Our 2010 Mission Family

Have you ever thought about the bonding that built over time during life's mundane activities among Jesus' disciples as the group grew to twelve and wandered throughout ancient Israel and Judea? The Bible tells us many stories of their milestone experiences together, but the detail of daily life in that time is thin. Some days, it's those "little things" that overshadow the highs and the lows of those milestones. Did Bartholomew accidentally drink unboiled water or eat raw salad in Sychar and spend a few days dearly regretting it? Did Thaddeus "lose" all of his money after successfully haggling for a bargain with a street vendor in Bethsaïda? Did Simon plot out activities for the next few days in Jericho, only to see unexpected rainstorms call for a complete revision of plans? They hadn't yet seen the Resurrection nor been filled with the Spirit. Just how mightily did those downturns weigh on their collective outlook? What challenges they must have faced in their daily lives, beyond those about which we read in the Bible!

Our 2010 mission team cannot compare to THE disciples, but we certainly hoped that our words and our deeds demonstrated our discipleship to the Word. Our 2010 team faced illness, bad weather, and theft. We got tired, wet, hot, angry, afraid, and frustrated. But we remained united in support of one another. We stayed true to our dedication to bring spiritual and material support to the school and adjacent community in El Tamarindo. One of the many great things about our mission trips is that although we return home to quotidian chores and concerns, each of us has faced and shared unanticipated difficulties. It is the sharing of those challenges which help form new friendships and create a bond not only with one another, but with those who made the trip in years past. There is even a level of inner fulfilment and satisfaction that links each one of us in spirit to everyone else, across time and distance, who has taken action to uplift those in need. Those friendships and bonds may possibly fade ever so slightly over time and distance, but will certainly never disappear nor be forgotten. What a blessing for us to have been able and willing to perform these deeds, and what a reward to have met and made friends with such wonderful people.

Pictured above are. . .

..... in the back row:

..... Yoel (our Dominican van driver), Phil, Jules, Gin, Marty, Karen, Alana, & Tim

..... in the front row:

..... Michael, Ivy, Michelle, & Ruddy (our Dominican security/translator ).

A Message from Rev. Barrera....

Dear brothers and sisters:

Greetings in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, to you and your entire congregation there in the States from all the children and the whole community of El Tamarindo here. And I hope everything is going good after your visit with us. And all of you have had a safe trip back home in gathering together with your love ones.

There is really no words to express my sincere gratitude for your dedicated efforts, time sharing and working, financial support, and for your wonderful gift for us to continue operating the school and doing our work here. The non-stop rain shed and sent by the mercy of God was nothing compared to the joy and blessings we¨ve all got. I am a front believer that everyone got a part of the abundant faith left out by each one of you during participating in the worship and biblical lessons. And this is the result, because my God is a God of hope, is a God of faith and is a God of love.

Both the school (the children) the teachers and the support staff are really thankful of you. The first ones for continuing being the recipients of the benefit shed by God through you, and the others for being part of the work that God has chosen for them as being servants of his work.

Thank you so much,
Blessings,
Rev. Juan Francisco Barrera
Pastor and Director
Escuela de ICM
El Tamarindo, Dominican Republic

Videos Are Available!

Here are two videos of our time with the children of El Tamarindo - More to follow!

MCC 2010 Mission Trip Photo Album

New photos are available - Click Here! Videos coming soon!

¡No Más Lluvia! No More Rain!

Greetings from Boca Chica!

A beautiful Saturday morning has greeted the Mission Team and the rest of the DR as the sun has finally made its first appearance since our arrival! The rain, caused by a stalled tropical depression, has resulted in some serious problems for the DR. Homes have been flooded, people evacuated and some roads still blocked with high standing water. Heavy rains always present the most challenges for those folks living in very humble shacks along the many steep river banks around Santo Domingo. So please keep those folks in your prayers.

Yesterday was our last day at the school, and we made the very most of it! Projects included making necklaces and bracelets with beads, sun catchers using sheets of transparencies and lots of colored paper, glitter, and glue. We also did the hands project! Our maintenance team helped out by carefully painting the hands of each child and then each child placed their hand prints on one of the newly painted classroom walls. Turned out everyone wanted in on this project, including our drivers and the cooks who have prepared our food while at the school. The kids loved to point out their own hand prints on the wall!

We then had the always emotional closing ceremony where we presented the incredible teaching staff at the school with gifts, our prayers and thanks. An incredible group of dedicated ladies. We also presented Rev. Barerra with our cash contribution to assist with the upcoming school year. Once again, thank you sending partners for making this all possible.

We also presented the two scholarship recipients under the Rev. Arelene Ackerman's Far Reaching Faith Scholarship Fund with new back packs and supplies for the next school year. They both just finished with their end of year exams and were pleased with their efforts. And we delivered more than 7 suitcases FILLED with school supplies! It was the biggest delivery of school supplies in the history of our mission trips.

We also presented the school with the final result of the tapestry quilt project that included the individual fabric squares that were designed by each child on Wednesday.

Rev. Barerra then presented each of the mission team members with a gift made by the children and the students sung a special song for us. Rev. B gave special thanks to MCC DC , Rev Arlene Ackerman, and Brian Christinkas for their support through the tough times the school has faced during the past two years. MCC DC was presented with artwork designed by the scholarship students in appreciation of our efforts over the years.

So, que paso ahora? This morning, 4 mission members crowded into Carlos' car to go back to the school in an effort to finish the painting chores that were delayed by the storms and rain. Tonight we head into Santo Domingo to visit and worship with MCC Santo Domingo.

This marks my fifth mission trip to the DR, and this trip has presented the most challenges when compared with our other efforts. We are a small group. just 10 (and one in the USA!), but we managed to raise over $17,000 to support this important effort. The three days at the school were the toughest i have encountered, with heavy rains forcing us to constantly make schedule changes. The heavy rains always create health issues for the people of the DR, and we have not been immune to those challenges either. But we are standing together as a team, knowing that God continues to be with us in this great mission. But we are all looking forward to tomorrow and what promises to be a day of well deserved rest and relaxation and more sunshine!

Please check back later for photos of yesterday's school activities and, I believe, some videos clips from the school.

Signing off from Boca Chica, go USA soccer team!

Tim Helm

Time to Go Home? Say It Isn't So!

Greetings to you all on our final night in the DR. Just wanted to take a few minutes to update you on some more details of our whirlwind week! We'll continue to post information to the blog, even as we return to the States tomorrow.

Where did we leave off? Ah, yes...after meeting the wonderful people of El Tamarindo! So, we arrived on Thursday to find that Rev. Barrerra, the teachers and children were spiritedly chanting "No Mas Lluvia! No Mas Lluvia!" which means "No More Rain!" Well, you already know it continued to rain, but still the work, fun and learning continued. The teachers and children were excited to decorate backpacks that they would get to take home on Friday. The mission team was amazed at the creativity and artistic abilities of the students. When it was time to paint their names on their backpacks, the students hesitated to use the paint for fear of "messing up" their new prized possessions, preferring to have the teachers add their names instead! The recreation teachers organized the kids for some teambuilding exercises, most of which had to be completed under the tents or between rain storms! Cheering and laughter filled the air as the students learned that although competition is healthy, cooperation is often a more effective method of accomplishing goals! The maintenance team painted one of the classrooms in preparation for our "Laying on of Hands" festival that we scheduled for Friday. A wonderful (and impromptu) theatrical presentation of the story of "The Woman at the Well" was enjoyed by the children and adults alike! We realized during the telling of the story that we had made a great decision in choosing to use this story as our theme. The adults were learning the significance of Jesus' reaching out to the Samaritan woman at the same time as the children and what a powerful message it was for all. In Christ's eyes, we are all worthy of receiving the Living Water! It doesn't matter where we live, how we look, what language we speak...we are equal! We continued to be blessed by the people of El Tamarindo and by the joy that filled their hearts and was reflected in their faces!

Friday came too quickly...our last day with the children. Again, we heard the chanting of "No Mas Lluvia" led by Rev. Barrerra! It was a day full of activities and fun, caring and sharing, laughter and tears! Again, we shared in the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. The children made necklaces, bracelets and keychains...and the adults made quite a few, too! It turns out that beads are VERY popular in the DR! Some of the older children also made suncatchers out of repurposed overhead transparencies...and, again, their artwork was beautiful! Check out our photo album for the latest pictures of these crafts and more!

We got our first glimpse of the fabulous quilt tapestry that a local woman constructed out of the quilt squares that the children had decorated on Wednesday...and we think it is breath-taking! What do you think?

Recreation continued with the highly-coveted "PELOTA!" Beach, soccer, ping-pong, wiffle and volleyballs were in high demand and got lots of use as the rain finally stayed away! The maintenance team continued painting and fixing and then turned their attention to fun. Everyone - children, teachers, and volunteer community members participated in the "laying on of hands" festival. Bright, fresh colors were painted onto hands of all sizes and then gently (and sometimes not so gently!) placed onto the walls of the classroom as a lasting memory of our time at the school. This project was one of our biggest hits...everybody wanted in on the action...even Mama, the cook and mother to two of our beloved teachers and favorite honorary student!

We blinked and it was the end of our last day with the kids. Then it was time to say goodbye...or really "Hasta Luego!" as we all hope to see each other later! Words and gifts of love were exchanged, and of course, so were tears! Some would be able to return the following day to paint and play, but we'll tell you about that later. So, please keep coming back to hear about the journey. We have so much more to share! Feel free to leave your comments...they are like little postcards to our souls! See you all soon :)

The Water Theme Continues

EVERYWHERE!
God bless our teachers and recreation instructors this year! After arriving in the rain and enduring a late afternoon shower, we all joined in to prepare supplies and equipment for a full day at school. Sorting out the contents of so many suitcases; trying to guess what is in the suitcase that went astray at the airport in Miami, and sorting selections by project and task and planned activity. I can just imagine what each one was thinking as we drove in the driving rain that first morning along the highway from our living quarters in Boca Chica to the El Tamarindo community. But, all fears and trepidations disappear when we enter the classroom / assembly / sanctuary where all 90 or so cheering, laughing, jumping children greet us without hesitation, nor worldly care for the weather outside. Even the airport was closed that morning, but our mission was up an running.

So, what about the maintenance and construction team? We too must plan around water. The #1 request we received was to paint the exterior of the building (preserving, of course, the fantastic "Noah's Arc" painted last year by our youth-group mission to El Tamarindo). But of course, rain and latex paint do not come together to produce a satisfactory result. But that allows us to redirect part of our portion of the budget towards other needed repairs and activities. Both bathrooms need attention - LEAKING WATER - of course!! Both toilets at the school leak at various points, but the most challenging one was leaking from the bottom. And the bottom of that one was cemented to the floor! We decided to re-direct part of our outdoor painting budget towards calling in a professional. A local plumber from the community offered his services, and for less than $4 we had new floor bolts, wax seal, and white cement to re-seal the deal. In his community, everyone jumps in to help, and we will make sure the local plumber's efforts are compensated. But this will be nothing like the $100 to "come take a look" to which we are accustomed back home. Our plumber arrived, assessed the situation, and we were off the la ferretería for his supplies.


Meanwhile, our team has attacked the indoor painting. Students and teachers were more than happy to scrunch up into one less room, or move outside under the temporary canopies while half of the downstairs was painted. Naturally, there was water seepage there too, making the ceiling by the windows a challenge to scrape down and re-coat.

We've all made it to day number two. The rain continues to fall. . . . . . . . . . Tomorrow is another day, and the one thing on which we can count is that whatever the weather may be, we shall all teach our lessons and perform our repair work. It will meet a very real need, and it will be greeted with the full and complete appreciation of everyone! After all, there's always next year to pick up where we left off !!!!!!