Hasta Luego Dominicana!

Today was a very special treat. We were allowed to sleep in, and after a nice breakfast prepared by Brian Keller, we went to the beach. The day was spent swimming, frisbeeing, and we all got to go on a bananna pulled by a boat. We also did some beachside shopping and practiced our skilled bargaining. We then came to back to lots of Pizza Hut pizza. After it quickly disappeared, we cleaned the house and got our bags ready to go. Shortly we will have our final devo's before we head off to the airport. There is a feel of wanting to go home, but not wanting to leave. Our flight leaves at 1 and our expecting ETA is 12 noon at BLC. I'm sure parents will be receiving texts on final time of arrival. We will see you all in about 15 hours! Please pray for safe and fast travel. PEACE OUT!

Supplies!Surpise! El Fin

There are a million different ways to express today's events, but what comes to my mind is bitter sweet. Everything that has been so routine this week turned into the final time we may ever do or see it again. This made the day go very fast and before we knew it we were saying our goodbyes. We had finished the seminary, both in and out, and finished other small projects. Then we had some free time at the school with the local children.  Some played sports while others sat and talked with their new found friends. We then proceeded to give out some food and gave many baseball gloves to the coach, who would later distribute them to kids who didn't have one. It was also a very touching to see the kids swarm for some leftover water in our cooler. To say the least, it was very humbling. We then started the goodbyes, and plenty of hugs and handshakes were shared with the kids and adults of Palmar Arriba. After dragging some of the youth away from the kids, we started the van ride back to the Kellers. At the house, we had our debriefing from Pastor Walter who has been a missionary here for 7 years. Side fact, he speaks 3 languages (Spanish, Portuguese, English). He stressed the fact that the mission doesn't stop here. That the mission is in BLC, in your neighborhood, and in our country. The meeting was very emotional, as life and hearts were being transformed. We then had devo's and announcements for our exciting day at the beach tomorrow.

You Make Beautiful Things Out of Us

HEY EVERYONE!!! Sorry for not posting yesterday! I'm sure you were very sad you didn't get to read our blog post, a.k.a. works of art. Our devotions and dance party continued past our bedtime. Yesterday morning we visited the Good Shepherd group home in Palmar Arriba. Beth shared her music therapy talents and she and some others from our group sang and played with the children there all morning. Others did repairs around the home such as: repairing the handrails, putting cement curbs in, filling gaps in cement, and other small projects. It was an amazing experience and we all learned about the amazing things that are being accomplished at the home. After, we went to the school to put on our Vacation Bible School. In the Dominican events always start about half an hour past the original set time. So our VBS started at 1, Dominican time... 1:30. We had 125 kids, but as word spread through the village it grew to about 100 more. It was chaotic but worth every second. The kids had fun learning about Jesus feeding the five thousand and they each received a backpack and Spanish bible. Later in the afternoon the BLC sports team was challenged to a basketball game against the locals. Unfortunately, it was 100 degrees outside that day. With God all things are possible, and the BLC Bucks pulled out a hard earned win. The night ended in devo's and the dance party. This morning was an early waking at 6:30. We then began our 4 hour drive to visit our World Vision child. His name is Rauli, and he was very greatful to meet our group. We met Rauli and the rest of his family while enjoying an authentic Dominican lunch. His grandmother was so thankful and she kept calling us her children. It was a memorable experience. Rauli loved volleyball so once again team BLC stepped onto the court. It was lots of fun and all the girls finally got to participate...oh and did I mention it was absolutely pouring out?!? But no rain, thunder, or lightning can keep us from having the time of our lives. The ride home was filled with many God sightings, rainbows, and finally for dinner at....... TACO BELL! We stopped for a T-Bell dinner with some Baskin Robbins to top it off. We just finished devo's and are getting ready for some sleep and our final work day tomorrow. Please keep the seminary in your prayers as well as safety for everyone helping. Goodnight World, Peace, and God's Blessings to all!

Creating the Big Picture

Hi everyone! We are very excited to share our pictures with you. Being super tired, we thought since pictures are worth a thousand words, we would let the pictures do the talking. Hope you enjoy and please comment and/or ask for certain pictures and we will make sure to take one for you!

 This is the seminary pre-painted, both outside and in.

 Seminary is painted completely on the outside and almost finished interior painting. Lettering is finished on the side.

 Lettering was done on the church. It says Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church.

 We also did lettering on the school. It says Concordia Lutheran School.

We got a chance to play more baseball today. This time the BLC Brew Crew pulled out the W.

Lily Esther with the local Dominican kids. They loved to cover us in paint and also clean it off.

 Lexie Hodel and Julia Tweeten gather with the locals in front of the seminary.

 The cross can be seen from a long distance away which will hopefully bring in more crowds.

 This view is from the seminary on the hill. This field is always busy with local baseball players. We also got a chance to play on this field on Sunday.

 Derek Schmidt and the children put on the second coat on the back of the seminary. Derek is becoming one of the major translators.

 Zach and one of the local trouble makers sit down for a "chat" on the side of the baseball field.

We got to visit downtown Santiago after our first Sunday service.

The dogs are always around and they are very adorable. The Kellers own a stray dog named "Lady" (not pictured) who is the group's favorite. She's always waiting for us to come back from work.

See you tomorrow!!

Palma Arriba is alive with the Sound of Music

Today started out on a great note as we all got to sleep in till 7. After fueling our bellies, we packed up and set out for another day at work. Although we were tired, we didn't waste our time and got right to work. Of course with our kind of group work can never be done without some singing to go along. Today we finished painting the outside of the seminary. There were a few roadbumps here and there (and on both ways to our worksite and home), but we prevailed through the amazing grace of God. The group was eager to shower once again after being covered in paint. Tonight, we were invited to a social gathering at Pastor Ted's house with his wife and other missionaries around the area. We are excited for this gathering, and for a possible dance party or mafia (a group murder mystery game,dont't worry PG version) after. Each morning and night we have also held meaningful devotions. These devos are lead by a few youth each night. Through these the group has been growing closer together.

Sermon on the Mound

Hola!
The day started out by introducing yet another culture to the group; la FRENCH Toast! :) Following the delectable breakfast, the crew then dressed to impress in their Sunday best. We then headed off to the first church service of the day, which was held in a rented upper flat in downtown Santiago. The small congregation made us all feel very welcome and we were introduced to new Spanish hymns. Following the service, our tummies were grumbling and we set out for some authentic Dominican cuisine at a local restaurant. Delicacies such as chicken, pork, varieties of rice, fried bananas, and much more were thoroughly enjoyed. Later on in the day, after a quick siesta, we filed into the van and headed to the baseball field in Palmar Arriba. As we ventured to the baseball field, the local children eagerly awaited our arrival. The famous BLC "Brew Crew" stepped up to the plate, literally. Our group played against a team of skilled Dominican teenagers who gave us a run for our money, to say the least. The neighborhood scrapped up a rambunctious group of youngsters who created a great brouhaha. We soon realized it was time for our evening worship service. We ended our baseball time by distributing beanie babies to the children. It was then time for the second service, which proved to have a more youthful and upbeat atmosphere. Following both of the services, hugs were exchanged among everyone in the congregation.

For dinner, following the service, garlic bread was served that exceeded expectations and rivaled the hometown Mamma Mia's. We're off to devos, chocolate cake, and resting up for a big day of work tomorrow!

Feliz Dia De Los Padres! (Happy Father's Day!)

-Your BLC Bloggaz*

*We have a new addition to our Bloggin' Crew, who will be unveiled by the end of the week. Stay tuned for clues as to who this new kid on the block is.

Painting the Hillside

Hello!!
We're back at our temporary home and made it through another crazy day in the Dominican!
Today started with pancakes & eggs and an orientation meeting with the LCMS Head Mission Pastor. We then headed to the work site where we thought we were going to familiarize ourselves with Palmar Ariba and our new work site. To our suprise, the day was actually spent painting & decorating the exterior of the church as well as spending some quality time with the local Dominican children who couldn't get enough of the camera! As we were leaving, we looked back to see the white cross on the seminary that we had painted- such a cool sight to see!

On the way back, we ran into a rain storm that flooded the streets unlike anything we had seen before. We are now back and are happy to be clean and comfortable. On tonight's agenda is dinner, devotions, and straight up chill time. See you tomorrow!

-Your BLC Bloggaz

This is the seminary that we painted.                                        Our "fan club" who also helped paint.

The Return of the BLC Bloggaz: DR Edition

Hola Amigos!!
Were here! We arrived around 8:15pm after a long day as international travelers. Everything went smoothly with no glitches. We arrived at our new home which exceeds our wildest expectations. Its safe to say we're living very comfortably, but still trying to get used to the heat and humidity.
Well, time to get some grub! Soups on! (Actually, we're having grilled cheese with homemade guacomole and mangoes!)

With all our love,
The BLC Bloggaz
(Lexie, Drew, & Julia, Beth)

Taking a bite out of the big apple

After waking up at 4:30 a.m. We have finally arrived... To new York city, our first layover. Food here is expensive, and the people don't know how to walk but that's New York for you. Fortunately the plane ride was smooth and the landing smoother. We have been blessed with not losing anyone or anything (that we know of). We are getting pumped to arrive in Santiago, DR around 7:30 p.m. Hopefully we will all arrive ready to serve the Lord and the people there. Keep us in your prayers please! Love, Lilly and Rachel (p.s. Lilly thinks the title is cheesy.) (p.p.s. LOVE YOU MOM!)

Prayer Requests

Prayer Requests  - Mission Trips to Mexico and the Dominican Republic - 2012

   Before We Leave - Please pray that God would prepare us all mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually for these mission trips. *Please pray Ephesians 6:10-19 for us before and during the mission trips, that we may be equipped and ready for what God would have us do each and every day!

   Day 1 - Friday, June 15th - Please pray for safe travel, and that we would begin these trips with the right heart, to have the attitude of Christ to everyone we come in contact with, to serve them, and serve each other.*Scripture to pray for the day - Philippians 2:4-5 "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." *Please pray for team members Carole, Sandi, and David - Mexico, and Mary and Lilly - DR

   Day 2 - Saturday, June 16th - Please pray that God would grant us unity of heart and action in all that we do. *Scripture to pray for the day - Romans 15:5-6 "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among youselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." *Please pray for team members Scott, Casey, and Mirand - Mexico, and Mike and Brian - DR

   Day 3 - Sunday, June 17th - Please pray that our worship would be pleasing to God, and that He would prepare our hearts for service to Him this week. *Scripture to pray for the day - Psalm 19:14 "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." *Please pray for team members Roger, Bob, and Geordan - Mexico, and Lexie and Julia - DR

   Day 4 - Monday, June 18th- Please pray that we would do tasks for the glory of God, and that the Holy Spirit would grant us humble and servant hearts. *Scripture to pray for the day - Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." *Please pray for team memebers Peter and Craig - Mexico, and Derek and Ozzy - DR

   Day 5 - Tuesday, June 19th - Please pray that God would grant us strength to persevere with our given tasks, and that we would encourage and be there for each other. *Scripture to pray for the day - Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." *Please pray for team members Linda and Jade - Mexico, and David and Beth - DR

   Day 6 - Wednesday, June 20th - Please pray that the Holy Spirit would guide all we do and say, that it would not be in vain. *Scripture to pray for the day  - Psalm 127:1a "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain." *Please pray for team members Cindie and Grace - Mexico, and Zach and Drew - DR

   Day 7 - Thursday, June 21st - Please pray that God would give us opportunities to serve that we do not expect - surprises of service! *Scripture to pray for the day - Psalm 37:5-6 "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." *Please pray for team members Kira and Olivia - Mexico, and Rachel - DR

  Day 8 - Friday, June 22nd - Please pray for safe travel home for the Mexico team, and a blessed final day in the mission field for the Dominican Republic team. Please also pray that the joy of the Lord would be evident in us! *Scripture to pray for the day - Nehemiah 8:10c "...For the joy of the Lord is your strength!" *Please pray for team members Aric and Alec - Mexico, and Jimmy - DR

  Day 9 - Saturday, June 23rd - Please pray for safe travel home for the Dominican Republic team. Please pray that we would all share what God did in both Mexico and the Dominican Republic, and that we would seek to please God in all we do! *Scripture to pray for the day - 1 Chronicles 16:24 "Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous dees among all peoples."

  Thank you for being a part of these mission trips through your prayers!

One Mission Two Different Directions

We are preparing to send a team of 14 youth and adults to Santiago Dominican Republic June 15 - 24 to continue the work the Kellers started almost two years ago.  We hope you will follow our journey on this blog.   God has lead the LIJ Mission Trip in a unique opportunity in that we have two groups leaving on the same day but in two different directions.  The other part of the group of 14 will be going to Tijuana Mexico to partner with our friends to build homes and teach children about Jesus.  We will stay connected during the week via Skype to share and encourage each other about how God is working.   During our brief time in DR we will work with a family who needs a ramp for a boy with disabilities, build an additional ramp up a road towards a Lutheran Seminary being started and do some painting at the Lutheran School.  We also are very excited to meet our World Vision Child we have sponsored through our Sunday School for over 10 years.  He is a teenager too now!  We covet your prayers and support while we do our last minute preparations this week.  We pray God will prepare our hearts and minds for to see Him everywhere we go!

Final Videos of Work Performed

Here are two videos of our job site, taken on the last day.  The first is in the yard.



The one below, talks about the tuckpointing part of the job.



Enjoy!

Home again! mission continued...

Day of travel, all to Miami, than a scattering of the team:  Lee back to Arizona; Ursula, Don, Jeff, Rose & Anti to a direct flight to O'Hare; Chuck, Jan, DJ, Ward, John & me to Jacksonville for a connecting flight to O'Hare. 

Lots of waiting around in airports today...

Plans to reunite soon, and to continue encouraging each other to be on mission, reaching out in mercy and witness to our great Lord and Saviour, Jesus! 
What a week!  What a team!! What a great God!!!
Thank you all for your prayers.
Please continue to pray for our missionaries, and for Christ's kingdom growing in the DR & everywhere!

Just a bit more - final day's interactions

Just a few other photos to share:


Principal Kissayris with pre-schoolers who presented each of us with a personalized thank you note, & hugs!




Four tiers of tuck-pointing on the back of the school; Ward, Jeff, DJ, & fearless Brian on a ladder on top of the upper scaffolding level!



The team about to leave the worksite for the last time this visit; tired but satisfied.


After showers & snacks, we strolled 2.5 blocks to James & Christel Neuendorf's home, where the mission staff were gathering for another grill-out.


Danelle (center) with other stylish northern visitors...

  

Matthias Krey is fascinated by motorcycles! (aided by Christel & Kissayris)



 

Matthias also loves to dance with Ana Ries (Pastor Walter's wife)

 

Esther Krey with Aunt Ruth and visiting Sarah.

After dinner & lively conversations, Pastor Ted came back with our team for a wrap-up discussion of what we've learned from God while here and how we will carry on in His mission.  We passed the quiz, barely, so we get to come home and the Kellers get some rest!  

There is so much yet to do!  But as DJ reminded us in closing devotions tonight, the foundation of all we are & do as Christians is to know God and make Him known:  John 17:3 ...this is eternal life; that they may know You, the one true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent.

Summary of Friday, March 9

Crossing the Finish Line

Today was our final "work day", and we went back to the playground construction site for the last time.  We planned on several finishing touches, including:  1) planting a garden; 2) finishing and reinforcing the teeter totters; 3) upgrading the hooks and hardware on the swings; and 4) completing the tuck pointing.

What we didn't realize is that it would take all day, and we would be working as hard, if not harder, than any other day on the trip, in order to complete it all!

Here is a panorama of the final, finished playground (remember, you can "spin" the panorama by dragging with your mouse - try it!):



It's late at night and our flights are leaving early tomorrow.  We'll finish the blog when we get back to Milwaukee.

This was a GREAT trip and we enjoyed serving our GREAT God.

Blessings,

The Entire Team

Summary of Thursday, March 8

The Best Day Ever!

This morning we traveled to the school for a dedication ceremony, where all of the school children were brought out to their new playground for the first time.  A handful of them had been able to see the construction and changes through the window or the locked fence -- but this was the first time they could come out and play.

After a prayer and some nice songs, the kids were "released" to try everything out, but first, they came up to all of us with thanks and hugs.  (People hug a lot down here in the Dominican...)  It felt so good to see these little ones smiling, and their genuine gratitude was humbling.  But most incredible of all, was to see them go crazy trying out the new games and equipment!

There were screams and squeals of delight, as dozens of kids got to try the swings and the teeter totters for the first time.  It was like someone set off a ten-megaton "joy bomb" and waves of delight washed over the yard.  We couldn't help but feel good, REALLY GOOD, about helping to make all of this possible.  Truly, our hearts were rejoicing and words simply can't describe how awesome it felt.

The kids piled on the teeter totter, with 3-4 kids on each side at various points, and they were loving it!  Some of us jumped in and pushed a swing, or played with the kids.  Others just stood back and thanked the Lord, quietly shedding tears of happiness.

The little guy above is playing "hop a rock", a last-minute game improvised with 12 extra boulders that were laying around the yard.  The teachers could barely get him to get back in line, he was having so much fun.

After the revelry at the playground, we got on the bus for a day of fun and relaxation.  We took a 1.5 hour drive to the northern coast of the island, where there is a nice beach and tourist area.  It sprinkled a little bit, so we killed some time by touring a rum factory (Brugal), a family business established in 1988, the largest rum maker on the island.  We joked that the motto of the gift shop was "drink rum, then buy rum!"

Our afternoon proceeded to a beach-side restaurant, where we ordered some food and drink.  The conversation was lively and we were all happy to have a day off.  We were also basking the "afterglow" of the morning, enjoying feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment.

We went swimming and enjoyed the ocean and the waves, which were pretty big!  After some body surfing and laying around, we did some shopping and headed back home.

Always the "host with the most", Brian took us down back mountain roads on the way home, otherwise known as the scenic route.  Another word for it, would be the "holy cow that's a lot of potholes" route!  We still enjoyed the ride, regardless of the bumps, because the views were lush, green, and mountainous.

Thank you LORD for another amazing day in the Dominican Republic.  Our journey is almost complete, as we leave the day after tomorrow. 

God bless!

Summary of Wednesday, March 7

The Lord Is Our Strength

Today was very special to our team, because we are beginning to see the "final product" of our 4 days of work so far.  Our work on the grade school playground moved forward in dramatic ways:  1) the concrete from yesterday was dry, so we could remove the forms and landscape the border; 2) we built the teeter totter; 3) we moved and spread large piles of sand and gravel uniformly around the surface; and 4) we assembled the volleyball and basketball hardware.

Shovel, Spread, and Shovel Some More...

It seemed like everyone took their turn with a shovel and a rake today.  With big piles of extra sand and gravel to "spread around", we really got a workout!  The pictures below say it all.

You'll be able to see the full results of our efforts in the 2 panoramas embedded at the bottom of this page.


Let's Show These Kids Something Called a "Teeter Totter"!

On Saturday we put in a metal pole structure for what was to become 4 teeter totters on the playground, and today we got the opportunity to finish the job.  Since there are very few of these anywhere on the entire island, the kids didn't know what to think.

The work was hard, involving everything from drilling holes for bolts, to welding, to digging deep holes in the rocky ground for the tires, but the end result was worth it!  Just take a look at these kids playing below.  They were having a total blast.  We can just imagine what they're going to do with the volleyball and basketball courts.

Brian arrived later in the day with the new basketball hoop.  The hoop is really nice, but let's just say it came with the requirement:  "assembly required".  It was a group effort, but we got it built, and stored safely inside where it can be mounted when the concrete footing is dry.  The neighborhood kids gathered around to lend moral support.

Check Out Our Progress Below in These 2 Embedded Panoramas

Here is a new feature of the blog:  the top photo is an arial view of today's end-of-day worksite.  You can take your mouse, click, and "drag" left or right, to "spin" the photo in a complete circle!  Try it!

Arial View above, give it a "spin"...

View from Playground Yard...

What can we say to our friends, family, co-workers, fellow church members, and anyone else reading this blog?  First and foremost -- God is good.  We are growing in our faith and thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to serve Him.  We are truly having a blast with one another, as the 14 us, from 5 different churches, with all different ages, backgrounds, and life experience, grow to become real friends -- brothers and sisters in Christ.  It is humbling and we are so happy.

In service to our Lord,

Our Dominican Missionaries - fun!

Kissayris ready to square dance.

What a joy it is to be part of building Christ's kingdom in the DR!  The missionaries here are exceptional; we truly see the face of Jesus in them, as they humbly witness to Him & serve people.

    

Danelle translating the Chicken Dance.

      

Danelle Putnam ministers to people with developmental disabilities and their families.  Kissayris Gebhard is the Principal at the Concordia school, where our work is focused and the community outreach dance event was held.  They surprised up by showing up in outfits appropriate for Square Dancing... which none of us visitors was really dressed for.

Even Pastor Walter (Ries) showed us that he not only preaches the Word powerfully, but he can grill, dance and joke.  
His wife Ana is busy with university classes, but participates when she can.



Ana Ries with Mattias Krey (motorcycle maniac)



Esther Krey with mom Rebecca.

Ted Krey orienteering.



James & Christel Neuendorf - LCMS Latin Amer.