All for God's Glory

God used us in incredible ways July 18-26 showing us fruit of the Kids Alive ministry that began in Constanza in 2004.  God showed us His love for the HOME all week long!

We began our week worshipping in one of His HOMEs around the world-the Templo Evangelico.  We were reunited with many of the children we had come to love last year.  It was fun watching their eyes light up as they recognized us.

Pastor David and Petronila with missionaries Craig, Libby and Carter Rowley.

We blessed Amy Green bringing a care package from HOME from her Summit sisters and brothers. She serves with Student International and God is using her beyond providing OT to special needs kids.  She has begun Bible studies with one special needs child and his friends plus another with a disabled woman with incomplete quadriplegia and her friends.

Our task this week was to refurbish the Green house. It is one of 3 homes used in the residential care for kids who have been rescued.  As is the case in the USA foster care system, house parents do not always work out despite much ground work before choosing a couple.  The Green house parents were asked to leave.  They departed one week before we arrived.  The home was a real mess.  We deep cleaned for two days removing trash, sanding all wooden surfaces, washing all walls and ceilings (covered in bug guts), removing peeling paint, then varnishing and repainting 3 bedrooms.  Initially it was depressing to see the condition of this house until we learned God was using us to CLEANSE and bring Healing to the ministry.  God used us to restore a HOME.  Pray with us that God will provide the right family for the children in this home.

After our first mission trip in 2005 our family became child sponsors of two boys. We called them our Dominican little brothers.  Arturo was 8 years old when we became his sponsor.  In 2006 we learned he had been pulled out of the program because he had anger issues and they were concerned about the other children.  My heart ached initially thinking his hope of a better life was taken away.  I learned that God is not dependent on any program or ministry.  He can change a life and provide hope any way He chooses.  Arturo's photo remains on our refrigerator and I pray for him often.  In 2008 I recognized him walking down the street.  He was going to work.  His clothes were filthy with grease.  I assumed he worked in a body shop.  This year as we were heading to the KAI site for our afternoon programming a school bus stopped at the corner.  Several children got off.  Walking ahead of me a child turned around and began waving at me.  It was Arturo!  He recognized me and was smiling.  He is 11 y.o. now. He was clean, holding a notebook, and heading HOME from school.  Thank you God for allowing me to see what you are continuing to do in Arturo's life.  Although we no longer sponsor him through Kids Alive, God compels me to continue to pray for him.  God and prayer have the power to change!

 

In January a new ministry was started at our church called Looms of Love.  Myself and Sarah Smythe, a 12 year old team member, attended the class.  We have been looming hats and scarves for orphans all year.  In May we sent 153 hats to Russia and in July 40 hats and scarves were sent to Slovakia.  Sarah and I thought we would teach a handful of kids in the DR.  God took this thought and expanded it to teaching 17 ARC kids, a house mom, and 9 team members.  By the end of the week each child had created their own hat and smiled with a sense of pride.  May they come to understand how God 'knitted them together wonderfully within their mother's womb Psalm 139' and may they sense God's love and Jesus' blood covering them each time they put on their hat.

 

In February our team began asking God what He wanted us to give to the ministry this year.  He put on our hearts Spanish Children's Books.  The missionaries confirmed there was a need so we started promoting Sponsor-a-Book to the DR through the children's ministry.  In April and May we collected over $400 and were able to buy and to laminate ~ 175 books. The summer program was implemented by 4 summer interns.  One was Carmen, a college age MK from Paraguay.  She was limited in her resources so she began telling them stories.  The children wanted to know how she knew all these stories.  She shared her love of reading books was how she knew these stories.  The kids wanted to read.  With a handful of books she began teaching them 5 rules of "How to Care for Books" and would loan one book at a time to each child.  They would give her an oral book report before they would exchange it for another.  She prayed all summer that God would provide books for the children.  She searched on line for books but did not have the funds to purchase any.  When she saw the books our team brought, she was in tears.  God had provided!  We learned to obey when God prompts you to do something and she learned God will provide in His perfect timing! 

Phillip used his musical gifting to lead worship for the team each morning and evening,  for the children programming, and at our evening meal with the missionary Rowley family.

 

The children love to sing.

 

We attended a Ladies Bible study in Raysa's home.  It was such a privilege to study God's Word together with our Dominican sisters in Christ. 

Nine home visits were made by the team to homes of sponsored children.  Alfredo, the Care Center director and/or Libby Rowley, the child sponsorship director led the trips.  We were able to meet the adult(s) the children live with, see their home environment, give a small blessing gift, and pray with the family.  This photo is with our sponsored child, Yokarina.  She is 8 years old and lives with her single mom and 2 brothers.

This is our sponsored child, Juan Gabriel.  He is 10 and lives with his parents, older sister Yaris, and younger brother Jeffrey.  This is their new home.  They found unoccupied land and became squatters building without finding out if anyone owned the land.  Later it was discovered that the land was previously owned but the owner is deceased.  They were able to legally remain on the land.  The home has 2 rooms, an outhouse, and a dirt floor.  There are large rice bags full of sand in a corner of the house.  They are slowing collecting materials to one day make a concrete floor.  Until then, they will be exposed to parasites within the ground.  To get to their home you must traverse a wooden plank bridge by foot across the creek that floods often.  Juan Gabriel walks to school and to the Care Center each day.  Mom prepared us coffee and dad tried to give us some corn off the few stalks that were growing by the house.  It was humbling to see our faded and water streaked photo tacked on their wall above the small kitchen table.  May God provide their basic needs and His glorious salvation!  Protect them and provide health to them all.

Juan Gabriel's father washing his taxi service--You got it-a motorcycle!

Thank God for your job!

Phillip enjoying his first taste of Dominican coffee from Juan Gabriel's mom.  We prayed God would protect us since it was made from natural water.  He did!

Next time your electricity or cable goes out during a storm, you might try Juan Gabriel's family method!  Pretty creative!

Thank you for being on this journey with us!  Your prayers girded us as we prepared learning Spanish children's songs, bought books, blessing gifts, construction supplies, and prepared our hearts spiritually!  Every plane, bus, truck, motorcycle we rode; you rode with us country to country through storms, rain, and over mountains.  Every path and street we walked, you went with us.  Every word and hug we shared, you shared with us.  We were the hands and feet of Jesus and His children-YOU!  All for God's Glory!  Gloria de Dios! Amen.

George, Dinah, and Phillip Platt

Dan and Marty Heard

Beth and Sarah Smythe

Jason Evans

Aaron Cardona

Brooke Stephenson

Susan Burkhead