Afternoon Bible Studies

We had an awesome time with the people at the afternoon Bible studies. This year we presented the gospel with a color each day. We also taught the ladies to make a fabric yoyo wall hanging. Each lady made several yoyo circles and then Esmerelda (pictured here) stitched them together. We encouraged them to continue to make things from the fabric we left them and possibly sell them in the market for money for their family.

Because our translator, Robert, was a man, 3 men felt comfortable joining us for the Bible study.

On Monday we talked about heaven and sprinkled gold glitter on the ground for them to walk on and think about how wonderful heaven will be.

On Tuesday we talked about sin and they marked their sin on a pure white cloth with pieces of charcoal and then used a disappearing marker to illustrate to them that Jesus erases our sin.

Wednesday we used pebbles to lay our sins at the foot of a cross, then covered it with a red cloth to talk about the blood of Jesus cleansing us from our sin.

Thursday we talked about growing in our faith using a tomato plant kit with a pot, seeds and soil. We encouraged them to read their Bibles, attend church and share their faith.

In the mornings during the week, we visited and prayed throughout the neighborhood. Some of these ladies went with us and it was evident that they loved God and wanted to share Him with others. We even had children going with us to invite people to our activities.

We pray that these people continue to share their faith and invite their neighbors to the church.

Sandi

Playing Catch Up! (Written July 14, 2010)

Hola amigos!

Today we are playing catch up on the blog because our wifi has been down the last few days. Sunday we had two great services. One was at the blind community and the other was at the lot where Franklin’s church meets. Mike Motley taught Franklin a few new songs, and he was very excited to translate them and teach them to his congregation immediately. Now our fellow Dominicans are singing “What A Mighty God We Serve!”

Monday started out bright and early with construction, prayer walking, baseball, and Suzanne drawing at the park. Suzanne had a great experience while she was drawing, and an older man actually came up to draw her! Later on during the day we did our women’s bible studies while others worked with the kids. We then hurried back for dinner and washed up and went back to the baseball field for a movie night. We couldn’t get the Jesus movie to play in Spanish, but we watched a few episodes of Veggie Tales. We had a HUGE turn out of over 250 adults and children. We hung a white tarp on the fence and used a projector to play the movie. The kids all sat on the plastic table cloths from the service in our gym, and they worked out very well! We were so excited to have such a great turn out and they seemed to really enjoy the movie!

Tuesday morning a few of us went to the local fire station to cook breakfast for them while Suzanne drew. We had about 25 people for breakfast and Weldon gave his testimony. They were so appreciative of us coming back each year. Construction continued with the help of a few of Franklin’s church members, along with our guys, and some Haitians. We learned that if the Haitians don’t get paid every day, then they don’t eat that day. During this time the rest of us prayer walked around the community where the new church will be located. Tuesday was the last day of baseball and Will Riley did a lesson with the boys. He did so great and shared the lesson with all of us of dinner.The women’s bible studies grow each day, as do the children’s. The kids LOVE to sing “Christo me ama”! (Jesus loves me) Sandi and Rhonda’s bible study had 3 guys that came. They didn’t stitch yoyo’s, but they paid very close attention. One lady in the group is about to give birth to her 8th child, and was experiencing a few contractions during the lesson. Pray that none of us have to deliver a baby this week! After dinner we went back to the baseball field for part 2 of the movie night and watched 1 episode of Veggie Tales and parts of the Jesus movie. We had another great turn out of about 150 people. It was an amazing yet difficult experience to watch what our Jesus went through for us. It was during that time that the field went silent and every eye was focused on the screen. (Which does not happen very often in the Dominican!)

Wednesday morning started off again bright and early with a breakfast at the Civil Defense center. They fed breakfast to about 50 people in very challenging conditions. They used a roof top stove to cook pancakes while trying to avoid a German Shepard that was eager for anything to be dropped. Suzanne drew while Weldon gave his testimony. Pray for Mabel, a new friend that was made that fell off her motorcycle on the way home from the breakfast. She injured her head. Construction is coming along slowly but surely. We have almost 3 sides of the foundation for the wall poured. With the help of the fire trucks tomorrow, we will be able to use their water to help finish pouring. Today was all hands on deck since the boys were done with baseball. The girls continued to prayer walk and one of our groups met an older lady who is in desperate need of our prayers. She has lived alone for 6 years in a VERY unsafe neighborhood. She has a massive tumor that covers her whole shoulder/back. Her home contained 3 plastic chairs and a small cooking pot that she had on the ground with charcoal trying to boil water. We continued on our way and then met up again later with the lady (Ramona). We all emptied our backpacks and gave her all the food, water, and gum that we had. She immediately raised it in the air and thanked the Lord over and over. She obviously has huge faith in the Lord that he will provide for her needs. We plan to take Franklin to her house later in the week to see what else we can do for her. Please remember her in prayer this week. Later on today we have the kids and women’s bible studies. After dinner tonight the youth are meeting with a select few of teens from Franklin’s church to talk about sexual purity. Sexual immorality is very common here and we hope to make an impact on these young impressionable kids. Pray that their heart will be open to hear what we have to say. Also pray that they can stay strong and pure for the Lord. Continue to pray for our guys because it is extremely hot and they are quickly growing tired and weary! As always, we covet your prayers and ask that you continue to lift us up daily.

We hope to have internet again tomorrow to give you more updates, so check in!

Adios amigos!!

-Brooklina and Paintin

We Made It (Written July 10, 2010)

Hola amigos!

After leaving at 3:30 am to get to the airport and a few delays (including a dead battery on one of the vans) we are finally in Barahona! Our morning started out with a one verse Bible study from Hebrews that reminds us all that God never leaves us. What a great way to start the day! We got a glimpe of the newly purchased land where a trench has been dug in order to start building the wall. Our boys are dirty, dirty, dirty… which brings us to the Spanish word of the day. Sucio=dirty. The property used to be a land fill where the Dominicans burned the trash, so the whole property is like walking in soot from a fireplace. The boys worked on the cutting wire to prepare for the cement while the girls prayer walked with members of Franklin’s church. The translators have not yet arrived, so communication in some groups consists of a lot of hand gestures and sign language.

There has been a slight delay in the building process because a trench on one side of the property is too far out. It did not allow room for a sidewalk and the city requires it. Please pray this issue can be resolved so that we can continue to build without extra monetary expenses. This afternoon we will continue to prayer walk in order to pass out information on tomorrow’s church service. It is definitely hotter this year then it has been in years past, and we are all already starting to feel it. Pray that we can continue to push through and that everyone will stay hydrated. We are all so excited to be here and have even already met up with friends from the past few years. We will try to continue to keep everyone updated on a daily basis.

God bless,

Brooklina and Paintin (Brooklyn & Payton)

To check out daily photos go to http://barahona.shutterfly.com/

Please pray for the following ARBC mission team members:

Leaving tonight and early in the morning: Weldon Ritchie, Riley Wentz, William Riley, Andy Bunn, David Largent, Warren Matlock, Mike Whisenant, and Sandi Whisenant.

Leaving early Friday morning: Suzanne Berry, Bobby Bownds, Ken Bownds, Rhonda Bownds
Jon McCaslin, Mike Motley, Steve Runnels, Gina Runnels, Brooklyn Runnels, and Payton Runnels.

Preparing for our arrival: Paul & Peggy Siebenmann and Franklin & Benita

The Ashburn's group at North Monroe Baptist Church will be in Barahona the following week and their blog is http://tothenations2010.blogspot.com - Pray for them as they prepare to go also.

Watch for updates from the "Runnel's Girls" soon! And we appreciate your encouraging comments!

Sandi

Barahona here we come!

It won't be long before we leave for the 2010 Mission Trip, July 8&9 - 17. We've got some great ministries planned for the week, but mostly hoping we will be able to build a cinder-block fence around the new church property. Pray for the survey to be finalized before we get there.

2010 Mission Trip

We're making plans to go back to Barahona July 9-17, 2010. The last week in December ARBC funded the purchase of land for a church building for the church in Barahona! We're excited to help them get started on a Baptist church for the community near the baseball field. Thanks to retired missionary Paul Siebenmann, The Dominican Baptist Convention, Santiago (a lawyer in the Barahona church), and the church's pastor Missionary Franklin Rodriguez, the deal was finalized and we are currently waiting on survey and title search. But the Barahona church is excited to make plans for clearing the land so that building can be begun if everything is clear to build by July.

Much has happened since our trip last July:
- Franklin & Benita had their baby, Addis, September 9
- We began helping a young boy, Timmy, with a health issue, then we found out that he was going to be sent to an orphanage in Boca Chica. He is now in the orphanage and we are praying that he is being treated well and that he will receive the help he needs until he is adoptable.
- Franklin's father passed away in the fall.
- Franklin & Santiago spent much time finalizing the land purchase
- In January, Franklin's grandmother passed away.
- In January, the Haiti earthquake has been an opportunity for the Barahona church to minister to the Haitians crossing the border into Dominican Republic to get help. The area missionary and the area churches are ministering to the Haitian refugees even though the people in Barahona don't have much either. Pray for resources to be located to help the Haitians and for the Dominicans to be open to helping them.

This may create new opportunities also for us on our trip in July as the Haitians will still be recovering from their losses.

If you are interested in joining us for this 2010 mission trip or would like to know how you can donate toward our ministries in Barahona, please contact barahona@arbcgarland.com.

God bless you as you read this!
Sandi