Dominican Republic Mission Trip 2009

Today after morning worship we had a meeting to discuss the 2009 Dominican Republic Mission Trip. The dates are set and this year we will be there on July 11th through 18th.

This year will be a little different from last year. Last year we stayed at a dorm style facility. There was a generator that ran lights for a few hours each day. We had cold water showers, and a bathroom. It was a little bit rough but most anyone could handle it for a week. There were two mini buses, that took us to La Represa, the village that we worked in each day. All in all, if you could get past the cold showers it was not bad at all.

This year we will be working in a village named San Cristabel (I hope that I am spelling that correctly). It was described today as almost like a State with seven smaller community built around it. It is much more improvised than the village that we worked in this year. We will not have beds, running water, and I am assuming bathrooms like this year. We were told that we could bathe in the river that runs through the village, but for obvious reasons and diseases that our bodies may not be accustom to, we will make due with other means.

The travel will be different this year also. Last year we had mini buses that took us to the village each day. This year, after leaving the airport, a mini bus will talk us as far as it can get us. Then we will have to transfer to pick-up trucks that will take us the rest of the way. Where we will be staying, is a 30 minute walk through the jungle to get where we will be working each day.

Of course I think this will be very cool, because this time it really gives me time to prepare for each day mentally and then on the way back, time to wind down from the emotions that build up while there.

Needless to say we will not have the posh accommodations like we had this year, and this year was a stretch for most of us.

There are a few bumps in the road this upcoming trip, so I was wanting to ask for prayers from y'all. A few things that might make it difficult for us are:

• The airlines are not wanting or willing to accommodate a large group as they have in the past. Our group may have to split and travel two separate days.
• We need 25 to go. With the economy the way it is, some people that went last year, may not be able to go because of funds this year, us included.

This year my oldest son, DJ and I went and both are really wanting to go back this year. We also have a few hurdles to jump, so please be in prayer for these:

• Money.....it was very difficult last year for us both to go. The trip is $1800.00 each, so please be in prayer as we start mailing out support letters and start fundraisers at the beginning of the year. It may be we both can not go, but only one of us.
• DJ has applied for a governor school, that may interfere with him going. There were three that he applied for, one will overlap into the mission trip. Please pray for one, that he gets accepted in this school, because it is a wonderful opportunity and 8 college credit hours, and secondary that if he gets accepted into one that the one he accepts will not overlap into the mission trip.
• It may not be meant for DJ (or myself) to travel this year to the DR for this mission trip and if that be the case, please pray for peace and wisdom to accept that.
• Most importantly please be in prayer for the group that is going to minister, and for those that will be ministered to.

This year was a life change experience for me. Some can not believe that I went and there are others that can not believe that I want to go back, especially now that this year will be a rougher accommodations than last. All I can say, is you just do not know how my heart breaks and aches to be back there.

We go to build relationships, build churches, communities and to minister. But what most do not realize is how much these people minister to us. I can not explain it but as to say, no matter how rough the accommodations are, I would go in a heart beat. I have no fears (well maybe the flying still freaks me out) and I am ready to go again.

All I can think of is when we got this this year, those who have been praying for years for someone, anyone to come, we came. The gratitude, the love, the up most hospitality they showed us. I could not help but to think, I have done nothing for you as you have done for me. Wow, a life changing event. I could go on and on, and my words just do not express my feelings.

Thanks in advance for the prayers!!