From Washington to Jamaica

Greetings from Jamaica! I am Connor Schmidt, a first-year college seminarian studying for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Right now, it is spring break for the seminary, and a group of us are down in Jamaica serving at Mustard Seed Communities, a Catholic mission that serves persons with mental and physical handicaps across the world. We are all blessed to be here, but it’s been a strange journey so far.

It all began in an unexpected way. Due to the large windstorm last Friday, our airline cancelled our flights and we were left with our bags packed but no way to get down to Jamaica. All we could do was pray, and pray we did! Fortunately, by the grace of God and the tireless work of Monsignor Panke (our rector) we were able to get a flight for Monday morning.

The journey here was wonderful. We woke up at three o’clock in the morning for the flight. On the plane ride, I realized that our visible presence as seminarians equipped us to witness Christ to many of the passengers. We shared our stories, telling them why we are devoting our lives to serve Jesus Christ and His Church. We also told them about our mission trip, and invited them to pray for Mustard Seed Communities. It was a beautiful and touching experience.

As we drove from the airport to Jacob’s Ladder, a community that serves mentally impaired adults, we were exposed to some of the extreme poverty in Jamaica. It was striking to drive by a beautiful resort one minute and a decrepit shack the next. For me, it reaffirmed that I am here to serve those who need it the most, those who are hungering for the love of Christ to touch their lives. I can’t wait to serve them in the coming days.