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.