Dominican Republic Missions Trip June 28th thru July 5th (Video Below) The community of Los Alcarrizos has a growing population of more than 300,000 people, most of whom live in slums with little infrastructure and few schools. Thousands of children receive no education because of limited space in the few public schools that do exist. To address this, Careforce International has partnered with Juventud para Cristo (YFC) in the development and expansion of the Lighthouse School, constructing a primary and secondary school and a training centre. Today the school has over 500 students in pre-school to grade 12 receiving a Christian education. The vocational training center currently teaches valuable skills to several hundred students in such areas as English, business management, computers, and other technical fields. To date, more than 3000 people have benefited from this initiative. DR Mission Trip Video Pictures of Our Travel Days Pictures of Our Walk Through the Community Pictures of Our Work Projects Pictures of Church and Recreation Pictures of Children's Church | Here is the Blog our Team Members wrote. 06.14.2007 In 14 days we will be in the DR. God has provided all the funds we need, praise the Lord! We have 2 team members who are still waiting on their passports so we need to pray about that. We have a lot of hard work to do. We have a classroom floor to level (which requires hauling buckets of sand to the third floor), tile, walls to paint and windows to install. Check back during our trip and we will post updates with pictures...press "ctrl"+"d" to bookmark this page! (update....all passports received 6-22!) 06.29.2007 What a day! Our connecting flight from Miami to Santo Domingo was cancelled yesterday so we spent 7 hours in the Miami airport. Instead of arriving at our location at 2pm, we arrived at midnight, tired and starving. But the team was positive the whole time and did not complain. After a good 8 hours of sleep we were up for breakfast, our community walk, and then to work. The team is still processing what they have seen today. Many have expressed the same thoughts about our walk through the community. You see poverty on television all the time. Pleas for help to sponsor a child in a poor villiage are always on TV. But when you walk among it, and see and smell and hear the sounds and talk to the children it impacts you in a very different way. It was a unique experience that will never be forgotten. We did a lot of hard work today and have a lot more to accomplish still. We lost half a day because of our flight delays so we will be very busy. Everyone is sure to sleep well tonight. Thank you for your prayers. Enjoy these pictures and check back tomorrow for more. .  2am Thurs. morning as we ready to leave. Scott made some new friends. Noah gave a rubber duck to a new friend. The team on the roof of the school. 06.30.2007 These past few days have been amazingly awesome! Today we did a lot more work, just like yesterday. Our group painted, shoveled, brought dirt up from the ravine, loaded dirt into wheel barrows,  pulled dirt up three floors, and laid dirt out front of the camp. I had the pleasure to shovel dirt into wheel barrows and take them to the pulley to be pulled to the third floor. We have all been doing really hard work, and it is awesome to see that nobody (except me, probably) has complained about their jobs. What is even better is the feeling of accomplishment after we finished something. Today we finished the 350ft long flower bed on the other side of the wall that is open to the community, we finished getting the floor on the third story leveled and ready for tile, and we got a good deal of the painting done -- ceiling and walls. Once again, we have done a lot of work, and are all ready for tomorrow’s break at church.
Another thing that was excellent about working hear were the attitudes that the Dominican kids had. They all wanted to help us. Their was one kid, about 9-years-old, that stopped playing baseball, and came to help shovel rocks into the wheel barrow. There were two other kids that were 11 and 12 that helped pull sand up to the third floor. One of them came to get a wheel barrow full of sand, and he wanted to take it to the pulley. I didn’t think he could pull it so I started off. Half way there, he told me he wanted to take it again, but I told him I would get it. These kids are really eager to work. If I were to give an award for the best workers, it would be these kids and Jordan.
Beyond the work, we have all seemed to have a change of heart. Last night we had a meeting and talked about our walk through the community -- what we saw and how it made us feel. Most of our group shared that the walk made them realize that we, as Americans, have so much and take it all for granted, and this is true, for the most part. I stated that I was challenged by how I felt about the place before I came, and after we went on the walk. I expected disgusting smells, dirty roads, and many other things that would gross me out. Was I wrong or what!? As we walked through the community, I smelled food, which is something I will not forget. In fact, it made me hungry. The kids around the area are also very clean. I guess I was surprised because I thought it was going to look terrible, but it is not even close to what you might even think. After we shared our feelings, we read Mathew 9:35 and Greg talked about how Jesus had compassion for the people he saw, and we should too. -Neil Brittany recruits help. Jordan with the last load! Barb levels sand. Kayleen wearing paint. 07.01.2007 (Canada Day!)  Hola! This is your Dominican correspondent of the day, Brittany. It is Sunday, and surprisingly no work. Praise the Lord and his Sabbath. We traveled to a nearby church that was obviously Spanish, but gratefully had an excellent interpreter. Our sermon was in 2 chronicles 20:30 discussing the need for prayer and to feel open with God to ask for what we need. More beautiful than the sermon was the music. It was comical because the set-up and decoration of the church was similar to ours with a Dominican twist. There was a talented drum player, wonderful pianist, a guitar player, and numerous singers. We heard a few familiar songs spoken in Spanish and it made me feel as if I was home, that here in D.R. is not so different from America. But the spirit that was felt from the people when they sang took our breath away. We praised in song for over 20 minutes standing up, clapping, dancing,  and laughing . Most of the music was too difficult for us to translate with what Spanish we knew, but if you closed your eyes, it was simply enough to hear God’s people in their foreign tongues singing what we feel in our own hearts. Such a wonderful experience, and ask Mr. Peterson how wonderful the central air system felt (fans).
Afterwards we went for a dip in the pool to cool off before lunch and the afternoon sports. As I write this I feel as though you might imagine our trip as a laid back trip full of niceties and convenience but I truly think that the joy of Christ makes all the labor seem small and the truly basic things we take for granted back home seem like extravagances. After lunch the missions team played baseball against the local children , who by the way gave us a run for our money, although we won. (But who’s keeping score?) Then we played futbol, or soccer for all us Americanos and were drenched with sweat. And here I am now, after dinner telling you our day.
We all take turns writing in this blog during our trip and while I have a chance to be heard, I would like to say thank you for all of you who are reading this and taking the time to inquire about our safety and experiences. And especially to all you who have supported us during our time of fundraising and who have prayed for us because it has truly helped. Whether we work or play, we continually sweat. Whether we paint or lift tiles, we all ache, and whether we are sore or sunburned, we are all still so glad to be here and see how the other side of the world lives. We are learning much Spanish, absorbing much culture, and none of us are looking forward to leaving. If I could ask for anything more, it would be for Greg to stop teasing us so much! Pray for us! It will take much to get him to cease his banter. We love you all and miss you . Keep reading throughout this week for more of our journey. - Brittany Brittany and some team members praying in church. Becca swings away! 07.02.2007 (day after Canada Day!)  Hello Everybody!!!! The Wise Girls here for you’re D.R. update! Today was one of the hardest work days we’ve had on the trip, but definitely very memorable. We started the day split up. Half of the team was at the school lifting sand, tiles, and concrete, while the other half worked on a play ground in the community, painting, sanding, and removing grass. While working at the play ground, we enjoyed the local children’s laughter and willingness to help. One word we recall them saying the most was “Americano!” Their faces made the labor worth while knowing we were giving them a better, safer place to play. Fascinated by our foreign appearance,  many enjoyed sitting on our laps, helping sand, and playing with our hair. They’ve also enjoyed teaching us Spanish words. Back at the school, the other half of us worked very diligently. Greg and Scott lifted 3 tons of tiles, sand, and concrete mix bags weighing 95 pounds each to the third floor using a rope and pulley. As tiring as that was, both kept a positive attitude. As a treat, at the end of the day, we were taken to get ice cream in town. Everyone piled safely into the back of the ministries truck. The cool breeze felt good as we were passed by many mopeds. Even after sundown, the streets are filled with traffic and busy people, unlike Michigan.
For our friends and family at home, we are having a great time! All of us appreciate the thoughts and prayers. This has definitely been a life changing experience. We love and miss you all! Adios! -Becca, Rachel and Sarah. p.s. You can send a message to the team here. we won't be able to write back though. Sara and Joel sanding at the playground. Kids on the tire swing. Sarah is gettting stronger. David cutting tile. Kayleen mixing concrete. 07.03.2007 Work today was tiresome and repetitive as usual, but special because it was our last one. And even amidst the heavy buckets of “caliche” (a heavy, orange sand… Scott’s favorite), tiles, and cement, I was constantly torn about not being able to work after today. Human nature made me glad because my muscles were sore and I yearned to lie down.  Yet looking at all the progress that was made and seeing how much more work was still needed on the school gave me a different yearning. We have accomplished so much this week here in the Dominican Republic. We completed the floor of a classroom and half of the hallway floor, a good portion of the painting is done. I never knew so much work was involved in something as simple as a floor! Transferring materials alone was back-breaking, but there was also laying down the sand, mixing and laying down heavy cement… and I also watched in awe as the man laying the tiles made sure the floor was level. I have a new appreciation for what goes into the art of building. Also, half the team spent all day under the hot sun working on the playground. Though I was not there with them, the end result was beautiful.  Everything looked safe and brand new, much unlike it was before with all the weeds, collected litter, chipped paint, and abundance of rocks. But now after our team weeded, discarded the rocks, put down sand, and painted, the children all have a beautiful and safe place to play. Nevertheless, there is still so much to be done, and this is one of the many reasons I desire to stay. But Mom, don’t fret, because I am still coming home on Thursday night.
Tonight we all got the opportunity to spend time with the children when we went to the children’s church. We were expecting 40 children, but there were a total of 88! Our team dispersed among them and we were welcomed by loud music, clapping, wide eyes, and smiles. The children  were just enamored with us. They sat on our laps and played with our hair. When they sang, they were so full of enthusiasm, which was truly beautiful. They never just said “Amen,” but would shout it with a zeal that I wish I could put in a bottle and take home. They learned an English song and we learned a Spanish song. Barb gave a great lesson, which Sarah Santiago translated for the kids. Afterwards there was a lot of hugging and picture taking and tugging on clothes. The kids couldn’t get enough of us, and we could not get enough of them.
Seeing all these children made all the work so real. Everything we have done here is for these kids. The classrooms… the playground… all of the sweat and aching. The appreciation and love in their faces are worth every bit of work we did. And I thank you all at home for all the support and prayers because you have made it possible for us to do what we did for these children, and also for the blessings they gave to us. Thank you and God bless! -Kayleen   Scott breaks, kids work. Entering Church. A girl playing with Sara's hair. Pastor Greg with kids. Barb Teaches while Sarah Translates. Kids Worship Team! 07.07.2007  Sorry for the lack of updates. July 4th was our recreation day. We went to the market and haggled for souveneirs and then went to a beach front restaurant for an afternoon of R&R. Because of the traffic returning from the beach, and the fact that we had to get to bed early, we were unable to update. Thursday morning we woke up at 4am to begin the longest day of travel we had ever experienced. We made it to the airport for  our 6:50 departure and arrived in Miami at about 9am. After clearing customs and our bags, we sought out something to do as our flight to Detroit was not scheduled to depart until 5pm. We hopped on the city bus and headed to Miami beach. We ended up in the Jewish district and ate at a Kosher deli and grill. It was a very unique experience and a good time for the team. When we returned to the airport, we discovered that thurnderstorms had the tarmak and runways closed. After many delays and gate changes, we were in the air at about 9pm and arrived in Detroit at about 11:30. We claimed our luggage, took the shuttle to our van and got some dinner and set out on the home streach of our trip finally arriving in the church parking lot at 2:30am....22 1/2 hours after our journey began. We were grateful to be home safely. You can keep checking back here as we will be posting more pictures and video as well. If you live in the Bay City area, please plan to attend a special service, Sunday, July 15th, as we will be giving a full report with pictures, video, song and storries from team members. Thank you all for your support and Prayers. This trip would not have been possible without you! The men's 5 star accomodations. Neil Wants to be home. Leo and Noah take the express elevator. |