With bitter sweetness, we started our journey home at 3:30 a.m. We arrived safely back in Washington DC early afternoon. Everyone was exhausted after a long week, but ready to keep going. Most are already looking forward to next year. Thanks to everyone who supported us prayerfully and financially.
We have drawn to a close on our partnership with Pastor Miguel and his church in La Loma. We visited with him and his family before departing the Dominican Republic. It does the heart good to see the changes over the last few years. Since our partnership began, Pastor Diegra has discipled two young men who are now pastoring their own churches. They have a water purification business that helps sustain them financially and also provides community outreach. They planted a new church in a nearby village that is supported by a core group of church members. They have become a model for what can happen when believers are obedient to God’s calling.
Today was our last day in Constanza. We helped Pastor Diegra some more on the church. His plan for the church is far beyond what we imagined last year when the construction started. We expected a simple, plain building that was nothing more than a.shelter from the elements. Oh, were we wrong! Pastor Diegra’s belief is that the church building is an invitation to the community to not only gather for worship, but also a place of peace and protection. He has thought through every detail of what the building is to be now and whatever God has in store for the future. It is truly amazing to see where God has led him and his church with all the obstacles they have overcome.
We also visited with 10 Christian families today to provide them food bags and encouragement. Many of them host house churches. The team split into 3 groups. Alma, Kassidee, and Alexis were one group. Scott, Rona, and Tony were another group and I traveled alone with a Dominican 13-year- old named Leote to guide me to the house where Juliana lived. Juliana is an older lady that hosts a house church and is suffering from several medical and family issues. We spent some time with her and prayed with her, but that was not the key moment for me. It was a long walk and involved climbing a steep hill. About half way up the hill, I commented to Leote how hard it was to climb the hill. His reply was immediate and simple. Leote, a Christian of 3 months, said to me, “It’s not hard when you’re helping people.” I haven’t been able to stop thinking about his words and how spiritually mature those words are. How true it is that if we are really focused on serving others, the burden is light.
Wednesday morning we continued with the construction project at the church. Pastor Diegra has been doing the majority of the construcrion on his own. Occasionally a few volunteers lend a hand, but it is primarily him and his son. He wants to be a good steward of the money we have provided and tries to stretch it as far as possible. At 65 years old, he is still able to work circles around all of us.
The children’s program on Wednesday was very successful. The Dominicans handled the majority of it with Alma keeping things organized and moving along. This was the type of program we hoped for when we started the week. Ben, our missionary partner, was excited they were able to do it since they have not done anything like this before.
We only have one more day in Constanza and really feel like we have a lot left to do.
Tuesday started out as a day of hard labor, but it was not a punishment. We spent much of the day working on the church. The ladies sifted sand for the cement mixture needed to stucco the walls. Ric and Tony covered the walls. Pastor Diegra cleaned up our mess, and Scott proved to be the master finisher.
We still had enough energy left for another session of the children’s program. Alma organized the events and we had a member of Pastor Diegra’s church that assisted with the music and another that led the lessons for the kids. Kassidee gave her testimony and Tony once again demonstrated impressive dramatic versatility as a dove in the story of Noah’s ark.
The kids and adults from yesterday did a great job inviting more kids to come. We had 28 kids yesterday and 63 today. We will see what tomorrow holds as we look forward to even more participation from the church members. Our ultimate goal is that they will be able to organize and run a program on their own. They have some very motivated ladies and great ideas.
Monday started off with a visit with Ben Hand, the missionary we partner with, and his wife. Ric and Scott (and Tony somewhat) helped dig a hole for a water cistern, while Alma and Rona gathered up the village women for a ladies’ Bible study. Kassidee and Alexis led an impromptu children’s program that was a big hit, complete with songs, jump rope, and some face glitter.
In the afternoon, we traveled to Puerto Suelo to train some adults on running a children’s program at our partner Baptist church. They observed us doing it and then prepared for their participation in a combined program for Tuesday. Alexis shared her testimony and Tony was the star of the show as a large fish that swallowed Jonah.
It was a great first day of work.
DR Team 2017
Even though our day started about 2:30 a.m., we had a relatively uneventful trip down to the Dominican Republic. ..thankfully! We even managed to arrive with all our luggage. Tony enjoyed his favorite pastime in the airport (eating). The 4 hour trip from the airport gave us ample opportunity to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. 
We attended services on Sunday and what a wonderful experience it was! Pastor Diegra led worship in the building he started constructing last October with funds First Baptist Church of Woodbridge raised during VBS 2016. You could feel the Holy 
Spirit’s presence. It was a place of peace and comfort. Three new believers were baptized during the service. Pastor Diegra baptized two and the missionary we partner with, Ben Hand, baptized the other.
After a few hours of rest, Tony shared a lesson on 5 Benefits of Following Jesus at church on Sunday night and Rona shared her testimony with the congregation. Both did a great job. We look forward to what God has in store for tomorrow.
It’s almost like a dream now. I think back to just a few short days ago, when our team arrived on the site of a lot in a sugarcane village, that had been purchased for a church building. It had supposedly been “cleared” and was ready for building, but there was still a little work to be done in order to start the process! This team . . . well, let me just say, “They are AMAZING!” A group of people who have a vision, listen to God, put their hearts and minds to it, and before I could even say, “Shouldn’t you be wearing your safety goggles?”, there was this structure . . .a building . . . full and complete, a sanctuary, ready for a church service!
Many moments surrounding that, jump out in my mind over and over again. Pedro, the town drug dealer, was a huge work horse and tremendous help for our crew; the children wanted to jump in to pick up trash, paint with motor oil, help hammer nails; the thief who was missing half an arm because justice was handled Dominican style, worked ambitiously as if he had no handicap; the soaken wet team members who rarely stopped or took a break, and Miguel’s tears every time he came to check the progress of the building. Some of those moments will never, ever leave my mind, or my heart.
But one day, in a conversation with a team member, Tyler Lay, the importance of the project was made so clear to me. He took me into the building to show me what they had done on the wall . . . .out of two-by-fours, a model of a cross had been created. He said, “No church is complete without a cross.” Then later, with some of the leftover wood, in a last hour attempt to build a podium before we had to leave, there was a glitch in the wood. I don’t remember the details exactly, but it didn’t fit, or wasn’t matching up or something. So he said, “Let’s make a cross on it.” So up front in the church, where Pastor Miguel will stand to preach, there is a cross behind him, and a cross in front of him on the podium. He is surrounded by the CROSS! (But we already knew that anyway!)
We are all “Complete with a cross” . . .a cross where Jesus paid the price for all of our sins and craziness. We can lay it down at that cross because He promises to take away all the sin. Even better, He left that cross and rose again to live with us forever! It’s the ultimate sacrifice, the greatest story . . . .complete with a cross!
I Peter 2: 24
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
I have a new favorite word . . . Neoteny: maintaining childlike characteristics even into adulthood. “Neos” means young; “teinein” means to extend. It’s a great word! You know some of these people – they enjoy life to the fullest; they keep a sense of humor in most circumstances; they never take things too seriously; they are full of youthful zeal and have an adventurous spirit; their joy is contagious; they are free of worry and live on faith. Before you fire back the rebuttals, it does NOT mean irresponsible or foolish, so save your finger muscles! I have a few children of my own who possess this quality! My parents are also like this and we had a great childhood! But I also believe that it’s Biblical. Jesus was pretty clear when He said, “Unless you become like little children, you can not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” You have probably heard the quote, “Tell others about Jesus and if necessary, use words.” The character quality of neoteny just oozes joy! Others are attracted to you when your life speaks joy and youthfulness . . .and your story can be told without saying a word. If you have ever spent much time with children, you know this is true. I was blessed to spend the past week in the Dominican Republic, in one of the poorest villages around. For 4 days, 120-some kids came for our VBS program in the street, and they were like sponges! They listen; they laugh; they sing; they jump; they run; they crawl all over you; the beg you not to leave; and most of all, even in the worst conditions, they smile. I was also blessed by many team members who have this quality . . .you know who you are! So loosen up and find your youthful zeal . . .others might meet Jesus because of you!
Suzanne
Matthew 18: 3-5
“I assure you,” He said, “unless you are change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one child like this in My name welcomes Me.
Dominican Republic Team 