Spring Break Mission Trip 2023
Each year the Bobcats for Christ hosts a mission effort on the island of Jamaica. A trained team of college students, ministers, and enthusiastic volunteers go to the island to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, strengthen churches and share the material they need to continue to do the great work in which they are engaged.
Lord willing, we will again be able to join our brothers and sisters in Jamaica in 2023. Our destination this year is Runaway Bay, Jamaica where we will be working with the Runaway Bay Church of Christ to share the Gospel in that community!
Front: Emily Moore, Ashlyn Hooper, Rebekah O’Banon, Cadi Powers, Caleb Moseley, Tina Harrel, David Harrel
Back: Connor Hooper, Justin Guess, Lauren Guess, Chant Parker, Madison Ledwig, Josh Moore
Thank you so much for your in our most recent missionary endeavor in Runaway Bay, Jamaica! We were blessed to take a team of 13 members to a growing community on the north side of the Island where the church is very young. Before the Church of Christ was planted in Runaway Bay, Jamaica in 2021 there had never been a body of the Lord’s church meeting in that community. We hope that this report will bring your encouragement and joy, knowing that the Good News was spread in a community where the fields are truly white for harvest.
Our journey truly began in October of 2022, when a team of three, David Harrell (elder), Jason Carroll (deacon), and Josh were able to visit Runaway Bay to meet with an old friend and now preacher for the Church of Christ in Runaway Bay, Joel Perotte. We had been prevented from visiting Jamaica for four years, so nearly all secular contacts in Jamaica had changed or disappeared. Because of this, the trip required planning from the ground up, including everything from lodging, travel, and meals. Even the formatting of the evangelistic campaign was modified to adapt to Jamaica’s new post-pandemic world.
From there, training began. Our team of 13 met twice a week for eight weeks to prepare for the trip. On Wednesdays, we studied the personal Bible study sheets, including how to refute some prominent false doctrines that are present on the Island. Additionally, on Sundays, we’d have our logistics and practical meetings where we would relay necessary travel information as well as practice setting up and conducting Bible studies. By the time March 10th came, our team was extremely ready!
Early (and I mean 4 AM early) on Friday, March 10, we began our travels to Runaway Bay. After a day of “acclimating,” we began work. On Saturday and Sunday, we helped Joel carry tables, chairs, and sound equipment up the four flights of stairs to the location they rent for their weekly worship services. Every time we walked up and down those stairs I made a mental note to never complain about things that are “uncomfortable” in our beautiful church buildings back home. Our team had the opportunity to lead the worship on Sunday morning to give Joel a much-needed break.
After a fantastic fellowship meal with traditional Jamaican cuisine, our team canvassed a nearby neighborhood and set up multiple Bible studies for the following days. We were then able to rest for a few moments before dinner, which we then followed up with an area-wide singing night that drew in brethren from 14 congregations around the island. It was standing-room only! We left that night wishing that every night could be that encouraging.
The rest of the week was filled with lots and lots of walking that lead to Bible studies and contacts. Unfortunately, we lost two full days to extremely heavy rains. We were certainly disappointed, but Jamaica had been experiencing a drought before the rains came so God’s blessings simply revealed themselves in a very different way than we had expected. Nonetheless, in only 2.5 days of work, we were able to conduct over thirty Bible studies and make more than 50 solid contacts. All of this was done in an area of the community that we knew would be more difficult to convert. This area was known as Salem, and the main street area has at least 5 well-established denominations. It was a challenging area to canvas, but we’re thankful we did. Runaway Bay has many more communities, and we have only scratched the surface. We look forward to going back again as soon as we can.
We look forward to our next trip to Moneague, Jamaica in March 2024.
If you would like to further discuss our trip, please feel free to contact me at josh.moore@bobcatsforchrist.org or (512) 392-4780. We would also LOVE to give an in-person report to your congregation about the trip as well as the ongoing evangelistic efforts at Texas State through the McCarty Student Center.
Upcoming Mission Trip Location & Dates:
Montague, Jamaica – March 2024