Jamaican Mission Program

2020 – Blessed Assurance Chicken Coop Project

We returned to Blessed Assurance to add to their sustainable farming projects. We previously built a chicken layer coop in 2014. This successful project continues to provide both food and financial support for the home. The home was actualyl able to use their profits to enlarge the layer coop. At the direction of Ms. Huie, they desired the addition for a meat chicken coop. Excited to continue to grow their farm, we arrange for the foundation to be completed prior to our arrival and quickly constructed the large coop.

It was very rewarding to leave a completed coop at the end of the week. We actually had the first batch of chick in the coop and Deacon Tully blessed the coop on our final day. 

2019 – Jerusalem Home Chicken Coop Project

Although members of JMP had visited Jerusalem Home in the past, this was the first formal project completed at this facility. Jerusalem Home currently has 172 residents including children and young adults with disabilities and children with HIV/AIDS. The facility already has 4 chicken coops with 3000 layer hens, 2 tilapia ponds, gardens, and beehives. The new, 20 foot by 40 foot chicken coop is designed to house 500 meat hens.

Just as important, many of the volunteers chose to assist with the daily cares of the children at Jerusalem Home. Most remarked at the great organization and supportive care each of the children received. But with limited staff, the extra volunteers are greatly appreciated. JMP members joined the children at daily prayers, assisted at circle time with playing and singing, helped with craft projects, provided massage therapy to children with severe scoliosis and cerebral palsy, and many other tasks. Members also collected and brought large suitcases of donations of supplies needed by the staff.

2018 – Westhaven Multiple Construction Projects

The group helped with multiple small projects around Westhaven. These included; painting the computer lab, installing 5 new interior and exterior doors, and built storage shelves in the supply closet. We also had the opportunity to visit and tour many of the Mustard Seed Communities including; Blessed Assurance, Jacob’s Ladder, Jerusalem Home, and Our Father’s Home. We made great connections with Father Garvin and Monsignor Ramkissoon to arrange future projects.

2016 – Naz School

Naz school is a school for children including those with autism. Although Jamaica donors provided the funds to build the school, the school yard remained rough with little grass and may rocks. With coordination from Jermain Smith in Jamaica, JMP provided the funds to fill the large playing fields with topsoil and plant grass seed.

2015 – Westhaven Cottage Remodeling

The children at Westhaven can be tough on the cottages. Deterioration is even faster based on the weather conditions in Jamaica. We assisted in the normal rotation of maintenance of the cottages. During this trip, we most worked to replace the trim boards sealing the spaces under the rafters and treating any termite damage.

2014 – Blessed Assurance Chicken Coop.

Even before the successful completion of the Westhaven coop, Jermaine was on the hunt for a new project. He was directed to Blessed Assurance Orphanage, again by staff at the Child Development Agency of Jamaica. Several board members of JMP had the opportunity to visit Blessed Assurance (located just outside of Montego Bay) and were very impressed by the director, Angella Graham, and the facility itself. Blessed Assurance, opened in 2007, is home to 35 residents with a wide range of physical and mental challenges including schizophrenia, autism, hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy among many others. This seemed like a perfect location to build another coop. After the initial build site was declined by the Ministry of Health, an alternative location was chosen. Although this build site presented many more challenges, JMP met them all.

The site preparation work began on August 8th and foundation work began by the end of the month. JMP President, Bryan Myers, arrived to complete the project with a small work team from Richland Center on September 2nd. This work team included JMP Board Member Terry Sebranek, Pete Hady, Roger Vlasak, and Mike Pulvermacher. Together over the course of three and a half days, with Jermaine, they built a 300 layer coop that was 12 feet by 48 feet. The coop included all the necessary comforts: laying boxes, feeders, waterers, and feed to get them started. The rest was up to the staff of Blessed Assurance.

Happily, we are able to report that as of the beginning of October, the first 26 dozen eggs have been delivered to Sunset Beach Resort. The chickens are in their prime and almost 300 eggs are being collected on a daily basis.

2013 – Westhaven Chicken Coop.

When planning our trip to volunteer at Westhaven Children’s Home in January 2013, President Bryan Myers had been in touch with the orphanage board of directors regarding the construction of a chicken coop. The Westhaven Board of Directors determined that they would like a coop to house both broiler and layer hens.

After some coordination with project leaders who worked with ValMark Securities, the project was begun in late 2012. Upon our arrival, JMP volunteers had the task of running all of the electrical needs of the coop, installing the stretch steel on all the exterior walls, building the laying boxes, and many other finishing details. JMP was able to complete the project after three long work days.

On February 20th, 100 layer hens were delivered to Westhaven. About a month following their arrival, Westhaven had enough eggs to feed the children at Westhaven with a significant surplus to sell to Sunset Beach Resort and Spa.

2012 – Granville Girls Home

Granville, opened in 1954, is a place of safety for young women between the ages of 8 and 18, who have experienced abuse, abandonment or neglect, and are deemed in need of care and protection.

The facility houses between 80 and 90 girls. Girls at Granville are exposed to counseling, family life and vocational training (cooking and sewing), arts and craft as well as traditional academic subjects like Mathematics, English and Science.

Granville was in need of assistance from an outside group. The home was desiring a chicken coop that would house broiler hens that would be used for the home and sold to
market.

Another group had begun to build the coop, but funds ran short and the project was not completed. In July of 2011, our Jamaican Project Coordinator, Jermaine Smith, was in touch with the Jamaican Child Development Agency seeking a project for the Jamaican Mission Program and was informed of the needs at Granville. Jermaine contacted JMP and we got to work.

The Jamaican Mission Program was able to fund the rehabilitation of the now dilapidated coop. In addition, JMP supplied feeders, waterers, feed, and the first batch of broiler hens for the coop. Since then, the coop at Granville Girl’s Home has been so successful that it is now a model for other orphanages and places of safety in Jamaica. We are proud to have provided this opportunity for Granville Girl’s Home.

2012 – Westhaven Roofing and Tile Work

JMP worked on several areas of Westhaven during this trip. The porch over the cafeteria area of the kitchen recieved a new roof and the metal grating that makes up the walls got a fresh coat of paint. In response to a bit of water flow problems for the Administrative Office, we installed gutters on the building to help direct rainwater away. In addition to the gutters, the exterior of the office was freshened up as well. The largest amount of time was spent in Cottage 5 doing tile work. JMP volunteers were able to tile the majority of the building in just a few days.

2011 – Westhaven Administration Office

The task set before JMP for 2011 was to pour the concrete floor in the newly constructed Administration Office, run electric and plumbing, frame and and install the drywall. It was a big job and required a lot of physical labor, but our goal was accomplished!

2010 – Westhaven Solar Chimney

The project asked of is in 2010 was to build a solar chimney on one of the cottages. The purpose of a solar chimney is to allow hot air to escape through the venting the chimney allows. This required our group to cut a hole in the roof, build the chimney, side it and roof it.

2009 – Westhaven 5th Cottage

In 2009, JMP tackled the walls of the 5th cottage. The block was in place, but the siding to enclose each wall top had to be installed. This task was to take us three days. Instead, we finished early and were able to build a platform for a gravity-fed water tank that supplied water for the laundry facilities. In addition to these assignments, we were able to complete other general maintenance needs per Ms. Grant’s request.

2008 – Westhaven 5th Cottage

This was JMP’s first year working at Westhaven. In addition to meeting the staff and falling in love with the children, we worked with Mission Jamaica volunteers to level the floors in the 5th cottage in preparation for concrete.