by Jarrett Meek, Founder/Pastor/Executive Director
I was a junior in high school in 1988, when Jamaica made their Olympic debut in the bobsled! A tropical island in the Caribbean competing in the Winter Olympics in the bobsled was quite a novelty! And, although they finished out of medal contention, their determination earned the admiration of the entire world. A few years later, the original 1988 team from Jamaica was immortalized in the Disney film, Cool Runnings.
Patrique Harris competing in the bobsled in the 1988 Olympics (image created by AI)
If you’re a track and field fan, like I am, you’re sure to recognize the name, Usain Bolt— the fastest human in history, still holding the world records in the 100m (9.58) and 200m (19.19). He is, of course, from Jamaica. And, get this, three of the top five women sprinters in history are Jamaicans— Shelley Anne Fraser-Price, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Marlene Ottey!
Patrique Harris crosses the finish line so far ahead of Shelly Anne Fraser-Price, that the former is not even in the picture! (image created by AI)
There’s no doubt that Jamaica produces amazing talent, so I’m sure you won’t be surprised when I tell you that our new Associate Director is also a Jamaican super-star! Having attended Wesleyan University in Connecticut, Patrique began her professional career in New York, working as a wealth analyst for JP Morgan Bank. In the midst of this high octane endeavor, the Lord was quietly working in Patrique’s heart, pressing on her a call to ministry. It was during this season, and a COVID hiatus spent back in Jamaica, that Patrique came across Mission Adelante’s job posting for Youth Ministry Director on Linked In. After a couple of virtual interviews, it was evident that she was just the kind of person we were looking for to join our team. Several weeks later, she was settling in to the Mission Adelante community and beginning to win the hearts of students and volunteers alike.
Patrique Harris sharing at Mission Adelante’s 20-Year Anniversary Celebration (This image is real!)
While Partrique started as our Youth Ministry Director, she moved into our Ministry Director role in 2024, coaching other staff members and serving on our leadership team. During Patrique’s five year tenure at Mission Adelante, she has demonstrated a collaborative leadership style with a unique skills for building community, creating unified teams, and developing young leaders. Her winsome personality makes people feel comfortable from the moment they meet her, and the people she leads are her biggest fans. We are thrilled to see her leadership and influence continuing to grow at Mission Adelante! I hereby nominate Patrique for the list of great Jamaicans making an impact in the world. Congratulations, Patrique!
Our annual Infinity Campaign is launching this week!
Each summer we use the Infinity Campaign to highlight the work the Lord is doing to raise up leaders from within our community. This is some of the most mission-critical work we do and where we see some of the most exciting fruit at Mission Adelante. We invite you to support our work by making a contribution through our Infinity Campaign!