25 Jul Update from our Joy to the World 2023 Missions trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica (Part 2 of 2)

Last week we began to share about the first few days of our amazing recent missions trip.

We will continue in our series Joy-Lets (Discovering Five Sources of Joy from God’s “Throne Room”)

in August – today we are privileged to share more awesome details of our recent

Joy to the World 2023 Missions trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica.

The following excerpt is from our very own Outreach Pastor James Biddle…

Day 3 (WEDNESDAY)
After our awesome team spent time in the Word and Prayer, we had a quick breakfast
and then loaded the buses again. We ministered classroom to classroom at Irwin High
School (which was a real treat). This was especially wonderful because we normally
don’t get to do high school ministry due to the timing of exams and the time of our trip.
We were very well received!! Our team ministered in groups divided up into 19
classrooms. Every person got to share their story!! We are proud to report that over
220+ high school students accepted Jesus as their Savior!!!

After Irwin High School, our entire team headed back to witness at our hotel. This was
a larger property than we are accustomed to…so it presented a really great missions
field. Two of our ladies were able to connect and minister to one of the lifeguards
(Matthew). He was not quite ready to give his heart to the Lord at that moment. They
prayed with him and went on their way. Later that evening Pastor James (our missions
and outreach pastor) was able to connect with that same lifeguard again in a very God-
ordered way (just happened to run into him). He brought up his conversation with the
two young ladies and answered a few questions he had. Now that lifeguard was ready
to receive Christ!! He prayed the prayer of salvation right there in front of everyone
walking by. It was a very special and precious moment. Please continue to pray for
Matthew!!

After our personal witnessing time, our team headed to the ocean to celebrate, relax a
little, and also be baptized by Pastor Jim. Imagine the whitest sand and the clearest
crystal blue water you have ever seen in your life. Before we played in the ocean,
Pastor Jim baptized about 30 members of our group. We had a crowd of tourists
watching us while we did the baptisms, which led to more witnessing opportunities.
Later that evening we headed up to a Foster Care home called “The Robin’s Nest.”
Robin’s Nest is a large compound for displaced children and we felt like we were
driving up to the very top of a tree!! Let’s just say that is a bus ride our team will not
soon forget. We played ball, swung on the playsets, and had our team sing songs and
play music!! The children and staff were very refreshed by our visit.

Day 4 (THURSDAY)
After our prayer/Word time and breakfast, our team started again to another wonderful
school to serve and minister in. Mount Salem All-Age School was very special because
our team was able to lead the all-school group assembly and then they broke us up
into classrooms. Here many of our team members got to share their stories and give a
salvation message!! This was the first time many of them had been given that

opportunity. After our time at the school, half of the group went back to our hotel for
more personal witnessing time and the other half went to Montego Bay Christian
Academy for a service day. There they painted, cleaned, worked on the grounds, and
sowed back into this great school that represents Christ every day. During our hotel
witnessing time, two of our team members ran across someone they had connected
with at the airport on Monday. Here it is Thursday and she is at our hotel. They were
able to lead her to Lord right there by the pool area!!

Also during this time Pastor Jim and a small team were hosting a Pastor’s
Conference with Family Church on the Rock. This was the first time in four years
that these pastors had come together for a group meeting. Pastor Jim ministered on
“Regaining your Wow” and it was just the right word at the right time. We gave every
pastor a book by Pastor Jim (Pray the Word book and Enduring Life or Enjoying Life
Book). Then to top it all…every pastor was given free admission to our online WCBI
Apologetics 1 and Apologetics 2 classes!!! This will affect these pastors and their
churches for generations. Please check out www.wcbi.org for more info on how you
can also sign up for life-changing WCBI classes online.

That evening we treated our team to a time of ice cream and souvenir shopping. Then
we all went back out to Sam Sharp Square, Harmony Beach Park, and The Library
areas for more personal witnessing time. These were very fruitful times!! The people of
Jamaica are very hungry for the Gospel.

Day 5 (FRIDAY)
On this morning we had the privilege to minister at Chetwood primary school. This is a
Catholic-sponsored school and we had a great response to the message of God’s love
and grace. Hundreds of precious children accepted Jesus!! We then went back to
Family Church on the Rock where we had a work day. Our team was able to bless
Family Church on the Rock in so many ways. We cut down brush and trees to create
a garden area. We worked on needed painting projects as well as many other very
helpful projects.

Later that evening we took our team back to the hotel to rest and have some free time.
Even during our free time, we kept getting reports back from our team on people they
were leading to the Lord!!! They truly never stopped being on mission. That evening we
started our debriefing and redirecting our team to be 51-week-a-year missionaries for
Joy Church right here in Middle TN.

Day 6 (SATURDAY)
This day was a travel day back to Tennessee. Despite some challenges and delays
out of our control, our team still had the best attitudes!! Even while traveling our team
(in the airports in Montego Bay and Orlando AND on the planes) led several more to
Jesus. I remember one specific lady who worked for the airlines. We were delayed a
bit and our team took advantage. I’m happy to report that the airport customer service
rep is now a Christ follower!!! Way to go team!

We had the best team and team chemistry of any trip! We had the best time making a
difference with Joy! And as mentioned, 1,864 people now have their names written
in the Book of Life!

Thank you for your continued prayers and support over all the years. We don’t just
love our Partners….we SO love our Partners!