Trouble in Paradise

I had an opportunity to go camp this weekend but that is not what I want to talk about.  The journey up to the "Ochie" (Ocho Rios) camp site had a great impact on  my theological discussions, personal musings, and brief research on crime, corruption, and poverty of last week.  This is the Jamaica that many abroad have come to know:

 Yes, this is the Jamaica I have known as an American.  A touristy paradise.  I will agree that Jamaica is a beautiful paradise, but now that I am officially a Jafaican (fake Jamaican), I am learning quickly that there is "trouble in paradise".  What ever we know about the disparity of wealth and power in America, multiply that by 100 to understand the disparity of wealth, goods, and services in Jamaica.  (The JD is literally trading 100 to 1 USD as I write.) The Jamaican Gleaner (newspaper) reported the following on Dec. 9, 2012.

[In spite of the gains in education, sanitation, medical services, etc.] "...there are some sobering realities, especially the annual murder rate. From an already high 10th position in the world in the mid-'70s, Jamaica moved to a rank of third in 2003. 

Poverty in Jamaica
The Jamaican Government's 1997 Ministry Paper 13 defines public poverty as a condition in which a community lacks such basic amenities and infrastructure as piped water, toilets, electricity, roads, and sanitation. High levels of public poverty in some communities have severely restricted the individual's life chances in Jamaica for decades. The Government's Ministry Paper also recognised private poverty as a state in which people do not have the means to live above a minimum standard. Using an estimate of a poverty line, PIOJ-STATIN's Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions shows that in 1990, 28.4 per cent of all Jamaicans were living in poverty. Inequality has remained the norm, and the richest 10 per cent of the population consumes almost 10 times more than the poorest 10 per cent.
The most recent available data on poverty estimates that 17.6 per cent of Jamaicans lived in poverty in 2010..." 

This is what poverty looks like in Jamaica:

 I did not take this picture, but it is representative of the Shanty Towns I passed through during my ride to and from camp.  Even if I had the opportunity to snap such a photo, I could not.  For me to gape in wonder at the conditions some people live in and through and snap photographs seems to spirit away what ever dignity they have left.  Everybody deserves their dignity.

In contrast to this life, and I assure you these are far, far from the wealthiest homes I have seen.  Again I did not take these photos but they are representative of some of the homes I've seen.

For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.  (Deut. 15:11, ESV)

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (Mat. 25:40, NIV)

My pastor has the most compelling photograph in her office... you can see the hostility, brutality. and the terror in his face.  How old can he be?  He already carries a weapon.  To terrorize or to defend?

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? ... (Isa. 6:8a, NIV)