Day 6: Rise Up

        On Sunday, we visited the First Assembly of God Church in Falmouth as a cultural experience. This small, quaint church situated near the middle of town, was painted with a bright orange, which seemed to reflect the positive attitude and energy that was radiating out from within the building. This church is commonly refered to as the lively church and has gained a reputation of having very loud and active participants. As we entered the church, the regular members immediately greeted us with open arms and welcoming smiles. We sat down in the fourth row of the church and began to listen to the sermon. One of the most amazing things about the church experience was the energy that was found within the church-goers. This energy continued to rise and build as the sermon continued and, throughout the sermon, one could hear many Amen's and Thank You's as the preacher spoke. My favorite part was singing the songs that the preacher had scattered throughout his sermon. These songs got the majority of the church up on their feet, dancing and singing at the top of their lungs! We left just after we had sung the song, "Rise Up," in which many of the participants danced through the aisles and hugged one another as they sang.

        In the afternoon, we went on a rafting trip down the Martha Brae River, which runs near Falmouth. We rode on traditional bamboo raft (pictures of them can be found in the photo blog) and paddled with guides who gave us a tour of the river. This was a very nice way to cool down in the intense heat and gave us an opportunity to talk with our guides about their experience living in Jamaica. We also got to take a dip in the river and swim around a bit, which was very relaxing. Overall, Sunday provided a great combination between the high energy and positivity found in the First Assembly of God Church and the relaxing coolness found on the rafts on the Martha Brae River. 

By Matthew Watowich