The trip is over, but the impact is just beginning

It's been a great week. Last night, in devotions, we asked the question, "What will you do with Jesus?" Each team member answered that question in our group time. For most, the experiences of this week will continue to work in our lives as God helps us see what we are to understand from this week and the impact it has on our lives. Of the 12 teens that came on this trip, four seemed to feel God's call into full time missions! Others are very open to that and are praying that God will show them what He wants. Please continue to pray for these young people, that God will do awesome things through their lives committed to Him.

Very soon, the team will be reporting on their missions trip. Be sure to come and here what God is doing in their lives!

Kourtney's Comments

Hola Everybody!!!! Kourtney here!!!!! Wow, I don’t even know where to start. We have seen some sad and unbelievably heartbreaking stuff. The first sugar cane village we went to was really sad. They were very less fortunate compared to the other ones we visited but they were so happy and more loving and grateful then all the other villages and even us Americans. When we gave them just a balloon and a bracelet they were so happy and content. It makes me realize how selfish we are in America. If we don’t get one thing that we want (pointless things that we don’t need) then we get mad and very angry. These kids were so happy just to get a balloon and that entertained them unlike us in America where we have to have our I pods, Televisions, or computers. It really opens your eyes and makes you see how blessed we are and how grateful we should be. At the handicap orphanage that really broke my heart to see some of the conditions those kids were in. I’ve never seen some of those conditions but just like Sandy was saying last night to us that there still made after Gods own image and there like that for a reason even though we might not know that reason. Going to that orphanage and seeing all those kids and how loving they are and a lot of them were happy even though they were in those kinds of conditions. It made me really grateful for my parents and made me realize that those kids don’t have the kind of love we have from our parents. The Lord has definitely been speaking to me this week to go back to America and not forget what we have seen and not complain and be selfish. He’s definitely put in my heart to go on more missions trips and I’m very excited and can’t wait!!!!!! :]

Catalina Island

God smiled on us with beautiful weather today as we enjoyed His beautiful creation. Catalina Island required a long bus ride and an adventurous, tumultuous boat ride, but the destination was absolutely wonderful. We snorkeled, ate, played in the water, and just had a wonderful time.

Everyone is really tired from the sun and exertion, but we are gathering at 8:00 for our final devotions of the trip. Please pray for each person as they begin to sort out what God is saying to them through their experiences here.

The group leaves the SCORE complex around noon tomorrow to head back to Raleigh for a VERY late arrival time.

You might need to nudge team members Sunday morning in worship to make sure they stay alert!

Today's photos are mostly just scenery of Catalina (I did not take my normal camera) and later I will post some photos from tonight. I hope to get some of the other's photos to add later.

Thank you for all your prayers, comments, and interest in this missions trip.

Thursday

`Wow! What a day we have had. We traveled to another Christian orphanage that houses handicapped children. We spent two hours removing rock from a field and placing it in the site of future construction to help with the concrete floor later on. Lots of sweat and effort were quite fruitful. You can see the before and after photos in the photo album.

Next, we played with and loved the precious children there. They tugged at our hearts as we had time to interact with them.

We traveled back to the area of the first sugar cane village and stopped at a supermarket and bought enough food to feed the village for about two weeks. The team had taken up an offering of about $300 among ourselves to purchase food for these dear people. We also stopped by a Bible store and purchased New Testaments for every family. Then we traveled to the village and took time to play with the kids and let them see God's love for them in our actions. We convened the group, and Remy and Karissa shared their testimonies, we sang a couple of songs, then our missionary told the people that we had brought them food to show them the love of God. The people were so appreciative and we were SO BLESSED. I think this was probably the highlight of our ministry here.

All of our group was well today for the first time this week. Tomorrow will be a leisure day before the team returns on Saturday. We will travel to Catalina Island to enjoy God's handiwork there.

Thank you for your continuing prayers and your comments. We love you!

Comments from Remy

Hola amigos! It’s Remy J There is no way to describe what we have experienced down here, but I wish I could explain EVERY little detail. I fell that the things I have encountered here have taught me a lot about myself and about how selfish and ungrateful my attitude is toward everything in the US. The orphanages and villages that we have visited are eye-opening and heartbreaking to see. These kids and adults live in some of the worst conditions imaginable, yet they are still incredibly happy. We complain about not having the right cereal to eat that morning, or the right clothes to wear that day, but some of these people have only one pair of clothes and have to walk three miles just to get clean water to drink. I think that we have become comfortable in our lives and take for granted all of the things that we do have. We have been giving out balloons and faith bracelets to the kids in the villages, and they are soooo excited to get even that. If we would have been given those things back home we would think that they are crappy gifts. We have iPods and computers at our fingertips daily. What if we were giving out those things to these villages? These people wouldn’t even know what to do with them. Last night in our devotions we talked about how even down here we have become numb to the things that we are seeing. It’s like these situations are so unreal that it is hard to believe and to process in our minds. I mean our time here is flying by and we are all asking ourselves what kind of impression we have made down here. There are over 2000 villages in the Dominican Republic and we only have one week down here. It is hard to understand how we are supposed to reach all of those people. It seems almost next to impossible. When we get back to Statesville will we remember all the things that we saw, will we go back to our selfish and greedy selves, will we be as bold for Jesus that we are down here? I just pray that we all keep focus on the things we have done this week so far and that we simply never forget. Because if we forget, who is going to tell these people about Jesus?

Taylor's Comments

Hola from the Dominican! It’s Taylor! I can’t even begin to explain what we have seen this week. It has truly changed my life and the way that I look at things. We complain over the smallest things that don’t even matter. And they are here and barely have anything yet so happy. It’s so hard to process in my mind. I think that God put each village in our schedule for a purpose. The first village hardly had anything and the kids were so loving, caring towards each other, and happy just to be getting a balloon or a bracelet. My heart was broken for this village. I couldn’t even imagine going through what they go through. The second village still lived in rough conditions but we would hand them a balloon or a bracelet and they would want more. I feel like that was a great example for us to see because that is how Americans are, we are always wanting more. In the third village we were playing a game and most of the kids had no shoes on and were running on glass and rocks. It was amazing to me how they didn’t even acknowledge they were hurting their feet. Yet I complained about having to wear tennis shoes all week. The handicap orphanage didn’t even seem real while we were there but now I look and say wow that could be me but yet it’s not. As soon as we walked in the gate at the girls orphanage I saw lady the little girl I’m holding in the picture with the sunglasses and I feel in love with her. And to think her parents didn’t want her just makes me so sad. I wish I could bring her home with me. God has showed me so much through this trip and I hope I get to come back real soon.

Thursday Morning

Just a quick note to let you know that all 17 members of our team will be going out today. Praise the Lord!