From January 16th 2010 through January 23th 2010, a group of about 34 Redlanders plus guests went on mission in Hato Mayor Dominican Republic, partnering with Pastor Carlos Soegaard and the members of Cristiano Shalom in such areas as Vacation Bible School, Medical Clinics, and Construction projects. You can read the "dispatches from the field" below.
Dear friends and loved ones,
Praise God we arrived safe in the DR along with all our equipment and luggage! Spirits among the team are high and new friendships are already forming among the team and with our hosts. As we drove from Santa Domingo a light shower rained down on our van which soon faded as the warm sun broke through. Then we all saw a beautiful rainbow stretching down from the sky. It was a beautiful reminder of God promise, His great faithfulness. We step forward in confidence knowing the Holy Spirit has gone ahead of us. Please pray for our leadership as they plan out the week's projects tomorrow. Pray for our teachers as they lead sunday school classes tomorrow morning. Please pray for our translators and the language barrier, that no part of Gods saving message would be lost in translation. Pray for the Haitian members of Carlos' congregation, many of whom are grieving for lost or suffering family members. May God allow us to minister to and comfort them. Thank you for all the ways you have supported our trip. Please continue to keep us in prayer as we strive to the do the Lord's work here in Hato Mayor. Updates to come!
Psalm 46:1-3
Keep the Son in your eyes!
Dear Friends and Family,
We just completed a wonderful first full day in Hato Mayor. This morning we watched the sunrise which lit up the mountains to our west. The beauty of this place was obscured by darkness when we arrived last night, but today was breath-taking. We awoke to the sounds of roosters crowing, and horses neighing. Charlie Brinkman led us in a powerful devotion which examined the portion of our prayers that should be spent offering praise to God. We read how creation itself praises God, which seemed especially true given the beauty of our tropical surroundings.
After breakfast we rode to Carlos’ Church, Cristiano Shalom and divided into 5 different age groups to teach Sunday School. With the aid of our gifted translators the RBC team led lessons for children as small as 3-4 up to adults. What a blessing it was to divide the word of truth together! Be encouraged, the world is filled with faithful Christ followers, and we can attest to the enormous faith held by our brothers and sisters here. The little they have, as far as possessions, they are eager to give to their Haitian neighbors who are in great need. And more than possessions they realize the true gift they have to offer is their faith in Jesus Christ, a gift which never fades.
Before lunch several of the men took advantage of the leisure activities here at Carlos’ compound, especially the basketball court. From the 21 year old youngin’ to the elder members of our team (still very young at heart and on the court) everyone enjoyed the game.
In the afternoon each team gathered to plan the weeks activities, and then busy hands started working. What a sight it was to see the ENTIRE team counting, packaging and labeling medicine for the medical team to distribute. As they worked new friendships were forged and old ones strengthened. Each team member worked joyfully, a true mark of the Holy Spirit’s presence, and many hands made very light work.
This evening we returned to Carlos’ church for a worship service. The worship leaders sang with such passion and clearly offered words of praise to our Lord. Before the message began the entire congregation entered in to collective prayer. It was amazing to hear quiet voices grow louder and louder, turning to shouts as every member begged for the Holy Spirit to come down , to enter the church and guide their worship. They truly hungered for the presence of God. Would that we all desired a word from God that strongly.
This evening we again gathered to review the plans for the week. It’s exciting to hear of the 5 needy places both the medical and VBS team with travel. Yes, they will be working in the same location, which is wonderful. The construction team will be tackling several projects around the compound, geared toward making this oasis an even better place to house missionary teams. Tomorrow evening is the Grand Celebration, a large gathering at Cristiano Shalom, to celebrate their ministry and to thank God for how he has blessed it. It is estimated to bring 2000 people. Please pray for our team as we serve as ushers, traffic directors and leaders of the children’s program.
Praise God so far we have had no illness or injuries. Please continue to cover our team in prayers for safety, health and renewed energy each day. Thank you for praying for the Sunday School lessons, Praise God, each went perfectly. Pray for our team as they prepare to share testimonies of how God has worked in their life. Pray for wisdom for our leaders as they seek God’s will in a potential plan to take water and supplies to the Haitian boarder where a new refugee camp is growing, and quickly running out of supplies. We miss you and love you all, and look forward to sharing more with you soon.
-Keep the Son in your eyes!
-Daniel
Dear Friends and Family,
We just returned from a powerful worship gathering at Carlos' church. About 3 thousand gathered to celebrate the ministry of this body of believers and listen to a concert of local worship singers. Redland served as ushers and greeters, traffic directors and eventually as childrens leaders for a group of children from birth to 12 that numbered more than 500. Praise God for our VBS team. They rose to this very daunting occasion and had several activities planned. For 3 hours we made a craft of the Lords prayer, colored pictures of Jesus' ministry, played relay games and performed crowd control. It was amazing to see our non spanish speaking members use non verbal communication and patiently learn new spanish words to effectively lead these children. All thanks be to God for blessing our hugs and smiles and words. I know every child felt loved. One great reminder of how blessed we are is the way each child cherishes the crafts we create. All children, boys and girls were as excited about the craft as american children on Christmas Eve, longing to try each new creative tool. While helping me pick up trash, one young boy quietly collected the coloring pages others had stepped on or disgarded...their trash, his treasure.
The clinic day went very smoothly praise God! We saw about 150 patients and gave 200 fluoride treatments. I am very proud of my father, he spent the day on his knees brushing teeth, and now is considering a second career as a dental hygeinist. All our team worked smoothly together, treating each other and each patient with love and kindness. This is proof that the Holy Spirit was present, gluing our team together. Most medical needs were headaches and flu like symptoms which they call "el gripe". By the sound of it almost everyone has it. We spent the day focusing on spiritual needs, planting important seeds for what we pray will be future decisions, and inviting them to church. Praise God, one patient did turn their life over to Christ. A handful of needs were well beyond the scope of our practice, including a 4 yo girl with severe severe scoliosis and a 9 month old boy with a severe heart defect. Both will likely require surgery to survive to adolescence. We have their stories and info, please pray with us as we search for resources to get them the care they need.
It has been one very long day with an early start, and a much later than anticipated finish. Please pray for renewed strength, for high spirits and great patience for each team member. Pray especially for Marcus who has been feeling under the weather. Thank you for your loving support.
Keep the Son in your eyes!
Dear friends and family,
od is so good! I was afraid that after the long night last night our team would be dragging this morning. To my surprise there not a hint of fatigue. Here are some examples. Today Betty Summers led our worship by playing the keyboard on her knees because we had no table. Karen Freeman, Hugh, the Struthers, Gary Buchanan , Mike Moore and Barbara spent the last two days scraping off old paint and repainting the basketball court on the compound. It looks better than new. They worked with supernatural strength in the hot caribbean sun, and grant has the sunburn to prove it. On the medical side I found some of our smallest ladies beating the men to the back of the truck to unload the heavy medical bags! These are just a few small proofs that the Holy Spirit is powering our team.
The VBS and medical teams worked side by side today in a village of haitian and dominican migrant workers. The town of roughly 500 is called Kilo 16 and sits in the beautiful hills outside Hato Mayor, surrounded by orange groves where the people work. The needs here are staggering: no clean water, no sewer or plumbing, most children without shoes, and minimal jobs for families numbering as large as 16...yes that means 14 kids. We spent the day in 3 teams of 4 or 5 people going door to door looking for spiritual and medical needs. Praise God Carlos recently built a satellite church there and by their account the services are packed, often flowing into the street. One woman reported that crime is down and relations improved in the town because of the church. Christ's body is changing this community! Despite the great needs present there, when we asked several people what the town needed most, they answered prayer! So let us heed their call and join them in battle on our knees. While the medical team went door to door the VBS team ministered to about 70 of the most beautiful children. These children have no toys so the make cars and tops and dolls out of the most plentiful resource, garbage. Before we left Greg and Andrea gave talks on dental hygeine and HIV respectively. Thank God for our translator Mario who speaks english, spanish, and creole. God used him in a special way today.
Kyle Donahue, our gifted plumber spent the day purchasing supplies for bathroom upgrades for the compound and arranging replacement parts for the water purification system he built (I believe I mentioned this earlier). I bring it up to praise Kyle's perseverance and resolve. You see, this machine can make pure water that could save the lives of hundreds if not thousands. Kyle bought the pieces and assembled them here in hopes of sending it to Haiti. Praise God, the steps are almost in place. We even have a contact with USAID who desperately wants the machine. However one part broke and needs a replacement that is being shipped. Please pray for Gods blessing and wisdom for this project as the leadership decides how to use this resource.
Our team worshiped tonight at a satellite church in a Haitian village called El Guyabal. We were here a year ago and were blessed to see familiar faces. The children are uniquely joyful here and greeted our team while we were still 100 meters down the road. Every team member had an instant friend in these beautiful children...especially Nick Delucia who had a large group of young girls who were fascinated by and kept grasping at his long fabio-esque pony tail.
Redland led the service tonight which included several hymns led by Betty and three testimonies given by Gabe, my wife Ashley and myself. Gabe challenged us to forget past sins and live as a people under grace, pressing on toward the prize. Ashley shared a powerful story of how the Holy Spirit sought her at an early age, how God chose her and brought her to Him. I shared some scriptures that remind us that God is our refuge amidst the earthquakes of this life and in the life that is to come.
Spirits are still so high here, Praise the Lord. God continues to grow our team closer together as only he can. Praise God Marcus felt better today. Please pray for continued healing and a couple others with headaches, and for Grant's sunburn of course. Please pray for Pastor Carlos, his week has been non stop and I know he needs rest. Pray for our VBS and medical team as they go to puerto de garza tomorrow. Pray for our constructions teams as they continue to tackle several challenging projects. Pray for good sleep tonight for the men in the compound...my friend in the bunk next door is a snoring machine...and his name rhymes with Harry Michael.
We do feel your prayers, and our Lord continues to lead and sustain us. We give all glory to Him.
Keep the Son in your eyes!
Greetings from Hato Mayor,
It was another beautiful January day here in this paradise, lots of sun and blooming bushes with a clear view of the surrounding hills, always a joy to wake up to.
The Lord continues to give strength to the weary and our team is still working for Him joyfully. Our construction team again divided and conquered, sending smaller teams to update bathrooms in the chapel on the compound, perform much needed electrical work there as well , another to repaint the interior and exterior of a satellite church building, and still another to dig a large footing for a future wall that will provide security for the church. Praise God there were no injuries, even on the electrical team. Pray for them as they venture out tomorrow to complete these same projects. Pray for energy to be renewed as the work is back breaking and the sun relentless. Pray for the construction team leader Buddy Young who is not feeling well and spent the day resting.
The VBS and medical teams again ventured out together today, this time to a local neighborhood called punta de garza. Our team worshiped at this satellite church last year when we met in the street because the church was small. We have since moved into a larger building, Praise God. They are led by a passionate woman by the name of Nelly. She warmly welcomed us this morning and spent the day helping triage patients. In the afternoon Nelly used her gifted voice to share the word of Christ with those waiting to be seen. It was powerful and the spirit was clearly present as she spoke truth to these her neighbors and prayed over their illnesses. This is why I love to hold clinic in a church. What better place to offer physical healing than the place where they can also receive spiritual healing and experience community. My pray is that this church would be seen as a place of healing for the entire community.
Our combined team saw about 220 people today, many of whom were physically well, but were hungry for community, with many spiritual burdens. My personal attemps to share the gospel with the several non Christians were met with resistance, responses such as "I would like to give my life to Christ, but I am not ready" It saddened me to hear their reluctance, but I thank God for the chance to share with them and will pray for receptive hearts.
It was amazing to see how clinic flowed today. At times it seemed chaotic but in reality flowed very well thanks to our non medical support staff who passed out numbers, triaged, did fluoride treatments, guarded doors, ran the pharmacy and translated. The VBS team was also a Godsend providing activities and songs for all the children as they waited. Each of these parts worked so smoothly together, as only the Spirit can accomplish.
This evening we had no church service but spent the time encouraging each other with stories of Gods goodness from each team. Our gatherings are so joyful, full of laughter. Whether its the Michael brothers teasing each other or CC or Roger's quick wit, we always enjoy our time together, always laughing. I know this pleases our Lord.
We are entering the final push, please support us in prayer as we sprint to the finish! Pray for all our teams, for the people we will encounter, for safety and healing, especially for Buddy as he recovers. Pray for the pastor of Guyabel, the church where we worshiped last night, he lost his mother today and is hurting greatly. We love you and miss you and covet your prayers. Thank you and see you all soon!
Keep the Son in your eyes,
Good evening, greetings from the DR!
The week is speeding by, hard to believe tomorrow is our last day of ministry here. Today was an exciting day. Dad led us this morning in a devotion that reminded us to tune our minds into what the Spirit has for us, just as we tune in a radio station…to let our hearts be sensitized to God’s leading.
I don’t think I have yet mentioned how blessed we are with our meals here. Teresa, Pastor Carlos’ wife leads a team of several faithful church members as they prepare to feed our army. They rise early, sometimes even before the roosters start, and seem to work all day long preparing the most delicious food! We literally eat like kings when we serve here, eating as much as we can of delicious rice and meat stew, local fruits and vegetables as well as some of our home favorites such as cocacola and keebler elf cookies! What a blessing they are, what hosts! Praise God for their hard work, which fuels our work each day.
Today our medical and VBS team ventured out to El Sabel. What a beautiful drive! The terrain was different than Hato Mayor, rolling green hills, grasslands full of cattle. We could see for miles as we drove the 45 minutes to the church in El Sabel. It was truly a beautiful scene.
On arrival we were amazed at the town we saw, beautiful cement homes of vibrant colors, well cultivated gardens, and cars that rival the ones we drive back home. It was a very prosperous place. The church in El Sabel experienced an awful division several years ago, and Carlos explained that the prosperity of the people has been a firm obstacle, keeping them from realizing their need for Christ. This place reminded our team of our home, for both these reasons.
We were received with great welcome by the pastor Ramon and his wife. Already there were several families of patients waiting for us and thanks to our non-medical staff, Hugh, the Buchanans, and the VBS team, the flow of our clinic started very quickly. Each day we work the flow seems to improve more and more. Praise God!
The VBS team worked with a large group of children outside while the medical team saw patients in the church and gave them fluoride treatments. Most of these patients were very healthy, several brought the medicines they are taking, even the echocardiogram results they received from cardiology specialists! However several important medical needs were identified and addressed, Praise God.
Today was the first day all three teams worked together! While the VBS and medical teams worked inside the church our strong men, Mike, Charlie, Roger and Nick worked hard to finish the rebar and footing for a wall to protect the church. Pray for the church in El Sabel and Pastor Ramon as he ministers to this community that has one serious distraction keeping some of them from Christ, their material possessions, and while you pray for them, pray for Montgomery County as well.
In the evening our group split into two for worship, one half leading worship at Punto de Garza, the church where we had medical clinic yesterday, and the other going to Shalom, where my Dad preached. Both services were unique, and the Holy Spirit was clearly present. The group at Shalom shared a wonderful worship time led on the guitar by a missionary from Puerto Rico named Hector. The team going to Punto de Garza received special blessings from Pastor Nelly, and a warm invitation to return soon!
Before I close I need to make special mention of our team encourager. Many of you know Kevin Nichols. He greets you each Sunday at the door, giving members and visitors alike a warm welcome. Kevin has spent the entire week encouraging each person on our team. He says only positive things, words some might be ashamed to say, but not Kevin. God has used him in a powerful way this week, first on the construction team reinforcing the wall with barbed wire, and for the last two days on the medical team, giving fluoride treatments and toothbrushes to hundreds of children. Praise God for Kevin.
Tomorrow will be a challenging day. Supplies and energy are waning, and tomorrow we travel 1.5 hours to the town of La Romana, where Carlos promises the need is GREAT, that we will be overrun with patients. Pray for our team, that we would step off this bus with positive attitudes, a spirit ready to be used by God, that we would point all who come to our clinic to the GREAT HEALER, and that we would step back on the bus praising God for his provision, and encouraging each other.
Pray also for our construction team as they complete several important projects and even ambitiously start some new ones. Thank you again for supporting us in prayer, what a blessing technology is, that we can communicate these needs and blessings with you our loved ones. Praise God all team members are healthy, and doing well.
Keep the Son in your eyes!
Dear friends and family,
Hard to believe but its been 7 days since we left and its time to return home. We had an awesome last day! The VBS and medical team traveled about an hour and a half to a very poor Haitian village near the town of La Romana. The need was overwhelming, so many children with stomach aches because they are hungry and plagued with parasites. Several families were very upset because they had not heard from loved ones in Haiti and are not allowed to enter Haiti to look for them. Two women had conditions requiring more medical care than we could offer, but praise God we were able to take them to local hospitals.
The church there is made of sticks with a torn and worn tarp laid across as a roof. But their fragile building does not in any way dampen their spirit and fervor for serving the Lord. We met very passionate Christians there, who praised God in the midst of their suffering and reminded us that the church is Christ's body, more than any building.
We saw about 240 patients yesterday, almost all of whom had great needs. Please pray for this church as they continue to minister to a hurting people.
Praise God for completed construction projects! This week our team put up barbed wire, stripped and painted the basketball court, updated bathrooms, installed fans and security lights, built the footing for a wall, and replaced siding on a church members home. No one was injured, praise God.
Our greatest praise this AM was that our construction leader Buddy was feeling better. Last night he had a high fever and was feeling very sick. Overnight Christ healed him. Pray for continued healing. It has been an awesome week here in Hato Mayor, thanks for the prayer support.
Wish Ed Summers a happy birthday. He chose to spend his 83rd birthday on the mission field.
Carlos just brought us the best gift imaginable! Last year we encountered a girl in kilo16 who was septic and near death. We left funds to send her to a hospital and heard that she had improved. This year we had hoped to see her in Kilo 16 but did not find her. This morning as we were preparing to leave Carlos brought this girl to us, now a year old, healthy and happy, the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. Now she attends church with her mother. Praise God for a saved life, what a gift!
Pray for safe travels, we're heading out now.
Keep the Son in your eyes!
