we have started our work at Pico Escondido. One thing that has just been amazing is the ability to return year after year. Each year we get to see projects that have been completed by other teams after we have left. The biggest change has been the pool area that we have been working on for the past two years. Take a look through the Instagram or Facebook pictures to see what the finished project looks like. It truly is amazing!
This year we are working on a few projects. One project has been some beautification/upkeep of the camp entrance gates that are the first thing campers will see upon arriving at camp. Another project was mixing lots of wheelbarrows of concrete to make a drainage ditch outside of camp to help protect the road to camp from rain runoff. That project was completed on our second day of work. Our third project is building a gazebo at the challenge course carrying cement blocks, mortar, and concrete up a steep hill by hand and buckets. We joke each year with our DR friends about what the work is that we will be doing at Pico as it always seems to incorporate lots of concrete work. But our kids are seasoned and willing to do whatever is needed to make this camp speak loudly about the love of Christ. And many hands make concrete work easier. The positive of concrete work and painting is you really get to see major progress at the end of a very hard week of work.
We have filled our free time with walking to the corner market for DR coke (made with cane sugar), ice cream and cookies - but it's well deserved with how hard our daily work is. And last night we had our yearly DR dancing lesson which always produces lots of smiles and laughter. Good memories are being made.
In the midst of all the temporal things we are building and the sweets we are enjoying some eternal is also being built thru team debreifs and our time spent with the Lord each day. Pray over this moments. Pray for the Spirit to enter into our hearts and command our attention to the work he is calling us into. Pray for our team to hear Gods voice and to be overwhelmed with Gods love for us. Pray also for strength and patience today as our bodies are tired and our muscles are sore. Pray for our attitudes as tired bodies and minds can produce sharp responses.
We are grateful for the ability to be a part of what God is doing here in the DR! The team thanks you for your continued support and your prayers for us. Until next time!
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
DR Update - Homestays
First a quick apology for the first blog update coming after about the first 4 days in the DR. This year we have started our time in the DR in our Homestays. This has made it nearly impossible to find the opportunity to post an update and the WiFi has been a little spotty. When you have returned year after year our close Dominican friends have a lot of catching up to do from the moment we wake up to the minute our heads pass out on the pillow. We are so incredibly grateful for this partnership! God is on the move in La Vega and it is so evident by the story's of his provision and the transformation happening in the lives of our VJ friends. Wally is now the Area Director for La Vega and is doing an incredible job. He lives just a street over from Chulo and has begun leading Club in the backyard of his home with his new wife of 2-weeks Anna. As others in La Vega have told me, the work of Vida Joven is making God famous and it's awesome to see! We met Manuel this year, a new Vida Joven friend, that has just come to Christ in the last year due to the work of Vida Joven. He will have his first camp experience this summer in July.
The Homestay was amazing and has so much more to say. But our favorite part of the stay came on the morning of our departure to camp. Yesterday morning we traveled to a women's home, Jeanie, who has been partnering with the La Vega VJ team to host club in the street in front of her home. Wally has told us that she is very poor and does whatever she can to earn money to feed her family of six kids - who are adorable by the way. So he wanted to do something that would bless her that would say thank you for her gifts of storing the VJ chairs for club and allowing them to use her electricity to run the music for club. He found out the she doesn't have a bathroom in her home and has had to ask her neighbors to borrow theirs. Wally took the opportunity of having us in town to build her a bathroom to bless her. And it was awesome! Although we were not able to finish the build for the lack of time, we were able to start the project, pay for the project and pray over the work happening in this home. So so grateful for this partnership.
Today we start work at the camp and I'm being yelled at to grab some breakfast. Until next time. Check the Instagram account for pictures. Www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres
The Homestay was amazing and has so much more to say. But our favorite part of the stay came on the morning of our departure to camp. Yesterday morning we traveled to a women's home, Jeanie, who has been partnering with the La Vega VJ team to host club in the street in front of her home. Wally has told us that she is very poor and does whatever she can to earn money to feed her family of six kids - who are adorable by the way. So he wanted to do something that would bless her that would say thank you for her gifts of storing the VJ chairs for club and allowing them to use her electricity to run the music for club. He found out the she doesn't have a bathroom in her home and has had to ask her neighbors to borrow theirs. Wally took the opportunity of having us in town to build her a bathroom to bless her. And it was awesome! Although we were not able to finish the build for the lack of time, we were able to start the project, pay for the project and pray over the work happening in this home. So so grateful for this partnership.
Today we start work at the camp and I'm being yelled at to grab some breakfast. Until next time. Check the Instagram account for pictures. Www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Arkorado 4.0 - 2015
Apologies for this being the very first blog update for our trip here in McGehee! We have completed two of our four work days and are even more excited for the next two. This years time in AR has looked a bit different because of some changes in personnel from the last years. If you have kept up with out last trips you know that we started this trip to work with FPC McGehee because of a family connection between the head pastor Kenny and our children's pastor in COS Danny Shaw. Kenny is no longer at FPC after spending a number of years in AR. But the connections that fostered between our youth group at this amazing town have continued to thrive. We've continued in our partnership with FPC McGehee thru our many evening fellowship nights like Ice Cream Supper, a cookout at Chicot State park and contributing to worship in the service this past Sunday. What has changed is our connection the community has grown more central. Kenny was the liaison for our work projects during our stay - this trip that role has shifted to a new person in the community, Tommy Carroll, who is the director of the Girls and Boys club. It has been an amazing partnership!!! Because of Tommy's willingness to work with us we have also been able to include the kids and the BGC into the things we are doing here, from working on some construction of picnic tables and a wheelchair ramp, to caring for a community garden, to today's amazing adventure of visiting a special needs school in Arkansas City - a town of 356 ppl. This is the same school that Charles Graham's, the home base host and community contact for Dermott, brother attends. We visited with them and sang some songs with them which was amazing. One song in particular got all of these wonderful friends to their feet clapping and signing along!!! I wish we could have got a video of it as the entire room, our COS team, a group of 7 BGC kids and these wonderful friends at the school sang loudly about wanting to be nowhere else than in the arms of Jesus' love! Powerful.
That's probably a lot for today and a bit disjointed as it's the first post with about half the trip completed. One thing that seems to keep being preached to us through our interactions with our friends here is the power of the ministry of presence. What we construct is meaningless in comparison to what God constructs thru our willingness to be sent. One day the picnic table will need to be replaced but these friendships and memories being made will last forever.
Until next time - continue to pray for our U.S. To step out of our comfort zones and to continue to open our hearts to Jesus' leading.
-Scott
That's probably a lot for today and a bit disjointed as it's the first post with about half the trip completed. One thing that seems to keep being preached to us through our interactions with our friends here is the power of the ministry of presence. What we construct is meaningless in comparison to what God constructs thru our willingness to be sent. One day the picnic table will need to be replaced but these friendships and memories being made will last forever.
Until next time - continue to pray for our U.S. To step out of our comfort zones and to continue to open our hearts to Jesus' leading.
-Scott
Thursday, June 18, 2015
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
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!
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!
Monday, June 15, 2015
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.
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.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
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
Friday, June 12, 2015
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.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
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!
Friday, July 25, 2014
Arkorado 3.0 - Returning Home
We've missed many days of updates on the blog due to all the great, but exhausting, work we've been doing this year. It has been another amazing year in Arkansas where God has touched us and this community in amazing and transformative ways. Tomorrow we begin our last leg of driving from Oklahoma City to First Pres Colorado Springs. And due to the lack of updates make note of asking these team members to tell you about this wonderful people :: Kenny and Sarah Shaw, Rubye and Leroy Emerson, Cindy And Don Smith, Justin, Jason Martin, Charles Graham, Sandra and Alana, Jason Curtis and the Deer camp, and many other amazing people in McGehee! Also ask them about our final night together at the Oklahoma City Memorial Garden.
Blessed to be a part of these students journey with Christ! Thank you for entrusting us with their care and well-being. Pray for our remaining journey tomorrow! We shall see you all soon.
-Scott
Blessed to be a part of these students journey with Christ! Thank you for entrusting us with their care and well-being. Pray for our remaining journey tomorrow! We shall see you all soon.
-Scott
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Arkorado 3.0 - Day 3
Another fabulous day today here in McGehee! We celebrated the sabbath well today with food and fellowship! This morning kicked off the festivities with a potluck style nreakfast with the McGehee folks. After that we joined them for church where our own Nate Stratman and a few of our students took parts in contributing to the experience. From there we prepared for our evening activity - the grand ice cream social. The change this year is that we made our own ice cream. Seems like a simple event but like one of our awesome students observed - us being here and McGehee FPC providing the space and vision for this evening allowed for many different people from different walks of life to gather under the same room that really wouldn't happen at other times of the year. We spent time laughing, encouraging and experiencing life here in the south. We even got to see some of our friends from the Methodist church and our friends from the Vera Llyod home. It really was a great way to start off our work week which begins bright and early tomorrow morning at 5:40am. On that note good night for now.
-Scott
Again, be sure to check out pictures and follow us on www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres or on Facebook.
-Scott
Again, be sure to check out pictures and follow us on www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres or on Facebook.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Arkorado 3.0 - Day 2
Day 2 started of great! Jack, our contact at First Presbyterian Church Oklahoma City, spent the morning visiting with us as we prepared for the rest of our drive. Before we left he gave us a your of their beautiful church filled with gorgeous stained glass windows. Pray prayers of thanksgiving over this church that have transformed their entire basement into a space for teams from around the country that are providing disaster relief in OK or that are passing through like us. It truly is awesome to see the body of Christ coming together like this - even over a simple thing like an overnight stop - it allows our youth the chance to see what other churches are doing in the kingdom! AWESOME!
After Jack saw us off we hit the road for our remaing 6 or so hour drive. And it was uneventful, which is great! Means no flat tires or anything of the like. On the great note - kids were filed with excitement that we would be arriving in McGehee later that evening and finally get the chance to see these people that we have been talking about for months.
When we arrived safely in McGehee we went straight to the Lucky's house who opened up their home to these stir crazy teens for swimming, tennis, and a place to get their first taste of southern fried chicken...mmm mmm good! On an added bonus, Zach's birthday is today! COS and McGehee combined together in celebration for his special day. Our college and Ark friends got a cake and Zach's parents sent some fun bday celebration gifts. Just was awesome to see a family singing together that spreads across state lines. If this coming together over a bday is signs of what is to come, then I couldn't be more excited for this week!!!!
More to come! For Zach's bday pic check out our instagram account http://www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres
-Scott
After Jack saw us off we hit the road for our remaing 6 or so hour drive. And it was uneventful, which is great! Means no flat tires or anything of the like. On the great note - kids were filed with excitement that we would be arriving in McGehee later that evening and finally get the chance to see these people that we have been talking about for months.
When we arrived safely in McGehee we went straight to the Lucky's house who opened up their home to these stir crazy teens for swimming, tennis, and a place to get their first taste of southern fried chicken...mmm mmm good! On an added bonus, Zach's birthday is today! COS and McGehee combined together in celebration for his special day. Our college and Ark friends got a cake and Zach's parents sent some fun bday celebration gifts. Just was awesome to see a family singing together that spreads across state lines. If this coming together over a bday is signs of what is to come, then I couldn't be more excited for this week!!!!
More to come! For Zach's bday pic check out our instagram account http://www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres
-Scott
Friday, July 18, 2014
Arkorado 3.0 - Day 1
Our first travel day went off without a hitch. A great first day of breaking down walls with strangers your sharing a very small can with for 9 hours does the trick! Roads were clear and made good time for a stop at our favorite OKC mall for dinner and a little shopping. Thankful for the hospitality here at First Presbyterian Church of Oklahoma City for opening up their space to us! Even have real beds!!!! That was a wonderfully surprise! That's all for now - tomorrow we make are way down to the great town of McGehee, Arkansas! So excited!!!
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Dominican Republic 2014 - Day 5
Today marks our last work day at Pico Escondido. It was a very mentally and physically exhausting day. We were/are all very tired from mixing cement by hand - something we did yet again today. However, in the midst of that difficulty we were joyful and conversions were filled with laughter. Something great about cement work is that even though the work is hard, our progress at the end of the week is very obvious. While we didn't complete the entire amphitheater during our stay here we only left one step left unfinished. You can have a look at our before/after picture on Instagram.
We were able to end our work day early and spend some time in conversation about our pursuit of Christ while stretching our very tight and sore muscles. From there we finished the night around a campfire making s'mores. Not quite the same as the states - the chocolate has peanuts and raisins in it and the crackers are your traditional graham cracker - but as I am writing this I can hear much laughter over Spanglish that's being spoken and three different communities of believers coming together for one common purpose - to see Christ glorified. It's awesome! Our students have fallen in love with this place. It has allowed for walls to be broken between our team members and between two nations.
With that we look forward to a later start tomorrow as we head to our home stays. It's going to be a interesting experience this time around as it will be both our team of 10 and the other team at Pico (a team of 29) headed to Chulo's small town of La Vega. Pray for our teams to continue to have patiences with one another. Pray for Chulo and his leaders that are hosting all these Americans, that patience and meaningful relationships can be formed. Pray for the unexpected and uncertain to bring a response of willingness rather than bitterness.
We are all really looking forward to our home stays and getting a chance to truly spend time with a bunh of Dominicans. With that, internet connectivity will be uncertain these next two days. It all hinges in whether the internet is working at Chulo's house. If it isn't working, we should have internet at the hotel in a couple days.
With that, continue to cover us in your prayers for health, safety, and most of all - for Gods spirit to be evident in our lives.
-Scott
As always, check for pictures on www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres
We were able to end our work day early and spend some time in conversation about our pursuit of Christ while stretching our very tight and sore muscles. From there we finished the night around a campfire making s'mores. Not quite the same as the states - the chocolate has peanuts and raisins in it and the crackers are your traditional graham cracker - but as I am writing this I can hear much laughter over Spanglish that's being spoken and three different communities of believers coming together for one common purpose - to see Christ glorified. It's awesome! Our students have fallen in love with this place. It has allowed for walls to be broken between our team members and between two nations.
With that we look forward to a later start tomorrow as we head to our home stays. It's going to be a interesting experience this time around as it will be both our team of 10 and the other team at Pico (a team of 29) headed to Chulo's small town of La Vega. Pray for our teams to continue to have patiences with one another. Pray for Chulo and his leaders that are hosting all these Americans, that patience and meaningful relationships can be formed. Pray for the unexpected and uncertain to bring a response of willingness rather than bitterness.
We are all really looking forward to our home stays and getting a chance to truly spend time with a bunh of Dominicans. With that, internet connectivity will be uncertain these next two days. It all hinges in whether the internet is working at Chulo's house. If it isn't working, we should have internet at the hotel in a couple days.
With that, continue to cover us in your prayers for health, safety, and most of all - for Gods spirit to be evident in our lives.
-Scott
As always, check for pictures on www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres
Monday, June 16, 2014
Dominican Republic 2014 - Day 3 and 4
We have a little catching up to do! Yesterday we were able to take a day of rest! So thankful for that time to allow our sore muscles and backs to take some time off and enjoy conversations with each other and the Dominicans. We started the day off by sleeping in - only and additional hour but when your mixing cement all day we will take what they allow. Then we took the morning to hike up to the near by waterfall - the same hike we took last year - and it was just as awesome! There's nothing like better to allow for some team bonding then wading thru a river, climbing up and down rocks, and encouraging one another along the way. All of which is summed up by a wonderful waterfall with some low cliff jumping into the deep pool below. Watching some of students encourage our teammate who is afraid of heights was awesome - Caroline, with the others encouraging and helping her, climbed up the short path and took the plunge. It was a great memory for Caroline and our team included. We finished the day by attending a local church that is in Spanish and English. An experience that many our team said they really enjoyed and where impacted by! Do remember to ask them about this - about the worship, the people in the congregation, the message, and the overall experience.
Today we started off another work day. The crazy twist to today was that some people had the option to hike up to the top of the mountain to watch the sunrise - which meant a 3:30 wake up time! It was a extremely exhausting experience I'm told. Turned out to be a 4hr round trip hike for some. I'm told it was comparable to hiking the incline at it's hardest point...twice...and for 2hrs. Yikes. Our learning curve for this next year is to plan it on a day that we don't have hard work to do - our team was exhausted by cookie break (10:00am) :). Lesson learned. After our work day ended we headed to the much anticipated chicken man and ice cream run. Some other highlights of the day were getting to spend some time with Aldo and Raffa - two important people in the life of Vida Joven and two people that have made a few trips out to HSM on Sunday mornings. Finally we finished the night by learning a few cultural dances.
It truly has been a blessed two additional days. Our students each morning have been the ones leading our devotions and they have rocked. Seriously! Your kids are amazing! I'd encourage you to allow them to lead you in a devotional time some day. In addition to our devo time in the morning, we also close each day in a group discussion and debrief. It has been rich discussion focused on many topics centered around our pursuit of following Christ. Last nights discussion was on the call to produce fruit and what that looks like/why it's difficult. And I was yet again blown away at their honesty and ability to look into their lives at where fruit is or isn't happening. A time of reflection focused upon Gods work and our willingness is a powerful thing.
I know that I and Christy are both extremely blessed to be a part of these students journey. Thank you for that honor and trust. With that I must go - missing out on the dancing lessons. And looking ahead, just one more day of work before we get to so life with Chulo in La Vega during our home stay.
-Scott
Again for pictures check www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres or follow us
Today we started off another work day. The crazy twist to today was that some people had the option to hike up to the top of the mountain to watch the sunrise - which meant a 3:30 wake up time! It was a extremely exhausting experience I'm told. Turned out to be a 4hr round trip hike for some. I'm told it was comparable to hiking the incline at it's hardest point...twice...and for 2hrs. Yikes. Our learning curve for this next year is to plan it on a day that we don't have hard work to do - our team was exhausted by cookie break (10:00am) :). Lesson learned. After our work day ended we headed to the much anticipated chicken man and ice cream run. Some other highlights of the day were getting to spend some time with Aldo and Raffa - two important people in the life of Vida Joven and two people that have made a few trips out to HSM on Sunday mornings. Finally we finished the night by learning a few cultural dances.
It truly has been a blessed two additional days. Our students each morning have been the ones leading our devotions and they have rocked. Seriously! Your kids are amazing! I'd encourage you to allow them to lead you in a devotional time some day. In addition to our devo time in the morning, we also close each day in a group discussion and debrief. It has been rich discussion focused on many topics centered around our pursuit of following Christ. Last nights discussion was on the call to produce fruit and what that looks like/why it's difficult. And I was yet again blown away at their honesty and ability to look into their lives at where fruit is or isn't happening. A time of reflection focused upon Gods work and our willingness is a powerful thing.
I know that I and Christy are both extremely blessed to be a part of these students journey. Thank you for that honor and trust. With that I must go - missing out on the dancing lessons. And looking ahead, just one more day of work before we get to so life with Chulo in La Vega during our home stay.
-Scott
Again for pictures check www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres or follow us
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Dominican Republic - Day 2
Today is the end of work day number two in the DR. And it was another hard days work in the sun mixing and laying more concrete for the amphitheater. But our team did it with joy, while attempting to get to know the Dominican workers that are working alongside us. Names are being learned by both sides and thus much joking is taking place :). If you remember one of our worker friends from last year joba (sp?), his young daughter Lady loved spending time with our team, especially Bethany. Lady is again around camp helping translate, lift shovels of cement and loving our girls, and our girls are loving her right back.
Our team quit working early today to take a short visit to a local orphanage or Casa de Ninos. Unfortunately the director was not there, so we were unable to learn about the ministry happening there. But we had a great time playing baseball, soccer, and painting the nails of the young girls. Our team loved it. Now it is time for dinner. Tomorrow we get a break from working to hike up to a nearby waterfall. Should be yet another fantastic day. Oh, and our Spanish is getting better :).
Continue to pray for our health and safety. And for our teams confidence in attempting to speak Spanish - especially as we prepare for our home stay.
Until tomorrow,
-Scott
P.S. Pictures again will be posted to Instagram of today's activities :: www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres
Our team quit working early today to take a short visit to a local orphanage or Casa de Ninos. Unfortunately the director was not there, so we were unable to learn about the ministry happening there. But we had a great time playing baseball, soccer, and painting the nails of the young girls. Our team loved it. Now it is time for dinner. Tomorrow we get a break from working to hike up to a nearby waterfall. Should be yet another fantastic day. Oh, and our Spanish is getting better :).
Continue to pray for our health and safety. And for our teams confidence in attempting to speak Spanish - especially as we prepare for our home stay.
Until tomorrow,
-Scott
P.S. Pictures again will be posted to Instagram of today's activities :: www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres
Friday, June 13, 2014
Dominican Republic 2014 - Day 1
The first day of hard and hot work has been completed and the team is doing great! We mixed concrete for most of the day to build an amphitheater that will become their club meeting space at Pico (something that they don't currently have). It truly is a blessing to watch this team interact with Dominicans as they struggle thru speaking Spanish. In the end much laughing takes place and even in the midst of translation relational connections and jokes can be made. We are loving it. Tonight we are gathering together with the other team from the states for a time of worship followed by Wally's testimony. This place truly is a place of love and compassion. Continue to pray for our health and safety, especially for our backs - Cement work is HARD work. But most of all, continue to pray for real relationships to form founded on a mutual love for Christ! Again, you can find some pics at www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres.
-Scott
-Scott
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Hola from Pico Escondido!
Our team has arrived safely at the Young Life camp Pico Escondido! Just a short van ride, a stop for hot dogs for lunch and we pulled through the gates of this wonderful place where many Dominicans have and will continue to meet Jesus for the first time. There is an awesome group of summer staffers from the states that are here with welcoming arms and helpful translators. Another large group from the states will be joining us tomorrow. We are so ready for this and excited to jump into the work that God is doing here. It's problematic to post pictures here due to internet connection - so you'll be able to find pics on our Instagram account. www.instagram.com/hsmfirstpres.
That's all for now - we will catch you tomorrow deep in sweat and working hard!
-Scott
That's all for now - we will catch you tomorrow deep in sweat and working hard!
-Scott
DR Team Safe in Newark
The DR 2014 team has safely landed in NJ. Soon we will be boarded for our flight into the DR. We are looking forward to catching up with our Vida Joven (young life) hosts and driving to our new home for the next week, Pico Escondido. Excited to get on the ground!
Our team is talkative - even for 5am colorado time - and beginning to gel well together. This is going to be a great trip. Excited for God to be at work in us and through us!
Catch you in the DR!
Our team is talkative - even for 5am colorado time - and beginning to gel well together. This is going to be a great trip. Excited for God to be at work in us and through us!
Catch you in the DR!
Sunday, June 9, 2013
La Vega
Hello everybody, we are in Lavega with my friend Chulo. We went to club last night and had a great evening in Barranca. Today we went to church And our kids got a taste of some good ol baptist preaching. It has been fun to watch our kids play dominoes, baseball and walk to the colmado for Coke. We leave in the morning to head to Santo Domingo for one day to relax before we fly out. Our team continues to work hard have fun and really experience the bigness of God. We get up early in the morning for our devotionals breakfast and a time to process the whole experience. It has been so cool to see our students interact with all kinds of incredible people. Not having computers and cell phones has made this experience genuine and rich.
God is good
God is good
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