Sunday, January 9, 2011

Buenos Dias,
It is early Sunday morning and I can hear many roosters crowing. Amazingly, the dogs don't seem to be barking today - maybe they also have a day of rest on Sunday. It looks like it's going to be another beautiful clear day.
Yesterday we were involved in the Samaritans Purse Christmas shoebox distribution. It was a big production, with the local children showing us their dancing and singing talents. The children also opened two pinatas and it was total chaos when the candies fell out. Thankfully no one was seriously injured. While the children partied, the adults were sitting on the new foundation of the house which was poured the day before. We had the opportunity to pray with some of them and ask God to answer their prayer requests.
Then the shoeboxes were distributed, along with the candy bags we had made the day before, and the cupcakes we had decorated, which Maddi and Monica had prepared. By the way, these kitchen ladies are incredible - the food here is so good and they make sure we are not hungry. Gracias ladies!
After having lunch at the site, the men began to set up the base of the walls using styrofoam blocks with rebar drilled through them. The ladies were going to paint inside the baby blue house but we will have to wait for another day, as there was another two inches of concrete added to the floor so we couldn't walk inside the house. So we were all supervisors on the job site - I'm sure the men appreciated that! :)
In the evening, most of the team went to an evangelistic service pastored by Ernesto, while some who had stayed back at the work site to finish arrived at the mission too late to follow, so their evening was spent relaxing at the mission.
God has been doing amazing things in the lives of the local people as well as the team, and it has been great to keep getting to know each other better. After the things we have seen here, I know that I, for one, will not be taking everyday conveniences for granted again.
The sun will be coming up soon and I'm sure it will be another beautiful miracle. Today we are attending a church service in the morning at Pastor Rafael's church, and then it's lunch at the beach. Later we will be viewing the house and church which was the project of the last team in March, and attending another service.
Praise the Lord for health and protection for the team. Please continue to keep us in your prayers, and I ask especially for those of us today who have left family members back home. Trust me, you are always in our thoughts and prayers.

3 comments:

  1. I like reading this blog. Reading this one, brought back some fun memories of when I lived in the Dominican for 1/2 year. Each morning/night, to be woken up by the sound of roosters and dogs. Oh the memories. I have thoroughly enjoyed the stories... Taking the Jesus film to the people. The hampers, the prayers and this morning in church the youth team did an awesome job of presenting what they had done and how they had been stretched. Thank you to all of you for answering the call that was placed upon your lives to go. An experience that will be forever etched in your memories. I promise to keep praying for this team and for those to come to make a difference in the lives of the people of this community. In the words of many of my Spanish friends, 'Que Dios te bendiga." May God bless you.

    Ang Nickel

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  2. Thanks for the update. We had a great morning at WMBC and I'm sure everyone is anticipating what God has yet to do with and through your team. Praying for God's blessing and protection.

    Take care, td.

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  3. Glad to hear that all are doing well. Heard some great testimonies from the youth the a.m. Their willingness to go beyond what they came to do. I'm sure some of you are experiencing that also.
    Hope to hear some more news about what is happening

    Rox Martens

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