Jamaica “One Love” and Old Pirates (ports of call, part 3)

We put our hope in the Lord.
    He is our help and our shield.
Our heart rejoices in God
    because we trust his holy name.
Lord, let your faithful love surround us
    because we wait for you.
Psalm 33:20-22

It doesn’t matter why we need to sing redemption songs; it just matters that we do…

We didn’t see a lot of Jamaica. Not much other than the coastline, the poverty, the church in disrepair, the challenges, and the historic plantation house. Our “tour” was just a short excursion to an old Great House; or, more properly, the party house funded by the profits of sugar plantation slavery.

Our bus broke down because it couldn’t handle the hill, and our bus “guide” knew next to nothing about either Jamaica or the port town of Falmouth. But the house on the hill turned out to be a treasure trove of history, and artifacts, and period furniture, and interesting stories.

Upstairs, I kind of fell in love with the long wide porch that overlooked the ocean. I’m not all that confident in its structural integrity, but I could easily see myself sitting there, hours on end, banging out the text of my next book.

– the wide long porch across the back of the Greenwood Great House

History speaks:

It is the history that speaks. Even the details we are ashamed of when we understand them can be inspirational. Why? Because places like this hold the stories of real people, real struggles, real triumphs, real tears, and mistakes and opportunities and disappointments and hopes and dreams and so much more.

I do not know if I want to go back to Jamaica specifically, but I do want to be always so challenged in my imagination, and so inspired to share the encouragement and the promise that I cannot help but understand the more that I see and the more that I learn.

My story is richer, more complete, more nuanced – more true even – because I have seen this place and learned a little more about the islands.

Redemption Song:

I used the image of Bob Marley for several reasons. First, he is a ubiquitous symbol and presence in Jamaica. Then, I found it interesting that the stalls set up outside the crumbling church were all about Marley (and also weed) related merchandise. Thirdly, and more encouraging, I remember singing Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” one good Sunday at WFPC.

But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly
Won’t you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
‘Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs

We are all different, coming from unique places and with our own stories. So it really doesn’t matter why we need to sing redemption songs; it just matters that we do.

I have to repeat that: