Day Nine of a ten-day mission trip is always bittersweet. Make no mistake, all 23 of us are looking forward to coming home to see the ones we love, sleep in our own comfortable beds and enjoy such extravagances as air conditioning, clean tap water, properly flushing toilets and, not to put too fine a point on it, but...roughage. For the love of all that is good and holy in the world, please have salad ready for us when we return!
But back to the bittersweet part. This week, relationships were built. Dominicans and Americans from past trips enjoyed a ten-day "family reunion." Rookie missionaries became veterans, eager to share their stories. And as always happens on these things, long-time Woodsiders who only knew each other enough to smile and nod politely on a Sunday morning actually got to KNOW each other. (No, the irony of having to fly 2500 miles from home to accomplish this simple feat is not lost on any of us.) It's a spiritual and emotional mountaintop. And mountaintops are hard to leave.
Today some of us helped to lay few more courses of block to the church walls, while others conducted another VBS for the Haina church children. Tonight, we will enjoy one final worship service with our Dominican brothers and sisters (not to mention inevitable hugs and tears). Tomorrow, we'll shower, pack, grab one more wonderful breakfast prepared by our killer kitchen staff, then board the bus once again...only this time turning left toward the airport instead of right toward Haina.
This was an unusually great team that bonded from the moment we boarded the bus in the Woodside parking lot last Wednesday at 3:30 a.m....and only seemed to get closer with each passing day. We dug. We shoveled. We prayed. We laughed (a lot). We carried. We picked. We questioned. We grunted. We groaned. We strained. We stressed. We endured. We worshiped. We cried and hugged. We broke bread. We broke a sweat. We did it all together. And best of all, we drew nearer to our God.
Many blessings to our Dominican family...and to our Woodside family who supported, followed and cheered us fro Bucks County. We love you and can't wait to see you all again!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Day 8 - A Vision Takes Shape
What a difference day can make!
O Yesterday; thunderstorms, both literal and spiritual/metaphorical filled the air. Today; clear Dominican skies and nonstop sunshine (yep, literal and figurative).
O Yesterday; a busload of bedraggled missionaries struggled to pick up shovels and raise pickaxes on Day 7 - the traditional "humpday" on these trips). Today; renewed and reinvigorated, 23 saints mounted a full-on assault - digging yet another trench, raising walls, mixing, loading, passing and dumping cemento and mecla (the gooey cement mix that holds cinder blocks together), passing and piling heavy cinder blocks and forming cubo (bucket) lines out of thin air...all with outsized smiles, sweat and spirit.
O Yesterday; the worksite looked like...well, a worksite. Today; the four interior walls of a school/medical clinic/water treatment building rose almost magically, row upon row, hour upon hour into something closely resembling the vision Pastor Brony has had in his head since he first partnered with the Foundation for Peace (and ultimately Woodside) three years ago.
It's a good feeling to see a lot of hard work begin turning into something that we can now look over our shoulder and say, "Hey, we made that!" It's also good to know that it was done with an unusually amazing group of people. And it's great know to why it was done....because these were "good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10)
The only downside...in about 36 hours, we need to start disbanding this fantastic group of brothers and sisters.
See you soon Woodside - and thanks to all who have supported and followed us on this mission!
Dios te bendiga.
O Yesterday; thunderstorms, both literal and spiritual/metaphorical filled the air. Today; clear Dominican skies and nonstop sunshine (yep, literal and figurative).
O Yesterday; a busload of bedraggled missionaries struggled to pick up shovels and raise pickaxes on Day 7 - the traditional "humpday" on these trips). Today; renewed and reinvigorated, 23 saints mounted a full-on assault - digging yet another trench, raising walls, mixing, loading, passing and dumping cemento and mecla (the gooey cement mix that holds cinder blocks together), passing and piling heavy cinder blocks and forming cubo (bucket) lines out of thin air...all with outsized smiles, sweat and spirit.
O Yesterday; the worksite looked like...well, a worksite. Today; the four interior walls of a school/medical clinic/water treatment building rose almost magically, row upon row, hour upon hour into something closely resembling the vision Pastor Brony has had in his head since he first partnered with the Foundation for Peace (and ultimately Woodside) three years ago.
It's a good feeling to see a lot of hard work begin turning into something that we can now look over our shoulder and say, "Hey, we made that!" It's also good to know that it was done with an unusually amazing group of people. And it's great know to why it was done....because these were "good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10)
The only downside...in about 36 hours, we need to start disbanding this fantastic group of brothers and sisters.
See you soon Woodside - and thanks to all who have supported and followed us on this mission!
Dios te bendiga.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Day 7 - The Enemy Invades
Know this: any time a group of Christians gets together to do the Lord's work...and begins succeeding...and better yet seems to actually be enjoying the process and each others' company, there is one party none to happy with things. Today, the devil took a few swings at us. His goal: distract, discourage and divide us in hopes of driving a wedge between us and a stronger relationship with God and our Dominican brothers and sisters.
Actually, the first issue might have been our fault. I'm not sure " hubris" is one of the seven deadly sins or not, but yesterday Nurse Carrie turned at one point and said, "You know, it's Day 6 and we don't have anybody on Cipro. That's a record!" (That's Ciprofloxin - the pharmaceutical one-stop-shop for all manner of lower GI-related issues one might contract in third-world countries.) That all ended before breakfast as four young ladies (Codi Regan, Kallie Meade, Jamie Hughes and Kristin Hoglund) reported various degrees of gastric distress or discomfort. Misfortune continued on our way to the worksite (flat tire on the team bus) and remained by our side on the job with a slip-into-ditch-gash-leg incident (yours truly), one blown-out back (John Hughes) and a lot of still work-weary backs, arms and legs struggling with each shovelful of earth and swing of the pickaxe (um....everybody).
Fortunately, today was scheduled to be just a half-day on the site (which if I have my math right translated to a quarter day since we were all about half-shot from the word go). So, after another terrific lunch by our Haina kitchen ladies, we simply tucked our tails, boarded our newly shod bus and headed back to the Foundation house in Santo Domingo to wash up and prepare for our evening service project, Samaritan's Feet. This organization, which Foundation for Peace has recently partnered with, reaches out to needy communities around the world with shoes - something that anybody who has been to the DR can tell you is sorely needed here. However, "SF" adds an interesting Biblical twist - rather than simply giving out shoes, our team would (just as Jesus did for his disciples on the evening before his crucifixion) wash the feet of and pray for each recipient.
Naturally, the Enemy was still in the game and had a different vision for us...and the 300+ local residents who showed up, tightly massed in the street when we arrived. After just over an hour or so of washing, praying and fitting, we had almost completely run out of shoes. So, rather than attempt to continue fitting the few sizes left to the 150+ still outside the church, our intrepid leader Bruce Jones made the difficult but wise and necessary decision to shut the operation down. This left our team in an interesting situation...locked inside a cinder block church with shoes as hundreds of expectant local residents - many of whom were pressing their faces against (or reaching through) the rebar windows were told by Pastor Brony and our security team that they would receive no more this evening. I won't kid you, people - it felt a little tense.
So there we were; everyone physically beat from digging, shoveling, wall-building and now foot-washing and shoe-sorting, some slightly injured and others still a little queasy from the morning...now held hostage in the very building intended to be used for setting souls free. Satan had us exactly where he wanted us. And then an interesting thing happened.
Christian fellowship broke out. It started with singing, led by Kathy Heller, Carrie Steele and several Dominicans who were serving with us. Then our amazing Foundation leader Anna Hernandez smiled, formed our team into a great big circle and led us in one of her patented spirit-driven prayers. A buzz of loud group praying ensued. And eventually laughing. Then more singing. And in time, the impatient crowd dispersed. And a potential disaster had been transformed before our eyes into one of the more powerful experiences of the trip.
So the box score on this one is now in the books...after a shaky start and being rung up for a few hits early in the game - it was Christians 1 - Enemy 0 today. The group was tested and we are even stronger than before. Move along, Satan...nothing for you here.
Gloria a Dios,
P.S. Rest easy, parents - while they all came back on different schedules, all the girls are back to health now and we are back to full battle strength. As for John's back...well, sorry Helen - your husband is just plain old! ;-)
Actually, the first issue might have been our fault. I'm not sure " hubris" is one of the seven deadly sins or not, but yesterday Nurse Carrie turned at one point and said, "You know, it's Day 6 and we don't have anybody on Cipro. That's a record!" (That's Ciprofloxin - the pharmaceutical one-stop-shop for all manner of lower GI-related issues one might contract in third-world countries.) That all ended before breakfast as four young ladies (Codi Regan, Kallie Meade, Jamie Hughes and Kristin Hoglund) reported various degrees of gastric distress or discomfort. Misfortune continued on our way to the worksite (flat tire on the team bus) and remained by our side on the job with a slip-into-ditch-gash-leg incident (yours truly), one blown-out back (John Hughes) and a lot of still work-weary backs, arms and legs struggling with each shovelful of earth and swing of the pickaxe (um....everybody).
Fortunately, today was scheduled to be just a half-day on the site (which if I have my math right translated to a quarter day since we were all about half-shot from the word go). So, after another terrific lunch by our Haina kitchen ladies, we simply tucked our tails, boarded our newly shod bus and headed back to the Foundation house in Santo Domingo to wash up and prepare for our evening service project, Samaritan's Feet. This organization, which Foundation for Peace has recently partnered with, reaches out to needy communities around the world with shoes - something that anybody who has been to the DR can tell you is sorely needed here. However, "SF" adds an interesting Biblical twist - rather than simply giving out shoes, our team would (just as Jesus did for his disciples on the evening before his crucifixion) wash the feet of and pray for each recipient.
Naturally, the Enemy was still in the game and had a different vision for us...and the 300+ local residents who showed up, tightly massed in the street when we arrived. After just over an hour or so of washing, praying and fitting, we had almost completely run out of shoes. So, rather than attempt to continue fitting the few sizes left to the 150+ still outside the church, our intrepid leader Bruce Jones made the difficult but wise and necessary decision to shut the operation down. This left our team in an interesting situation...locked inside a cinder block church with shoes as hundreds of expectant local residents - many of whom were pressing their faces against (or reaching through) the rebar windows were told by Pastor Brony and our security team that they would receive no more this evening. I won't kid you, people - it felt a little tense.
So there we were; everyone physically beat from digging, shoveling, wall-building and now foot-washing and shoe-sorting, some slightly injured and others still a little queasy from the morning...now held hostage in the very building intended to be used for setting souls free. Satan had us exactly where he wanted us. And then an interesting thing happened.
Christian fellowship broke out. It started with singing, led by Kathy Heller, Carrie Steele and several Dominicans who were serving with us. Then our amazing Foundation leader Anna Hernandez smiled, formed our team into a great big circle and led us in one of her patented spirit-driven prayers. A buzz of loud group praying ensued. And eventually laughing. Then more singing. And in time, the impatient crowd dispersed. And a potential disaster had been transformed before our eyes into one of the more powerful experiences of the trip.
So the box score on this one is now in the books...after a shaky start and being rung up for a few hits early in the game - it was Christians 1 - Enemy 0 today. The group was tested and we are even stronger than before. Move along, Satan...nothing for you here.
Gloria a Dios,
P.S. Rest easy, parents - while they all came back on different schedules, all the girls are back to health now and we are back to full battle strength. As for John's back...well, sorry Helen - your husband is just plain old! ;-)
This Just In...
Here are a few pictures from yesterday and today . . .
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| How many missionaries does it take to remove a concrete column? |
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| Progress! Three interior walls are rising for the school, medical clinic and water treatment system. In the back of the site is the current church. |
 |
| Yesterday was a relaxing day at the beach. Guess what the girls did? |
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| Tonight is Samaritans Feet. Pastor Brony will deliver a sermon to the crowd. Then the team will wash feet and distribute shoes. |
Monday, June 27, 2011
Day 6 -Don't tell anyone...
Hey, don't tell anybody this, but not every moment on a mission trip is sweat, toil, dirt, digging, mixing, lifting, grunting and groaning.
Some days, you get to go hang out in a park and run a vacation bible school for about 50-75 kids, sing songs, put on a play about fruits of the spirit, act goofy, do some coloring...and then head to the beach for a few hours and eat sandwiches, swim, play in the waves, look for crabs and snails in the rocks, chat under an umbrella, drink lemonade and watch the sea roll in. Indeed, there are times to simply sit back, gaze over God's creation, enjoy fellowship with your Christian brothers and sisters and ponder the wonderful situations He puts you in.
But, agsin - don't tell anybody, or someday every Christian will want to do this.
Hay, wait a minute................
Dios te bendiga
Some days, you get to go hang out in a park and run a vacation bible school for about 50-75 kids, sing songs, put on a play about fruits of the spirit, act goofy, do some coloring...and then head to the beach for a few hours and eat sandwiches, swim, play in the waves, look for crabs and snails in the rocks, chat under an umbrella, drink lemonade and watch the sea roll in. Indeed, there are times to simply sit back, gaze over God's creation, enjoy fellowship with your Christian brothers and sisters and ponder the wonderful situations He puts you in.
But, agsin - don't tell anybody, or someday every Christian will want to do this.
Hay, wait a minute................
Dios te bendiga
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Day 5 Update: Missionaries with Medications on the loose!
Today was medical clinic day in Haina, which as usual called for all hands on deck. Please don't tell the FDA, but the pharmacy was primarily staffed by a completely untrained/unlicensed pharmacist (Mike "Mr. Gower" Womack) an 11 year-old girl (Annabelle Boyd) and 13 year-old boy (Connor Regan).
Apart from that slight compliance-related oversight, it was quite a well-organized and efficient operation, run at the Haina community and cultural center around the corner from the worksite. By day's end, approximately 132 families (typically 4-6 per family) had been seen and treated by 10 volunteer Dominican doctors plus Woodside's own nursing angels Carrie Steele and Kami Schaal. The thing we can never forget about these days is that for the most part, the Dominicans who come to see our team during these visits are quite likely seeing a doctor for their one time all year. Between the care they received, the medications that were disbursed and the 600-odd personal healthcare kits handed to each visitor, we can take heart that we left Haina just a bit better than we found it this morning.
But one of my favorite observations: at the end of the day I noticed our security guard leading a group of local community center volunteers in prayer. That, folks, is why we do this.
Dios te bendiga!
Apart from that slight compliance-related oversight, it was quite a well-organized and efficient operation, run at the Haina community and cultural center around the corner from the worksite. By day's end, approximately 132 families (typically 4-6 per family) had been seen and treated by 10 volunteer Dominican doctors plus Woodside's own nursing angels Carrie Steele and Kami Schaal. The thing we can never forget about these days is that for the most part, the Dominicans who come to see our team during these visits are quite likely seeing a doctor for their one time all year. Between the care they received, the medications that were disbursed and the 600-odd personal healthcare kits handed to each visitor, we can take heart that we left Haina just a bit better than we found it this morning.
But one of my favorite observations: at the end of the day I noticed our security guard leading a group of local community center volunteers in prayer. That, folks, is why we do this.
Dios te bendiga!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Day 4 is in the books!
Wow!!!
That's about all there is to say after a day spent digging (turns out I lied yesterday - there was yet another trench to dig), filling, toting and dumping countless (but had to be thousands - go with us here...) of cement buckets and fixing three gigantic rebar columns into place. The inner walls of the church's school building in Haina are about to rise ( a little Book of Nehemiah, anybody?) and Pastor Brony is one happy fellow.
And that was just the beginning...the night finished with the the Woodside gang conducting a rather fine (if we do say so ourselves) Presbyterian service for our Dominican "hermanos y hermanas en Christo." Mike Womack delivered a terrific message on worry...and the joy of serving the Lord that is our best tool for overcoming it. The Woodside Singers delivered a nearly-convincing rendition of Trading My Sorrows in Spanish that (again, go with us here) totally rocked the joint.
And then, after a lovely benediction wherein we shared the Woodside tradition of holding hands across the sanctuary... the Dominicans finished with some worship of their own. Naturally we did not understand a single word of the song that their praise leader started singing, but it really didn't matter one iota...the drums and "cheese graters" (what are those things called anyway) started, Pastor Brony joined in on the electric guitar and the place was lost in dancing, clapping and praising in the humid Dominican night for a solid 20 minutes. My only regret is my misbehaving iPhone and inability to email photos. If you've never been to the DR or Haiti and seen how they throw down worship on Hispaniola, you owe it to yourself as a Christian someday. If you have...well, then I know were there with us tonight.
Medical clinic tomorrow. More then...
Gloria a Dios!
That's about all there is to say after a day spent digging (turns out I lied yesterday - there was yet another trench to dig), filling, toting and dumping countless (but had to be thousands - go with us here...) of cement buckets and fixing three gigantic rebar columns into place. The inner walls of the church's school building in Haina are about to rise ( a little Book of Nehemiah, anybody?) and Pastor Brony is one happy fellow.
And that was just the beginning...the night finished with the the Woodside gang conducting a rather fine (if we do say so ourselves) Presbyterian service for our Dominican "hermanos y hermanas en Christo." Mike Womack delivered a terrific message on worry...and the joy of serving the Lord that is our best tool for overcoming it. The Woodside Singers delivered a nearly-convincing rendition of Trading My Sorrows in Spanish that (again, go with us here) totally rocked the joint.
And then, after a lovely benediction wherein we shared the Woodside tradition of holding hands across the sanctuary... the Dominicans finished with some worship of their own. Naturally we did not understand a single word of the song that their praise leader started singing, but it really didn't matter one iota...the drums and "cheese graters" (what are those things called anyway) started, Pastor Brony joined in on the electric guitar and the place was lost in dancing, clapping and praising in the humid Dominican night for a solid 20 minutes. My only regret is my misbehaving iPhone and inability to email photos. If you've never been to the DR or Haiti and seen how they throw down worship on Hispaniola, you owe it to yourself as a Christian someday. If you have...well, then I know were there with us tonight.
Medical clinic tomorrow. More then...
Gloria a Dios!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Day 3 update
Sorry for the delaying posting here folks, but such are the vagaries of finding a healthy Internet connection on a mission trip!
Bottom line on today was......hot!!! Even the Dominicans and Foundation missionaries tell us it's been a cooker. But, with phillipians 1:1-11 in our hearts from last night's devotional, we went at it with the joy of it's all the Lord's work. And, Lord...did we work!
By the end of today, we had finished them trenching for four interior walls in the Haina church, bent rebar and constructed four main columns plus base plates and foundation grids - and passed into the concrete mixing phase of the project, to the familiar cries of "Mas concreto!" and the familiar site of a cubo (bucket) line. Tomorrow should be the first day we spend all our time building up instead of digging down.
We finished the day with an unexpected treat - a side-trip to San Miguel, where Woodside finished a project two years ago... Complete with a visit from our good friends Danny and Santo. Will email the reunion photos to my wife Kelli in hopes she can post them somewhere here. It was a real reminder of why we do this... To spread and share the love of Jesus and make friendships that will last into eternity with our Dominican hermanos y hermanas.
Thanks to all back home who are supporting and following us - you are loved and missed!
Dios te bendiga!
Bottom line on today was......hot!!! Even the Dominicans and Foundation missionaries tell us it's been a cooker. But, with phillipians 1:1-11 in our hearts from last night's devotional, we went at it with the joy of it's all the Lord's work. And, Lord...did we work!
By the end of today, we had finished them trenching for four interior walls in the Haina church, bent rebar and constructed four main columns plus base plates and foundation grids - and passed into the concrete mixing phase of the project, to the familiar cries of "Mas concreto!" and the familiar site of a cubo (bucket) line. Tomorrow should be the first day we spend all our time building up instead of digging down.
We finished the day with an unexpected treat - a side-trip to San Miguel, where Woodside finished a project two years ago... Complete with a visit from our good friends Danny and Santo. Will email the reunion photos to my wife Kelli in hopes she can post them somewhere here. It was a real reminder of why we do this... To spread and share the love of Jesus and make friendships that will last into eternity with our Dominican hermanos y hermanas.
Thanks to all back home who are supporting and following us - you are loved and missed!
Dios te bendiga!
Update and Scenes from San Miguel
I got a text from Dan last night and he said it was a great first day on the worksite:
"Tough day on the site today! All the men are beat to a pulp. We were digging trenches to start building the interior walls of the school. The day was spent digging through hard clay, big rocks, and of course, one hole at the end of the day that wasn't needed! But we have some serious workers here in his group not the least of whom is Kallie! That girl is a dynamo.
Last night after dinner the group had devotions on the roof, then went out for ice cream. Seems that a group also pulled out their mattresses and slept on the roof. Aaah, welcome to the DR.
The team ended up in San Miguel today. Here are some pictures:
Dios te bendiga...Kelli
"Tough day on the site today! All the men are beat to a pulp. We were digging trenches to start building the interior walls of the school. The day was spent digging through hard clay, big rocks, and of course, one hole at the end of the day that wasn't needed! But we have some serious workers here in his group not the least of whom is Kallie! That girl is a dynamo.
Last night after dinner the group had devotions on the roof, then went out for ice cream. Seems that a group also pulled out their mattresses and slept on the roof. Aaah, welcome to the DR.
The team ended up in San Miguel today. Here are some pictures:
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| Resting outside the Woodside-built medical clinic in San Miguel |
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| Hermanos! Bruce, Danny and Dan |
Dios te bendiga...Kelli
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
They've Arrived!
The sleepy, but excited, missionaries met in the parking lot of Woodside at 3:30 this morning. Bags were loaded on the bus, goodbye hugs shared with well-wishing family members and prayers offered for safe travels. The team arrived safely in Santo Domingo. Members of the host church in Haina greeted them with much fanfare. And the missionaries enjoyed the now-famous and much-anticipated corn pizza for lunch.
This afternoon involved getting settled at the house, catching up with Dominican friends and relaxing from the travel day. Tonight the team heads to Pastor Brony's church for a welcome church service.
Here are a couple pictures to enjoy. Stay tuned for more updates...
This afternoon involved getting settled at the house, catching up with Dominican friends and relaxing from the travel day. Tonight the team heads to Pastor Brony's church for a welcome church service.
Here are a couple pictures to enjoy. Stay tuned for more updates...
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| In the airport in Santo Domingo. Welcome committee complete with megaphone, singing and musical instruments. |
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| Relaxing on the porch at the FFP house, catching up with old friends: Sam. Connor, Jonathan, Francisco, Marcos and Michael. |
Arrival!
The team has arrived safe and sound - and speaking of sound, it was to the sound of our own personal Foundation for Peace welcome band at the airport. Everyone's unpacking, relaxing, getting to know one another and most importantly getting the room fans to work. Funny how quickly one's priorities change in the withering Dominican heat!
Heading to church in a few hours - really looking forward to another classic DR service. These people know how to worship the Lord and all He has done for us.
More later from your Woodside on-the-scene reporters...
Gloria a Dios!
Dan
Heading to church in a few hours - really looking forward to another classic DR service. These people know how to worship the Lord and all He has done for us.
More later from your Woodside on-the-scene reporters...
Gloria a Dios!
Dan
Monday, June 20, 2011
Preparations begin!
T-minus 29 hours to go and Woodsiders all over Bucks County are scurrying to wash clothes, clean out water bottles, pack bus snacks and buy last-minute necessities from toothpaste to deodorant (please people, tell me you're bringing deodorant!). Much work, worship and fellowship awaits us in Haina!
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