DR Day 7

Day 7 We spent packing and playing at Pico before leaving for our home stays in the city. We are down the mountain from the cold air at Pico. We have found the real heat of the Dominican! But despite weather we love being here with our Dominican friends playing games and doing ministry with them. We arrived just before noon in time for lunch with our hosts. We then headed to a local park to play basketball and vitilla. After we had played for a bit we headed back to chulo's for some dominos before heading out through the streets to invite kids to Vida Joven club that evening! And Vida Joven was awesome! Unlike any club in the states. Kids everywhere and poking their heads into the carport fence and into the streets. Unfortunately it was difficult to capture an adequate picture of it all because it was so dark but suffice it to say that even if we had double our amount of chairs we would still have people standing. Our kids got in on the games even though they had little idea of what was happening :). But laughter was all around. It's also just like God to work in this way - a quick story.

A kid named Kevin is here in the DR. We don't knowing of his back story except that he was born in the U.S. and has spent a few years there and a few years here in the DR. He is here visiting for the summer and found his way to Vida Joven last night for the first time. He speaks English and therefore we were able to tell him more about Vida Joven and more specifically about camp this summer at Pico. And he is pumped to go. In addition, our buddy that we have come to know these past 3 years, Michael, who now wants to go by Mike, has come by to visit us. We are trying to get him to camp for the first time this summer as well. Good things are happening here in the DR - God is most certainly on the move.

Today we will spend building relationships with the Dominicans and praying for their city - that God would do mighty mighty things here. Continue to pray for our team as the end comes near and with it, tired souls that are on edge. Also the heat is real here in town. At 10am this morning the weather app is saying its a "feels like" 91 with 80% humidity. Pretty different from the 60's currently being experienced in the Springs. Pray for strength to really reach out to our friends here and finish strong.

DR Day 5 and 6

Our last two work days were hard but very constructive. We made some great progress on the pool and were knocking out painting jobs left and right. You can check out progress on the pool on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres. The most exciting things have been hard to capture on camera and will even be hard to describe through a blog update. We have seen our kids really step out of their comfort zones and lean into having conversations with our Dominican friends - learning more about their stories and, for some, really pushing themselves to learn Spanish. In the midst of this our devotional times in the morning and evenings have been fantastic. Great conversation that we pray will really invade hearts and provide a lasting transformation that only the spirit can do. Last night we had our last evening at Pico celebrated with s'mores and a campfire. We have had an absolutely wonderful and memorable time here at Pico. And I think some could say they really met and saw God on this mountain. So thankful for this place, for the people here that just seem to overflow with the joy and love of Christ but most of all for a God that meets us in our searching.

Today we spend packing, going on the big YL swing and have a short prayer walk around camp before we leave for our home stays in La Vega. Continue to pray for our spirit of willingness and for our memory of Spanish to encourages us as we go and see what Vida Joven is doing in the midst of the city. It will most definitely be an exciting time!

Remember that WiFi may be spotty during our homestay. So the next time you hear from us may be from our last day the resort or in the airport - essentially from where ever I can get WiFi. But now I have to run to go catch some screaming kids on the giant swing!

DR Work Day 3 and Day 4

A little catch up is in order. Our work day on day 3 went smoothly. You can see some pictures of the progress around the pool where we continue to back fill the pool and cut out another spot in the side of the mountain for some bathrooms. In addition there are some pictures of our painting process that continues around camp to give camp a face lift for the campers that arrive in July. There were lots of sore muscles and the heat was real that day but we were surprised by an early end to the day in order to give us some rest for our tired bodies. But, despite the fatigue, spirits were high and many of our students stepped into conversations with the Dominicans we work with. It was a great day.

Day 4 was the sabbath day and therefore we had the entire day off from working around camp. Instead we were able to get to know our Dominican friends more. In the morning we took a hike just outside of camp up to a waterfall. A good 30-45 minute hike up and through the river to the base of the falls. Our kids loved it and the water was so refreshing. After the falls we returned to camp for some napping before heading to church. In the afternoon we all headed to church where we had a translator for the message that many of our students found very relatable. The message was about the things we attempt to fill our hearts with - attempting to find purpose or meaning to fill our hearts through work, electronics, friends, ministry, etc. but that in reality the only thing that fills, the only thing that quenches our thirst is God. Our students loved the service. That night we had some dance instructions from our Dominican friends. It was awkward but smiles all around as we attempted our best at mastering Dominican dance steps.

But in the midst of these awesome events the coolest thing to see happening with our group is continued unity as we work together. And even more so, the devotional times that we have had each morning and evening has been amazing. Good conversation about what it looks like to follow God and put him first in our life to what it means to trust in his provision and plan. Students have been leading these times for each other which has provided some growing experiences and provided good insightful topics and questions.

Continue to pray for our time. Today we begin work day number 4 and many of us are tired. Pray for stength and energy. Pray for joy to be felt in the midst of the work understanding that we are not just painting or moving dirt but that we are truly preparing a place for the love of Christ to be felt this summer. That the dirt we move may just become the place someone sits and meets Christ. In addition, continue to pray for the team to grow together in order to go even deeper in our conversations about Christ in our life. And continue to pray for encouragement to step into Spanish in order to show love to our Dominican workers here at camp.

DR Work Day - 2

Our second day of work was another great one. It was a slow wake up but we made it to the construction site. Day two is usually when we start to see the turn in our students willingness to reach out and try Spanish with our Dominican friends. And this year didn't disappoint. Our kids tried their best to speak Spanish during construction and of course that comes with some teasing both ways and laughter. But the best part was at durning our short break after lunch and our kids started to teach our DR friends some of the games they know from home. So an international game of ninja was formed and a bunch of other "line waiting" games. It seriously was awesome with smiles and laughter on faces. After work finished we went to a local river near camp for swimming, which our team hooted and hollered about! They had a blast. We followed that with many games of signs and devotionals that night. It was a great day. We look forward to what will happen today as students begin to become even more comfortable with their surroundings, with our hosts, and with the Dominican workers here at Pico. Pray for those walls to be broken down. That the reason we have come in person is because of the chance for relationship to happen - the work and building is secondary to that call. Again you can see pictures and some videos on http://www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres

DR Work Day 1

We discovered our jobs for the week. We will be back filling the new pool here at Pico with mounds and mounds of earth. In addition, we are sanding and refinishing a fence that surrounds the camp. One of YL's mottos is that everything speaks - to the paint on fences down to the way forks are laid out. Here in the DR camp may be the equivalent to Disneyland in terms of its upkeep and presentation just because of some of what the day to day looks like for the youth that come here. It's a blessing and amazing to be apart of that story of these youth. Our Colorado students are feeling that impact - they are feeling that they truly are having a hand in youth meeting Christ at Pico by the work they are doing with a shovel and a paint brush. Work went well and we are making some serious progress. We finished the day by going into town, Jarabaoca, for the chicken man and some ice cream. They all loved the pollo and of course loved the ice cream as well - even though that was quite the experience trying to order and figure out the flavors. It was a great day, and now, we get ready to repeat it. A bunch of our Dominican friends are back working alongside us this year which is wonderful. Today we will try to push ourselves out of our comfort zones to struggle through any Spanglish we can muster up. Keep praying for us to leave the comfort of English and the ease of talking to one another. Pray for strength and energy as we go back to moving dirt, painting and working in the sun. Great times and great laughs have already been had - it's so great to be back.

DR 2015 Team Has Arrived

The DR 2015 Team has safely arrived at Pico Escondido. We have had a quick orientation and some free time to learn just how much you sweat playing basketball here and all about what real tropical insects actually are like :). We are about to sit down to dinner with our Dominican friends and our YL work boss's. It's great watching those that have been in the past include and introduce this wonderful place and these wonderful people to those who are here for the first time. We are excited for our week! Tomorrow we learn what exactly will be doing for our work projects while we are here. Until next time!