So Many Blessings - Thank you Lord

The day started at 4:00AM with praise and worship led by the children of My Father’s House and Monsignor Gregory. The moon was full and the chapel was dark except for the two candles on the altar. The children began singing “Thank You Lord” while in the background neighboring roosters crowed, dogs barked and an occasional Bob Marley song could be heard. As Catherine says, during this time of day the chapel is the center of peace, a stark contrast to the surrounding neighborhood.

The children who pray each morning at My Father’s House have a variety of disabilities. Many are brought to the chapel in wheelchairs and are not able to communicate verbally. Despite their verbal challenges, the children sing and pray with incredible enthusiasm so that you hear can them pray the Rosary clearly. Ricky and Jodi, two of the older residents, both eager to lead Morning Prayer, reached a compromise agreeing to take turns each week. Catherine thought the group to be especially enthusiastic this morning – perhaps excited by the return of Msgr. Gregory.

After breakfast we headed to Jerusalem! where Martha’s House has been rebuilt and where the reopening will take place tomorrow. Every time I come to Jerusalem! I am amazed at how it has progressed. When I was here in May the multi-purpose building was nothing more than a steel shell. It is now finished; complete with a stage which the Prime Minister of Jamaica and other dignitaries will sit upon for the celebration tomorrow.

The gardens at Jerusalem! continue to flourish providing a peaceful meditation area outside of the chapel. We drive through Jerusalem! Village to see the “new” Martha’s House. As we pass Dare to Care, another of our homes for children living with HIV/AIDS, Martha’s House comes into view. Six brightly painted cottages surround a grassy area where the children can play. A gazebo stands at the far end of the property next to the main building which contains the kitchen and common room. Fish ponds, the chicken farm, sheep and goats can be seen in the distance. Out of the tragedy of the fire on March 16th has come an incredible blessing – a beautiful home for our children with space to play and a community that they are part of. These children belong here. They are loved and will thrive in their new home at Jerusalem!