To God be the glory.

After a week of ministry in the Dominican Republic in the Batays of San Pedro, our team made it back to the United States safe and sound. Many of us came back different than when we left just 6 days before. Relationships were built, trust was established and God was brought all the glory.

On Thursday, we were able to measure and count the children in Batay Pinones, so we could purchase the shoes we needed to give the children. On Friday, we loaded up 35 pairs of shoes, 8 pairs of gloves, 4 towels and some buckets in order show the children the love of Christ through a simple act of kindness. The team was overflowing with anticipation as the time came to explain to the village our heart and purpose. Seana began by telling the children that we enjoyed spending the week with each one of them and how we love playing games with them. She explained that we wanted to bless each one of them by giving them a pair of shoes. Jason translated this and added how we want them to experience Christ’s love through these shoes. We lined up the kids from smallest to largest shoe size and brought each one to a bucket one at a time, washed the dirt and sores on their feet, dried them with a towel and placed the new pair of shoes on their feet. The smiles on their faces showed how a simple pair of shoes could make someone’s day! Each of the children walked away with an excitement. Each member of the team walked away knowing we had just experienced something special. We got a glimpse of the glory of God right here in this village in the middle of the Dominican Republic.

If I had to sum up this week in just a few words, it would go something like this: to God be the glory. The desire of my heart is to use the gifts and abilities God has given me to bring him all the glory and make God smile.

-Madison

No Bare Feet.

July 21,2011

Thursday. I can’t even believe that our week is almost over. The Lord did some amazing things in the hearts of our team and among those we are ministering to in the Batays (villages). God has challenged us to a newer level of living for His Glory and what that looks like in each of our lives. One way that the Lord has challenged us is in the way that we us our talents and abilities that He has given us to reach those that need Jesus. One of the girls in our group has a medical background, which has given her a different perspective on some things. Seana had the idea that our group put our money together and buy one of the village’s shoes. The team agreed and collaborated on how to make this happen. Today, when we went to the village, we were able to line the kids up from the shortest to the tallest (even the little ones that could barely walk!) and measure their feet. This was an interesting task because the kids don’t really know how to make a proper line or stay in some order without pushing. We took paper and had the kids step on the back and drew a line to measure about how big their feet were. After we left the village for the day, we went to the local “Jumbo”-grocery store- and purchased 35 pairs of “croc-like” shoes. The team was just beaming as we were thinking of specific children who would wear the shoes. As I walked away from the store, I was filled with this overwhelming feeling of the goodness of the Lord. For about $150, we were able to put shoes on an entire village of children-in Jesus Name. No longer do they have to walk the paths with broken glass and rocks with their bare feet. They have shoes.

His Love.

July 20, 2011

I find it amazing how each day we are here is better than the day before! It seems like the first day we had several spare moments to take pictures or take a breath; however, as our bonds are growing and relationships are getting stronger, the kids latch on don’t ever let you go! As we arrive at the villages, the kids gather around and follow the bus until it stops. The kids swarm us as we get off of the bus, wrap their arms around us as we share the love of Jesus with these precious little ones.

Every day after the adult teaching (which happens while we are playing with the kids), Jessica has been teaching English to the adults. I had the opportunity to watch her teach the few that were there. She went through the greetings, basic questions, and colors. It was so exciting to see the people from the village, who have never really had proper English teaching, begin to understand the language she was teaching! The people were so appreciative and thrilled to be able to ask someone their name in English! Overall, the time we have spent and the relationships we have developed have blessed the hearts of all of us on our team!

-Mads

In the Villages of San Pedro

July 17, 2011
We finally made it to the Dominican! Despite all of the security checks, TSA, and airports, we have arrived to SCORE International-Juan Dolio where we will stay for the next week! We were so blessed to be switched to the AIR CONDITIONED campus- free of CHARGE! Praise the Lord! The whole team is settling in and we are ready for God to do BIG things this week! Continue to pray for our safety, health and the salvation of those we love on! More to come soon!

July 18, 2011
We left the complex this morning with intentions of loving the people of the villages we would visit; not with our own love, but with the powerful-life changing love of Jesus. We spent our day at two different villages playing games, teaching the truths of His Word, singing songs, and doing crafts with the precious children. The kids were craving attention and love. The Lord poured out through our lives and allowed us to take a sweet hand, give some piggy-back rides, and lavish the love of Christ on His little ones.

July 19, 2011

Wow. What an amazing day! God has been so good to us. As we drove up to the first village the children all lined the path waving us into the field. They were so excited to see us again! We piled out of the bus and began to love on the children. The relationships that we began the day before only grew stronger as the day progressed. We played jump rope, volleyball, soccer and took tons of pictures-which to the kids is just as fun as some of the games! About an hour after we arrived, it began to rain, so we all ran to the shelter to begin the Bible study. The kids listened much better today and were much more organized during the craft. Our confidence in our own Spanish abilities grew, so we were able to communicate on a much better level.

As we entered the second village, we opened the back curtain of the van to see some of the excited children running behind us! The second village is much smaller and more difficult to get the kids involved. One little boy in specific, Achocho, was very withdrawn and timid. He would sit alone and only play with a few of the other kids. Today, he became interested in one of our girls and wouldn’t let her hand go. As we were leaving, she had to say goodbye and he threw a fit. Relationships like these make ministry much harder, but completely worth it. God has been so gracious to our group and we pray that He continues to do a work in us for the remainder of the week!

Thanks for your prayers!
-Mads