Hola! Our trip has been amazing so far. After traveling Monday for 15 hours our team was exhausted when we reached La Vega. We are staying in missionary houses that were generously offered to us. Our first day was off to a FANTASTIC start! Everyone worked INCREDIBLY hard today as we poured cement, shoveled sand and stones, and cleaned up trash. We helped on a project that our missionaries have been working on. The project was working on filling the cement bond beams for a school that will provide a safe place for children who might not be able to attend school otherwise. We began at 8 am this morning and ended around 5:30 pm on site. At the end of the day we were COVERED in cement from head to toe. Then we proceeded to take our showers VERY quickly (yay team) so that we could participate in a church service at The Rieles Church. Our kids did three songs of worship followed by two testimonies and two dramas they worked very hard on. You should all be very proud of your sons and daughters as they kept their energy high even after a long day.
Some of the "God moments" today included: God using us in ways we never imagined, connecting with the locals while sweating and working hard together, appreciating each others' hard work, praying over a woman who was anointed in the Holy Spirit, seeing the innocence of children and how valuable they are in God's sight, realizing the impact that we are making for eternity, hearing God's voice, using our gifts to worship God, and finally the importance of a school as a place for much more than learning.
A blessing was to meet one of the students from the school. This child has no parents and had lived with his brother. However, his brother often stole from him and recently kicked him out of the house. This young man is currently living in the old school building with the bare necessities. He came to our site because he wanted to help and lend a hand. He wanted to be a part of what we were doing, even though he has so little. We were all impacted by meeting him and know that he represents so much of what we are here for.
Yay team! I'm so excited for all of you and for the work that God is doing in you and through you already! Know that you are serving a population that is considered to be among the "outcasts" of an already impoverished society, and as Jesus said, whatever you do for the least of these, you do for HIM!
ReplyDeleteSpecial shout-out to Olivia...I hope you find another Marcos on this trip, but no marriage proposals this time!!! ;)
Love you all! Keep sweatin' for Jesus.
Amazing ! I am so impressed with your spirit and drive ! I love watching your progress daily. We are all praying for you here at home and Thanking God for you !! Karis and Alexis I can't wait for you to see your new " to do " lists at home now that we see your new skills ! Love to you all ! Rich and Laurie
ReplyDeleteGREAT JOB! Love the work you are all doing! Keep up the hard work!! Praying that you minister to many children in your VBS this week!!! Enjoy your well deserved ice cream tonight! Courtney and Hannah you better be wearing that sunblock!! love to all!!! missy
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredible first day!! Can't wait to see what God has in store for you today. Praying for safety and strength to accomplish all God has for you to do.
ReplyDelete1 Corinthians 15:8 Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of The Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain
All our prayers and love...
This is absolutely amazing to hear all of this! I can only imagine how you all felt! It's amazing how God can use people to impact you. That young man must have been a blessing to everyone there. Keep up the great work. Praying for you all!
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