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Trip Destination: Kingston, Jamaica.
Trip Dates: Approximately 8 – 10 days during spring break, February 29 – March 9, 2008.
Coordinating Organizations: Boston College Campus Ministry, in collaboration with Jamaica Volunteers Foundation, and several service and outreach agencies within Kingston.
Language Proficiency Required: Applicants do not need to be proficient in any language other than English to participate in this program.
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Itinerary:
Program participants travel to Kingston, Jamaica, where they immerse themselves in the urban reality of Jamaican life. Participants may serve at several different outreach ministries, including a state-run orphanage, a Sisters of Charity home for the sick and dying, a low-income community vocational center, and a home for children who are severely disabled. Participants may also work on service projects in resource-poor communities within Kingston. Through these ministries participants have an opportunity to spend time with people who are economically marginalized in Jamaica, learn about the realities of their lives, and bear witness to their struggle.
Participants also learn about the larger context within which the Jamaican issues are situated. They attend several presentations and discussions on the social, economic, and spiritual issues currently at play in Jamaica, including the devastating effect of Jamaica’s international debt and the world market, and the violence that has resulted from many deeply seated social issues.
Additionally, participants have an opportunity to bear witness to the vibrant cultural life of Jamaica, and a number of Jamaican-based community development projects. One such project is the Culture Yard and Trench Town Co-Op, a museum and community cooperative dedicated to the artist who emerged from Trenchtown, and became a voice of liberation for Jamaicans living in oppressive situations.
Safety: Boston College considers the U.S. Department of State’s published recommendations regarding public safety in order to better understand the current situation in a potential host country. For travel-related recommendations published by the U.S. Department of State, please check the U.S. Department of State’s website: http://www.state.gov/travel/.
Immunizations Required: Boston College requests that participants seriously consider protecting themselves with the immunizations and other preventative measures recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). For more information, please check the CDC’s website: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/vaccinat.htm.
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