Acts 20:35
35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Acts 20:35
35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
Saturday, April 12, 2014
We had requests for pictures of the construction site from 2013 and the work being done at Central Church. I only have one photo of the 2013 construction site, but those who were there can see the difference! All the other photos are of Central Church. Those who have been there remember a long narrow sanctuary with classrooms on each side. Bathrooms were located at the rear on the left. In the photos, you can see that all the classrooms on the left have been torn out along with the old bathrooms. New bathrooms are being constructed in the rear on the right. Most of our work was chipping out concrete for new electric and water lines, loading/unloading cinderblocks and mixing mortar. Here you go....
Monday, April 7, 2014
Monday, April 7, 2014
Redeem, Renew, Restore
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
Colossians 3:17
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
The entire team enjoyed the overnight relaxation with air conditioning, real mattresses and hot water but needed to head back to Calle 2 to pack up for our trip home. We especially enjoyed our time with Bienvo and his wonderful family! After getting back, the ladies in the group made some last minute purchases from the local vendors and the school’s store before dinner.
After dinner, we celebrated Bienvo’s second wedding anniversary and got a sneak peak at our team’s video for the week. John with GO said it should be posted within 48 hours for those who would like to see more of what we have been up to. John pointed out that God blesses us so we can bless others - there are sponsorship opportunities in all areas of GO Ministries from construction workers to ministers to kitchen staff to sports mentors to school children…. If God is pulling at your heart, please share you blessings. If you aren’t sure how, ask! We love to share any and all information we can. Bienvo and Mari Luz thanked us for the support, prayers and friendship we give them. They said that they were sad that we were leaving, but knew we had to leave…. so we could come back. Mari Luz expressed that Rachel had especially touched her heart and she was so happy that she had come. During the week, Winnifir and Rachel had many special moments and they will never forget her.
We have planted many seeds and have helped serve God as best we can, but (on a personal note) I feel that through my experience here, the DR locals and GO Ministries have given me more than I could ever give them. They gave me peace, faith, love, humility, compassion, grace, friendship…. This trip is a gift that is impossible to describe. I encourage all of you to consider coming with us next year. Please pray for our safe travels home and we look forward to family hugs when we arrive! See you then.
To view the video when posted, visit: http://goministries-teams.blogspot.com/2014/04/st-john-united-methodist-church-2014.html
or go to “go-ministries.org”, click on “teams”, then “team tracker”, find the St. John team and click on “read more”. The video should be beneath our picture.
Redeem, Renew, Restore
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
Colossians 3:17
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
The entire team enjoyed the overnight relaxation with air conditioning, real mattresses and hot water but needed to head back to Calle 2 to pack up for our trip home. We especially enjoyed our time with Bienvo and his wonderful family! After getting back, the ladies in the group made some last minute purchases from the local vendors and the school’s store before dinner.
After dinner, we celebrated Bienvo’s second wedding anniversary and got a sneak peak at our team’s video for the week. John with GO said it should be posted within 48 hours for those who would like to see more of what we have been up to. John pointed out that God blesses us so we can bless others - there are sponsorship opportunities in all areas of GO Ministries from construction workers to ministers to kitchen staff to sports mentors to school children…. If God is pulling at your heart, please share you blessings. If you aren’t sure how, ask! We love to share any and all information we can. Bienvo and Mari Luz thanked us for the support, prayers and friendship we give them. They said that they were sad that we were leaving, but knew we had to leave…. so we could come back. Mari Luz expressed that Rachel had especially touched her heart and she was so happy that she had come. During the week, Winnifir and Rachel had many special moments and they will never forget her.
We have planted many seeds and have helped serve God as best we can, but (on a personal note) I feel that through my experience here, the DR locals and GO Ministries have given me more than I could ever give them. They gave me peace, faith, love, humility, compassion, grace, friendship…. This trip is a gift that is impossible to describe. I encourage all of you to consider coming with us next year. Please pray for our safe travels home and we look forward to family hugs when we arrive! See you then.
To view the video when posted, visit: http://goministries-teams.blogspot.com/2014/04/st-john-united-methodist-church-2014.html
or go to “go-ministries.org”, click on “teams”, then “team tracker”, find the St. John team and click on “read more”. The video should be beneath our picture.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Central Church Service
Devotional: Every tribe and tongue praising the Lamb that was slain.
Matthew 28:18-20
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
Today we slept a little late and got dressed for services at Central Church. The sanctuary cleaned up nicely and was ready to be filled with praise and worship. All of us enjoyed hearing the worship band which consisted of familiar faces from our week. We also got to see many of the construction crew and children from the neighborhood. Pastor Dan started his sermon by asking for those who knew Rob Partin to raise their hands. The room was quiet as more and more hands were raised - truly, Rob was there! Then, Pastor Dan gave his sermon on “Do Not Worry” (Matthew 6:25) while Kerlyn translated it into Spanish for the locals.
It is a tradition that on Sunday afternoon, our team travels to the beach for reflection and fellowship. After enjoying dinner together at the resort, we gathered by the pool and discussed our favorite moments of the day and of the week. Tomorrow we will head back to Calle 2 to pack for our trip home. Pray for our safe travels.
One last note - HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW!!!!
Devotional: Every tribe and tongue praising the Lamb that was slain.
Matthew 28:18-20
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
Today we slept a little late and got dressed for services at Central Church. The sanctuary cleaned up nicely and was ready to be filled with praise and worship. All of us enjoyed hearing the worship band which consisted of familiar faces from our week. We also got to see many of the construction crew and children from the neighborhood. Pastor Dan started his sermon by asking for those who knew Rob Partin to raise their hands. The room was quiet as more and more hands were raised - truly, Rob was there! Then, Pastor Dan gave his sermon on “Do Not Worry” (Matthew 6:25) while Kerlyn translated it into Spanish for the locals.
It is a tradition that on Sunday afternoon, our team travels to the beach for reflection and fellowship. After enjoying dinner together at the resort, we gathered by the pool and discussed our favorite moments of the day and of the week. Tomorrow we will head back to Calle 2 to pack for our trip home. Pray for our safe travels.
One last note - HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW!!!!
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Devotional: A Kingdom Erupting…
Matthew 13:31-32
“He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.’”
This morning after breakfast, our entire group headed to a church closer to downtown Santiago for VBS. As we stood inside the gate planning the activities someone asked, “So where is the church? Where will we be meeting the kids?” The answer was “This is it.” We were standing in what most would consider a hallway with a gate at the top of a few steps where we entered from the street. As Barbie and Morgan started singing, others went out to gather the children and one by one they entered and sat down. The floor was filling up and they lined the walls. Some were held by us and some were held by siblings. Others peered in from the steps. The space was small, but God’s presence was enormous! After songs and skits, the kids where put into groups for crafts and several went out into the streets. They made airplanes from popsicle sticks and painted on their paper plates. Many ran around showing their masterpieces to anyone that would look and grinning when they were told it was “bonito”! Once the toy bag was brought out of the bus, the kids went crazy and loved playing with the sidewalk chalk, jump ropes and frisbees. Sharing God’s love was so easy, yet made such a huge impact on the kids.
After lunch, we traveled to a small church in a less populated neighborhood to do it all again. With fewer kids and more space, we were able to let the kids create their own T-shirts and make airplanes. Having the entire crew doing VBS also lightened the load on the regular VBS team and allowed the men on the construction crew to entertain the kids with their dancing skills during the songs! Because this was the last VBS session, we were allowed to leave the left over supplies with the pastor who was very thankful for our work (in addition to the crayons and paint).
Traveling back to Calle 2, our bus took a detour so we could visit the baseball field where Will Partin started his ministry. We didn’t have a lot of time, but did get to watch part of a game. One week is just not long enough to experience how much of God’s work has been done here and how many seeds have been planted.
The group went out for empanadas for dinner tonight and then headed back to Calle 2 for devotionals. For the women, Rachel offered to open us in prayer and if you have never gotten to pray with Rachel you have seriously missed out. Her heartfelt reflection on the day and her blessings, prayers for the Partins and our group, was the perfect way to approach a prayerful state of mind. We discussed how “community” is different in the DR and that we should try to not revert to our old ways when we come back. Another consistent theme was how the DR children were described - artistic, affectionate, caring, intelligent, sympathetic…. One child cleaned the paint off of Stephanie’s leg before he wiped his own hands with his wet wipe. Another child drew a hopscotch grid in the shade when she found out that Barbie could not be in the sun. Yet another took the popsicle sticks, manipulated them differently, added some pieces and announced “JET!”
The Lord has given us all gifts that we need to recognize in each other. We need to plant the seeds, water them and protect them so they can grow. Please pray for these children who just need the care and love to grow into Christian adults with great potential.
The Hole
Devotion: Why and Worship
John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
For those of you that have never been to Santiago, The Hole is a difficult place to describe. Hundreds of people live in the city dump, many of them children. The poorest of the poor. Our visit there is a tradition and the children seem to enjoy it almost as much as we do. Pictures capture the experience better than any words we could type…. Basically, we love the children. Hug them. Carry them. Play with them. Feed them. Pray for them. Ask any of us the one thing about our trip that affected us most deeply and we will tell you about our visit to The Hole.
Today was the last day of construction work and most of our time was spent cleaning the church in preparation for Sunday’s service. We were told today that Pastor Dan will be preaching for the congregation with a Spanish translator! There were still some odd jobs to be performed, but cleaning was the chore of the day.
The VBS crew spent their afternoon helping the kids create T-shirts for them to keep. Your T-shirt donations have been turned into smiles! 125 of them! Tomorrow, we will have a full day of VBS with the entire crew.
As a special treat after dinner this evening, Nina arranged to have us visit a local memorial for worship and fellowship. The view of Santiago from the memorial steps was breathtaking at night with the twinkling lights and cool breeze. She shared that this place held special memories for her because she had worshiped there before with the extended Partin family. We sang worship songs accompanied by Keith on the guitar while locals would linger nearby and listen to our expressions of faith. For our devotion, we shared our feelings about our visit to The Hole and closed with an open group prayer for the DR, GO Ministries and the Partin Family knowing that our words would “float on the wind up to Rob.” It was a beautiful evening.
Another wonderful side of serving in the DR is getting to know the group and sharing laughter. We are here for a serious reason, but we don’t always have to be serious! As an example, for the construction crew, we have attached a photo that sums up our labor force today. Hmmm…. they may think cleaning is women’s work, but we know for a fact that Nina works as hard (if not harder!) as any man and Laura enjoyed her experience with the jackhammer! We promise you that this photo was not staged - it was just the guys being guys. ;-) The Spanish language (and our lack of ability to speak it) has also given us a few giggles. Zoanne accidentally, and repeatedly, told the children that there was a “fire” in the church when she meant to tell them to go “outside”! One letter change can mangle word meaning… which Barbie also discovered when she was leading the children in singing a Spanish worship song that ended up teaching them about God’s bathroom! Ooooops. To finish us off, on our mystery ride to the memorial we approached a casino and discotech and Dan joyfully exclaimed, “What happens in the DR, stays in the DR!!!!”
Please continue to pray for our group as we grow closer to God and each other while serving the DR in His name!
Devotion: Why and Worship
John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
For those of you that have never been to Santiago, The Hole is a difficult place to describe. Hundreds of people live in the city dump, many of them children. The poorest of the poor. Our visit there is a tradition and the children seem to enjoy it almost as much as we do. Pictures capture the experience better than any words we could type…. Basically, we love the children. Hug them. Carry them. Play with them. Feed them. Pray for them. Ask any of us the one thing about our trip that affected us most deeply and we will tell you about our visit to The Hole.
Today was the last day of construction work and most of our time was spent cleaning the church in preparation for Sunday’s service. We were told today that Pastor Dan will be preaching for the congregation with a Spanish translator! There were still some odd jobs to be performed, but cleaning was the chore of the day.
The VBS crew spent their afternoon helping the kids create T-shirts for them to keep. Your T-shirt donations have been turned into smiles! 125 of them! Tomorrow, we will have a full day of VBS with the entire crew.
As a special treat after dinner this evening, Nina arranged to have us visit a local memorial for worship and fellowship. The view of Santiago from the memorial steps was breathtaking at night with the twinkling lights and cool breeze. She shared that this place held special memories for her because she had worshiped there before with the extended Partin family. We sang worship songs accompanied by Keith on the guitar while locals would linger nearby and listen to our expressions of faith. For our devotion, we shared our feelings about our visit to The Hole and closed with an open group prayer for the DR, GO Ministries and the Partin Family knowing that our words would “float on the wind up to Rob.” It was a beautiful evening.
Another wonderful side of serving in the DR is getting to know the group and sharing laughter. We are here for a serious reason, but we don’t always have to be serious! As an example, for the construction crew, we have attached a photo that sums up our labor force today. Hmmm…. they may think cleaning is women’s work, but we know for a fact that Nina works as hard (if not harder!) as any man and Laura enjoyed her experience with the jackhammer! We promise you that this photo was not staged - it was just the guys being guys. ;-) The Spanish language (and our lack of ability to speak it) has also given us a few giggles. Zoanne accidentally, and repeatedly, told the children that there was a “fire” in the church when she meant to tell them to go “outside”! One letter change can mangle word meaning… which Barbie also discovered when she was leading the children in singing a Spanish worship song that ended up teaching them about God’s bathroom! Ooooops. To finish us off, on our mystery ride to the memorial we approached a casino and discotech and Dan joyfully exclaimed, “What happens in the DR, stays in the DR!!!!”
Please continue to pray for our group as we grow closer to God and each other while serving the DR in His name!
Friday, April 4, 2014
Tours of the GO Ministries School and Medical Center….
Devotion: Inheriting A Stake In the World
Galatians 6:9
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
This morning after breakfast, we were blessed with a break from our previous day’s strenuous work - we toured the GO Ministries School and Medical Center.
Diane spoke about the history of the school and how God has continued to answer their prayers. Because of donations, the students are enjoying a computer lab and the school recently covered the playground/gym area so it can be utilized on hot and/or rainy days. Currently students attend half days (two different groups of students each day) and classes range from pre-school to 8th grade. They have requested permission from the government to instruct up to 12th grade, but have not been granted it at this time. Also, they have been advised that they will be required to extend the school day next year….. this means double the students in the same space even if they don’t expand the classes up to 12th grade! Here is where the prayers start. There is space ready to be improved and utilized to meet the school’s needs once funding is available. Please pray for the school, the students and teachers, that their needs be met so ALL the children can continue their education there! Also, if God lays it on your heart, donations can be sent to the Louisville GO Ministries office with “DR School” in the memo. There were tears in our eyes as we heard of the at risk children that so desperately need this school - these children can be sponsored through the GO Ministries office in Louisville. This is a unique opportunity to create a relationship with a DR family through a child who needs you. Bonus - you can visit your child when you join us next Spring Break for the mission trip! :-)
Next, Delores shared her vision and passion for the Medical Center where medical care can be provided to the locals for a charge of just over $1 per visit. Our mission team last year helped prep the construction site of the new medical center just down the street from Calle 2 which will house facilities for a medical center, eye clinic, X-ray facilities and lodging for visiting doctors. The basement structure has been completed because of a generous donation by an eye doctor willing to help serve the people of the DR. There has been so much progress and prayers are being answered! One “God Moment” of the day was when Delores told us of the desperate need for chewable vitamins for the children. The government is planning to require that the feeding centers have a vitamin for each child served each day - for GO that means approximately 300,000 vitamins per year! She gestured toward her shelf in the pharmacy where there were two bottles of vitamins left. At that point, Nina had the pleasure of letting her know that St. John had requested supplies from our congregation and that they had been especially generous with VITAMINS, more than anything else! God is good! The Medical Center has found another charitable organization that can provide the vitamins at a cost of $7,000/year, so if you are interested in helping this cause, donations can be sent to the GO Ministries office in Louisville with “ DR VITAMINS” in the memo line.
Apologies for the length of this blog, but our day was sooooo full of blessings and our hearts are so full of God’s love and we are so inspired by what we have seen, that we have to share! Our afternoon consisted of the VBS team making popsicle airplanes with the children (they especially enjoyed the painting with brushes) and more construction/clean-up. Shovels, brooms, jack-hammers (YES, we finally got to use power tools!), more mortar, chisels, picks, sledge hammers and, of course, sweat and blisters!
In the evening, we were all invited to Bienvo’s home for coffee and social time. They spoke of how their lives have been blessed by God and their relationships with St. John and GO Ministries. After asking if we had any questions, we were treated to stories of their first kiss and how they met. Getting to know Bienvo and his family is one of the many reasons we love to serve in the DR.
Our evening ended with a trip to the DR “Wal-Mart” where we purchased local snacks, coffee and Skim-Ice (sweet frozen icees) to bring home. Thank you for your continued prayers!
Devotion: Inheriting A Stake In the World
Galatians 6:9
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
This morning after breakfast, we were blessed with a break from our previous day’s strenuous work - we toured the GO Ministries School and Medical Center.
Diane spoke about the history of the school and how God has continued to answer their prayers. Because of donations, the students are enjoying a computer lab and the school recently covered the playground/gym area so it can be utilized on hot and/or rainy days. Currently students attend half days (two different groups of students each day) and classes range from pre-school to 8th grade. They have requested permission from the government to instruct up to 12th grade, but have not been granted it at this time. Also, they have been advised that they will be required to extend the school day next year….. this means double the students in the same space even if they don’t expand the classes up to 12th grade! Here is where the prayers start. There is space ready to be improved and utilized to meet the school’s needs once funding is available. Please pray for the school, the students and teachers, that their needs be met so ALL the children can continue their education there! Also, if God lays it on your heart, donations can be sent to the Louisville GO Ministries office with “DR School” in the memo. There were tears in our eyes as we heard of the at risk children that so desperately need this school - these children can be sponsored through the GO Ministries office in Louisville. This is a unique opportunity to create a relationship with a DR family through a child who needs you. Bonus - you can visit your child when you join us next Spring Break for the mission trip! :-)
Next, Delores shared her vision and passion for the Medical Center where medical care can be provided to the locals for a charge of just over $1 per visit. Our mission team last year helped prep the construction site of the new medical center just down the street from Calle 2 which will house facilities for a medical center, eye clinic, X-ray facilities and lodging for visiting doctors. The basement structure has been completed because of a generous donation by an eye doctor willing to help serve the people of the DR. There has been so much progress and prayers are being answered! One “God Moment” of the day was when Delores told us of the desperate need for chewable vitamins for the children. The government is planning to require that the feeding centers have a vitamin for each child served each day - for GO that means approximately 300,000 vitamins per year! She gestured toward her shelf in the pharmacy where there were two bottles of vitamins left. At that point, Nina had the pleasure of letting her know that St. John had requested supplies from our congregation and that they had been especially generous with VITAMINS, more than anything else! God is good! The Medical Center has found another charitable organization that can provide the vitamins at a cost of $7,000/year, so if you are interested in helping this cause, donations can be sent to the GO Ministries office in Louisville with “ DR VITAMINS” in the memo line.
Apologies for the length of this blog, but our day was sooooo full of blessings and our hearts are so full of God’s love and we are so inspired by what we have seen, that we have to share! Our afternoon consisted of the VBS team making popsicle airplanes with the children (they especially enjoyed the painting with brushes) and more construction/clean-up. Shovels, brooms, jack-hammers (YES, we finally got to use power tools!), more mortar, chisels, picks, sledge hammers and, of course, sweat and blisters!
In the evening, we were all invited to Bienvo’s home for coffee and social time. They spoke of how their lives have been blessed by God and their relationships with St. John and GO Ministries. After asking if we had any questions, we were treated to stories of their first kiss and how they met. Getting to know Bienvo and his family is one of the many reasons we love to serve in the DR.
Our evening ended with a trip to the DR “Wal-Mart” where we purchased local snacks, coffee and Skim-Ice (sweet frozen icees) to bring home. Thank you for your continued prayers!
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