The document provides a first-person account of the author's experience visiting Jamaica on a mission trip in 2009. Some key details include: - The author describes their initial impressions of Jamaica, including the warm air, colorful surroundings, and different pace of life compared to home. - Over the course of a week, the author and their group worked hard helping villagers with construction projects while also bonding with the children through bible school and local worship. - The experience had a profound impact on the author and inspired them to want to teach in an underserved community or country to help those in need.

1. A Look Into My
Jamaican
Experience.
By: Alexandra Bakeeff

2. My Jamaican Experience
Early one summer morning in July 2009 I board a flight. We fly over beautiful crystal blue
water. When we land the air is warm. There is a light breeze that caries the smell of the
salt water. The sun is bright as everything is colorful.
No one moves quickly but they get where they need to go. Everyone is laid back. As we
wait for our buses we eat Wendy’s. Who would have thought Wendy’s would be here? I
tastes a little different but that is okay because everything here is different.
We board the buses. We have a 3-hour drive ahead of us. The drive is beautiful. We see
houses. They do not look like houses I am used to seeing. They are small and made up of
whatever they can scrounge up. As we wined up the mountain I see children playing
on the side of the road. Drivers here fly! This worries me.
We drive down into a valley full of sugar cane. I have never seen sugar cane before. It
smells sweet.
We see the most beautiful sunset. It sets slowly and the colors are vivid. Pinks, oranges,
reds and yellows. I do not know if they are just this beautiful because I am in a new
place or if they always look this way.

3. We arrive. Everyone is so welcoming. They feed us and house us. They are excited to here about
our journey. They are so thankful we are there.
We worship with them. It is amazing. I have never experienced something so powerful. They praise
God in their own way.
Over the next 5 days we work hard. We paint, clean, plant, and build. In the morning we have
Vacation Bible School with the children. In the afternoon we move cement blocks, make mordor,
and lay cement floors. It is hard work but it is made fun because the villagers are so entertaining.
They do things differently but that is okay.
Each night we eat with the villagers. They cook for us and we clean up for them. After dinner we
go out to a field and with the sun setting we do a devotional. I am so blessed to be able to
experience this.
As the week comes to an end, we say goodbye to the new friends we have made. To the
experiences that we’ve had and the love that we share for this place. This beautiful and amazing
place.
In July 2009 I said hello and goodbye to Jamaica in one short week. I say hello and goodbye to
the place that changed my life.
I would encourage anyone who has the chance to help others in need. It is a great feeling to be
able to give back. It does not have to be in another country, there are plenty of opportunities to
give back in our community around us.

4. When
I
went
to
Jamaica
I
went
with
my
best
friend.

5. When I went to Jamaica I was nervous it was far away.
Image from google maps

6. When I went to Jamaica I boarded a plan at 6am.

7. When I went to Jamaica there was a 5-hour flight.
http://rapgenius.com/Tory-lanez-friday-the-13th-lyrics#note-1728620

8. When I went to Jamaica the air was warm and
smelled of salt.

9. When
I
went
to
Jamaica
the
water
was
crystal
clear.

10. When I went to Jamaica we had to drive up the
mountain on a skinny mountain road.

11. When I went to Jamaica the people were poor and
the houses were small.

12. When I went to Jamaica the children were sweet
and were eager to learn.

13. When I went to Jamaica the people were poor
but they were happy.

14. When I went to Jamaica we worked hard but we had
fun.

15. When I went to Jamaica we were different but we
believed in the same God.

16. When I went to Jamaica I left my heart.

17. I am forever thankful for my Jamaican experience. I will never forget the friendships
and the memories I made. Even though my first trip to Jamaica was over four years ago I
still remember how I felt before, during and after we left. I bonded with the others that
went on this mission trip with me. When I go to church and see these individuals those
memories feel fresh.
One of the individuals I went to Jamaica with was Michael Tabor-Gray. I have known
him for as long as I can remember. His family used to babysit me when I was young. He is
only a ten days older than me. Michael struggled throughout high school with a drug
addiction. No matter what anyone said or whatever happened he could not give up his
addiction. I could not understand how someone with such life and such and amazing
personality could ruin their life.
Michael has and amazing family and support system. He had our entire church
behind him. He not only struggled with his addiction he struggled with his faith. His mother
is one of the most lovely and Godly women I know. She has been a role model in my life
and I could never understand how he could not follow her. She showed so many
unconditional love including her son Michael.
While in Jamaica I saw Michael undergo a change in his way of thinking. Things
began to click for him. The children of the village loved him. He played with them for
hours. Michael has such and amazing effect on people. He loves to help and will always
brighten your mood. While in Jamaica I loved to spend time with him and just see him
make everyone laugh.
When we got back, Michael checked into a rehab facility in Tennessee. He was in
and out of this facility for a couple of years. He met a women who he fell in love with.
They ended up having twins. A beautiful baby girl named Mary Grace and a handsome
son Aiden.

18. Michael loved these kids unconditionally. They brought him and everyone around him
joy. Michael got his life together he decided to move home to Mooresville to be closer to
his family. While being home he fell back into his old ways. His wife stayed strong for him
and their children.
Once again I began to wonder how could someone with so much to live for let his life
fall apart? Michael went back to rehab, but this time closer in Asheville, NC. While being
their for almost a year, Michael made new friends and stronger relationships with the ones
he already had.
Having been there for almost a year, he was aloud to come home for visits with his
family and his children. You could tell he was doing better. He had put on the weight he
had lost and just looked happy. Everyone could see the old Michael was back. We were
excited for him to getting back on a more solid foundation. He was being joy to all those
around him.
This was short lived. Once again Michael sought out his old ways or they sought him
out. It is still unclear how the drugs entered his system, but on July 28, 2013 James Michael
Tabor-Gray overdosed on heroin. He was found early Sunday morning before church. The
events leading up to his death are still unknown.
I was heart broken to hear about Michael’s untimely death. He was so young being
only twenty-two. I was beside myself that a friend I had known all my life, close family
friends and someone who had experienced the same thing I did in Jamaica could be
taken so soon.
I am thankful for the time I got to spend with Michael in Jamaica. I am thankful for all
the memories that we and our friends got to make. Michael will forever hold a special
place in my heart and when I think of Jamaica I will think of Michael.
He will be missed very dearly by his family, friends and the friends we made in
Manderville, Jamaica.

19. James Michael Tabor-Gray
March 18, 1991-July 28, 2013
Aiden
and
Mary Grace

20. Dear Ionda,
Thank you for allowing us to come into your home. You and the deaf community
have had such an impact on my life. This is an experience I will hold with me for the
rest of my life. You have shown me that no matter your disabilities you still have faith
that you will make it by. The faith that you have demonstrated I hope that I can have
this same faith in my life. When I am feeling like it is not all possible, I like to think about
you and your family and the things you over come. If you can over come being deaf
in a country that views this as a handicap, I can get through my though times.
The unconditional love that you have shown myself and the members of my
church is amazing. You took us in and treated us as equals. You showed us Gods love
through your actions everyday. You are truly someone that changes lives. You love
everyone equally and show them God loves them too.
You and your community showed me how much I love to give back and to help
those in need. You have inspired me to teach to those that need it most. I would love
to be able to teach in a less fortunate country that truly needs teachers. These are
the most loving children and all they want to do is learn. These are the most inspiring
children and show you what love truly is. Even if I do not get the opportunity to teach
in another country I would love to teach in a less fortunate area or school.
Thank you for all that you have shown me and taught me about myself and
God. I will be forever grateful for our friendship and the memories I have with you and
the deaf community. I hope to come back and visit.
Love,
Alex

21. Ionda Campbell

22. The air is warm and the sun is low in the sky
There is a light breeze that blows my hair all around
The view is beautiful
I see green everywhere and I see for miles
I hear laugher from children near by
They play without a worry in the world
I see the ladies in the kitchen working hard to make dinner
The men walk to the dinning hall
As I sit I think about how peaceful it is here
Time goes by slow no one is in a hurry
We have no technology or connection to the outside world
I do not worry about anything other than bettering my sign language
The sun begins to set
What a beautiful sight to see
I have never seen such bright colors in the sky
Oranges, reds, yellows, pinks and purples.
After the sun has set all you can see are the stars
I have never seen so many stars
The lights dot the surrounding mountains
You can see small towns as far as the eye can see
Peace wraps around me like a blanket
I am content
This is a moment I will never forget or want to leave
I could not imagine being anywhere but here

24. My name is Alex Bakeeff.
I am from Mooresville,
NC. I have lived there all
my life. I have always
wanted to be an
elementary school
teacher. I am twentytwo years-old and will
graduate from UNC
Charlotte in December
2014. After I went on my
mission trip to Jamaica in
2009, I began to think I
would like to use my
future education to help
those in need. Since
then I have been back
to Jamaica one other
time. It confirmed my
desire to teach in a less
fortunate country or
area in the US. I hope
you enjoyed and have
some insight to me!