Hatillo

Praises and Prayers:

1.       Our team was safe during the political strike. The only evidence of a strike I saw was a burning tire in the road one afternoon. Please pray for peace in the DR in the future. For wisdom for the government.

2.       God blessed the logistics last week with the 80 people and with all the translations for the VBS. In the end 2 new chapels were built and 40 new benches. Pray that God would bless the churches that have been built so far this summer. (7 chapels in different locations)

3.       Please pray that the last 3 weeks I am here God would bless our ministry. That he would be glorified in all that we do.

4.       Please pray for the next two groups. One is from Iowa and one is from Florida.

5.       Pray that God would provide opportunities to share with others what He is doing. Pray that I would not grow tired and weary. 



My sweet friend Crisbel. 

I hope that you are all doing well and enjoying the summer months! Last week, a group of 80 people was here from Hopkington, MA. God blessed last week in so many ways.  I worked with the group that built a chapel in Hatillo. Hatillo is a neighborhood in a nearby city called San Cristobal. Last summer Hatillo was the first place where the interns went and took down a 15-year-old chapel. Now there is a playground in its place and God is doing many neat things.  Rosalena is a wonderful lady that runs the school there. Noe, the TIME site director, and his brother-in-law Anibal are the pastors for a service on Sunday nights for the youth. Many children and youth are learning more about Jesus’ love through these ministries. Before the youth had to meet outside, but now they have a new chapel for them.



The kids at Hatillo playing hot potato with a beach ball



One of my favorite memories from last week was helping build the foundation for the chapel. The night before the foundation I felt worried that I didn’t have enough strength to do the work. God reminded me that “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.-Just as the son of man, Jesus, did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus performed the ultimate sacrifice for us and that is why it is a joy to serve him. I was able to build great friendships that day with some of the team from Boston. We had to carry 250 blocks of cement and many buckets of cement and mortar down a hill.  It was challenging, but SO fun!



The view from above of the completed foundation



During the week we also had a VBS in the afternoons at Hatillo. I had originally thought that I would have to translate the Bible story, but the Boston team ended up having an excellent translator. One day as the translator Evan was praying, the kids started repeating the words after him. J After VBS one day the kids started playing on the playground. They were going down the slide so fast! It was fun to see them play with such joy and happiness.



Kids at the playground