Missionaries of the Poor and Beach benefits from The Church of Jesus Christ International Service Day

In the seventh hosting of International Day of Service (IDS) by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ‘Helping Hands’ volunteers from the church and non-members came out in their numbers to offer service. This labour of love was done at Missionaries of the Poor to 135 wards of the state and at the Negril Beach Park on October 26, 2019. International Service Day is a worldwide solidarity and voluntary event held by the church each year where we seek to collaborate with other religious organizations, city ​​councils and community leaders, the Ministry of Public Health, among other government entities in order to join efforts in the development of community service.

At the Missionaries of the Poor, an international Catholic monastic institute of brothers and sisters dedicated to "Joyful Service with Christ on the Cross," living facilities are offered to the poorest of the poor. This year at their Laws Street location, members cleaned dorms, beds, walls, large open spaces, bathrooms and cobwebbed. Personal care was given to wards through grooming of hair and nails, applying lotion to hands and feet, folding of laundry and delivering150 hygiene kits. They also assisted with serving lunches, feeding the wards as well as washing dishes.

Brother Samuels from the Missionaries of the Poor repeatedly expressed how thankful they are for the helped. He expressed also how happy he was to see us do so much during that time we were there. 

Elder Kevin G. Brown, a local member who is an Area Seventy in the Caribbean Area of The Church summed up his experience of serving on the day as wonderful. He mentioned that they had a lot to do. Nonetheless, he believed that it was well received, and they all felt like the Saviour.

President Andrew Lue, Stake President who oversees the units of the Church in Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine said, “IDS is a wonderful opportunity to live the commandment “love one another; as I have loved you”. We are grateful to the loving brothers, sisters and youth who turned out to emulate our Saviour and engage with the most vulnerable and dependent in our society. Serving beside the Missionaries of the Poor I am sure was more of a blessing to those who served, than to the wards who received all that we did. We look forward to other opportunities to serve in our communities and bless the lives of others”.

Sister Georgette Grant, the Stake Public Affairs Director, described the experience as miraculous; one that brought feelings that reminded her of how much God truly loves all of his children. It warmed her heart as she saw the light in the eyes of the members as they served diligently with compassion.

The spirit of solidarity and volunteerism was in high gear at the Negril Beach Park when 62 members of The Church and 5 non-members from the Savana-la-mar and Negril branches put hands and heart together to clean-up the beach. They collected approximately 46 bags of garbage. Dwight Smith, who organized the beach clean-up believes this activity is their best service activity to date.