February 18, 2004
Montego Bay, Jamaica

Jamaica is sunny and warm in February. In fact, Jamaica is sunny and warm year-round. It is a place of beauty and hospitality.

But Jamaica is also a place of enormous need: poverty, disease, drug abuse, sexual promiscuity and despair abound. You especially notice the lack of purpose among young men who wander about the streets with little education, few employable skills and an abundance of male role models who offer little alternative.

God loves Jamaica. Jesus Christ gave his life for every Jamaican man, woman and child. And we have the privilege of ministry in Jamaica - in partnership with devoted believers here.

Beginning years ago with short-term missions teams, our ministry in Jamaica has matured to include a network of 19 local churches who are affiliated with EFC-ER. We thank God for continued short-term work teams (including the group led here by Ruth Harsh just last week). More than ever, we deploy teams to work in ministry that will reinforce and support our Evangelical Friends Churches here, in-country.

Pastor Frank Carter, our EFC-ER field coordinator for Jamaica, is one of those rare men who brings both a passion for evangelism and a heart for discipleship. He began ministry trips to Jamaica decades ago, but since the mid-1990's, has carried the official responsibility of coordinating our work here. His wife Betsy shares his love for Jamaica but is more often back home in Portsmouth, Virginia, keeping the home fires burning.

Pastor Frank and Betsy retired from pastoral ministry last summer (after 19 faithful years at Portsmouth First Friends and several EFC-ER churches before) and since that time, Frank has been able to devote himself more fully to overseeing our work here in Jamaica.

Our focus has become more intentional in more recent years: we are convinced that we can best cultivate what Jesus called "fruit that remains" through church growth and church planting. Our vision is to encourage and nurture our Jamaican churches in their efforts to fulfill Christ's Great Commission (to make disciples) in the spirit of his Great Commandment (to love as he loves). We desire a partnership model that results in Evangelical Friends Churches in Jamaica that will, more and more . . .

• depend upon God and one another, rather than U.S. resources
• develop a vision for reaching not only their "Jerusalem" but also their Judeas and Samarias and the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts: 1:8)
• educate leaders with passion and competence in preaching, teaching,
• vision-casting, discipleship and outreach

I am headed back home this afternoon, after an intense and fulfilling few days with Frank and our leaders here. I shall never forget the enthusiastic singing, the energized worship and, just yesterday, the privilege of teaching two sessions on our "Vision and Values" to 30 or more of our leaders gathered in the Rooftop Terrace overlooking Montego Bay. Warmed by the bright Caribbean sunshine and cooled by the steady trade winds, we worshipped, prayed, sang and learned together.

May God deepen the roots of our churches here in Jamaica. May he bless our leaders with spiritual effectiveness and personal integrity. May he encourage Pastor Frank and Betsy as they oversee this ministry. And may the Lord strengthen us with the supernatural confidence of his blessing that will touch both time and eternity!

Many of you have actually been here to help in this ministry. Thank you so much for your personal investment! And all of us across EFC-ER can bless this ministry by praying and by giving through Great Commission Budget.

By God's grace, you are making a difference for Christ here in the Caribbean.

In his name, thank you.
JPW