Jamaica Volunteer Vacations

I did the Volunteer vacation package with Jamaica Adventure Secrets last summer 08 and had the best time ever! It was my first time traveling alone to Jamaica to volunteer but I felt so safe. Maureen Wright-Evans, the CEO of the organization made me feel so much at home! Their volunteer vacation package is very affordable (perfect for people looking for budget trips) I stayed for 8 days. I volunteered for 4 days at SOS Children's Village at St. Andrew Parish working with the children (teaching) and also at another school for children with special needs. The remainder of the days were spent touring at Hellshire beach (beauuutiful!), Bob Marley Museum, Dunn River Fall (it was so much fun) and Devon House. This was the most rewarding and life changing experience I have ever had. I was an awesome experience and I hope more people get to experience the real Jamaica through Jamaica Adventure Secrets.

While several of us came to Smokeyvale Manor in December, it was the third such visit. We have found this place to be a perfect fit for us providing a home away from home, even a sanctuary at times after a long day of traveling and service. In the past, we have worked with students in Kingston schools, teaching them about ourselves and what life is like in the U.S. I'll never forget the time we had elementary school children cutting snowflakes out of paper and holding them up. It was snowing in Jamaica! To say it is a joy to share ourselves with these children would be an understatement, and it is even more enriching to have them share themselves with us. During our most recent trip this past December, we hosted a Christmas party for abandoned children who live at an S.O.S village, a program begun for such children many years ago. It was a joy to serve them and to be with them. We were, however, privy to the range of emotions that accompany abandoned children, some very brave and others very fragile. Nevertheless, none of these experiences would have been possible without the hospitality and guidance of the Evans at their manor in Smokeyvale. We love going down to see them and going on the excursions to places like Helshire Beach and Dunns River Falls. But of course, ultimately, the reason we keep coming back is because of the opportunities they provide for us to serve in Jamaica.

The most rewarding part of my trip to Jamaica was the opportunity I had to work with a faith based non-profit organization, Mustard Seed Communities. Mustard Seed is working to see that every mentally and physically handicapped individual in Jamaica receives the care that they need and deserve. Having a friend like Maureen and Jamaica Adventure Secrets were very helpful. Contacting them before your travel will greatly increase the opportunities open to you. To have someone on the ground working for you before you even arrive is a priceless advantage. We were treated like family members, and were always greeted with a warm smile when we came back from our volunteer work each day. I would quickly recommend the packages and accommodations available through Jamaica Adventure Secrets.

My name is Maureen and here's my true story of how someone gave me a gift that changed my life. At the age of twelve, I lived with my three brothers and mother, a single parent. My mother was a housekeeper/cook who worked in a Villa in the hills of the resort town San-San, Jamaica. As my mother was poor and could not afford supervision for me during her work hours, she would hide me after school each day in the staff quarters at her place of work. Unknown to my mother, I would wander on the beach and talk to the guests about Jamaica. It was on one of those days when I was wandering on the beach that I met a couple from Windsor, Canada who was so impressed with the love for my country that they found my mother and offered to be my sponsor. My education was covered from high school straight through to college and my life has never been the same again. Without realizing it at the time, it was this seed that has blossomed into my newest company, Jamaica Adventure Secrets.