Jamaica

by Ann Bonenfant

The trip that Arlene Apone and I made to Jamaica proved to be a blessed time of intercession and excellent Spirit-led teaching. I know that God is at work all over this world, but seeing it first hand in Jamaica encouraged me.  People are hungry for God and His Word and good teaching.  They want to know the Lord and listen to His voice. The importance of A Pilgrim's Way became even more apparent to me.

The members of the New Life Charismatic Community who sponsored our trip, have a warm and loving and close relationship with each other. We were blessed by their hospitality and their fun gatherings.  The bishops, priests, parishes, and prayer groups that we visited all welcomed us and enthusiastically received the message of knowing and listening to the Lord and seeking His will and plan.  There was great thanksgiving for Arlene’s teaching and we pray that there will be great fruit borne from it in Jamaica.

Our Trip to Jamaica, 2011
 

by Arlene Apone 

Ann Bonenfant and I left for a six-week mission trip to Kingston, Jamaica, on January 12, 2011.  The day we arrived, on a Wednesday, we were scheduled to speak at the weekly prayer meeting of the New Life Community.  New Life sponsored our trip and it was my 10^th visit to this wonderful community.  Ivy, who was the first charismatic on the island, still runs the “House of Prayer” with Rina.  They are the founders of this community and as we found out, were instrumental in at least ten priestly vocations.  It was exciting to be back with all of the community and to renew friendships. 

Don Wilson and his wife, Betty, were our hosts, and Don had arranged a six-week calendar of events for us.  He had put months of preparation into all the details.  Along with meetings of the New Life Community on Wednesday evenings, we met every Saturday at their new Center, formerly an Ursuline convent that the archbishop had given to them.  

Forty-eight students were sent to be trained to facilitate the six-month bible study called A Pilgrim’s Way, a life in the spirit seminar formation series.  Their pastors had been previously notified and sent them for this intense training; they will return to their parishes and start these classes.  (As of this writing, 12 groups have already begun.) 

Before each of the parish talks we gave, we met with the pastors for an hour or so – 16 priests, including 2 bishops, were visited.  In all, we spoke twenty-two times in parishes including the cathedral.  We were invited to address an all-girls’ school, ages 14 – 16, and a confirmation group, ages 12 – 16.  Sprinkled in between, we prayed with many individuals privately, twenty-six in all.  We visited seven prayer groups and gave talks and healing services. We met with parish evangelization teams to discuss vision/mission, taped five radio shows for Catholic radio, and worked on a couple of exorcisms with two different bishops.