My week in Jamaica was one of the most transformative weeks of my life. Not only has it taught me a great deal about the global community, but it also taught me about my college community, and myself. There were so many amazing experiences each and every day that taught me something new. Whether it was the people I encountered along the way, or those that were on my journey with me from the very start, every person shared with me something about themselves that revealed to me just how present God is within each of us.

Getting to build a house for a family in need was one of the most satisfying things I have ever achieved. Although I did not personally strike every nail, or paint every board, each member of our Loyola team helped create something that would dramatically change a family’s life, and that felt really good. The highlight during the house build was getting to see the smile on Kenyan’s (the woman whose family we built the house for) face. Seeing her light up knowing that her family would have a safe place to call their own was beautiful, and truly made me feel like I was exactly where I was most needed. All in all, building the house really showed me two things: that there are amazing students at Loyola who I haven’t met yet, and that a small group of people can make a difference, even if it only impacts a few people.

Going to Bosco, a boys home, and Balaclava, a home for the elderly, were also two very eye-opening experiences for me. Getting to meet and play with the boys at Bosco was a lot of fun. It was amazing to watch them play soccer and be so full of joy despite their situations being so terrible. I learned so much about living life with fun on that very field, and also realized just how bad I am at soccer, those boys ran circles around me! My other favorite part about Bosco was getting to know one of the boys, and hearing Romeo’s story. It was really important for me to hear someone’s full story, so when Romeo began to tell me about what growing up was like for him, I truly felt privileged that he would share a bit of his life with me. He told me how he only met his mom once when he was 4, and he explained that his dad never had enough time to pay attention to him because he was a police officer. While I’m still not fully certain if his dad was an officer, one thing I will always know was real was the look of pride Romeo carried on his face when he told me he wanted to be in the army. He was so passionate about getting out of Bosco and being a good kid that for a moment I forgot about the awful things he probably had to live through. He taught me so much about expressing gratitude to those I love, and he revealed to me the importance to me of having a dream and striving for it. I always seem to forget to truly thank my parents for being there for me, and Romeo and the rest of the boys remind me every day of how lucky I am to have an amazing family that loves and cares for each other.

Balaclava had a bit of a different atmosphere than Bosco, and I was not sure what to expect upon our arrival. Little did I know that at Balaclava I would meet Ionie, the elderly woman who revealed so much to me. When I first met Ionie, I was not sure if I was going to be able to connect with her. She was doing her wash very intently, and I did not think she would be willing to leave her task to talk to some college kids, yet she did and I could not be happier about it. She first started talking to Rannie, our driver, who has a way of talking to anyone as if they are old friends. That really broke the ice and gave us the opportunity to talk to her a bit. She told us about when she grew up how she loved to dance and sing. Then, Rannie brought over George and we all sang amazing grace together. It was one of the most grace-filled moments I have ever experienced. While we ere singing, I saw God working in the world around me. I saw Him in Ionie as her voice crooned each note while her hands still were washing her clothes. I saw Him in my teammates around me who were a slightly bit more tentative with their song, yet still contributed. There was a moment after we stopped singing amazing grace for the first time when she looked up at Rannie and told him that she was sick and in the hospital. Instead of being angry and upset about the end of her life approaching, she was so full of peace and thanksgiving, I was brought to tears. After she spoke, she changed the words of amazing grace and simply sang “Jesus raised me up.” This was not a moment that I will ever forget. Ionie taught me so much about God’s love, and living life with gratitude, and I will never ever forget her for as long as I live. Every time I sing a song, I remember Ionie and her joy.

I was lucky enough to get to continue talking with Ionie for about an hour while she ate dinner. She told me more stories about her life, and told me about her favorite foods, and how she loved to cook. There was one point where she taught me how to make dumplings step by step, and it was amazing to get to connect with such an amazing lady for an afternoon.

I also loved the day of January 15. This day all of my team members and I dubbed as the best day ever, and it truly was one of the best days of my life. It began with Belinda, and her amazing story at the police convalescent home. She was healing from a fractured spine, yet was full of so much joy and peace. She truly appreciated every moment she had, and it was amazing to see her outlook on life. She was so positive and singing Father Abraham with her was truly fun. I also need to mention how important the reading from Ephesians was that we read with her. It was so relevant to my life, and to me was God’s way of reminding me how positive I should always try to be.

Then, we went to St. Theresa’s Basic School, and got to run around with 120 of the cutest kids in all of Jamaica. Even though we made the mistake of giving piggyback rides, we still managed to have the best time together. I had a little pack of kids that enjoyed tackling me, and pulling out my hair, yet it was one of the most fun times I have ever had. While I had a blast with many kids, there is one in particular who really sticks out to me, and that is Taeshawn. He was a special kid who always looked out for his friends, and was very sensitive. He would always wipe the dirt off of me, and was not afraid to stick up for me if too many kids were trying to get on me. At one point, a little boy was crying on my lap, and Taeshawn came up to him, took the bottom of his shirt, and wiped away his tears. It was truly one of the most beautiful and precious things I have ever seen. He was a reminder to me that it is important to be aware of how others are feeling, and to do my best to console them.

I learned and saw so much during my trip, and I have to say that it is all thanks to the relationships I built, and the people I met that allowed my week to be amazing as it was. The most powerful realization I had came on the last night. As we all sat around and reflected on our week, I realized that I was truly exactly where I needed to be, yet I put myself there. I went out on a limb and applied for the trip, and I decided that it was something I really wanted to pursue. I realized that the only way for my college experience to continue to be meaningful was not for me to accept where I had been placed, rather, I need to start finding my own place. I found my place during that week amongst my peers and the people of Jamaica, and I hope to continue to carve out a place for myself at Loyola.