my story
by Patrique Harris, Youth Ministry Director
I grew up in a rural town called Ewarton, nestled in the valleys of St. Catherine, Jamaica. I am the first child of Patrick and Sandra Harris. My father, Patrick, worked at a bauxite plant near our home (he still works there today!), and my mother, Sandra, cared for the home and her garden. A couple years after I was born, my brother, Sheldon, joined the family and then came my twin brothers, Brandon and Brian. My parents were committed to our family and in our household, they prioritized nurturing our faith and our education.
My mother, Sandra, is a woman of service. Although she had several aspirations professionally, she put them on hold to care for her children. She took care of drop-offs and pick-ups for school and extracurriculars, prepared meals, volunteered at school events, and was the primary disciplinarian! However, more than serving her family, she spent considerable time serving her community. I remember her making multiple trips per week to remote areas of the town to deliver hot meals to sick and shut-in members of our church. Needless to say, I had to accompany her on several of these trips. I didn’t realize it at the time, but seeing her commitment to service planted a seed in me to also serve.
At nine years old, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and got baptized at Linstead Baptist Church. I can still remember my conviction, even at that age, that I could not get through life without God’s love and grace. There's definitely nothing quite like having faith like a child!
At twelve years old, I got accepted to my first-choice high school, Campion College. This was a huge accomplishment, but it brought some of my earliest hardships. Not only was Campion challenging academically, but the school is located in Jamaica’s capital city, Kingston – about 34 miles from my home. With peak-hour traffic, this meant a 4-hour commute daily. My father would wake me up at 4am each morning to catch my bus at 5am, and I wouldn’t return home until 5pm most evenings. This was my reality for the 7 years I spent at Campion. When I look back, I marvel at God’s hand during that period. There were definitely days when I felt exhausted and even jealous of my peers who lived down the street from school. But I persevered and ultimately, the grit I harnessed from this experience was God preparing me for my next big transition - moving to the United States.
At 18 years old, I moved to the United States to attend Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. This meant a lot of firsts for me. It was my first time living away from family, missing holidays in Jamaica, having a roommate, experiencing winter, working while studying, and being considered a “minority”. My faith was rocked during this time. There weren't many Caribbean, Black, Christian women on campus. Finding community felt impossible and I began to feel self-conscious about my identity. Right on time, in my lowest moment, God sent a few Good Samaritans down my path. They checked on me, helped me with anything and everything, and celebrated me for who I was. Even though we were more different than similar, I felt belonging with these friends. When I graduated Wesleyan, I remember being overwhelmed with emotion. God’s goodness was evident!
I never imagined that a few years later God would move me to full-time ministry in Kansas City! At Mission Adelante, I have had the opportunity to serve alongside fantastic folks who are all committed to loving people from all places. From Ewarton and Kingston, Jamaica to Connecticut and Kansas City, God has faithfully guided and provided for me. I pray that you’ll continue to trust that he is doing the same for you
Be part of our programs!
We are so excited to start this year and we are grateful for all our volunteers who make everything possible. Would you consider partnering with us this trimester?
How can you help?
Pray for our program participants would create an impact in our community and grow with their walk with the Lord.
Volunteer – Come to one of our obseveration nights the first week of March. For more information visit: https://www.missionadelante.org/observe
Donate to join us in building a multicultural community of disciples making disciples.
