Reflections....

A few days have passed since our arrival back in the United States.  We have had time to process some of the work that God has done through us and for us during our short stay in the Dominican Republic.  My mind is blown that God had preplanned and prepared every single event that took place, even before he placed the world in motion.  I feel humbled and honored that He hand selected the team that He did to perform the work that we did this week. 

17 people came together for various different reasons to board a plane to head to the Dominican Republic.  Some of us came merely to fully cast aside their greatest fears, simply to get a stamp in their passport for the first time.   Instead, they found that not only did God remove those fears and insecurities completely, but He WAS STILL IN CONTROL and had even greater lessons to be learned over the course of the week. 

Some of us came to the DR just to see what another country looked like.  Instead, God gifted us by enveloping us in a place that is so rich and alive with beauty, language, color, and culture, that no pictures could ever do it justice. You must come and see, smell, feel, taste, and hear, all that is around you. I was personally feeling that I had not truly lived until this week. There is nothing like the feeling of the wind in your face as you ride in the back of a truck, the sun on your back as you work a labor of love, or the taste of a fresh pineapple after a hard days work. 

Some of us came to get to know the people of the Dominican Republic.  God instead presented us with a people group that would capture our hearts, never to return them. They are people with a strong sense of family, of love, of faith, of hope, and community.

These are people who are so loving and so generous, they will invite you into their homes, set out their chairs to invite you to stay and chat.  If there are not enough chairs, they will send their children to the neighbor's house to get more.  They will offer you all that they have, even after you have gifted them with meals for their family. They will chase you down and give you a gift of their last avocados or even a lollipop simply because you loved and hugged and shared God's love with them.  

Some of us came to work.  Instead, God presented us with a team of people with many gifts and talents.  Each one of us were given the awesome opportunity to use our individual gifts in our own way.  If it was something just as simple as taking photographs, holding a rope, sifting sand, or passing a hammer up a ladder or as complex as mixing concrete, smoothing walls, building walls out of broken pieces of blocks, or hauling endless buckets of sand and trash up and down a pulley....God had us working, and working as a team.  There was much love and a sense of purpose during our work hours.  When our last working day was over, many of us looked around and wished that we could stay in the DR much longer because there was so much more that we could do.  In my eyes, I saw Americanos and Dominicans working together side by side, with a common goal in mind.  And that goal was to make the future of the children on the DR a little brighter and richer.  We were working on something that would really matter in the grand scheme of life.  For the most part, I believe that Dominicans are very hard working, not looking for a hand out, but needing a "hand up" in a sense.  It felt good BEING the church together,  with one another, for that common goal.  I am hoping to return next year to find the students in the school using the new classrooms that we worked on this week.  Several of the Dominican children came over to offer their help, saying that it looked like fun.  I was asked more than once why we were doing it.  I was more than happy to tell them that this was our gift to them.  


No matter what the reason we came to the Dominican Republic, God met us there.  Not only did He meet us there, He went before us and prepared the way.  We want to thank you all personally for however you may have helped us to get here.  Some of you gave financially (and some of you are CRAZY GIVERS!), some of you gave of your time and your talents, and many many of you supported us with your prayers.  "Thank you" just doesn't seem to be big enough words, and "Muchas gracias" just doesn't quite cut it either.  But thank you all so much for supporting us. We have left the DR changed, and with our eyes and hearts wide open to the bigger plan of God's purpose.  We have come home with a greater sense of purpose, humility, and appreciation of the stuff that really matters in our lives.

The Dominican Republic has made such a mark on our hearts and changed our lives forever.

And in one way or another, we hope that we have done the same for them.

And now, we can begin preparing for the Dominican 2013 team...... 

Busy packing....

 

....Tonight's blogpost WAS supposed to be a very fabulous video, starring some students from the El Rosario School singing to you a beautiful song.    Unfortunately, we are experiencing some technical difficulties loading this video.  (First World Problem!!!)  We are packing up for our trip to Santo Domingo and for our flight home on Saturday.  I'll post these pictures instead.  Enjoy!   I need to go stuff my suitcase now!  

 

We will be sharing some of our stories with you soon.  Please pray for us as we begin our journey back home. 

Love was shared today....

It's late, so this post will be short....  But please know, that so much love was shared today. 

 

New connections made...

Smiles were offered..



Christ was shared....



Homes were visited....

Babies loved....

....and tickled. 

Love was shared from connections in the United States....

 Our team did an amazing job being an extention of the hands and feet of Christ.  Thank you all for your prayers. 

Things not temporary...

This morning, many of us woke up with aches and pains in muscles that we didn't know existed, but as Sophie pointed out, "Those aches and pains are temporary, the work that we are doing here, isn't. "  This is something that rang through my mind several times today.  

 

We began our day by observing a flag raising ceremony at the school, opening in prayer and then treating us with a  their anthem and their school's song. 

 

Our day was filled with more concrete mixing, stucco, sand hauling, rubble removal, stone shoveling, and getting dirty. 

Looking awesome Tammy! 

 I must share my own personal "God moment"from today...it's too great not to share. God had placed it on my heart to sponsor a child here in the Dominican Republic.   Yesterday, I met a sweet little girl.  I had forgotten her name, but she remembered mine and came back to see me as I was sifting sand.  She hugged me and said that she was happy to see me again.  We talked again briefly before she had to run off to class.  Later, during lunch, she came back and presented me a simple little gift.  She gave me a lollipop.  My heart melted and I was reduced to tears at her heart and her smile.   I happened to be wearing a bracelet on my arm and gave it to her. A little while later, she returned and we were chatting some more, I had a translator ask if she happened to have a sponsor to go to the school, she replied that she didn't.  We both knew that it was meant to be.  Hugs and tears were exchanged.    So, with that being said,  I would like to introduce you to Natali, the little girl who has stolen my heart.  (And I don't want my heart back!)  God has made it clear to me that He has His hand on her life and has something REALLY special in store for her.  I will enjoy writing to her through the years, watching her grow up, and seeing exactly what it is that God has planned for her. 

One of my favorite parts of the day is the walk home from the school.  You can see first hand how some of the people live.  They are sitting outside their homes, some preparing meals,  children running, mothers sewing on machines, and usually everyone is smiling and says "Hola, Americanos!"

Tonight, we bagged up beans and rice to take to about 83 families in the mountains in El Cercado tomorrow morning.   I am told that this is everyone's favorite day from trips in the past.  I just can't be sure that that is possible, as every day has been my favorite so far. 

Please pray for us.  Tomorrow, we are being the extention of God's hands and feet, taking God's love to the people in a very tangible way. 

Dear friends,

We had the most awesome, yet exhausting day here in the DR.  We have enjoyed some pampering that we don't get at home here. For example, our meals are prepared for us, and I must say, the food is so amazing.  Our rooms at the guest house are cleaned for us, and (I may never ever come home from the DR after this week because of this)  OUR LAUNDRY IS DONE FOR US, by a fabulous woman named Margot.   We are told to throw them in the floor in front of the washing machine, they are washed, line dried, and are folded and waiting for us when we get home. I don't remember when I have received such pampering.

How many Americanos can you fit in the back of a Domincan vehicle on the way to church? 

Today, we began our construction project.  We continued working on the CCED school, where the mission team from last year laid block for classrooms.  We learned the all about mixing concrete, sifting and hauling sand, and how to stucco walls.  The work was extremely tiring, but the good kind.  It all feels so rewarding and I have a silly grin on my face thinking of what all we accomplished today.  We also got to meet with some of the most amazing children that are students in the school.  I love to picture in my mind some of these kids sitting in the classrooms next year when we return, enjoying their education.  All of the children that I talked to today said that they LOVED coming to school, and that it was the favorite part of their day.  

All work and no play, makes Phil a dull boy. (he hee)

We love stucco!

This is my favorite picture of the day....this is why we are here.  Love these children!  They are going to love the classrooms when they are finished. 

 Tonite, we also had the amazing opportunity to play a softball game with some of the locals.....it was just a fantastic way to unwind, mix and mingle, and have a great time.  I'm not sure of the final score, I'm not sure it even matters...it was just a fantastic time. 

These Dominican children were so much fun, we are so thankful for this opportunity to love on them. 

Overall, it was an exhausting day.  But so fulfilling.  I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for us tomorrow.  Hugs to you all....

 

Bienvenidos!!!!!

Hola y Bienvenidos!  (Hello and welcome!!!!) 

We have arrived safely to the DR and have had nothing short of an amazing time already!  God has been so good and so faithful.  I think that I can speak for the entire group when I say that we feel soooooo extremely blessed to be here. 

I just want to post some highlights of our trip so far, I haven't quite figured out how to post pictures from this computer, but will continue to try tomorrow. 

After arriving by plane to Santo Domingo, we were wisked off to a hotel via "the party bus," (so much fun with it's curtained and tassled windows and fiesta music.  Fun times)  At the hotel, we were treated to a pizza party by the pool deck and some much needed R&R (as some of us had been awake for something like 26+ hours) 

This morning we woke, ate a delicious breakfast (Dominican pineapple is the most amazing thing I have ever tasted.)  We then boarded the bus for an amazing adventure.  We were told we would be taking the scenic route to San Juan because of road construction. And an adventure it was!  Bottoming out on bumps and dips in the roads, where speed laws are optional, and double solid lined highways mean to honk your horn and speed around the person in front of you.  We got to see first hand some of the towns and how the people live.  Amazing!

When we arrived at the guest house, we emptied all of our donation suitcases (thanks to all of you that donated stuff for us to distribute!!!!)  and organized them according to the locations of where they would be given out.  We had a couple of hours in the afternoon to use for free time.  A group of us went outside the guesthouse to walk and explore.   (I can't wait to post some pictures for you all)

This evening after dinner, some of us attended church here. AMAZING!   And at the moment, I'm listening to the sounds of team members and some of the locals playing a game called "Spoons" It's hilarious!

I can't quite put a finger on my favorite moments from today....but what I have learned so far...at church today, it really doesn't matter if you don't understand a word of the language spoken, when the spirit of the Lord shows up, it's just as sweet and just as awesome.  Some of us learned how to travel Dominican style via the back of a truck. (This is something I will never ever ever forget!)  Others of us discovered that they really did know more Spanish than they think they did.  Speaking to some of the locals wasn't as difficult as I thought it was going to be. God is good.

Please continue to pray for our team. Tomorrow, we begin our constuction project.  Hugs to everyone!

The Anticipation is Building....

It's almost time! It's almost time!  I can probably speak for quite a few members of the team when I say that the excitement and the anticipation for this trip has reached almost peak level.  The months of preparations are finally coming together..the passports, tickets, donations, fundraising, shopping, packing....it's all been a whirlwind of excitement.

Yesterday, our team came together one final time before our trip.  We were each given our Mission Team t-shirts and some really awesome cross necklaces for our trip.  The church called us forward and we were introduced as a team and prayed over.  Then we marched over to the office to start packing our loot.  Here are a couple of pictures of us...we are missing 7 of us in each pic.  Take a look at the VERY Awesome t-shirts!!!! 

 

And then Todd jumped out of the pic so that Jenny could be in one :)

 

Look at all the loot we needed to pack!  So excited to be bringing these things with us to the DR to donate to people that need them.  

Here is a shot of all of our luggage, stuffed and ready, labeled with orange tape for easy identification.

We are in our final countdown.  Please be in prayer for our team as we make our final preparations.  Also, please pray for the people of the Dominican Republic...that God will prepare the way to do some amazing things during our short stay there.