Brooke's take on the DR

This is Brooke's take on the DR. The Lord did a wonderful work in her life while she was there. I am excited to see what the Lord does next!


My trip to the DR! What an awesome group I went with, 22 ladies who love the Lord, and were willing to serve the Lord all week.

10 Things that have made major impact on me:

1. God's Love
2. Humbled
3. The simplicity of DR
4. Friendships made and friendships grew stronger
5. God worked out everything in His timing not ours
6. Praying (Thanks Donna) :)
7. Team time each night- 23 Ladies praying, crying, laughing & sharing!
8. Kids at the school-even though there was a language barrier-they loved on us and we loved on them!
9. Missionaries - Their love for DR and what they are doing everyday is AWESOME!
10. Urgency to share the gospel

Going on a missions trip you think you are going to help them, when really they are blessing us. The simplicity of DR is refreshing in a way....they have no schedules, they have no busyness. Like we do here in United States. We are so wrapped up in our daily lives that we forget to sit back and relax and reach out to our neighbors and friends. What is important to us....Are we letting God's light shine through us daily...or are we so busy that we don't even let Him shine? I know for me personally it was a check in my life, where are my priorities are they on check with what God wants for me and my family.

Luke 14:34- Salt is good but if it loses it saltiness how can it be made salty again.
Have we lost our saltiness?

The power of prayer was evident all week. From the plane in Chicago to the rain on Friday for our Fiesta. But God had HIS plans and we had our plan....Gods plan was MUCH better
than any of ours!

Mark 10:45- For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many.

We are not here to be served, but to be servants for the Lord. I need to reach out and take the next step to see where God wants my family to be.

I am so thankful that the Lord took me to the DR! I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for my family and I! The Lord is Good...

Kris's thoughts on the DR

Kris is was an inspiration to us all. Thanks Kris for the wonderful shirts! What a blessing they were!



Kris's thoughts on the DR


I'm not sure where to start. This trip was so different than I expected in so many ways. All the other times I have been to the DR we have always built something. So we saw results right away. I don't know if I will ever see result in the DR from this trip. I hope so. I think I see more results in me personally than I expected. I really struggled in the beginning of the week. I felt like I was doing nothing but standing around. I was placed in the Physical Therapy site by the lady in California. She had never met me and why in the world would she put me there. I tried to have an open mind but that was really hard for me. Tuesday night at team time I expressed my feelings and we had a special prayer for Marcia, Tara, and I. Wednesday morning the three of us prayed before we started our day. It was more like what I expected and I really enjoyed the day. We got to do more hands on therapies and I found that I really liked being able to do that. Thursday I heard God screaming at me. I think He put me there because He wants me to pursue being a Physical Therapy aide. I have really struggled with that because I have felt for years that Fritz and I would go into missions at some point in our life. I'm not sure how the two will fit together but God knows. I am praying for a willing heart to do whatever He wants me to. I would love to be able to do both and maybe even in the DR. The people of the DR have stolen my heart.



I have also learned that what my plan is, is not necessarily Gods plan. We learned that God is in control of every detail. All the way down to the smallest detail, like the cross in the sky from the exhaust of two planes crossing each other. That was a conformation to all of us that God is ALWAYS in control.



I have never gone on a mission trip that was all women. I have to admit I was scared, but God was in control of that as well. I feel very blessed to have come away from the trip with 22 special sisters. I have known some of them for a long time, others only for a few years, and still others not at all. God couldn't have chosen a better group of women for this trip. We had some really funny times, lots of tears, and lots of talking. Some of us talked longer into the night(Cabin 3)

than others, but I had a great time with my cabin pals. I guess to boil it down the biggest thing I learned again is GOD IS IN CONTROL.



If you ever get the chance to go on a mission trip and God is nudging you to go, follow His call. You will be truly blessed.

Love you all,

Kris Bontrager

Rachel's take on the DR

Rachel is so fun see How God is working in her life. It is so fun to see how her love for God gets stronger and stronger. I want all of you to hear her testimony. You will be encouraged!



After re-reading Matthew 28:18-20, I really feel that my reason of going to the DR was for the fellowship of 22 wonderful women. I feel that through all I have seen and learned, they have all had a hand in making me even more of a disciple than I was before leaving. The DR has left me hungry, and I don't mean food hungry(DR food is amazing!). I mean I'm hungry for God's word. I'm eager to learn more books of the bible through bible studies, I want to be able to name off a verse to someone in need (thank you Mari Bowers:), and I want to learn how to have an obedient heart.



When people ask me how my trip went it really seems like a personal question. This trip to me was a getaway for me & God. God even allowed me to walk around with his heart, and wow, what an amazing heart he has! It didn't matter what language you spoke, the people and children loved you! Acts 10:34-35 says, Then Peter replied, "I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right."



We left our comforts of our homes, left our families all to spread God's Good News. I consider it such a blessing to have recieved such a calling and to have obeyed it. I have learned so much from this mission trip, and I am praying that it stays inside of my heart forever.



10 things that impacted me:

1. Power of Prayer

2. God's love for his children

3. Humility

4. Tears, Hugs, Laughter

5. God speaking through me

6. Team Time/Morning Chapel

7. God shows his mercy & love no matter what country we are in.

8. Healing of my sinful heart

9. New Relationships{I have so many new friends}

10. God allowing me to love on his children



The number one thing that impacted me was building new relationships. There have been times in my life where I have literally went weeks without talking to a friend, and its not healthy. I know I have 22 women I can call up anytime (you can call me too:) and I can speak to them about whatever is on my mind. The beauty of it is that it will always stay between us. I feel that this trip is special, with a lot of special women. I truley feel God has led me to all of you for reasons, and the future will show me why. But, until those moments come, lets live, laugh, and love one another often.



The number two thing that impacted me was God allowing me to love his children. It made me miss my son like crazy, but it made me stronger in the end. Some of the stories I learned of some of the children were horrifying, but I just think that I had to have made some kind-of difference. I didn't need them to physically tell me, I could see it in their little eyes, and feel it in their warm hugs. I know that it takes very special people to handle God's children, and I deeply appreciate Amy Green(SI Site Leader) for her hard work and compassion she has. Amy has been a blessing in these children's lives and in mine.

Annie's take on the DR

What am amazing wonderful work he did in our lives and Annie was one of those that God worked in amazing ways. Thanks Annie for going with us! We love you!!


What an amazing trip! It has actually been quite hard adjusting to "normal" life again. I miss the morning mini-sermons, the daily fellowship, the constant hugs and smiles, and the Spanish music. I was so changed by this trip. The biggest thing to me was simply love, in all it's forms.

The love God has for us became so real to me while I was gone. I have never heard Him so loudly as I did while I was in the DR. During morning Bible study, I could just feel His presence. I absolutely loved it! Watching prayer after prayer get answered and watching everyone grow was just amazing to witness. God proved so faithful during this entire trip. Even things that from the outside appeared to be a problem, He just turned them around and used them for good! They caused us to learn lessons about ourselves and to grow closer to each other.

I never expected to come home with such an amazing group of friends. I absolutely love everyone that was with me on the trip. I miss seeing them all every day! We had such fun together, crying, laughing, listening, learning, and praying. I gained a whole new family on this trip! Even since we have been home, my phone has been filled with texts just checking to see how I am doing. Texts requesting prayer and texts letting me know that my family and I are being prayed for. What a priceless, unexpected gift!

Also, the love of the Dominican people. Not just the missionaries, but the people in the villages as well. I worked with the kids at one of the schools. These kids were full of love and joy. They were so affectionate and always wanted us to play with them, hold their hands, and sit with them. I got to help them with reading and math, and I even got to play hangman! When they were asked to pray, every hand in the room went up because they all wanted to pray. Very different from Bible study at home, where most of us look all around the room and down at our hands when the leader asks who wants to pray!

The other thing that meant so much to me was the simplicity of life in the DR. It was actually refreshing to not worry about a phone, an alarm clock, or what was on tv. The entire focus was on God and people, and we as a country have lost that. One little girl carried a small purse with her everywhere, the only thing in that purse was a Bible. We carry around so much useless baggage, and this little girl carried with her the only thing that really matters. I left America expecting to help these "poor" people, and came home realizing that those people helped me more than they know. I also now believe that we are more poor than they are in what really matters. They have a dependance on God that we just rarely see in America.

Donna Bontragers view of the DR

This is Donna's take on the DR. She is a blessing to me. She did not know anything about sewing, but never once did she say anything about not going to her site, she would just laugh. It was clearly not about Donna. She found out why she was placed at that site. Its cool how God works!


Donna says:
When asked to name my top 2 things that had a major impact...after narrowing it down from 10...were meeting & spending time with Celi - and - seeing the power of prayer.

When asked what this had done to my thinking/world view of missions...It reminded me that I need to spend more time in prayer for all those who have heard God call them into missions, whether long term or short term. Also, to pray for the people they are coming in contact with, that they may have an open heart to hear and receive God's gift of Mercy & Grace.

The last question was Why did God bring me on this mission trip...and I think it was answered in the 2 previous questions. Meeting a lot of special kids and giving lots of hugs...seeing God move thru prayer...meeting some incredible mission field workers...and getting to build special relationships with 22 other women was such a blessing I can't really put it into words.

The main thing I want to tell you is that "YOU CAN'T OUT-GIVE GOD". I went down to the Dominican Republic hopeing God could use me to make an impact...and returned with blessings overflowing. New relationships with sisters...new relationships with SI workers...new relationships with the girls in Los Higos...and a new appreciation for "air travel"...hahaha

Prayer is so powerful...we need to approach the throne with our thanks and petitions and then listen to hear his voice leading and moving us to action.

Thank you Lord for an experience that can only be described as AMAZING!
Donna Bontrager

Kims take on the DR

Carolyn has asked us to list at least 10 things that have impacted us on our trip to the DR and then to write about what impacted us the most. Though I don't think I needed to go on the mission trip to discover what I learned, I think that God used the Mission trip so that it made a commanding impact on me.

My 10 major impacts would be:

1. The Power of Prayer
2. Humility
3. Simplicity and the joy these people have
4. Friendships - created there and deeper with those prior
5. Missionaries - their commitment to God and the people they serve
6. Time - we, Americanos, put to much value on it and it dictates us to often
7. God's timing
8. Beauty - in the people and the country side
9. God's provisions
10. The children

What impacted me the most, for my very 1st mission trip, has been the Power of Prayer. I have always believed in prayer, pray every day and have tried to be a faithful prayer warrior, BUT and do i mean BUT, the week prior to our departure, the day of our departure and the week at the DR has revealed to me how small I am and how HUGE GOD IS. God is in and wants to be in, every detail and aspect of our lives. (by minute, hourly, daily, weekly and forever) To hear the DR story, and there are many, will reveal a God of Power, Unity, Timing, Faithfulness, Healing, Strength, Adjustment (on our part) and most of all Love. Prayer is not just a tool to seek, praise, and ask but a way to listen to God's will and an understanding. Through prayer we learn to know our Father.

Friday, the day of the Fiesta for the children, it had been raining all night. It actually was a very peaceful rain that patted on the roof and lulled me to sleep. There were many concerns as to how we would carry out the days activities. Anyway, all week I heard from the Missionaries that we were with, that the rain was much needed and very much wanted. How could I pray for it to stop, so that we could have a Fiesta. My heart was torn. It continued to rain through TAWG time and early morning. Tara, the gal from TX, praised and thanked God for the rain and my heart just leaped, "yes let it rain". I then knew that if we would adjust and take a step in faith, God would provide for the day. And boy did He. It rained and He reined. The sun shone and the Son shone.

That morning I sang a song out loud and it went like this: Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day, I have a wonderful feeling everything's going GOD'S way. AMEN

The power of prayer. . .

Carolyns take on the DR

While I wait for some of the other ladies to send me there takes on the DR. I will write my take on it.

Last week was a very hard week for me. I was feeling very much like I could not adjust to coming back from the DR. I just wanted to go back and live there.

The 10 things I saw God do the week we were in the DR. was the following.
1) God answering prayers as soon as we left the church
2) God smiling and showing us he was in control
3) Ladies uniting our hearts together on the first day.
4) Ladies stepping up to help, Willing to step out of their box.
5) Ladies beginning to seek God as to why they were called to the DR.
6) Ladies sharing from their hearts and telling God what ever you want
7) Ladies beginning to be healed from there past
8) Ladies waiting on God in prayer
9) Ladies enjoying each other in laughter, love and praying together
10)God continuing to answering prayers and healing as we return home
11)Ladies stepping out of there boxes after we are home to do what God has asked

ok I know I did more than 10 and I think I could go on.
My role was different this year than last year where I was able to be with Daisy each day and fell in love with her and the people in the village.
This year I visited different sites each day, which was a real blessing seeing the ladies ministering. But the most rewarding thing during the day was the afternoon I spent with Milli. Milli is the head cook and last year after we returned home she accepted Jesus as her Savior after we sent her a bible in spanish and this year I felt God did a work in her life as I just shared to word with her. She was so worried about her 15 year old daughter.
As I left to go be with her I asked Jasmin to pray. God did a miracle in her life as the word was spoken she felt like God poured warm water over her starting from her head to her feet. She said she would begin that day to pray the word of God for her daughter. The day after we returned to the US Milli's 14 year old daughter accepted Jesus into her heart.. wow God is good!
After I was home I asked the Lord to help me not loose what he showed me in the DR
This is what God gave me this morning and this is what i believe happened to me in the DR. He said
. "I can not live for today, for today is to short. Today is only important in the light of what we do for God. The things on this earth is growing very dim. I must not waste a single day. I must live with eternity in my mind."
I just got home from getting groceries . I have been think about this all day. As I entered the store I asked God to show me who I was to love on. Would you believe an old renter walked in the door right after me. This person owed us quite a lot. she avoided me. I walked up to her and said its ok. I don't need it God supplies all my needs...she began to laugh out loud..almost jumping up and down .she left my best friend. Eternity set in my mind!!

It was a real privilege to be the leader of these 23 ladies and I want to thank Dawn Christner for helping with lots of behind the scene things. What a great friend she is. I love you all and hope that the experiences you have had are life changing experiences.