2013 Dominican Republic Mission Team Report

In July the 16-member Dominican Republic Mission Team spent six full days serving at our Dominican Republic SMP in Barahona, Dominican Republic. Then, a team of 4 remained in Barahona for an additional eight days continuing the work. THANK YOU again for supporting this work!

Construction of the church building extended the slab to the full building size and built four walls with openings for windows and doors. Church was able to meet for church on the slab the second Sunday.  The boards have been removed from the columns and entrance and it’s now ready for a roof, doors, and windows.

The construction team shared beans and rice each day with Haitians and Dominicans who were hired to work each day. The beans and rice were cooked by one of the women of the church who held one of the ladies Bible studies at her home. The workers also included a couple of young boys who enjoyed working alongside the team and church members who enjoyed helping with translation and physical labor.

The team’s children’s workers held VBS four days for over 100 children each day and taught Sunday School for children at three churches. They also held a volleyball camp for girls and did VBS for them.

The ladies Bible study leaders held Bible studies for four afternoons at the homes of three ladies who are church members. Over 60 ladies, a couple of men, and several young girls participated in these Bible studies each day. They enjoyed doing a craft, singing, studying the Bible, and fellowshipping together.

The ladies had a “girls only” beach party for some of the ladies and their children, translators and young girls that included a devotional time with Marilyn Lee.

 

The team attended Sunday services at four churches, two of which were Haitian churches, and Mike Pope preached at three of those services.

The team helped at the university’s English Immersion classes one to three times a day. Suzanne did caricatures of the students and the rest of the team met in small groups with the students who shared about their life and asked our team questions. We were able to openly share our testimonies and the Gospel with a variety of fun activities.  Young church members who were in these classes and who were only speaking Spanish last year, were so excited to be able to speak English to us this year. We were also able to help a young man from the blind church pay the $10 to take the English class next semester. He said he would be able to buy his books! As a result of these English classes, the church has begun an English worship service and Pastor Franklin said the first one went great with and three students from the English classes attended. They will offer this service every two weeks.

 

The team prayer walked throughout the community inviting children to VBS and ladies to Bible study, and prayed with those in each home.

 

Those on the team who had been on previous mission teams, made connections with their DR friends, gave lots of hugs, caught up on where they were in life, and encouraged them in their faith. 

If you are interested in being part of this mission team in the summer 2014, contact us at barahona@arapahoroad.org. 

Dominican Republic Mission Trip July 3-10...18



Front row: Brenda Metcalf, Miriam Rivera, Amber Smith, Tricia Simmons, *Mike Pope, Marilyn Lee, Cheryl Bounds / Back row: *Sandi Whisenant, Paul Siebenmann, Suzanne Berry, *Mike Whisenant, Karla Smith, Eric Simon, Rhonda Bownds, *Ken Bownds & Scott Everett.  Not pictured: Caleb Rivera.  *Those staying 8 additional days

The Dominican Republic Mission Team has been SO BLESSED by their churches, families, friends and others who have encouraged them with prayer and financial support as they have prepared to go to Barahona, Dominican Republic. Now we would like to you to pray for us AS WE GO...

• Pray for the safety of the team
• Pray for open hearts as we work, play, worship, sing, study, pray, fellowship and share Jesus’ love with the people.
• Pray for our families at home
• Pray for our health as we work, walk, play, and even sit in the heat and humidity and for the four team members who will be extending their stay for 8 additional days.
• Pray for the dependability of the vans we will be driving to and from Barahona and our drivers: Ken, Rhonda, Mike W, and Eric, as they navigate around the dogs, cows and motorcycles!
• Praise God for the hospitality of the people as they invite us into their homes to rest in the shade and pray for them; for the teachers who invite us into their classrooms to have conversations with their students; for the stores where we buy water and ice to keep us hydrated; for the gas station that supplies our gas; for the hardware stores where we buy supplies; for the hotel that provides us a nice, air conditioned room and wonderful meals that refresh for the next day; for our translators who help us communicate; and for the many other businesses and people we will interact with during our time in Barahona.

Next Mission Trip - July 3-10

Members of Arapaho Road Baptist Church, North Garland Baptist Fellowship and LakePointe in Garland, TX are making plans again for the mission trip to Barahona, Dominican Republic, July 3-10 to work with Pastor Franklin's church - Iglesia Bautista Misionera De Jesus. 

 

This is the way we left the church construction in 2012. They are proud to be able to use it for church services and the church work is growing. We need to continue the work on the church building in 2013.  We also want to continue working with kids, young adults, and men & women. How can you help? Please pray that we have the funds to do more work in July. Pray that we have workers to do the work. Pray that the church and community respond to the call of Jesus Christ in their lives. Pray for the other churches who have been working in this area to respond to the need for more money to do the work. Last year we had over $10,000 to do this work plus another $5,000 donated by another church to grade the land and put up the fences. Praise God! If you are interested in helping support this work, you may go to www.arapahoroad.org/missions/dominicanrepublic to give online or contact us at barahona@arapahoroad.org to see how you can keep this work going.

 

Thank you to everyone who has had a part in this work in the past. Thank you to those of you who have worked with kids, done medical clinics, ladies Bible studies, sports camps, prayer walking, preaching and teaching, and many other ministries that have benefitted the people in Barahona. Thank you to those of you are continuing to support Pastor Franklin and the spreading of the Gospel in Barahona. God bless you!