The Jamaican Honk!

I just arrived back from a trip to Jamaica and am currently on my way to another destination- Kansas City. So the next couple of blogs will not be about interceding for Minneapolis per say as much as shining the light of Christ to others, representing the power of our Redemptive Savior and in a sense the people of Minneapolis to the rest of the world. So I want to just share a bit about a virtue that we in America, well for sure in Minneapolis- myself included-are lacking. RESPECT. Seeing the desolation of Jamaica and the low-income country was hard process. I saw homes as small as my bedroom. Seeing homeless people everywhere, some slept on the street, others snuck into their tiny shops they would sell souvenirs’ at and would sleep there. Yet, their attitudes were different. Yes, most of these people smoke the leaf, but they have not been raised to know not to. Besides that they each respect one another and I felt at home in a sense there. My buddy and I rented a vehicle, which turned out to be one of the best things we did. We toured half the country during our stay. On thing about Jamaica is most people taxi, but we would more likely in America call it bus service. We would see a small station wagon crammed with people inside the car, or large Toyota van’s-which are not sold in the USA-packed with people. The roads were awful and very windy. We drove on the opposite side of the road and the steering wheel was on the opposite side of the car as well. However, it was easy to adapt and follow to the rules of the road. And I must add the road was not very wide at all! There was many times my car was inches away from another oncoming car. So what does all this have to do with seeing the Lord’s love planted in the people of Jamaica? Well they honked all the time! All the time! When they would pass by people on the side of the road they would honk, as saying hi. They honk when they would pass you to say, I am coming around. Never did I sense an “angry” honk. Here in the Minneapolis, must people only honk to say move over, your going to slow, you in my way… The sense of the honk here is not in love, but in Jamaica I felt like the honks were friendly and ones to help and instruct than to tear down and ridicule one another. Maybe this all sounds weird to you but it was something that spoke a lot to me. The two top reasons why I saw the honk as a blessing: it revealed the spirit of those in Jamaica and captured my heart for the culture. Walking around in Jamaica everyone that we would walk by would fist bump us and say respect… it is a basis of his or her culture and I love that. Though they have some corruption and perversion they still respect each other and show their dignity. Yes we too have corruption here but I think we lack love and compassion, and just the sense of respect for one another. I attend a private college and know many people their, but there is many times I will pass people- they do not look at me, or they will not smile, or say anything.

Maybe this is normal-but it SHOULD NOT BE>we have one life, ONE LIFE, why not put others first and respect others. This is a lesson I have been pondering and learning from myself. So next time you hear a honk may it bring you joy and not frustration.

Better days are YET TO COME. The LION is on the move in the city of Minneapolis and in the country of Jamaica.