Short Term and Long Term Foreign Missions at Christ United Methodist Church
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Memories and Anecdotes
Share your random memorable moments with us. They really don't have to have a theme or focus. They can be funny, moving, cautionary, or just informative. Something about your experience that you've been itching to share.
Since I lived in the Dominican Republic for six months my memories span a much greater period than if I had only visited the DR on a short-term trip. I have many entertaining stories of culture shock and daily life in the Caribbean but I'll share a brief story about something that happened as I was driving to the airport for my final departure to the States...
Driving (and riding) through rush hour traffic in Santo Domingo is an experience that's unexplainable by words alone. Two lane highways quickly become four, busses stop for NO one, one-ways are rarely followed…you get the picture...
Well after a week of very stressful driving, I was elated to drive to the airport and return home. On the way however, our small SUV passes a tiny pickup truck (no bigger than an S-10) that had a SLEW of teenagers in the back. The kids were packed in so tightly that a ring of teens sat on the edges of the truck bed, while another group stood precariously in the middle, clutching each other for balance.
I was nervous for them as their driver weaved in and out of traffic and the group of standing teens swayed with the road.
At a red light, the short-term group I was traveling with asked how many people where in the truck and a boy responded, "17." But then the rear windows of the truck rolled down to display even MORE people; stacked three to one lap!! It was incredible!! It was obvious that more than 17 people were packed in the small vehicle and a quick head count produced the total number....a whopping 32!!
At Christ United Methodist Church it is our desire to empower small groups to participate in Short Term Foreign Missions to meet the needs of women, children, and the poor in the Dominican Republic.
We commit to assist you in organizing your trip and to provide training beforehand and re-orientation afterwards to maximize your missions experience.
We strive to be like Jesus, who in announcing His ministry, quoted Isaiah 61 saying "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."
We take literally the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 "...Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..."
Our earnest desire is to stand at the judgment and see "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language..." knowing that we were among those Christ used to get them all there. Our commitment is not only to love them as Christ loved them but to disciple and teach them to love others in the same way!
Lastly we are commited to discovering, nurturing , and securing training for full-time missionaries to the Dominican Republic and to wherever else God may call.
In the Fall of 2008 we planted a full-time missionary in the capital of the Dominican Republic. She returned to the states at the end of March to receive more training while she continues to facilitate small group short term trips. Tasha's hard work led us into partnership with the International Sending Agency S.C.O.R.E.
http://scoreinternational.org/church-trips/
We also currently endorse and encourage full-time missionaries to Japan and France. Jason and Rachel Capp are currently raising their own support for ministry in Japan. Ricardo Walker is raising support for ministry in France.
For more information , to support these efforts, or to get involved contact The Missions Team at Missions@ChristIsLove.org
Since I lived in the Dominican Republic for six months my memories span a much greater period than if I had only visited the DR on a short-term trip. I have many entertaining stories of culture shock and daily life in the Caribbean but I'll share a brief story about something that happened as I was driving to the airport for my final departure to the States...
ReplyDeleteDriving (and riding) through rush hour traffic in Santo Domingo is an experience that's unexplainable by words alone. Two lane highways quickly become four, busses stop for NO one, one-ways are rarely followed…you get the picture...
Well after a week of very stressful driving, I was elated to drive to the airport and return home. On the way however, our small SUV passes a tiny pickup truck (no bigger than an S-10) that had a SLEW of teenagers in the back. The kids were packed in so tightly that a ring of teens sat on the edges of the truck bed, while another group stood precariously in the middle, clutching each other for balance.
I was nervous for them as their driver weaved in and out of traffic and the group of standing teens swayed with the road.
At a red light, the short-term group I was traveling with asked how many people where in the truck and a boy responded, "17." But then the rear windows of the truck rolled down to display even MORE people; stacked three to one lap!! It was incredible!! It was obvious that more than 17 people were packed in the small vehicle and a quick head count produced the total number....a whopping 32!!
haha! ONLY in the Dominican!!