Program Reviews

My trip to Jamaica was one of the most amazing experiences in my life. I've never traveled to a place that was actually more beautiful than the pictures. The magnificent green mountains took my breath away. Smokey Manor was even nicer than expected, and the warmth of the Evans family quickly made it feel like home. I've heard many bad things about safety for tourists in Jamaica, but I never felt unsafe at all during my trip. The Evans family took care of me as if I was one of their own.

I was fortunate to get to volunteer at the Alpha Boys Home, SOS Childrens Village and a home for the elderly. It was rewarding to meet Jamaicans in such a wide spectrum of ages. I especially enjoyed working at Alpha because the boys were so happy just to sit and talk with us and learn about each other. Also, the history of Alpha School band and how it has made an impact on Jamaican music and music worldwide was really fascinating. Since returning home, I've decided to sponsor 2 of the boys I met there. Receiving their letters always brightens my day.

As far as the tours, I went to Hellshire Beach, Dunn's River Falls and Bob Marley's house. The falls were an amazing once in a lifetime experience that everyone visiting Jamaica should see. I enjoyed the beach because unlike most beaches in other parts of Jamaica it was not filled with tourists, mostly just locals enjoying their holiday. I loved drinking fresh coconut water and chewing on sugar cane while I soaked up the sun. Bob Marley's house was a moving and emotional experience for me because I am such a fan of him and his music. It was wonderful for me to just sit in his favorite spot under the mango tree, knowing he had done the same so many times before.

Jamaica is such an amazing place. When you think about all the music and other culture that is known throughout the world came from such a small country. Jamaica is smaller than the metro area of the city I live in, but the impact it has made on the world is huge. I feel like everyone should get a chance to visit the real Jamaica, outside the typical tourist resorts. Jamaica Volunteer Programs is the best way to do this and give back at the same time. I'm already planning my next trip, and I can't wait to get back to see all the wonderful people of Jamaica.

As a leader of the VISION program at the University of St. Thomas, I collaborated with the Jamaica Volunteer Program long before we stepped foot in the beautiful mountains of Kingston. I have to say, from start to finish, Maureen and the rest of the Evans' family and staff have worked relentlessly with our group to deliver the best, most complex and culturally enriching experience of our lives.

Some of the most memorable moments during our two week stay at Smokey Manor happened when we put down the itinerary and set our clocks to island time! The Evans' family always helped us feel at ease, pushing us to set our busy lives aside and enjoy life stories and adventures from the land they call home.

The Evans' family never failed to accomodate our every need. From scheduled itinerary stops to sporadic trips to the Devon House ice cream shop, the family did an excellent job managing our time to fit in as many new experiences as possible.

Overall, I commend the Evans' family for its leadership, passion, and mission during our stay and throughout the entire Jamaica Volunteer Program. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone looking to escape from their comfort zone, try authentic Jamaican jerk chicken, serve as a volunteer to those in need, and experience the beauty of this vibrant family and the greater community of Kingston.

Traveling to Kingston, Jamaica to spent two weeks with my university group in Smokey Vale at the Evan's family's beautiful Smokey Manor has been the most memorable experience to date. I came to Jamaica as a student in the VISION program from the University of St. Thomas from St. Paul, Minnesota (USA). I cannot believe the opportunities I have been presented with, and Maureen (our program director) encouraged us to experience every aspect that we could. When we went to the Charleston Maroon Tour to learn about the history of the Jamaican Maroon slaves who combated the British, Maureen would not let me leave the Buff Bay River without experiencing the cool water of the river. "You can't leave Jamaica without it!" She was right and that was one of the coolest tours we had here! Okay, all of the tours were cool.

Other than the Maroon tour where we learned how to dance, eat, and use herbs like the Maroons, we also ventured to various parts of Jamaica to see the various sides of the island. We met a Rastafarian man who taught us about his alternative use of herbs, did building maintenance at the Ozanam Home for the Aged, volunteered to teach at Manning's Hill Primary School, renovated a library at Salvation Army's orphanage, and entertained or tutored children at Salvation Army and SOS Children's Village orphanages. I feel so lucky to have contributed to these various programs and places, and I think that I have also been entirely impacted myself.

Realizing how much we have at home in comparison to some of the rags that the children of the orphanage have is still flabbergasting to me after spending two weeks in and out of my comfort zone in Jamaica. I feel so lucky to have been been able to help, and I hope that we have left a little insight on the culture of USA along with learning SO MUCH about Jamaica!

Our home was wonderful to come home to at night with the Evans family. It was made even better (if at all possible) with the hospitality of Louise and Jerry, our housekeepers and cooks for our two week stay. We ate like kings and queens learning about so many different Jamaican dishes. Maureen welcomed us with open arms into her house, literally as she hugged us as we stepped off the bus. She never failed to make us smile, and we were so happy to see her in her element when speaking to people and especially in her own home church. She was clapping and praising God as we found so different from churches back home in the States. We loved it! Omar was our paparazzi and inside man for our duration of the stay, and we felt safe with him with us for the tours and the service experiences. Marlin was great to unwind with at the end of the day, and he had a lot of fun with us I think too :). Audley was the best driver in Kingston and we loved to be able to have our car rides with him every morning and afternoon. Maureen and Audley have a beatiful home with amazing kids, and we could not have asked for a better stay.

Thank you so much to the Evans family and Jamaica Volunteer Programs! We couldn't have had a better experience, and we love you for it!

This program was ideal for my group of 11 looking to not only experience the wonderful land that Jamaica is but also the diverse culture that Jamaica holds. The leaders of this program are organized, flexible, and most of all excited to share true Jamaica. Our experiences throughout our 2 week stay (in our amazing accommodations with a breathtaking view) varied from teaching at elementary schools, playing with children at orphanages, living a day in the life as a Maroon, soaking up the Jamaican sun on the beach, and much much more. This experience provided an intimate insight to Jamaica that can only come from a family run business like this as well as providing a literal taste of Jamaica in the meals prepared. Even though I only spent 2 weeks in Jamaica I can say with no doubt that I got the most valuable experience I could have gotten by utilizing this program. If I had the opportunity to do it all over again I would say yes in a heartbeat!

Every day we were met with a new experience in Jamaica through the Jamaica Volunteer Program. Our host, the Evans family, was extremely gracious to drive our group all across Jamaica to volunteer and experience the local culture. They answered all of our questions, met our every need, and ensured that we were completely immersed into the culture. We could not have asked for more!

Our first volunteer experience was at the Manning's Hill Primary School. Our team helped tutor first, second, and third graders there and assisted with after-school activities. We learned much about the Jamaican school system and were able to interact with Jamaican children, exchanging bits and pieces of our culture with one another. The experience was exactly what our group was hoping to have.

After volunteering at the primary school, our team traveled to the SOS Children Home in St. Andrew. There we interacted with the energetic and sweet children who lived there. The following week we visited another orphanage run by the Salvation Army in St. Andrew. Our team assisted the site in cleaning and reorganizing their library while also sharing in fun activities with the children.

Throughout our entire two-week stay, we were greeted with a delicious breakfast prepared for us before we left for the volunteer site. The food consisted of ingredients grown locally and the dishes were all traditional Jamaican foods-- allowing our team to experience real Jamaican cuisine. After breakfast, the Evans family kindly ensured that we arrived at our work site safely and on time. Our team then worked at the site for much of the day until we were driven back to Smokey Manor for a delicious, home-cooked meal. One night we were even able to cook with the Evans family and prepare a Jamaican meal on our own. It was quite a treat for us and we thoroughly enjoyed cooking and eating a traditional Jamaican meal.

Our team was able to experience a wide variety of sites and activities during our stay. The Evans family ensured us that we would experience the real Jamaica-- and we definitely did! Learning about the Maroons, climbing Dunn's River Falls, and spending a day at Hellshire Beach were just a few of the exciting activities and sites our team was able to participate in.

From the moment we stepped down in Jamaica, the Evans family was extremely kind, warm, and welcoming to our team. We shared laughs and exchanged information regarding our respective countries and cultures, giving our group a better understanding of the people and country that we were visiting. We were even able to take a walk with Maureen, the founder of the Jamaica Volunteer Program, and tour the neighborhood-- learning much about the neighborhood and surrounding cities. Furthermore, her two sons who still live in Jamaica freely answered all of our questions and were eager to serve our group in every way. It was quite a pleasure and privilege to get to know them both.

Our group was extremely satisfied with our experience through the Jamaica Volunteer Program and would recommend the program to anyone interested in volunteering or participating in service learning in Jamaica. The program is very flexible and creative in their approach--ensuring an experience that will surely satisfy your desire to experience the real Jamaica. We could not have asked for a better experience and are sad to leave!

Being a volunteer in Jamaica has been a life changing experience. I volunteered at a school and orphanage as well as took day trips to popular sites in Jamaica such as Dunn's River Falls and much more. The atmosphere is very friendly and family oriented. Going home, I have many experiences to remember fondly as well as information about a new country. Great experience.

From being on this trip, I can pleasantly say I've had one of the best experiences of my life and that wouldn't have been possible without the support, help, and accommodations from the Evans family. From very first day of the airplane when we were greeted with the smiles and hugs and lots of love from Mrs. Evans to the continuous hugs we received from the people and children we served, being here was truly a rewarding experience.

For me specifically, being able to complete the adventure of Dunn River Falls and experiencing the exciting and uplifting way to show praises to the Lord at the Pentecostal Church, I truly had the most amazing time in Jamaica because I was able to serve wonderful people and children who will never leave my heart and I was able to challenge myself and experience things I never in a million years thought I would.

My experience with this program has been wonderful. The Evans family is extremely helpful and loved showing us around, providing us with information, speding time with our group if we wanted/needed and of course fed us wonderful food. The service part of the trip was very rewarding. We worked at Mannings Hill Primary School, the SOS Orphanage, an old folks home and The Salvation Army Orphanage. We worked on a wide range of tasks including: helping children with homework, teaching children lessons, playing games with the kids, painting, yard work, speding time with residents and cleaning out/organizing a library. It was 2 weeks full of a variety of tasks and it was great to experience it all.

I would say the best part about the trip was the Evans family. They are extremely welcoming and helpful. I felt very safe and extremely happy that I had locals with me to help show me the ropes around Jamaica so I didn't feel so "touristy" and felt like a true Jamaican. I could tell that the goal of the family was to ensure that we truly had an amazing experience and learned everything that we possibly could in the two short weeks that we were here. This was my first volunteer trip abroad and I am so happy I got to spend it with my school group and the Evans family in Jamaica.

I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to see the real Jamaica, volunteer at some wonderful places and who wants some good, authentic Jamaican food.

The truth is, it's hard for me to compare my experience in Jamaica with anything I've ever done. I woke up to the sun shining on the mountains for two weeks straight. I was living in a place where snow in January is as absurd as no cheese curds in Wisconsin. I truly lived in paradise, and I loved it.
I traveled with a service group from my University, and didn't quite know what I was getting myself into, but I was prepared for the ride of a lifetime. The Evans family made my stay in Jamaica feel just like home. The food is exquisite, the rooms are very hospitable, and the view from Smokey Manor takes your breath away. It was truly a blessing to be able to stay with the Evans family.
The main reason why I came to Jamaica was to do service. Jamaica Volunteer Programs definitely gave me that opportunity. We worked at a primary school in the hills, at two different orphanages and at a nursing home. I was pushed hard at all of the sites that we worked at, but I loved it. The kids received us all very well and we even got to teach lessons to the kids at the school. At the orphanage it was great to be able to be a kid again, run around and play games. Working at the nursing home was mainly physical labor, but we also had time to interact with the residents, which was a time that I will never forget.
While I was there, I also had the opportunity to explore the culture. I got to go to the beach, which in itself is a wonderful endeavor. Learning about the herbs, climbing a waterfall, swimming in a river, and learning traditional Jamaica dances were all typical encounters in Jamaica. The "excursions" that we went on were wonderful, but it's the everyday Jamaican life that I think I will remember the most. The people on the street, the vendors, the sunrises, the friendly faces, the crazy rides up into the mountains; these are things that will be imprinted in my mind forever.
This trip has changed my life for the better in so many ways. The faces of the children that I met will be on my heart forever. I thought I went on this trip to change lives. Maybe that happened. Only time will tell and only God knows. But this trip changed my life and because of that I am blessed.

Coming to Jamaica was a fabulous thing for me I was able to escape the rat race of the states and just get away. Our adventure here was filled with a great variety of volunteer opportunities, including helping out at a primary school with daily lesson plans and answering a variety of questions about America. The kids were all so kind and sweet and it was a great experience. We also visited two orphanages where we played with kids and helped them with homework. The days were long but the children's energy definitely was easy to feed off of. I truly did enjoy my time with this program and with the awesome Evans family. I can honestly say that I made a difference to at least a few people’s lives in Jamaica and i would definitely recommend this program to anyone no matter what age. I am a college student and have a lot of energy so I worked more with younger kids, but let’s say you don't have as much energy, there are various other places to volunteer. This program is for all ages so no worries