Mission Dominican Republic

To follow the team in the Dominican Republic June 23-30, please visit www.missiondr2010.blogspot.com

 

I wish going to the Dominican Republic was more like a hot dog.

There are only a few times in my life where I have had absolutely no idea what to expect. Going to college, getting married, moving to Oklahoma for a job... everything else I can picture how it will work in my head.

For example, I know when I get home tonight, I will walk in the door, open the fridge, grab a hot dog, put it on a plate, place the plate in the microwave, set the microwave for one minute and hit start, take the hot dog out and put it in a bun, add mustard and ketchup, and finally enjoy the hot dog.

I can mentally picture this series of events and know of the outcome, tasty meat-like flavors satisfying my appetite.

With that said, I am really nervous about going to the Dominican Republic in a week, because I can't imagine what it will be like. I can't mentally walk through what landing in another country for the first time will be like and what I will see when I step out of the airport. I can't emotionally prepare for the Children we are going to try to reach who dig through the city dump all day for a living. I can't spiritally fathom what God might to to my life.

I usually don't worry, but I am worrying now. not because I am afraid of something bad happening, but that God is going to turn my world upside down and after many years of being a so-so Christian light something inside me that changes everything.

So if you happen to be eating a hot dog anytime in the next week I hope that you would take a moment to pray for me and the entire Missions Trip Team as we step out into the unknown and have faith that God's hand and guidance will lead.

The Team

 

 

Mitch – Team Leader

Kenya and back again- a short recap from Mitch-Team Leader

From Nairobi to Malindi- all for the kids.
With views of Mt. Kilamanjaro, impala, camels, and giraffes abounded. Kenya is truly a magical place. Mud huts, Acacia trees, and of course; Cashew Nut trees- what a diversity! We traveled the country with views of mud huts, zebras, horrendous slums, seas of waste running down the streets, and stunningly beautiful children. Hundreds of them, all with hope for a brighter future.
If you mention the name Barak Obama in Kenya- you are instantly famous, if you mention the name Jesus Christ-a thunderous applause will break out. Powerfully beautiful people in abject circumstances-open and ready to hear a message of mercy, hope and love. As always, we are the ones that benefit from such a trip-Americans come with much-and give some... Kenyans come with little-and gave us all. The receptions(entire villages of hundreds in their best attire come running, hundreds of children in their uniforms/tshirts reciting verses and singing songs), the tribal ceremonies, the countless gifts they poured out on us.. Warm Fanta soda, hand crafted baskets, chairs and of course ceremonial robes.
We had hundreds of pounds of tools that we carried-and needed none. Everything was done with our hands, buckets of water and sand carried on heads, and mud mixed by hand and foot to make the walls of the CDC's(Child Development Centers) Once again we are reminded that ONE CHILD does MATTER! Every child that receives education now has dreams, every child that is sponsored now has love, and every child matters!
The Mzungu's are home.. (white faces in Swahili)
Mitch-Team Leader

Share the love

One thing God has been teaching me is to love unconditionally. For a normal human that is hard, do you do it well?

 

About a year ago God brought some people into my life. What a joy it has been to get to know them, engage them, embrace them. I have invested in their lives. If anything were to happen to them, I would be devastated. There will come a time when I won't have them in my life as much as they are now. When that happens, there will be a huge hole in my heart.

 

The lesson I have been learning here is love. I can love them unconditionally, just like Jesus loves me. It's easy to do because these people are lovable. But also God has been teaching me that it's His love, THAT kind of love, is what I need to show and embrace others with. Especially the lost. The lesson is to love no matter what. No matter the circumstances, backgrounds, ethnicity, age, personality, behavior, etc.

 

Wow....my heart is full and just in time for the mission trip although I don't think this is a coincidence. It's what I have been praying for. Dear God, give me a love for the unlovable, the lovable, the lost. What happened in the process was that I fell in love with Jesus...again, and with the idea of loving everyone. I would like to think that God has given me a love like His, although I don't actually think I have the capacity to love completely like Him.

 

My prayer is that THIS kind of love will permeate into my heart, overflow to those who need it. To everyone I meet. When I meet someone that could be different, God quickly brings to my mind, "remember those precious people I have already brought to you? Yes.....love the least of these like that."

 

THAT kind of love excites me. We are family already.

Mission team has landed in London. All are well, but hearts remain in
Africa! Back to USA in 20 hours.

First Time...EVER!

Another great day of activities on Saturday (remember, we're 8 hours ahead of you!).  Each day we visit a different project for construction, Bible school and playing with kids.  After each day's visit, one of our leaders always says, "OK, these were my favorites!"

 

Specifically, we dug up and carried dirt, added water and applied the mud to 'stick framed' huts.  Seriously, you have never seen anything like this!  Our ladies mixed the dirt with their bare feet.  Crazy!  We also were on the site where water was delivered to communities for the first time.  And, amazingly, we are the first white people EVER to visit each of these Mission of Mercy projects. 

One battle that we had to overcome today was the concern from several women in the villages is whether we are Christians or devil-worshippers.  You see, there is a legend that when someone who you don't know shows up to help you, they are devil-worshippers.  We had great opportunity to pray with and love in JESUS' name - proving who we serve. 

 

Sunday, we will divide our group into three, each visiting a different church to worship with the Kenyan villagers.  We can't wait to share the many WONDERFUL experiences with you.

You are missed and Loved!