Home and Safe!

Just an update to let you all know we have made it home safe and sound! We rolled into church around 7:30ish after a LONG day of travel!
We'll be getting pictures up soon! (Hopefully tomorrow!)

Coming Home

Sorry we've been out of touch the last few days! I've been sick and in bed, but we'll be heading home 3:30am this morning. We should be arriving back at the church around 6:30ish pm if all goes well! Please be praying for safe travels as we make our way home.
Today we got to relax and experience some of the Dominican culture in the city at a beach and at an old cathedral. We hope to get more pics up soon when the internet is good and it's not so late!
Thanks for all the support back home. Hopefully we won't be coming home to TOO much snow...

Back to the Grind

Today we have returned back to work for another day of humid, hot air. The team tied rebar, filled 2 columns of cement, and prepared for pouring cement for the floor.
Our plan is the pour the floor this afternoon and hopefully get some more columns put up. We have a couple more days of work to get the cement poured and the columns put up, then a day to hang out and experience some Dominican culture.
We'll get some more pics up soon for you all! As soon as the internet permits!
Everyone is doing great though, and going strong.

Day of Rest

Today we headed a few miles from the camp (by foot) to church where we sang worship songs in Spanish and listened to a sermon on God using us despite our weaknesses. Based off Moses and how we tend to use our weaknesses as excuses - like Moses told God that he couldn't speak well. It was a great teaching.
Now we are resting after lunch and maybe getting ready to play baseball with some of the Dominican kids, but the field might be too wet after the hard rain we've had last night and this morning.
Hopefully we get well rested today before jumping back into hard work for tomorrow.

Another Hot, Humid Day

The day is humid and we have just completed the morning of work and been fed. Many on the team shoveled clay, or tied rebar or laid bricks. Today seems more humid than the other days we've been here, but we are getting through and the team is strong. Just be in prayer for strength and for Kody today as he is a little under weather today.

Check out some pics!

Kody found a good place to sleep at the airport.

My Dominican cup of coffee. =)

Kody getting us a coconut.

This says "If God is with me, who is against me?"

Little girl in the community.

Sam handing out candy to some of the kids.

Erin found a buddy in the community

Casey holding Juana's baby.

Juana let me hold her baby.

A little girl out in the community.

A sunrise! This is what every morning pretty much looks like. =)

Jackie and Kerri tying some rebar with Debbie

Day 2!!!

The team is currently on a siesta until 2:30, then we return to the hot work awaiting us down at the kitchen. Today we worked all morning, mixing concrete, shoveling rocks, cleared a room, and worked on rebar. Everyone is doing great and we are bonding well in devotionals and working side by side.
I apologize that pictures have not yet been posted on here. The internet doesn't like the uploader, but if you go to facebook, you'll see that certain team members have uploaded some. I'll keep trying.
Keep praying for strength, growth and for the people of the Dominican. God is good. =)

Safe and Sound

We're here! We're safe and sound!
The team rolled into the camp around 12:30am and we were in bed around 2am.
Today we've taken the tour of the community of Los Alcarrizos and are now on a siesta until 2:30. That is when we will begin our day of hot work! We had the opportunity to see the Kitchen Project and it is looking great! We get to work on it this afternoon - pouring cement, tying rebar, painting, clearing an area and who knows what else.
Everyone is doing great though. Just getting used to the heat and humidity. Pictures to come soon!

Detroit Rock Citay!

The team left last night around 9pm and we arrived safely at our hotel in Detriot around 1:30am. The weather was bad until about Grand Rapids where the precip was mostly rain. We will be catching our flight at 3ish to head to Miami then from there to Santo Domingo. Please be in prayer that all flights will be on time and that customs won't stress anyone out. Thanks for keeping in tune wiu the blog. =]

Radical Outreach

I have been reading this book called "Radical" by David Platt, and it is one of the most inspiring works I've ever ran my eyes over, and I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who is anywhere in their faith. It talks about the true meaning of "doing outreach" and how our culture misconstrues the meaning of being an American Christian.
So  many people are so busy asking the question "why" would God send people who have never heard Christ's name to hell. This book talks about how we have the focus all wrong. Why do we sit around and beg the question when we should be going out and sharing the Gospel with those people. Take a look at this excerpt from the book:

"One of my good friends spent time recently among unreached and unengaged peoples in Southeast Asia. As he talked with villagers in one remote area, he tried to uncover their core beliefs. He asked them, 'How were we created?' They responded, 'We don't know.' He asked, 'Who send the rain for the crops?' They responded, 'We don't know that either.' The he asked, 'What happens when we die?' They looked back at him and said, 'No one came to tell us about that yet.'
Soon thereafter he found himself in another remote village with people who had never heard the gospel. They were warm and hospitable, and they invited him to share a drink with them. One man went into his small shop and reappeared moments later with a classic red Coke can. Immediately, it hit home with my friend. A soft-drink company in Atlanta has done a better job getting brown sugar water to these people than the church of Jesus Christ has done in getting the gospel to them." (Platt, pg. 158-159)


This was a huge WOW to me. And it is a sad truth. We don't have time to waste on a comfortable, safe, American dream when there are so many people out there who haven't even heard the Name of Christ!

Platt continues on with the following point: "Some wonder if it is unfair for God to allow so many people to have no knowledge of the gospel. But there is no injustice in God. The injustice lies in Christians who possess the gospel and refuse to give their lives to making it known among those who haven't heard. That is unfair." (pg. 159)
"The will of God is for you and me to give our lives urgently and recklessly to making the gospel and the glory of God known among all peoples, particularly those who have never heard of Jesus. The question, therefore, is not 'Can we find God's will?' The question is 'Will we obey God's Will?" (pg. 160)

8 Days!

The team departs in 8 days! Please be in prayer for health, safety and prepared hearts.
Excitement is brewing and nerves are on end. All your prayers and support is welcomed and appreciated!

Project Support

Thanks to EVERYONE who helped and come out to support the project today at MCRC during our Dominican-Style Meal! Thanks to all of you, we were able to raise about $1800 for the Kitchen Project! That is way more than what we raise during an average yard sale event!
Thanks for being a part of the team today and supporting a cause near and dear to our hearts!

Eat to Feed!

Join us THIS Sunday (March 6) to support the Kitchen Project and enjoy an authentic Dominican-style meal and maybe even a little Dominican meringue music!
We'll be serving up some egg casserole and breads after the 9am service (around 10am) and authentic Dominican soups after the 11am service (around noon or 12:15pm).
All the proceeds will go directly to the project itself! Cost to eat is by donation- give whatever you feel like giving.
See what the team will be up to, pictures of the project and other videos at the event too!
Stay tuned to the blog to receive updates on fund raisers and the teams' status on the trip itself! We leave in 20 days!
Thanks for the support and prayers.