Summer 2014 Fun!

Wow, this team has lots to look forward to this summer! Check out what the DR team has going on coming up:

July 5 & 6 - Freedom Festival Arts and Craft Fair 
Once again, the team will be serving up goodies and food at the art fair! Swing on by as you browse the craft booths for a refreshing beverage or yummy snack to help support the outreach!

July 11, 18, 25, Aug 1 - Friday Night Live
The team is looking forward to serving up snacks at Ludington's Friday Night Live events this summer for the first time ever! Look for them when you go!


July 19 & 20 - Horse Show Service
Also new this summer, look for the team at the fair ground horse shows for food and snacks! 


August 5th - 9th - Western Michigan Fair
The DR Team is looking forward to serving you treats and beverages in the grand stands and checking you in at the gates again this summer at the fair all week long!


Looking Ahead:
Stay tuned for fall events, with yard sales and a possible Holiday Craft Fair and Auction! If you sell artsy things, we'd love to have you! Contact us for details and to get on our list!


I can't thank you all enough for the continued support of our team, the outreach and the projects!

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Safety for Workers

Today, pray for those people who have jobs but have to take many measures to get to them. Those who walk miles and miles or have to find rides or take a bus. Pray for their safety, the family back home that needs to support from them and for them to maintain their jobs in an unpredictable time and place.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Dominican Leaders

Praying for the leaders of our country is always the best thing you can do for them. Even if you don't agree with their views and what they are doing, the power of prayer can be a moving thing. Today, pray for the leaders of the Dominican Republic. For smart choices for their people and a reliance on the true God.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Struggles

My very first trip to the DR involved building a house for a lady named Juana and her family. This was a very moving experience for me, as I got a true look at what kind of conditions people get by with in Los Alcarrizos.
Today, pray for those families who struggle to get by daily. We have them all over - Mason County and in the Dominican. All hurt in different ways. Pray for God's hand to be on them and comfort them as they live out daily life.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Water Purification Plant

Today, pray for the water purification plant, which provides the community with clean, safe water. Pray that provisions are made for those in need of it and that the plant can continue to run efficiently and effectively. Thank God for the water you have each day.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Kitchen Project

Today, keep the kitchen project in prayer. This serves many kids at the Lighthouse School who go without breakfast otherwise each day. Because of this project, they don't need to wait until dinner to get their first meal for the day and are able to concentrate in school better. Pray that this project can continue to serve and flourish.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Teachers, Coaches and Staff

Today, pray for the teachers, coaches and staff at the Lighthouse School. Pray for their families and for God's provision for them. Pray that they can continue to shine a light and be great examples to the students they come in contact with.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Los Alcarrizos

Today, pray for the community of Los Alcarrizos. Pray for God's hand and protection over it, as well as His awesome presence to be known among all people. Pray for those who are witnesses there to be a light to the people in need of Him.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Sponsorship Program

Today, lift up the child sponsorship program. This is an awesome program that helps kids go to school each day and get the education they need. Pray for those who keep the program running smoothly and efficiently. Pray for the kids who benefit from the program and for their families. Pray that it will be more than a financial connection, but a relationship between the kids and their sponsors.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: The Open Walls Church

Sorry about the little hiatus we took this weekend. Let's just continue on with our 30 Days of prayer for the Dominican.
Today, let's lift up the new church plant. As teams come to build it up and as people continue to meet there to worship and learn God's Word. This will be a huge opportunity for this community as there aren't many churches to cover the population. Pray for the work that will be done there and that God's will and light will be shone.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Support

Work in the Dominican for our group at least is a year-round process. It takes commitment, time, funds and other support. Today, I ask that you pray for all the supporters of the Dominican Outreach. Those who don't necessarily go, but raise support for the outreach right from their hometown, whether it be in prayer, helping the team with fund raisers, or getting awareness out. Pray for the team efforts around the year, and that God will provide in ways they need. 

Speaking of support, the DR team at MCRC is holding an indoor yard sale on February 23 (Saturday) from 8am-2pm. You can support them in donating your gently used stuff to the sale (not to mention getting a great jump start on that spring cleaning!), by coming to the sale, spreading the word, or by having your very own sale booth that day and donating $25 to the team! Not only is this a great outreach for the Dominican, it is also great for our community as people come to get things they need at their own price!
Contact MCRC at 757-2088 if you are interested.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Future Teams

So, I apologize for the late post today. Had a little "adventure" this morning that kept me away.

Today, (and tomorrow) commit to praying for future teams that come to the DR to continue the work there. Pray for all those who come to serve that they will be safe and be a light to all there.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Provision

Many of us go off to work each day, and luckily in our country, there still are more jobs than compared to others. Today, pray for those in the Dominican that have no income, and for those who have very little with many mouths to feed. The reason for the kitchen project was to feed those kids who only saw one meal a day. Pray for God's provision for those in need both near and far, and thank Him for the provision in your life.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican - Day 11: Passion

As the team settles back in and shares their stories about their trip to the Dominican, I pray for that passion to spread from heart to heart. It's one thing to hear about the experiences there, but it's another to go and see for yourself. Today, pray for open hearts and minds and team members share their individual stories and experiences. Pray that people will be open to hearing what God has done in their lives and in the lives of the people in Los Alcarrizos. He is moving in that place, and we need to go make a difference where ever God calls us.
"How beautiful are the feet that go and preach the good news." -Romans 10:15

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: The School

Even though the team has made it home safe and sound, our prayers for the Dominican Republic continue!
Today, kids head back to school after a (long) weekend, and hardly going last week. As we think about the privilege of going to school (yes, it is a privilege), today, let us remember the Lighthouse School in the Dominican and pray for those kids and their educations. It is through the sponsor program that many can go.
Today, pray for the sponsor program and Lighthouse School.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Families

Today, as the team makes their way home, (They are back on US soil!!!), pray for their families. It's never easy sending a loved one off to another country (especially one you don't know much about), but their support makes all the difference.
Thank God for keeping them safe while their loved ones were away doing His work, and that He can use them to continue supporting this passion they have formed for the Dominican. Pray that they'll be open and receptive to the stories told about the DR and that they can hopefully one day experience it for themselves.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Reflection

As the team sees their final full day in the DR, pray that they can each reflect on their experiences and growth. The week always flies by, and catching every moment is impossible, but pray that God will reveal to each of them His purpose and plan as they get ready to come home and shine the light here. Pray that they can portray the passion they've gained to those around them and get others fired up for spreading the Word!

Today's Adventures!

A beautiful sunrise to begin the day!

 

 

 

Hearing plan for the day

Walking through the community.

 

Painting the sign for the church.

Returning to camp with Felix.

The team was able to spend some time at lunch with our sponsor children today. 

 

Juan, the Barclay's have had since 2008 or so.

Sahony is the Barclay's new little girl. She is so cute, she warmed right up to them.

 

The Leese's sponsor girl, Naidelin, and their translator Leo. =)

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Energy

After working hard on concrete projects all week, your body tends to take a dive in the energy department at certain times. I remember coming back from a day of shoveling gravel or lifting cement blocks and feeling like there was no way I could continue on the next day of work, but God always filled us up with that energy and soothed that soreness.
Today, be in prayer for the team in these areas. Continue to pray for safety and that they can feel refreshed and filled up at the times they need it most.

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Growth

One of the things team members can always look forward to is growth. Whether it be spiritual (as we all hope), physically (with the muscles you build hauling blocks around), or in relationships. Today, I want to pray for the team's spiritual growth. Many times, one will go on a trip like this and come back all fired up and on the mountaintop of experiences, but what happens when that is all said and done? Many lose that flame and are suddenly back into the old ways of life and routines.
Today, pray that there will be a lasting, life-altering, spiritual growth for those on this team.

Today's Dominican Team Pictures!

Here are some pictures shared by the team today:

30 Days of Prayer for the Dominican: Relationships

Today, pray for the relationships the team will build with those they meet along the way during their time in the DR. Pray that light will be shone and that bonds will be made. Pray that God will plant seeds through the team members through the relationships and just by leading by example as they work.

DR Team Taking on Another Day!

Check out the pictures Bonnie posted today!

MCRC DR team getting the morning instructions of what they are to do for the day. Mix cement, fill holes, mix cement, fill holes, mix more cement, fill holes, eat lunch, mix cement, fill holes...

 

This morning the MCRC DR team began the day with prayers written by each team member and said over the Church site and tossed into the cornerstone hole before it was filled with concrete. Please be in prayer for this project.

 Jeff Curtis hard at work doing nothing! Nice wheelbarrow Jeff. It's going to be a very productive day, I can tell!

The most rewarding part of our day here in the Dominican Republic is working with these smiling little faces as we photograph all 683 children here at Lighthouse School for Careforce International USA. We will be printing each class picture and individual pictures for each child to take home to their families. Something they usually don't get like we have in the United States. This will be something very special for them.

 The team has returned! Looks like they worked pretty hard today!

Always feeding his face with something! Crunchy yet satisfying!