Mission Montellano 2015

We are gearing up for another Mission Montellano in 2015!
Stay tuned!!

Fun times!

 

 

Good friends, good times!

There is something so sweet about seeing old friends :) It was so wonderful to see everyone again!

SelfLESS

I had been a part of the DR Missions team with my family 2 years ago, and was definitely changed by that experience, but it was on this trip, that I learned the true meaning of what it means to live and love selflessly.
I was completely awestruck as we watched all the workers in the different places we visited, so tirelessly and selflessly give of themselves everyday to share God's love with others.

But there are 2 special ladies who particularly exemplified for me the heart of Jesus. My life-changing experience happened on the day we visited PANCHO MATEO. I will never be the same after that day (and that is a good thing!). After we ran our kids' program and played carnival games with all the children, JUANA (to my left) and KATHY (on the right), thanked us all for coming and for being such a blessing in their village.  They shared how on Saturdays they run a Bible School program for all the kids in the neighbourhood, and work joyfully every week to feed over 100 children right in Kathy's backyard (a small patch of dirt attached to her simple home). They told us how much the kids look forward to this day, and ask throughout the week when Bible school is. The reason for giving themselves away: every child needs to experience the love of Christ! Their mission: to live out Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way they should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it". It is their heart to raise up future leaders for the church, and this is the reason they so strongly believe we must invest everything we've got in the lives of young children.  Wow! how inspiring! and true! These 2 women serve selflessly and passionately, day after day. Their love for the Lord was so evident, and one could not help but be completely inspired by the work of the Holy Spirit there. After they shared their testimony, I told them how much they had inspired me, and that when I looked at them, I saw JESUS. They were truly His hands and feet. I hugged Juana and she began to cry. I figured she must have been happy that we were there. But then later, when they both showed me inside Kathy's home, Kathy said to me, "do you know why Juana cried when you hugged her?" and I replied, "no, why?". She then told me, "it was because when she hugged you, she felt the Holy Spirit move". Wow, what an awesome God-moment! I too, had felt the Holy Spirit alive in that place; and it was at that moment I knew why the Lord had sent me there.
There is much work to be done, and I am praying hard that God will use me to selfLESSly give myself away for His glory!

- Nelly

Jean and Ally's visit with our sponsor child

Ally said the day she met our sponsor child, Aida Yohanna, was the happiest day of her life.   Yohanna is the same age as Ally and we`ve been sponsoring her since she was around 6 years old.  We picked her because she is the same age as Ally. At one point she took Ally by the hand and said to me `photo` and she stood beside Ally and made a small heart with both of their hands together, then made a bigger heart! The first time we met her we spent the day making bracelets, painting nails, then she did both of our hair. On Wednesday we had our home visit.  We met her mom, brother Carlos, and step dad. We saw where they live, and took some pictures. You really realize how blessed we are in Canada when you get to see it for yourself.  We had a translator with us so were able to converse quite well. The compassion rep told us that they really appreciate it when sponsor families come to visit their sponsor children, and that they encourage it. I didn't realize how easy it was to get to meet your sponsor child, so if anyone ever wants to sponsor someone, maybe pick a child in a destination you would be interested in visiting. We were just as blessed as her family to be able to meet them and provide some things for them. It is such a blessing to be able to give things to people who are so much in need. At the end of the trip we prayed with her family - a very special time.

Jean M.

"I don't like lets go!"

Hola Amigos! Today is a sad day because we are leaving this amazing country tonight.  Well actually, it has been a very long good-bye for many of us.  As mentioned Tues night was good - bye for many.  It was fairly gut wrenching for some.  There were many new bonds formed this trip and I think for those new and special relationships it was the hardest.  Although saying good-bye even to old friends not easy either.  My sponsored child Miguel heard me saying to the team, ok guys let's go, after a fairly long good-bye, and the title of this post came from what he said about this.  Here are some good-byes:

                                                 Karin and Leonardo

Mallory and Jeffrey

Donna Joselito and Angelina

Some of us had some home visits on Wednesday but I only have photos from Jean and Allie's

Jean and Allie with Johanna and her brother

Allie walking with Johanna{one of my fav pics}

Last night we finished the official part of the trip with a big dinner and Ben was our guest.  After dinner we met for trip highlight/take aways, to share communion and also to make Ben's grad gift presentation to him.  There were many tears during this time as people shared what God had done in them this trip, and even for Ben who was very moved by his gift presentation.  I forgot my camera cord again so I will post some photos later.  

Today is family day.  I'm sure many of us will be spending time further reflecting, but we will also walk up to Cabarete for some shopping and to meet Ben and Vierka, and maybe some other friends for a coffee.  The girls and I are also horse-back riding on the beach this morning.  Please pray for the team as we transition back that God would clearly show us the things He wants us to learn from this trip.  Also pray for protection from the enemy as he will surely be trying to rob us of the joy we have experienced, and confound our thoughts.  Well, once again the sun is on the rise.  Hasta pronto!  

Michele  

Hey everyone, Carolina here..We are having an awesome time, connecting with our friends in the DR and working together. Nathan,Joel and I were able to spend some time playing with Arco (Elvira) and this time with her sister, Anna. First time meeting them for the boys and they have definitely connected! It was great for me to be able to continue building a relationship with her. We have also been enjoying our jobs with the travelling Outreach program. I was doing the object lesson and the boys were the quiet seat police, giving out candies to the quietest listeners. We also enjoyed running the mini-sticks event! The kids loved it and even the girls, who don't usually play were really getting into it! Our visit to the Mak school was a definite highlight where we played with the small (pre-k) children and Joel declared that we were "Drowning in cuteness!!" Nathan hit a home run in the older boys baseball game! I had my hair done (messed up) by a couple of 5 year old aspiring hair dressers. I think they gave up when they saw how impossible it was to tame!

Pictures from Tuesday-Compassion and Battae Severet

It is another beautiful early morning here.  I am writing this post as the sun is rising.  Donna wrote a beautiful post last night and I wanted to add some photos and also to tell you a bit about what a Battae is.  When the sugar cane factory was operationg in Montellano, the industry built many small settlements in the country side for the sugar cane workers to live.  They look like this

Then at one time in DR the sugar market became flooded with too much supply so they closed some factories around DR and the one in Montellano was one of them.  So what happened to the workers in the country side?  Well most of them were Haitian and didn't really have anywhere to go back to.  The factory cut the water and electricity to the Battae and the people were more or less left to their own devices.  Some of the Battaes have managed to survive a little better than others by farming or the people working on farms but many are just severely impoverished like Pancho Mateo.  Severet seemes to be surviving a little bit better-perhaps it is because of the farmland around it.  Our day yesterday was incredible.  We got to hang out at the Compassion school and many of our kids were there.  I met my new prayer partner- Eunice.  She was soooo excited to meet me.  I think in Canada our total reliance on the power of prayer is not on level with the people in poor countries.  I mean she was literally jumping up and down-like she had been given a sponsor herself!  I was very touched.  Here she is

Our afternoon was super incredible.  The feeling as we drove into the mountains was like peace just falling on us.  Here is the country side

Here is the church and the children inside

The most spectacular part of this program was when we were finished our lesson.  The children's director{pastor's wife} asked if any of the kids would like to pray to accept Jesus into their hearts.  Nine beautiful little souls stepped forward and were prayed for.

After that I was able to go on my home visit and see Miguel's new house that his father built.  It was like hanging out with old friends because I have been there so often we are really comfortable together now.  Here are a few pics

The end of the day was very difficult for many because it was the last time to be together with their kids this trip.  I will post some photos of that tonight in a separate post.  Today I am going to the house of Jason and Moises, and Nelly, Blanca, and Jean and Allie have their home visits.  Have a great day.  Muchas bendigas, Michele