Back From the Field

Hi, Pastor Janette here. The team is home safe and sound and I just wanted to take a brief moment to say a few thank yous. Pastor Nate was the one posting all of the blogs for this trip, which left me with MANY additional hours for direct ministry. I am grateful that my full attention was able to go toward encouraging the many pastors we met and worked alongside, loving and serving the people in the varied communities that we visited, and leading and ministering to an awesome team of dedicated fellow workers for the Kingdom. Many thanks to all of you who followed us and prayed for us. The spiritual battles were many and I am convinced that your prayers protected and enabled us. This entire trip would not have been possible unless many of you responded to God's call to give - to Faith Promise, to our Compassion in Action fund, to purchasing Jesus Film equipment, to our Work & Witness scholarship fund and to the well water project. Thank for for your faithfulness. God brought together abudant resources to meet abundant needs and we were all blessed to get to be a small part of it all. God is on the move in the Doiminican Republic!

Jesus Film Part 2

It was an audible gasp from the crown when the nails were being driven into the arms of Christ. We arrived at the site where we were going to show the Jesus film for the second time this trip. While some began to set up the equipment, others took small bags of gifts to nearby houses to bless the families and invite them to the movie.

Originally we were not planning to take gifts and care packages because we had given away all the crisis care kits. But it seemed like we should really do something if we could. So we did. We purchased about 50 hand towels and bars of soap and made small kits with information about the church that was showing the movie.

As we grew closer to film time people began to show up with their own chairs. The crowd grew and grew as we started the movie. People were gathered on both sides of the screen so they could watch - and there was little to no chance of rain in the forecast. In all, 107 souls were counted.

As the movie ended one of the pastors with us began to give an altar call. We didn't get to experience this part of the film last time because of the rain so we weren't sure exactly what to expect. As the pastor preached and prayed people began to move to the front. Kids and adults gathered near the pastor as he began to pray and lead them to pray the sinners prayer as well.

You could see in the eyes of the adults that came up front that they were sincere, this wasn't some act of going through the motions. The Holy Spirit moved there in the middle of the street in a poor and broken neighborhood. The church gathered infomration on the 28 new converts and will be following up with them personally. They received names of people who needed their ministry, who needed Jesus.

Medical Mission

Yesterday was a day off, a tourism day for us to check out different parts of Santo Domingo and see some sites.  Today was also supposed to be a day off according to our original itinerary.  It was Constitution Day in the Dominican Republic and that's a national holiday where nobody works.  The missionaries had something pretty nice planned originally but seeing that 2 of our 7 days there would be spent not serving, we asked if there was any way we could politely decline the extra day off and find a way to minister somewhere.  

God had something big in store that we could have in no way imagined.  Because it was a holiday in the DR, almost nobody was working.  A number of churches in the area had been working on a way to serve a village of mainly Haitian immigrants.  The government doesn't recognize them so they don't receive any help whatsoever.  The churches had been planning a medical missions with local doctors and nurses to go, take medicine, and treat who they could in this village.  Because we politely asked if there was a way we could serve as oppose to relax on a beach somewhere, and because it was a national holiday giving all the doctors and nurses involved the day off, we were able to make a medical mission of the day and serve a community in desperate need of medication and medical attention.

We served just under 100 patients from within a little church that had been planted there.  We also spent time with the children of the community, playing soccer and teaching them about Jesus.  We even had time to deliver more crisis care kits to the homes in the village as well.  That's where things got a little interesting.

When passing out these kits to the community we always trust the local church to best disseminate them to the people.  As we started delivering these packages - once again in abject poverty, even more so than El Rosario - we began to feel the tension of the people there.  The Haitian village speak a couple different languages, spanish and creole, making communication even more difficult.  From what we could gather the pastor decided to give the kits to the families that most needed them rather than each family of the village.  This caused quite the stir among some of the villagers.

As we passed one woman sitting in a chair she began to raise her voice towards the pastor we were following and us.  Then a man from nearby did the same only took it to a whole new level.  He was shouting at the top of his lungs at the pastor.  We found out later that he was yelling gibberish - he was yelling in neither spanish or creole, he was just yelling.  He was upset.  He was needy and he was desperate.  The pastors in the group quickly decided to alter plans and quickly move through the village giving each household one crisis care kit.  That still caused an uproar when people wanted one per person when they received one per family.  It's hard to describe in the moment but we continually prayed to God for guidance, protection and wisdom as we tried to do what we could to help them.  

It reminds us that when Jesus talks about the least of these, he never says it's gonna be easy.

Water from the Well

We had originally planned to show up and commission the well that was to have been finished before we arrived.  But as you know plans have a way of changing.  We didn't know what God had in store but we did know we were ready to do whatever was needed.  We knew from working at the mission the day before that there was some work to be done to finish the well.  The main projects to finish were installing the reserve tank, installing the pump, running the PVC, and finishing the out building that would house the electricity for the pump and store other items.

While some of the men associated with the missions were finishing the PVC pipe work, our team began filling the floor of the out building with rocks to prepare it for concrete.  And did we ever fill it with rocks!  Each team member grabbed a bucket and picked up rocks by hand from the surrounding area (some from larger piles, some just laying around to make use of all we could).  What happened next amazed all of us.  We needed a lot of rocks and gravel to get the base layer ready for the cement mixture.  The kids from the project - whom we had played with the day before - slowly showed up just to see what was going on.  A few of them saw what we were attempting to do and began to help gather rocks with us - picking them up and placing them in our buckets.  Before we knew it (and against all child labor laws in the States) about 20 kids were helping contribute to this well that would bring them clean water.  They filled our buckets - and our hearts - and helped carry them to the out building.

Pastor Nate found himself working with a 6 year old machine who never let him take a break or slow down.  As soon as they emptied a bucket the child grabbed the empty one from Pastor Nate and just started walking back to the rock pile.  As Pastor Nate stopped for water the child very impatiently looked at him until he was ready to get back to work.  At one point Pastor Nate was told to go help with something closer to the missions building for a few min.  His "boss" followed him over, took his work gloves from him, and went back to work by himself.

What was amazing to see was how the community of kids saw what was going to be and wanted to be part of helping bring clean water to the village.  After the cement was poured, reserve tank arrived, and electric pump was placed down in the well we saw water start flowing out from it!  There are still a few pieces missing to make it an automated system that will allow people from the village come and get water any time they want but even so the water is flowing and people are able to fill their containers!

WATER!!!

Jesus Film Showing Part 1

The plan was to show the Jesus Film at 6:30 local time.  We hurried back to the church as fast as we could because the Pastor was on a mission to get to every door in the village and pray with everyone - and she nearly did.  We got back as the sun was fading and put together the Jesus Film equipment.  It amazing how small the little system and how well it shows the movie.  We started just a little bit late and the seats were half empty when we first hit play.  But people began to flood in, some brought their own chairs, many were left standing and more continued to come.  People sat on bikes on the street about 40 yards away from us.  But they sat and the watched.

Unfortunately a storm began to roll into the area.  We could see lightning in the distance and could see it moving closer.  Unfortunately about half way through the showing drops of rain began to fall.  Then more and more until it was a complete downpour.  The people their quickly made their way back to their homes as we rushed to get the equipment inside the mission and wait out the storm,

It was a little disappointing to see so many people come out and be so enthralled with the film have to leave due to weather conditions.  But what we do know is that God will be glorified and this setback will only see greater things come from it.  We are praying for those who may attend the next showing.  We pray God is already stirring in their hearts and beginning to transform them even now.

Day 1 Update - Poverty

We walked shack to shack, home to home through the village of El Rosario handing out Crisis Care Kits to each one, praying for each family and inviting them to see the Jesus Film in just a few hours.  The pastor of the little Nazarene church there was passionate.  She was on a mission to get to as many houses and pray with as many people as possible.  We watched as one woman placed her hand two and a half feet up the side of her house designating how high the water was from Hurricane Sandy. 

We saw poverty, abject poverty.

But that's not what struck you as we walked door to door.  What struck you was the happiness of the people.  With literally next to nothing to their name they were extremely happy, gracious, and friendly.  The normal response in that situation is to feel bad, and we did, but not for them - for us.  We felt bad that we can be so unhappy and ungrateful for what we have, and we have so much of it.

Plan B?

Our original plan for this work and witness trip was really 2-fold.  We were to go and commission the water well we sponsored as well as bring Jesus Film equipment and show the film a few times.  The missionaries already on the ground there told us weeks before that everything was going to plan and the well should be up and running as we show up and we could pray over it, officially commission it and see clean water brought to a village and people that so desperately needs it.

Well the super-storm, or "frankenstorm" if you will, Sandy developed not to far from the Dominican Republic.  While the storm gained strength in preparation to wreak havoc along the east coast of the States, the wind and rain caused damage in an already damaged area.  The last report we received is that the pump for the well has not been able to be turned on because of damage caused to the village.

Our plans have changed.

And we are not quite sure how they have changed yet - we won't till we are on the ground and can get and idea of what needs done and what the people there have been able to accomplish since the storm passed.

While we have done our best to control this trip and do what we felt God had in store for us, we have always understood that God is the one really in control.  We know that God can take bad situations and use them to make his presence and glory known.  And really our main objective hasn't changed and that is to allow God to use us; to use us for His purposes and to be His hands and feet, whatever that may entail.  So here we are God, ready to be used how You see fit.

Meet the Team

Meet the Team

Just wanted to take some time to introduce the team to you so that you can get to know them a little as well as pray for them too.

Cindy Medford

How many missions trips have you been on? This will be my 11th trip, Ethiopia 3 times, Tanzania, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Dominican Republic twice before and Mexico. 

What are your expectations of this trip? To serve others, see miracles and watch people who are introduced to Christ.

How do you plan to pass the time traveling? Sleeping, people watching and eves dropping (on fellow team members).

Favorite Food? Chocolate and Coffee

Favorite Scripture? Philippians 2:12-18

Janette Mikatich

How many missions trips have you been on? 17 that I can remember

What are your expectations of this trip? That God would be glorified

How do you plan to pass the time traveling? Read some and fellowship.  The hope is that on the way home I will be a sleep for most of it.

Favorite Food? I like pizza a lot and I like chicken a lot

Favorite Scripture?  Revelation 7:9, Acts 1:8

Aimee Reeves

How many missions trips have you been on? This is my third, one was in Mexico and the other was to Kansas City.

What are your expectations of this trip? To make a difference in people's lives.

How do you plan to pass the time traveling? Chatting with Kristen, sleeping a little and definitely some music.

Favorite Food? Sushi

Favorite Scripture? Galtians 4:7

Sherry Royer

How many missions trips have you been on? This is my first.

What are your expectations of this trip? Anticipating to see how God is going to use me.

How do you plan to pass the time traveling? Reading my book.

Favorite Food? Mexican Food

Favorite Scripture? Jeremiah 29:11

Kristen Sailsbery

How many missions trips have you been on? This will be my 9th, Colorado, New Orleans, Navajo Nation, Juarez Mexico and I spent the last two years in Peru with Extreme Nazarene ministries.

What are your expectations of this trip? Love on some kids, to grow and to learn.

How do you plan to pass the time traveling? Chatting with Aimee, sleeping, reading.

Favorite Food? Coffee and Chocolate - together, apart, it doesn't matter.

Favorite Scripture? Galatians 1:24

Jen Street

How many missions trips have you been on? This makes about 22.

What are your expectations of this trip? To learn a new culture, The DR is one country to which I've never been.

How do you plan to pass the time traveling? Read (a new recommended book Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape our Decisions) and listen to music.

Favorite Food? Italian

Favorite Scripture? 1 John 5:12

Nathan Sutliff

How many missions trips have you been on? This is my second trip but first international one.  I went on an inner city missions trip to Richmond Virginia in High School.

Expectations: Being my first trip I'm not sure what to expect other than to see God move and people encounter Him.  And also to drink lots of coffee, sweet bitter dominican coffee...

How do you plan to pass the time traveling: Read and listen to music mostly.  Trying to finish a book or two, Creator Spirit: The Holy Spirit and the Art of Becoming Human and Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain to name a few. And finally listen through some new music by Mumford and Sons, The XX, and The Fray.

Favorite Food? Coffee... is that a food? Ok then bacon, yeah definitely bacon, low calorie bacon... mmmm

Favorite Scripture? Matthew 6:25-28

Here We Go!

As we embark on our work and witness trip to El Rosario Dominican Republic I am thankful for the support and prayer that is covering this trip. The plan is to blog at least daily to keep you updated as to what's going on during our trip. However with hurricane Sandy passing close enough by to affect the island our plans are always subject to change. Our original plan was to commission a water well, setup and show the Jesus Film, as well as be the hands and feet of Jesus to a community in need. While we are still going through with all we have planned we are listening to see what God has planned for us. The area has been affected enough by the rain and winds such that we may be filling new and different needs.

We will update you soon with more information on how the area was affected and how you can be praying for us and those we will be working with.

Thanks for your prayer and support.