Madeline Jane Photography

It was a great week in Harmons with an incredible team of college students from Missouri.  Two houses were built, a foundation for another was completed and a house fire was cleaned up and prepped for reconstruction next week.  It really is amazing to see what 38 people can accomplish in one week.

The countdown for my journey home has certainly begun as I only have 10 more days left on this tiny island.  My heart is conflicted between a love for the Jamaican culture, its people and landscape and my desire to see what’s next for my life even if that simply means coming back to Harmons.

 

To be completely honest with you, I only touched my camera once last week!  I spent my time drawing, bike riding and visiting with friends.  I did take it with me to the beautiful black sand beach on the south coast this weekend.

Jamaica is a relatively small island and could fit into the state of Connecticut but I am continually surprised by its incredibly different landscapes.  The southern part of the island is very dry, reminding me of the West, and the beaches have black sand, big waves and muddy water.  On the Northern coast of the island you’ll find white sand, coral reefs, raging rivers and lush greenery.  This week I visited the capital, Kingston, located at the foothills of the towering Blue Mountains on the east coast.  If you hike to the mountain’s peak, at 7,402 feet, both the north and south coasts can be seen.  This little island sure has a lot to offer!

 

Last week the clinic distributed over 200 pairs of prescription glasses to the people of Harmons, one of which went to my incredible friend and mentor Ruby.  Ruby and her husband Finley live in Harmons about 9 months out of the year and have had a huge impact on the lives of this community over the past 5 years.  Ruby organizes the school sponsorship program, which supports 200 children and is still growing, and Finley, or “Doc”, provides medical care.  Over the past 11 weeks they have been my mentors, tour guides and family.  This experience wouldn’t have been the same without them.

One place in Jamaica that has really touched my heart is the May Pen Infirmary.  While visiting once a week I’ve gotten to know some of the residents and truly look forward to seeing them every Wednesday.  Many of them, like Ivy, lay in bed all day just waiting for someone to stop by.  I sit on the edge of Ivy’s bed and hold her hand every week.  She doesn’t say anything but I know she enjoys my company because she smiles the entire time.

 

I would have to say that the worst thing about being a photographer is all the time spent in front of a computer screen!  Sometimes I just get tired of it, like the past few weeks…sorry.  The last 3 weeks in Harmons have been nothing but incredible and its so hard to believe that my time here is winding down.  I’m having mixed feelings about going home but know that I can’t stay here forever.  Here are my photos from the past 3 weeks!

 

This week went so incredibly fast that it’s hard to believe my Dad and sister have come and gone already.  One of the most memorable moments from the week was our trip to the infirmary.  For those of you who haven’t been here the infirmary is most comparable to a nursing home in the states but the conditions are unimaginable.  The beds are only feet apart, the air smells of stale urine and sadly we are some of the only visitors.  Although this place is very difficult to visit I truly look forward to it every Wednesday and this week was no exception.

One of my favorite things to do at night is climb to the roof of the Harmony House, lie on my back and gaze at the shooting stars overhead.   This week was different because I had the wonderful company of my youngest sister.  I’m pretty sure we could have stayed up there all night.

 

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