Orange Family Leading Mission Team on Trip to Jamaica

Group To Help Individuals with Disabilities Who Have Been Abandoned

Many people and families from Connecticut enjoy vacations in Jamaica, visiting the beautiful beaches in well-known resort areas like Ocho Rios, Negril, and Montego Bay.  For one family from Orange and a group of their friends, an upcoming trip to this Caribbean Island will have a different focus.

Stephanie and Sam Larson, along with their two children, Julian and Jessica, will be leading a mission trip team to volunteer at Mustard Seed Communities (MSC) in the Jamaican capital of Kingston.  The mission team will spend time with the MSC residents - many of which are children - who have a range of disabilities.  Their goal is to serve them through love and companionship.  They will also complete various work projects to improve the infrastructure and facilities where the residents live, learn, and play.  The mission team also includes residents of Milford and New Haven, as well as others from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Georgia.

Stephanie and Sam both know MSC well; they have been on multiple mission trips with the organization in the past.  Now that Julian and Jessie have both reached age 15 (the minimum age for volunteers travelling to MSC), the entire family is excited to be a part of this adventure in service to others.  “Most of the kids at MSC have very little materially, but they are some of the most beautiful and spirit filled individuals you will ever meet,” says Stephanie.  MSC is dedicated to caring for the most vulnerable populations in society and began in 1978 as a home for children with disabilities on the outskirts of Kingston.  Since then, the organization has also expanded to Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.

In preparation for their trip, the mission team has been busy fundraising and collecting needed supplies and other physical donations to take with them to Jamaica.  “MSC does a great job managing their resources and is always working towards being as self-sufficient as possible, but caring for hundreds of residents including many with special needs is challenging,” Sam explained.  “We want every resident at MSC to be able to develop to their full potential, and are committed to helping achieve that.”

According to Stephanie, another significant benefit of the mission trip is the long-term affect it has on those that participate.  “We see people who go on an MSC mission trip come home with a new perspective on volunteering; many find new ways to get involved in their own community with helping others.  It’s kind of addicting, but in a good way!”

People interested in learning more about MSC or making a tax-deductible donation can contact Sam Larson at (475) 223-6174 or visit www.mustardseed.com/mission-trips/support-mission and search for “Larson Family”.