Self-Sustainability and Future Planning

Construction has still been at a stand-still but this week work will re-commence. A couple of generous souls decided to contribute which has provided the funds for the building of the viga (concrete union piece at top). Now the big job of saving, working, and fundraising to put on a roof will begin.

One of our main responsibilities during our stay has been to work on developing the youth group program at Casa de Dios, Puerta del Cielo. Other than a poorly attended Saturday night service, the youth in the past has had nothing to call their own. Through working on relationships with the youth during “non-church” hours, we have been able to begin a Sunday School class and have helped give the Saturday night youth service more formation. Another element we’ve added to the youth ministry here is a Question Box (See Pictures). The purpose for this “Question Box” is to allow the youth to ask questions that may be on their hearts, but they are too embarrassed to ask and we want to be able to address the things that are important to them. During the week they might think of a question they have or an issue they want to know more about and they can write it down on a piece of paper and drop that in to the Question Box when they come to the service. We ask them to deposit their questions anonymously so that they feel no pressure that others may know which question was theirs. Later the youth leader(s), currently us, reads those questions and prepares to address them in the service either by giving the questions to other members of the church or by answering it themselves. Also, the older members of the church have an opportunity to answer their questions and engage in dialogue about issues brought up by their teenaged counterparts. More teenagers from the community are getting plugged into the faith community at Casa de Dios, Puerta del Cielo, and we are thankful to God for that.
At this point we are beginning to move into the next phase of our purpose for coming to the Dominican Republic: To set up a support system for the ministries that we’ve been able to augment so that they can be self-sustained and operated by members of the local faith community. In the case of the youth ministry, this support system will include leadership training, the creation and writing of a challenging-but-relevant Sunday School curriculum, and equipping church laity to work with the youth. Please pray that God will continue working in our minds in order that He (through us) can bring new innovative ideas to this community.

Saturday, Chris spoke to the youth about the revolution that Jesus made available to everyone in His arrival to earth called the Kingdom of God. The youth were challenged to change the way they see the world, and as a result change the way they live their lives, treat their friends and family, and make decisions that will face them. Sunday we explored the parable of the Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13) by hiding 25 pesos in an old rusty tin can. It provided a valuable learning experience that we hope the youth won’t forget. (See Pictures: also included the plants that were planted in the good soil GREW!!! Mat 13 also).

Next Sunday we will be going to the Yaque River for a baptism service. Three members from Centro Cristiano and two members from Casa de Dios, Puerta del Cielo have completed their baptism/new-Christian classes (Pictures of classes attached) and will be making a public demonstration of their new-found faith.