Jamaicans are important parts of our community – here’s how to help them
Gazette File Photo
By John T. Ryan
On January 8th eighteen members of the Peru Community Church Jamaican Mission Team will depart for the Church’s 12th Annual Jamaican Mission trip. Missioners travel to the Mandeville, Jamaica region. They typically work in a local school and orphanage, conduct counseling training classes for local churches, build a simple home for a local family and perform maintenance work at the home of Roy Jones, the apple picker whose serious injury in Peru, NY prompted the first mission trip.
George and Harriet Burrell organized the first mission trip and continue their work each year. Asked if he ever thinks about not going George Burrell responded, “We just seemed to be called back. At some point we may stop; but we’re still going strong.” Noting he is getting a “little older” Burrell said, “When we do stop, we hope younger people will continue the mission.”
This year the missioners will be assisting an orphanage which is home to twenty-seven children almost all of whom are under five years of age. The New Hope Children’s Home in Mandeville is in tremendous need of gently used or new clothing especially shorts, socks and sundresses, crib fitted sheets, diaper cream, baby powder and chewable vitamins.
Along with the clothing and children’s items, monetary donations are still needed to pay for transportation of supplies, to build the home and repair Roy Jones’ home. If you would like to help please mail your check to the Peru Community Church, 13 Elm St., Peru, NY 12972. Please annotate the check “Jamaican Mission.”
Peru Community Church website information on the Mission (Click here)
An excellent Press Republication story on the the Mission orphanage program (Click here)
Posted: December 19th, 2010 under General News.