"...I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now..." - Philippians 1:4-5
Generoso and Yesica are the Dominican "Brady Bunch". A few years back, they married each other and brought 5 boys together that are now proud to call each other "brothers". Generoso serves on the G.O. construction crew while Yesica cooks for groups while finishing up her nursing degree. Their sons; Isidro, David, Billy, Willy and Alexis are your typical Dominican boys that all want to grow up and be professional baseball players.
Beechland Baptist Church from Louisville, Kentucky, is a church that has a great desire to be intentional in serving outside their walls by partnering with the worldwide Church. As soon as they stepped foot into the Dominican Republic and heard Generoso and Yesica's story, they fell in love because they saw a family willing to serve Jesus in their own country.
You might think this is a one way relationship because Generoso's family is the one receiving the "help", but if you have the privilege of watching this group of people get together to fellowship with one another, you would immediately recognize what the "Brady Bunch" does for this church across the ocean in Kentucky. They share a partnership in the gospel that breaks down all cultural and language barriers. That's why their relationship is "mutually transformational". Thank you Beechland and Generoso for your example to all of us of what it means to be The Church!
"Here am I Lord, send me" - Isaiah 6:8
Some five years ago a girl named Becky decided to come on a short term trip to serve in Santiago, Dominican Republic for a week. She got her hands dirty working construction, she stepped out of her comfort zone while testing her spanish and she dove into the culture as a seed was being planted in her heart. When she went back to the States, her and a friend decided to bring their youth group from a church called Cornerstone in Albany, Georgia, so they could experience serving in a foreign country. Two years ago, she decided to leave her roots behind and move to the Dominican to serve as a teacher at a school in Santiago. Her desire; to see students come to know Christ in an intimate way. This past summer, her youth group returned and was able to see what Becky's life of service is like in Santiago. A short term trip changed Becky's life and when God needed a servant at Santiago Christian School, Becky said, "Here am I Lord, send me"! Thank you, Becky, for your willingness to go where God has called you!
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-" - John 10-14
Stepping into a well established church as a new pastor would be a difficult position to be in. This year, Pastor Mark Amspaugh, took a position at Dalton First Church of the Nazarene in Dalton, Georgia (Audrey's home church established in 1930). A mission trip to the Dominican Republic was already on the schedule and Pastor Mark decided to jump on board. Personally, I couldn't think of a better way to get to know your congregation than removing yourself from your "every day" life and distractions and serving alongside the members of your church. Mark got to see the heart of his congregation at work on the construction site as well as their personalities while hanging out in the dorm rooms. On the flip side, the long standing members of DFN had the privilege of serving with their pastor and getting to know him on a personal level. As missionaries, Audrey and I gazed with smiles on our faces as we saw a church we love grow deeper in affection for one another while the nucleus of DFN became stronger. Thank you Pastor Mark and DFN for giving us a beautiful example of what it looks like for a shepherd to know and love his sheep.
"Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." - Romans 12:13
Stephanie, from Louisville, Kentucky, had been looking for a church to call home. She had been visiting a place called Revolution for some time and really enjoyed all that God was doing through the church. Eventhough she had not yet become a member of Revolution, she signed up to go on a short term mission trip with the church to the Dominican Republic with G.O. Ministries. Throughout the week, it was obvious that the other members of the group shared a great appreciation and love for Stephanie. Because of the nature of a trip like this, they were able to get to know one another more by sharing their stories and gaining a deep respect for one another as they worked to dig holes for a medical facility in a third world country. By the end of the week, Stephanie shared with the group that she had not yet felt that Revolution was her home church, but after spending time with such hospitable and loving group of people, her need to find a home church had been filled. Thank you Revolution for practicing your hospitality towards the people from your own community even though you were thounsands of miles from home! You are a stronger church today because of your love for Stephanie!
"Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop..." - Matthew 13:8
For the past 15 years a group of men and women have been coming to the D.R. to do a basketball camp for the community of Hoya del Caimito. It is an intense week of basketball fundamentals, games, competitions, testimonies and challenges. Whenever a member of the American group gets up to speak to the campers, the heart of the message always centers around that fact that we all love basketball, but Jesus is the focus of the camp. A guy named Dewin has participated in this camp for many years as a kid, but now has taken on a different role. After the camp is over, we put on a 5 week basketball league for the kids and Dewin served this year as a coach/mentor. His team won the championship this year and you could see his passion for the game and his kids from a mile away. This past Sunday, Dewin decided to commit his life to Christ. For years he has participated in that summer camp and heard message after message about how much Jesus loves him. Those words encouraged him to seek others from his community that are Christians and ask difficult questions. After years of asking questions and searching for answers, Dewin laid his life down at the cross and that seed that was planted so many years ago has now begun to produce a crop! Thank you to all of you that have come on the basketball trip over the last 15 years. You planted a seed, others watered it and God is making it grow!
... for I am among you as one who serves." - Luke 22:27
I love overseas missions because it lights a fire under all of us to go back home and serve the people within our own communities. Several weeks ago a man named Billy from Kankakee, Illinois, brought a group of young adults to the Dominican for a mission trip with River Valley Christian Fellowship. Billy works with Youth for Christ and has discipled and trained up leaders from the Kankakee area. It was such a blessing to watch his interaction with the people in his group. They respect his leadership so much because he has invested in their lives and challenged them to be faithful followers of Christ and leaders in their own communities. Billy lead his crew down here to get them out of their daily routine for a week so they could serve people they had never even met before. Watching them love the children of Hato del Yaque and help build a ministry center for the community was a beautiful thing to watch. What I loved most about this group of young adults was their willingness to whatever was needed. Many times we all get caught up in working towards gaining position or some sort of recognition, but as I watched this group all week, I was reminded of Jesus' words in Luke 22:27, "...for I am among you as one who serves". Instead of wasting time trying to fight over a postion at the table, what would it look like if we just served those around us? If the King of Kings came to do so, I think we should be able to humble ourselves enough to follow. Thank you Billy and all of you from Youth for Christ for being so willing to take what you learned in the D.R. back home with you and put it into practice with those that live in your community!
Why short term mission trips? Because we are blessed when we join God at work all around the world and He just might change your life forever in just a week's time in a foreign land!
