Dear Family and Friends,

I am so thankful to have been afforded the opportunity to serve God’s children here in Jamaica. There have been numerous challenges and moments of great grace. Through being here I have come to love the mentally disabled population in a way that I never would have been able to experience had I been closed to the idea of Jamaica. Up until this time I was always a little cautious around them as I had some scary experiences when I was little with some mentally disabled people. Working with the residence within Mustard Seed I feel as if my heart has grown so much bigger and I truly love them. Before I came I meditated on the words of Our Lord to St. Francis Assisi in working with the lepers.

"Francis, if thou desirest to know My will, thou must despise and hate all that thou hast loved and wished for till now. Let not this new path alarm thee, for, if the things which now please thee must become bitter and distasteful, those which now displease thee, will become sweet and agreeable."

It is with much joy that I can say this has been the case with me. This specific population within our world has become most sweet and agreeable. I never would have been able to have the strength to do the work I have been doing without all of your prayers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I also have been able to learn a lot about living in a third world country and how different people can be around the globe! I have been faced with being stereotyped on a daily basis which has widened my perspective and giving me insight into the many who immigrate to the United States.

In being here I have been able to more fully realize my own mission I feel called to by the Lord. As surprising as it may be to many people back at home I am so fulfilled and at peace with the idea of working with the disabled for the rest of my life. I have been discerning the Lord’s will for me and what would be most pleasing to him, desiring always to say Fiat, whatever that will may be. As I worked with the residents here I began to search online for an occupation that I could have while working with the disabled. I found Occupational Therapy. After researching I realized that this would be ideal for my personality and future work with the disabled. Days after I came to this decision Angela Langer, who is an OT, came back to Mustard Seed. I was able to spend time talking to her about her experiences in Occupational Therapy and see the wonderful work she has done here within Mustard Seed. I found a program that offers a Masters in Occupational Therapy which starts in the spring semester of 2009. There is one class that I would have to take as a prereq in the fall however. I have prayed about this decision and have been able to talk to my spiritual director over the phone. I am planning on pursuing a degree in Occupational Therapy so I can continue the mission the Lord has set me on. I am so thankful that he has opened up so many doors during this short time and giving me a sense of fulfillment.

I'm coming home tomorrow to begin to acclimate back into my own country and prepare for the upcoming school year! I hope you all have enjoyed my blog, after I get back I still might send out some pictures and stories, we'll see what happens. Once again, thank you all for your prayers and I can't wait to see everyone!!

May the Peace of Christ be with you,

Angela Santoro

Another Typical Work Day

Holding baby Nathanial and short term volunteer Michael holding yet another "Kemar".



One of the favorite parts of my day - helping to feed the children.


Just loving.
Janell and I

















Working on Coordination through the hand slapping game.

I love this one!

More Group Therapy.

Our children spend an hour everyday in front of the Eucharist - this is one of our nicest chapels.

Kingston Transportation

What can I say? Horns honking all the time. Taxi drivers shouting out the area they are going to. People grabbing your arm to try and pull you to their taxi. School children all over the place on the buses, holding each other's backpacks out the windows of moving buses, yelling for an hour straight. Fitting eight people into a five person vehicle. Sitting on strange people's laps. Having strange people sit on your lap. Putting your arm up around someone you don't know because it won't fit anywhere. Sweat, reggae, R&B, close shaves with other automobiles. Street fights between taxi drivers as they try to "steal" passengers from each other. This is all part of Kingston living when you use public transportation. The following video put up on youtube.com by a short term volunteer we took around doesn't show it all...but it gives you a little of the flava'! Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rm1IM1At88

A Typical Day in Jerusalem in Pictures

Giving Kemar a chance to hold Raven.













Art Therapy with Kemar Barrett and Vinroy.

Andrew Barrett- one of Kemar's three brothers.



Jason and Kemar hanging out.











Shameeka


Getting together with some of the Little Angels students before rosary. The tall boy on the left I like to call "birds eye" because he is so tall!



Jason patiently waiting for my leftovers from lunch.


Althea, better known as "Ziggy", helping out with the laundry. Some of our sheep in the background.







A higgler outside of our gates. This is one of the nicest shops I have seen.

Julette has been at this location for 16 years.


















Shantal drawing pictures for me during school break.




Shaunette learning how to trace her name over my dotted lines.


My boys, Rasheed and Lorenzo. The staff laughes because everyday they can find me sending someone up in the Mango tree and sitting around with the boys eating the mangos. I like to tell them it falls under the category of group therapy. :)


I love how the kids help each other in the ways that they can. Everyday around 11:30 "Bird's Eye" and Nyron Barrett come by the room I sit in sometimes on their break and call my name out. Nyron is another of Kemar's brothers.


Nyron Barrett and "Bird's Eye"

A Sweet Story

This young lady's name is Mary. She is in her teens and as far as I know has been at Mustard Seed since she was a toddler. I love to sit next to her at Mass on Sundays. She is so exuberant in praising God through the music and being attentive during Mass. She has a speech impediment so it is hard to understand what she is saying but after you spend sometime with her you begin to catch on.

Two days ago I went up to her and asked her, "Mary, where is Jesus." She got a big grin and just laughed at me. Still I insisted, "Mary, WHERE is Jesus??". She stood up and took my hand. She waved her free hand around Sophie's Place and said "Look! Jesus is everywhere!"
"Jesus, is everywhere Mary? SHOW me! Show me where Jesus is."
Keeping a firm grip on my wrist she walked me to the first cottage where our children were sitting in wheelchairs and pointed inside.
"Jesus. Jesus - in there."
"Really?? Jesus, is in there?"
"Yea!"
She pulled me to the next cottage and pointed inside at the children.
"Jesus. Jesus right here!"
"Wow, Mary! Jesus IS everywhere"
She was laughing as she said "yea!"
As soon as we got through all the cottages she said
"Come on!" and pulled me to the church.
"Jesus is here." she told me.
"well, show me!"
She smiled and opened the door, walked through the church and drew me the side room where we have the eucharistic chapel. She stopped outside the door.
"Jesus is in here."
"Mary, show me..."
She pulled open the door and walked up to the tabernacle and laid her hand on the door.
"Angela - Jesus is here." She turned around and went to sit in a chair in front of the tabernacle. As I sat next to her holding her hand I felt such overwhelming grace in that moment. How Jesus must love these little ones.