DR Trip 2016 Blog 3

We attempted to get to Loma this morning, but the overnight rain made the dirt road so slippery we couldn’t do it.  Plan B was to go to the pregnancy resource centre and assemble some humanitarian supplies to hand out to some of the local flood victims and also to sort and organize the supplies that we had brought down with us.  In the afternoon we visited a couple of areas seriously damaged by the flooding including the village of Redemption, which mainly consists of Haitian people.  The devastation and the living conditions were overwhelming for us all.  We had the privilege of meeting some of the women and children that are clients at the pregnancy resource centre that live there.  We were able to see first hand how their homes and belongings were affected, and what their specific needs are. The floods came quickly and without warning, so a lot of their personal belongings were lost as well as any furniture they may have had. Since all of the homes we visited had pregnant women or young children the needs are immediate and heart wrenching.  The homes we visited will be provided with some food and personal items from Servants Heart.  We are planning to return tomorrow with some new beds that we will be buying for the families in the greatest need.  We are looking forward to showing Christ’s love in a practical way.

DR Trip Blog Nov. 23

Our first day of construction!  We started the day off with a great devotional time by the ocean.  It was a beautiful day, light cloud and then some sun with moderate temperatures.  A good chance for things to dry out after the floods.  The men were quickly tasked with the job of feeding blocks, mortar and cement to the brick layers.  The ladies did a bible teaching for the kids in the morning, and then another in the afternoon.  The village has been very receptive to the new community centre and  participation is good.  Lena did an awesome job of teaching!

The ladies then came back to the construction site a couple of blocks away from the community centre and were very helpful in creating a human chain to pass supplies down the steep little hill to the construction site.  The neighbours picked fruit for the team and gave us bread and candies to keep our energy up.  Many of the local children came out to watch and play with the girls on the team.  After some hard work the team enjoyed a hot shower and dinner at the hotel.  It was early to bed all around as we were exhausted.  Thank God for a great day!

DR Mission Trip Update

November 22 2016

Praise God! Our team has arrived safe and sound, and we are eager to share God’s love with the amazing people here. 

Our morning started with a walking tour around Sosua, escorted by Servant’s Heart Ministries. We proceeded with an awareness tour in Congrejo, and Sosua Abajo. It was here we met some very special and committed individuals while visiting two schools and a local church. We were also invited into homes that were affected by the heavy rains and flooding. In the afternoon we continued touring, we visited Loma de los Chivos and we were able to see the needs the people around the community. With open hearts and willing hands we walked the roads of Loma and became acquainted with the community. We were warmly welcomed into homes that were built through the Loma Project. During our walk we met the beautiful woman we are building a house for, Narcissa, right in front of her land. She is so thankful to God and so grateful to have us here. We witnessed such strength, courage, and resilience from the men, women, and children of Loma. We have been openly accepted by the community and thanked consistently by everyone we have met. The team took advantage of every opportunity to pray for the people and bless them with a word, a smile, and many hugs. We went to the new community center and witnessed the first English class for young girls in that location. 

We toured the PRC (Pregnancy Resource Center) and heard about the support offered to the women during and after their pregnancies. The director of the center experience the support firsthand when she was pregnant and now she is an advocate for the women that come to her for help. 

Peter and Cliff joined Servant’s Heart Ministries’ employees and held a men’s Bible study, the first Men’s Bible Study in Loma. There were nine men in attendance, and two of them were saved. Peter shared his testimony and Cliff spoke as well. It was well received and the feedback was very positive.

God is so good, and we are eager to share all that He is doing, both with the amazing people here and with us as a team. Please continue to keep us and the people of Sosua in your prayers. There will be more updates, please stay tuned and God Bless. 

Meet the Kings

Tomorrow night we will be hosting Dave and Shawn King at Gateway. They have been serving as missionaries in Guatemala and are in town to reconnect and share about how they are serving the Lord. They were a part of our Gateway family while they served at Camp Homewood a number of years ago.

The Kings are the leaders of the Paz Abundante: House of Prayer, which is a ministry of Youth With a Mission (YWAM) Antigua at Lake Atitlán. Their goal is to build a team of prayer warriors who are dedicated to interceding for the lake, for Guatemala, and for the world. They also have a passion for self-sustainable living, family, and adoption. David is a gifted chef by trade and loves prayer, studying the Bible, and discipling children and youth to know Jesus. Shawn is an aspiring author and homeschool mom to kindergartener Zane.

Join us at 7:00pm for a presentation, some yummy Guatemalan coffee and inspiration to respond to God’s call to missions in your neighbourhood and around the globe.