Author:
Jason Torrence
I’ve got a confession to make: When I’m deciding where I want to go on a mission trip, I take the location into consideration.
Yes, I know that Christian missions are called Christian missions because they’re about serving Christ, not about taking a vacation.
Yes, I believe that, as a Christian missionary, I shouldn’t be overly concerned with my own comfort.
No, an exotic location isn’t my main concern. But a place called “Lard Bay” just doesn’t sound like the most appealing place to volunteer abroad.
The place I’m talking about is Montego Bay, Jamaica. And if (like me) you’re a little rusty on your Spanish, you might mistake the word “Montego” for the word “manteca,” which is the Spanish word for “lard.” Well, it turns out that Montego Bay was a Spanish port during the 16th Century, and during that time that’s where the Spanish shipped lard (plus leather and beef) to distribute to their colonies. So that’s the reason for the similarity between the words “manteca” and “Montego.”
It also turns out that the city of Montego Bay is an incredibly beautiful place. More importantly, it’s a place of great need. Blossom Garden Children’s Home is a government-run center that is home to around 70 children, each under the age of seven. Blossom Garden is always in need of volunteer support. They can use people to spend time with the children, then can use assistance with small repair and maintenance projects around the facility.
College or youth mission trips to Montego Bay are a great way for any Christian missionary to serve the children at Blossom Garden. It’s also a great way to serve those who work there. And it’s a great way to encourage the volunteers from Jamaica Relief Ministries who regularly serve at the center. And now that we know that the place formerly known as “Lard Bay” is also a place of great beauty…
It’s never too early to start praying about your next missions trip. Whether you choose to do work in the US, or to volunteer abroad, you’ve got plenty of options with Mission Discovery. Please don’t hesitate to visit our website to see the variety of missions trips and youth mission trips we have available for all ages, genders, and lengths of time. Now is the time to start planning for a mission trip with Mission Discovery.
