Jesus loves the poor

Hundreds of people need at least one meal per day. There are thousands upon thousands who are hungry in Jamaica, who do not get even one meal per day. No, I am not discouraged. We cannot make an enemy between the good and the best. We do what we can, and let the Lord take care of the rest.

Aside from the homeless and destitute. The brothers and sisters take care of the poor with our outreach programmes, meals, showers and clothes, as well as medicines. Aside from this, we have a schedule of prayer each day for about four hours. God is with us, and the Jamaican people are with us.

Last Friday at Jesus Redeemer, on East St, where we have the monastery for our Missionaries of the Poor (MOP) brothers, we had our weekly feeding programme. Aside from over 500 homeless we care for in the Kingston ghetto who live with us, we have some part-time outreach ministries. For instance, there are at Jesus Redeemer, our home, on Fridays hungry elderly people dressed in rags who come to eat with us.

The brothers clean up our tables in the dining room. We don’t have enough space for the 200 people to eat.

We share the Scriptures with them, we pray, we sing songs in Jamaican revival fashion. They sing from the depths of their Jamaican souls and clap hands and pray; some are seized in the spirit. The brothers preach to them and the old folk and street people share the word of God.

Then we give out the cooked food, all this time standing. I don’t know how this time these old folk and beggars are not in pain and are so patient. I don’t know how the fellowship between these hundreds of beggars keep lively and look very engaged. It is a real social event, a fellowship in Christ.

Some complain about the hot weather or that they need more food. But all are grateful, “Thank you brothers,” “What would we do without you brothers.”

Then they go away after helping the brothers to clean up. After 12: 30 p.m. the brothers have lunch then head down to the centres to work with our homeless and destitute.

On Tuesday, a smaller number of men and women come to Jesus Redeemer to take showers.

They don’t get to bathe unless they come to Jesus Redeemer.

Please come to our production, Ruby, at the National Arena and support our poor. Our out-reach is expanding as well as our residences. It will be a beautiful production, and we will be able to continue our service for the poorest of the poor.

MOP hotline: (876) 948-6173/0287, 806-1176/533—1967, or 488-4377/544-5536Email: mopmusicministry@missionariesofthepoor.org