News & Articles

Here is a GREAT recap of our Family Mission Trip in the Dominican Republic.  If you will follow the link at the bottom, you will see more pictures of our team hard at work.

 

-Karen Murphy

 

A contemporary praise song by Lauren Daigle questions, when the waters don’t part, when the mountains don’t move, when my prayers seem unanswered, what then?  In life—and possibly in sharper focus on a mission trip—we often confront frustrations that leave us feeling stranded, facing uncrossable waters, or an insurmountable mountain of circumstances. The wood ordered a month previously for the construction project doesn’t arrive, a tropical downpour and power outage interrupts planned activities at the orphanage, the playground constructed with such care and effort won’t fit through the gate opening!

The mission teams from the Chinese Baptist Church and University Baptist Church faced these obstacles and more. Through it all they reached deeper into their faith and accessed resources of grace and patience that God provided. Dominican staff and American children and adults worked tirelessly and seamlessly to adjust and to finally overcome! Not just to survive, but to thrive in victory and with unity. They persevered and accomplished their goals.

Orphanage children at Monte Plata and Santiago were loved and blessed. Preschool children crawled and climbed over a new playground—even though at the last moment the team had to improvise and lift it over a wall! Children at Monte Plata received closets for the first time for their clothes, replacing ropes strung between bunk beds. And blessings flooded over children and caregivers—abundantly above all these children could ask or think. A room full of toys was purchased for the toddlers at the Santiago orphanage. At Monte Plata, they experienced an amazing gourmet feast of unique dishes of shrimp, fish, chicken, and the opportunity for house moms to learn new recipes.

During morning devotions Mark Lozuk, Director of International Ministry, reflected on the disciples who were caught in the storm when Jesus appeared. “Peace be still,” Jesus spoke. But it was through that storm that they came to know more about Jesus. “Truly He is the Son of God!” The downpour of rain, the wall that blocks delivery of a playground, and the obstacles and storms of our everyday lives force us to trust and rely on the God we proclaim to love and serve. Driven by need or desperation we dig deeply into His resources of grace, wisdom, strength, and patience. Finally, on the other side of our rivers and mountains, we recognize His presence in every situation, our faith stretches, and our trust grows.

Click here for more pictures and to follow Joanna’s Journal.

Bendiciones,

Yesenia Daniel
Associate Director of International Ministries
South Texas Children's Home Ministries