Dominican Republic Mission Trip: 2023

Day One

After a very long day of travel yesterday, complete with multiple flight delays (including one of more than 4 hours), Christopher and I, along with our mission team, made it to the Dominican Republic early this morning.

We had planned to try to make it to a local church service this morning but considering we wound up not making it into our beds until nearly 5:00 a.m., that didn't happen. But that's how mission trips work; you have to be flexible and roll with the punches.

After sleeping in, today has been a great day of rest in preparation for the next few days of work on the ground. Mission of Hope has a great campus here in Jarabacoa with a beautiful view of the mountains.

There's also a great playground for the kids which Christopher has really enjoyed with his new friends.

We are praying for God to use our team this week to grow His kingdom and bring praise to His name here in the Dominican Republic.

At the end of the day, that's what we are here for. I don't mean just what Christopher and I are here in the Dominican Republic for. I mean that's ultimately what we as Christians are here on this planet for: to be ambassadors for God's kingdom among all nations, that they might praise His name.

This week, we will offer our time, our sweat, and our devotion in service to the people God puts in front of us. We will serve alongside local churches, painting houses, kids clubs, sports camps, and even going door to door. None of it does any good, however, if it doesn't share the gospel truth: “that Christ died for our sins…, that he was buried, [and] that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”1

We are not here to fix the lives of people who are poor. We are here to offer new life to people who are broken in Spirit.

Please pray that during this trip we do not get lost in the individual tasks of service and lose sight of the gospel in it all. I ask God to fill us with His Spirit and work through our hands as only He can.