in a bag…MMMMM

…Sit in the kitchen in the morning and chat with friends (One of my favorite parts of the day)

…Visiting Nancy and Shalom with Mac

…Visiting Winsom and Nordia…and eating salt fish (doesn’t taste like fish but like salty jerky) and breadfruit (fruit that tastes like bread) and drinking lemonade. Sitting on their beds while they sing and being treated like a real friend.


…Walking to the store to buy sudsud and a blue bar. (sudsud is soap used for washing and a blue bar is used for whites and it gets them whiter than I have ever seen laundry)

...BEEF MEDLEY NIGHT!!! (the one night we don't eat chicken!)

...Making smoothies with Josh and Neil for the team (and eating all the fruit!)

…Making coffee with Dean and Ira…it is a real treat let me tell you.

…Hanging out with Jay (who is in charge of the store).

…Play with the Shaffer kids!

…Walk to my mento, Taylors, house and watch funny movies.

...Laughing until i can't handle it anymore.

I love Harmons. I love the people who have become my family and friends. I love walking down the street. I apologize in advance for all the people who have to deal with me when I get home;). Ha

K adios

Lovelovelovelovelove

Kristaaa

Bloggidy bloggin

Hello All!
This is John. It’s pretty late and I’m tired, but it’s my turn to blog so here we go! I know we say this about every group (and it’s always true), but the group from Hope Lutheran has been really awesome. They’ve worked really hard, and really loved on the Jamaicans a ton. We built a house for Lisa and getting to spend more time with her family was really a blessing. Over the last few weeks the Henry family has really blessed me a ton. From messing around with the kids, having some awesome conversations with Lisa and her parents, to getting cornrows, I really enjoyed the time. They came to courtyard tonight which was really cool (If any Louden/Wesley people are reading this, Lisa said thanks to you guys and I gave her the names of all you who helped build the foundation). So yea, It was a busy week, but I finally feel like I’m getting pretty adjusted to the schedule and my place here in Harmons. I finally know the majority of the people who come around the Harmony House, and I’ve gotten go deeper a lot with some of the workers, my mento, and a lot of other friends. Even though I’m getting excited for my next semester in of college, there’s no way I’m going to want to leave.
Besides the group, there are a couple other people who came down that I’ve gotten to know such as Debo, the Belts, and Jim. Hanging out and talking with Debo has been quite fun, as well as Jim and Jeanette. Life is definitely hectic, but I’m still learning to rest in God and he will fill me up to get through the day. Oh yea, did I mention the retreat was awesome? Definitely needed to get some relaxation time and it was a good time to refocus personally and as a staff. Oh yea, did I mention the rest of the staff’s awesome? Well they are. I’m really proud of them and they’re really good at their job and fit well into that role.
Yea, So I don’t know what else you guys would want to hear about. Hung out with Tarraine, a Jamaican I’m mentoring yesterday, and got to go to meals on heels at Judith’s that night which was sweet. I had a really good time talking to and working with Ganga today, as usual. Played some soccer in the field, then had all the Friday night activities. Overall, a great week and I’m looking forward to the next group of 50ish people. Hope everyone is doing well.
John

Hey everyone! Tay Tay checking in here.


One of my favorite memories from when I was younger was when my parents would let me stay up late and watch The David Letterman Show with them. A highlight of that show for me was the “top 10 list” so I thought that I would share my top ten list with you. Of course, I could quite possibly go on for hours about the reasons why I love being here, but these are just a few of the best! Enjoy!


Top ten reasons I love being on Summer Staff…
10. Getting to hang out with the other summer staffers
9. Bag juice and Peanut Punch. Nuff said.
8. Being able to call Harmons “home”
7. Learning new things (like how to get mangos down from trees by hitting them with rocks for example!)
6. Doing laundry by hand
5. Knowing my way around Harmons
4. Spending time with the Shaffer Kids :)
3. The COFFEE!
2. Being forced to learn hard lessons and work through tough issues with God
1. Being able to build deep relationships with people in Harmons!!


Peace and Love,
Tay

Tough transition

Hey Everyone,

We are back from retreat week and just finished our first full day with Hope Lutheran. Retreat week was a much needed break for the whole staff although my week was a bit different. We drove to Negril Tuesday where the team stayed until Friday. However, I had to fly to Baltimore Wednesday to attend my 19-year-old cousin's funeral services. He was killed in a four-wheeling accident early Sunday morning. It was a difficult week as I tried to grapple with the death of one of my closer cousins, while at the same time trying to help console my Aunt, Uncle and their other children. Whenever someone dies at such a young age I think it's natural to question God about his plan. Sometimes after a little while things start to piece together a little bit and you see some kind of good that has come from the tragedy, but rarely does it ever make sense completely. But that doesn't mean that we can't trust God in our failure to understand.

Flying back to Jamaica yesterday completed a whirlwind of a week, and I must admit that I haven't quite re-adjusted to life in Harmons yet. It may take some time as I continue to think about my cousin while attempting to build relationships in this community. One thing I have been reminded of through all of this is the importance of trusting God. He holds the keys to life and death-- I don't have any control over when I exit this life. I am only 20 years old but I'm already realizing how quickly life is passing. To think that I have any control over my life is ridiculous. And that has helped me to trust God more this week. I find myself worrying so much less about how I'm going to build deeper relationships with Americans and Jamaicans because I know God is in control. I am less anxious before the devotional times because I know that God will be teaching the groups much more in their hearts than my words ever could. As a Christian, my greatest desire (should be but often isn't) to see God glorified. And when I look at scripture I see that God never has much of a problem with that. God will be glorified because he is in control. So what do I need to worry about?

I hope you are all doing well!

In Him,

Adam

Rested and Ready to Go!

Hey guys, Michael checking in again. This past week was our staff retreat week. For our week we spent a couple days in Ocho Rios, and then several days in Negril before returning to Harmons last night. We also had Joey Butler, who is serving as a spiritual leader to our staff this summer, and his wife Dawn down with us for the week.

The week gave each of us time to sit back and think about everything that has happened in the first part of the summer. Also, it allowed for us as a staff to sit down and have some one on one conversations to continue to go deeper in our relationships. Each one of the summer staff held a one on one with Joey to see how we are each growing. Part of what I have been thinking about and working through comes from Luke 12:48, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." This summer I have been given an excellent opportunity, am I doing everything that is asked of me? Also, as Christians we have been given the greatest gift of all, but are we doing what God asks of us? or do we settle in a comfortable position?

Tomorrow starts the second half of the summer. We are looking forward to the four groups that we are about to have. Tomorrow is also the day that Adam is returning! Adam had to leave last Wednesday due to a family emergency, but we are anxiously awaiting his return. It sort of serves as a measuring test of how far we have come in our relationships. We have come so much of a family that we have been in contact with Adam each day since he has been gone.

We are half way through our journey together, and are eager to continue on. Now that we are well rested, we are ready for the next four weeks, and our thankful for all of your continued support. To our friends and family, we miss you! To those who have been here this summer, we are so glad you came and want you to stay connected! To those who are yet to come, we can not wait to meet you!

Michael

STAFF PROFILE!!!

Full Name: Michael Lee Travelpiece
Age: 21
Siblings: 2: Amy (26) and Luke (24)
Job: Courtyard Coordinator
Hometown: Hobbie, PA
College: Geneva
Major: Sociology
Nicknames this summer: not any new nicknames, although I have been told that I look like a kyle
Favorite Meal in Jamaica: juicy patties, rice and peas, ice cream
Favorite Fruit in Jamaica: to hard to choose
Favorite Downtime Activity: playing hoops, futbol, playing with the kids, hanging out with all the Jamaicans
Favorite Sports Team: very tough, either Penn State football or Carolina Bball
Favorite TV Show: Criminal Minds, The Office
Favorite Music: Country with other stuff mixed in such as rap and Disney
What I'm currently learning: a lot of things, but really learning how to truly love those around me

Well, we are now finished with the first half of the summer. Next week we are going to be going on our staff retreat. This means the arrival of Josh and his family, but sadly we will say goodbye to Loyd and Candy. Our first three groups have been great, but I am looking forward to be able to spend some time with our staff. I want to say hello, and that I miss you to everyone back in the states. More to come after the retreat!

There was going to be a picture, but it would not load...

Michael

Staff Profile!

Full name: McKenzie Mary Sauser
Age: 21
Siblings: 2 older brothers, Justin and Brett
Job: The STORE Manager
Hometown: Anthon, IA
College: University of Iowa
Major: Speech and Hearing Sciences
Nicknames this summer: Mac, Mackey
Favorite meal in Jamaica: Patties, Rice and Peas, Jerk Burgers from Island Grille, and Gloria’s French Fries every Friday
Favorite fruit in Jamaica: Pineapple, Papaya, and Black mangoes
Favorite beverage: Peanut punch or Tru Juice
Favorite downtime activity: Going to Opal’s or Nancy’s house
Favorite color: PINK!
Favorite sports teams: I LOVE SPORTS. NOT! But I do have a little love for the Cubbies and the Hawkeyes!
Favorite TV Show: Grey’s Anatomy, American Idol
Favorite movie: Tommy Boy, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days … anything without mythical creatures or scary things
What I’m Currently Learning: To try and see things through Jesus’ eyes and have an attitude like that of Jesus

Blogging experience number 2 was a little easier than the first since I kind of had to tell you about myself in my staff profile! So I hope you feel like you know me better!

Today I went to Shaique’s house to roast cashews with her. Yesterday she brought some cashews to the Harmony House and she agreed to make them again today, in order to teach me how. When I got to her house, she had already picked 30 or so from a tree behind her house. We put some rocks together and filled in the spaces with sticks. Her brother started the sticks on fire and we put a big lid of a kettle on top of the rocks. We put all of the cashews on the lid, over the fire. She demanded I stand 5 feet away from the fire, because otherwise a burning cashew would get in my eye and I could go blind. Fortunately, none of the cashews flew that far but we did get to eat some roasted cashews, hot off the fire.

Well, that’s all for now. Thanks for reading. Hopefully you can roast your own cashews at home now!

KRISTA'S STAFF PROFILE!!!!

Full name: Krista Nicole Diller
Age: 22
Siblings: Andy!:)
Job: Assistant to the directors
Hometown: Lancaster, PA
College: Geneva College
Major: Biology-Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist
Nicknames this summer: I acquired “bam-bam” for a little, now it’s back to “shorty”
Favorite meal in Jamaica: Pepper steak and mashed potatoes!
Favorite fruit in Jamaica: Pineapple
Favorite beverage: PEANUT PUNCH! (It’s like a chocolate peanut butter milkshake in a bag!
Favorite downtime activity: walking the roads of Harmons
Favorite color: Brown
Dominant hand: Left
Favorite TV Show: House, Friends
Favorite Movie: Serendipity, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Singing in the Rain
Hobbies: I’m pretty good at sleeping and doing dumb stuff with friends
Favorite Music: I love music, all kinds…music is liiiiifeee…ha

Yet another turn of mine to blog! Everyone get excited. Harmon’s has been great the past few weeks. It’s activities has contained plenty of walks to visit friends, peanut punch drinking, bonding with the summer staff when mice were found in the staff room, and just overall good times.

I have quickly learned that home isn’t just the place where we live, but the places God calls us to. All the summer staffers catch ourselves saying “Let’s go home” when we are away from the Harmony House and each time I hear it, it puts a smile on my face. Harmon’s feels like home because of the wonderful staff I am surrounded by, being able to walk to Jay’s with Tayler, visiting my mento Taylor down the road, shouting people’s names when I walk by their homes, and feeling love being poured out in each conversation. Home isn’t just a place, it’s a feeling.

So whether home be Lancaster, Geneva College, Jamaica, or my new residence in Fairfax Virginia (Which I am super excited about!), I know that I will love each “home” just as much as the last because God is calling me to great things and everything that occurs will lead me somewhere new, to a new home, where even if my family and friends are not present, God is in total control and I will always be home.

I miss all of you at home and people from previous groups!

All love all the time,

Krista

John's staff profile?

Full Name: John Murray
Age: 19
Siblings: 2: Katie (18) and Annie (15)
Job: Worksite Supervisor
Hometown: Lee's Summit, MO
College: Mizzou!
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Nicknames this summer: Jesus, John the baptist, Judas?, Shaggy, whitey
Favorite Meal in Jamaica: Tie between juicy patties and jerk chicken.
Favorite Fruit in Jamaica: Pineapple
Favorite Beverage: Mountain Dew, of course (currently wearing a mtdew shirt)
Favorite Downtime Activity: Hangin out with whoever in the community...playin bball, soccer, talking to people, playing with kids, reading. Pretty much anything
Favorite Color: Blue...no yellow!!!! (actually green)
Dominant Hand: Right
Favorite Sports Team: The Ohio State Buckeyes
Favorite TV Show: House, The Office, and Arrested Development
Favorite Music: David Crowder, lots of other alternative or christian or anything BESIDES country
What I'm currently learning: Lots of things...patience and humility being some important ones

Welp, now you now a little more about me I guess. Very important information: like the fact that I'm write handed. Anyway...been enjoying the new groups from Wesley Church and Louden Valley High. Had their first half day today. Even though I love havin groups here, I also really enjoyed a couple days off last week to spend some longer time with God, refocus, hang out with some Jamaicans, and spend more time with the staff. Pretty exciting news: I already knew my dad was coming down to see me in August with the last group, but I just found out my mom is as well! I'm really excited to have them both. They've seen me and my sister go on several trips, and finally get a chance to see what it's all about. Also, the picture above I thought was pretty hilarious. I think it's a good representation of Barry and my relationship: me looking goofy or doing something weird, and him shaking his head at me like he doesn't know me. Anyway, I should probably get to bed somewhat soon so I'm awake tomorrow at the sites. Hope everyone is well. God bless.

John

Tayler's Staff Profile!!!

Full name: Tayler Sonshine Longo
Age: 20
Siblings: Zero. I am affectionately referred to as a S.L.O.C occasionally by Josh ( Slow, Left-handed, Only Child)
Job: Infirmary Service Coordinator
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa
College: Geneva College
Major: Human Services with a minor in Missions
Nicknames this summer: Tay-Tay, S.L.O.C (unfortunately)
Favorite meal in Jamaica: Stew Chicken with rice and peas
Favorite fruit in Jamaica: Pineapple, Mango, Grapefruit…pretty much all of them
Favorite beverage: Ting!!!
Favorite downtime activity: Taking a walk around Harmons
Favorite color: Yellow and Orange are tied
Dominant hand: Left
Favorite sports teams: Pittsburgh Steelers!!!!!
Favorite TV Show: The Office
Favorite Music: A wide variety ranging from acoustic soul to Lil Wayne and everything in between :)
What I’m currently learning: The role of pain and suffering in our lives and how to trust God in the midst of it.

That's all for now folks! Tomorrow the staff welcomes two groups from Loudoun Valley High School, and Wesley Church. We are very excited for the Harmony House to once again be filled with the sounds of students serving! Check back for updates about their experience here this week!

One Love,

Tay :)

Sunburn, Salutations and the first STAFF PROFILE!

Full name: Adam Elias Salloum
Age: 20
Siblings: Alex (22)
Job: Spiritual formation coordinator
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
College: University of North Carolina (at Chapel Hill)
Major: Journalism and Religious Studies
Nicknames this summer: Chapel Hill
Question you hear the most in Jamaica: “Where’s Eve?”
Favorite meal in Jamaica: Fried Chicken with rice and peas (kidney beans)
Favorite fruit in Jamaica: Pineapple
Favorite beverage: Jamaican Kola Champagne (similar to cream soda)
Favorite downtime activity: Taking a nap or playing cards
Favorite color: Green
Dominant hand: Right
Favorite sports teams: UNC (NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!), Yankees, Panthers
Favorite TV Show: House
Favorite movie/mini -series: Band of Brothers
Hobbies: Basketball, frisbee, reading, playing piano
Favorite Music: Pretty much anything except country


Hey everyone! The summer is flying—I can’t believe we’ve been in Harmons almost 4 weeks now. As McKenzie mentioned on Tuesday, our second group has come and gone. I had a great time getting to know the kids and leaders from The Crossing (from Columbia, Missouri). I’m beginning to realize that one of the toughest parts of this summer will be saying ‘goodbye.’ I figured that because I’m down here for the whole summer I wouldn’t have to experience the emotions I remember so well of leaving Harmons after a week-long trip. However, it has been extremely difficult to say ‘goodbye’ to the groups. I feel like seven days is barely enough time to get to know the teams and start investing in deeper relationships. Until we drop the teams off at the airport it seems like each team is going to be with us for the whole summer. Then, all of a sudden, they are gone and I’m left wondering if I will ever see any of them again. I guess I just have to trust God that he has a special plan in each of their lives even if I don’t get to be a part of it anymore. One thing about heaven that I’m looking forward to is seeing the intricate plan of God; to see how he was at work in different peoples’ lives and how he weaved our stories together to make His grand story.

This week has been a really good time for the summer staff to grow closer because we don’t have a group until Sunday. We’ve been helping with the addition on the Harmony House among some other various odd jobs around the house. This morning we had a special treat. We each invited our ‘mentos’ (the kids we are mentoring) to meet at the Harmony House at 9am to go to the South coast for a day. It was an awesome day at the beach getting to know our mentos better. The only downside is that I, as well as a few other staffers, got some major sunburn. At least we will have a few days to heal up.

That’s all for now. Thanks to everyone for your continued prayer and support!

Adam “Chapel Hill” Salloum

MY FIRST BLOG EVER!!!1

Hey guys! It’s me, McKenzie! I am kind of anxious about my first blogging experience. Somehow I managed to get out of it last summer! But I am ready to face my fear and do it today.

Today we said bye to a group from The Crossing of Columbia, MO. As I was spending time with the group this week, I realized what an outstanding group of kids the leaders had brought down. They had such great attitudes about working in the hot sun all day, and even better attitudes toward each other. Many of them are following Jesus so closely that I felt as though they were teaching me about trusting the plans God has for my life. If I was a parent of one of these kids I’d be sure to get my child a really awesome treat, or maybe just tell them how great they are. They were truly an impressive group of kids.

The summer staff was back at the Harmony House before noon. We arrived to see the roof torn off of the store and construction beginning on the new addition. Because I am in charge of the store this summer, I was pretty excited to see this construction taking place. I found out that a window is being taken out so that there will be more shelf space, and the new cement roof is going to make it so much cooler! AHH!!

The six of us then took off to help the community put a new layer of paint on the Harmons Medical Clinic. Unfortunately, many members of the community weren’t able to be there but we had a great time giving the clinic a new look. I still have a lot of paint in my hair and in my eyes, but it was definitely worth it. After painting all afternoon, we returned home to relax and hang out with each other.

Earlier this week I was looking at some Bible verses that were listed on this paper I received at the end of the school year from my college ministry that I am involved with. I’m not sure if many people even kept the list of Bible verses, but I thought I would bring it to Harmons – in case I got bored or something. I have started looking at them every day because I kind of liked the first one a lot, and I have not been able to stop thinking about one. It’s James 1:2-3. It says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” It is kind of crazy how God knows what we are going through, and somehow it just happens that we come across verses like this when we really need it in our lives. I mean, it isn’t like I have a ton of trials in my life right now (I am in one of the greatest places on earth), but it was kind of like a firecracker exploding in my head. You know, like, sometimes God allows bad things in our lives to happen in order to force us to persevere and grow closer to Him. It sounds so simple, but I am still wrapping my head around it. So after I had been struck with this verse, I was reading this old book that the staff is reading together. It’s called A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller. The title is kind of self-explanatory. A man who used to be a shepherd describes the parallels between a shepherd and his sheep and God and his followers. At one point, Keller says, “We are often quick to forget our blessings, slow to forget our misfortunes. But if one really believes his affairs are in God’s hands, every event, no matter whether joyous or tragic, will be taken as part of God’s plan.” I am striving to trust that no event in my past was an accident, whether it was a great time or an awful time. I am learning to recognize in both situations that God is allowing me to draw closer to Him. It takes hard times to build character. I never want to ask God for a tough time in my life, but they are bound to happen to all of us. So, I am challenging myself to look to God with an attitude of gratefulness when tough times occur, and in turn I know that I will develop perseverance, as well as a closer relationship with Jesus.

That’s all I have for now. Thanks for reading our blog and for your continued support.
Peace my friends!

Answered Prayers

Hey guys, Michael checking in this time. Yesterday I did laundry for the first time and I found that I am very thankful for washing machines. Hand washing all of your clothes is quite the task. Well, we are halfway through with our second group here in Harmons. Thankfully, we have had two great groups so far. Week 1 we had 2 churches, one from Pennsylvania and one from Kansas. The groups from these two churches were an answer to prayer. I believe that the rest of the Summer Staff will agree with me that they made it easy for us each to go about doing our jobs and easing into our positions with having an actual group here. This was no easy task as Loyd was battling an illness all week, but God provided everything that we needed. This week our group is from Missouri. After having such a good group in week one, I was a little concerned with how this week would go. But once again God answered our prayers. We have been blessed with another great group to serve with this week.

Through the short time that we have been here in Harmons, we have seen God working in amazing ways. As I have already mentioned, God has already answered so many of our prayers and provided what we need. Through my own personal devotions I have been reading through the book of Romans. In chapter 4:23-31, we read over the Believers’ Prayer for courage and boldness in speaking in wisdom and in truth. In the following chapters we can read numerous accounts of how God answered that prayer of the Apostles. What an encouragement it is to know that God will answer our prayers, and we thank each one of you who are praying for Harmons daily.

The past two nights have been the first clear nights we have had to lay out on the deck and gaze at the stars. What a humbling experience it is to look out into the night and realize the amazing power of God in all of creation. We are just one small piece of creation, yet God loves us more than what we could ever imagine. What an amazing thing to think about.

Once again, I would like to thank everyone for their continuous prayers for Harmons and our staff here. It is such a comfort to know that people are praying and that God is answering each of those prayers.

In Christ,
Michael

It feels like home to me...

Hi all, Krista here! Week one has come and gone and on Sunday we sadly said goodbye to Olathe Bible Church and Zion Baptist Church. Thanks to these two groups, our week held so many positive aspects that included a lot of hard work, the beginning of new friends, a lot of laughs and many good conversations. Upon our return from the airport we had one day to prepare ourselves and the house for our second week and group from The Crossing, which we are all so eagerly anticipating!

I believe that all of the staffers can agree that God was definitely at work in Harmon’s this past week. For me, God was working hard on my heart to teach me a lot about strength and faith. Matthew 11:28-29 was presented to me which helped me open my eyes to Gods strength and gentleness. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” This past week contained some illnesses, a hurt knee, and even possibly (if I can admit) some homesickness. But God gave me strength to persevere, strength to love, strength to give in to the times of needed rest, and plenty of strength to find a lot of joy and laughs.

Not only did I realize how much we should rely on God’s strength when we are weak, I was reminded of how much faith really plays a role in my relationship with Christ. Faith helps us believe what we cannot see, and trust what we cannot feel holding us. Even when it’s hard to feel him, keep reaching out. Even when it’s hard to hear him, keep praying. As a band called Blindside would say “So I think I will stay caught up in a silent prayer 'cause I believe in silence our hearts speak the same word”. God will walk with us in our pain, joy, and silence. Even if we are too tired to reach out, He will always be reaching toward us, we just need to keep having faith.

Thanks for all your prayers and encouragements. We are falling in love all over again with this place and it is becoming more and more like home. :)

In His grip,

Krista

Childlike Faith

Hey everyone, Tayler here! ( Or “Tay-la” as many of my Jamaican friends would say it ) The past two weeks have been a wonderful whirlwind as the summer staff has gotten to know each other, and Harmons has hosted the first team of the summer. Both teams from Olathe Bible Church in Missouri and Zion Baptist Church in Clarion Pennsylvania have brought an incredible energy to the community and have set a great pace for the rest of the summer. Sadly tomorrow is their last day here in Harmons, and we as a staff will send them home with heavy hearts, as it has been great to have them here this week.

Aside from hanging out with the teams that come to Harmons to serve, one of my favorite things about being back in Jamaica for the summer is having the opportunity to spend time with the children here. I have played countless games of tag, distributed candy to many sticky hands, and given out more piggy back rides in the past week than I ever imagined possible. As a result I have come to realize what an adventure racing down the driveway to the Harmony House can be, or how exciting it is to throw rocks at someone (This may sound odd to anyone who has never been here, but seriously, it’s SUCH a fun game! :] ). As if living life in this beautiful community wasn’t simplified enough, seeing life from the perspective of a child here helps me to realize even more how big the world is and how small I am in comparison. Even more so, how enormous God is, and how tiny we all are.

In Matthew 18, Jesus welcomes little children into his arms saying, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as a little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me (Verses 3-5).”

I have been thinking a lot about childlike faith lately, and have been drawing much inspiration from my time spent with the children here. It’s amazing to me how deeply they love, how quickly they forgive, and how easily they are made happy. It’s the kind of thing that I think we all need reminded of every once and a while. Things like the goodness of God, His sufficient joy when we experience pain, and His deep love for us, His children, are all life lessons that I am learning from the youngsters that run the streets of Harmons. Each time I am holding one of them I laugh to myself and think about how I am holding a little piece of God in my arms…and how sticky his hands are…
Until next time :]

One Love,
Tayler

ya mon

Hey, John here. So...blogging. Something I haven't really ever done. Not exactly sure what one does do with things like this. Well...I'll guess I'll run through how the week's been.

We had an awesome retreat at a lake house in Raintree, MO. There was awesome food, we got to know our sweet team, and prepared a lot spiritually with Joey Butler, a pastor from Blue Springs. He definitely helped us all unite, and just have a good time together. We kayaked, ping-ponged, ate good food, watched Slumdog Millionare...good movie. We watched the movie UP on a staff trip two days ago in Jamaica. Also a splendid movie...squirrel! Besides that, had a long day of travel Sunday, then just been settling in here. Ironically, I've been reading James...and Joshua and Revelation. Had some really solid times with God in the morning getting our "top button right." I'm also reading Bravehearted Gospel...sweet book.

Ohhh yea, and I found out I'm the worksite supervisor. I would've been cool with whatever they/God chose, but was definitely hoping yet not trying to get my hopes up for that job. I'll mainly be helping figure out where kids go each day, and working with the Jamaicans in getting all the materials, tools, and jobs figured out each day. Still trying to figure out a Jamaican to mentor as well. Mainly just been organizing stuff in our work building, and doing other random jobs around the house to clean and prepare. I've gotten to know and catch up with some Jamaicans....but definitely looking forward to meeting more and growing deeper relationships with them. Pray for me to have the guts to share truth with them.

Anyway, I think God definitely has great things in store for the summer. First group got down today...seem like some awesome people. Played some spades tonight...Yep...this is probably really boring to read. I'll try to make it more interesting next time...maybe throw in a joke or riddle. I hope everyone's doing well and thanks for all your support!

John Murray

Prep Week-- by Adam Salloum (UNC)

Hey Everyone!

Michael, John, Tayler, Mckenzie, Krista and I are all really excited about spending the summer together in Harmons, Jamaica. The 6 of us arrived in Harmons on Sunday, and since then we have had many meetings and prepared the Harmony House for the groups. Our first group will be coming this Sunday and we still have a decent amount of work to be done in order to be ready.

The most significant part of the week for me was finding out our job assignments. I am in charge of spiritual formation, which means I will be leading devotionals for the youth groups in the mornings and evenings. I have been spending a lot of time adding to a cirriculum outline prepared by a few pastors that were in Harmons recently. Our theme for the week will be the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke, which I'm really excited about.

Besides the cirriculum, I think God is already teaching me some critical lessons. Something I realized during my quiet time this morning is that I'm already struggling to trust God with the summer. I've spent much time in prayer since arriving in Harmons, but a lot of that prayer has been prayer "without faith." In James 1:5-7 it says:

"5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord."

I have been praying that our summer staff would a Christ-centered community, that I would find the right boy to mentor, and that I would connect with the youth groups that come down. This morning it really hit me that my prayers haven't had much expectation in them. I've been asking for these things without the assurance to know that God is good, and he will provide what I need for the summer. Such a simple thing to remember, yet how often I forget it!

I hope everyone is doing well-- enjoy the blog!

Adam