Day 4 & 5 Summer 2016 Ministry in Full motion!
/As the sun rises over Santo Domingo this morning I am writing this to update everyone on the progress of the mission here in the DR. Day 4&5 is included here as the nights have been late and the team has been gathering back quite late preparing for the following day. People are tired but overjoyed by the way God keeps "showing up" and blessing the people we seek to serve.
As a quick Recap of Day 4 & 5 I will provide bite-sized updates on all our major Projects this Week. Please forgive me as there is SO much going on - most importantly lives being changed, both on the team and in the villages where we serve.
HOH School Courtyard - Completely covered in Cement and now a great Gathering place for our School Community- It looks Awesome- I can almost imagine the kids playing during recess in this space during the school year.
The new Building ( classrooms) Block by Block working along side a local team of Dominicans HOH is erecting this new classroom Space. It is safe to say that every team member has had a hand on a cement block used to construct this massive building. Block by Block our faith is strengthend as we watch God provide the energy and skill needed for this undertaking.
VBS... we finished our incredible VBS program at the end of Day Five - Get this, while a building is being put up only 50 yards away. VBS is in full swing ! Courtyards and Classrooms are full of hundreds of singing and smiling Kids. All receiving Christ's love with a dose of Fun , Music and VBS drama stories. I have seen the Smiling faces of the many Kids involved each day- they number in the hundreds.
Isaiah 58- Food ministry is in Full swing with teams leaving each day to visit the poorest of the poor here in the DR. I have personally traveled 2 days with teams and I am impacted by the love and humble nature of the people as we get to have fun and do ministry all at the same time. Where else can you organize a baseball game in 2 minutes, "create bases" out of Rocks and use Sticks to hit out of the park home runs? Oh and by the Way the Chickens on the playing field are just one of the distractions. Nevertheless, the Americanos can never seem to win a game against the Dominican teams, and there are no mercy rules either in this league ! After a great game of Baseball the team returns to the village with hot meals and food for families for the days to come. Clothes are distributed and a powerful message of Hope and Love is delivered by pastor Arnold in their language. All this against the backdrop of the beautiful DR countryside.
The team is healthy and energized to continue to serve this week as we prepare for the Teen Challenge program, and visiting our Sponsor children.
Thank you for your Prayers and support as they are so needed and strengthen this team in supernatural ways, ways that only God can orchestrate.
Be Blessed - we are John D.
