STM Ministry Update and Debrief 2/9/2025

 We pray that you are doing well as you transition back into your routine and everyday surroundings and have been able to take time to reflect on our mission trip, what God has taught you through it, and what you have learned about yourself while serving others (or others blessing you), and how you can and will apply it to your life and grow from it. 

On Sunday, February 9, Roxanne will present a brief ministry update from our trip. After the service, we will have a team debrief/potluck. The debrief is a time for everyone to share highlights, lessons learned, things that went well, and things we could do better. Please answer the questions below in your reply. This will help Roxanne with her presentation and help us plan future missions. 

• What is one highlight that you would want to share with others?

• Did the mission meet your expectations? If so, in what concrete ways?  If not, how? 

• Was your preparation  (individual and team) helpful? Any suggestions for improvements? 

• Were the team meetings helpful in preparing before? Did you attend each one? 

• Would you recommend a short-term mission to someone else? Why or why not? 

• How could the mission be improved? 

• Were there experiences that gave you a new lens through which to view life? 

• Were you given opportunities to minister to your team, hosts, and/or nationals? 

• How did others bless you? 

• Rate your efforts to learn the local language. How did it affect your experience? 

• Would you consider another short-term mission? Why or why not?

You may be more overwhelmed or tired than before we left our mission. Ensure you rest physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. On Tuesday, I learned firsthand that I jumped into my routine too soon, and I required a lot more physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual rest. 

"For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, 

'In repentance and rest you will be saved,

In quietness and trust is your strength.'"

Isaiah 30:15

Travel Days and Debrief

 Matthew 10:21-22

"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved." 

This is one of the passages from our morning devotion, which encouraged us to stay strong in our pursuit of God during the storms and struggles of life, as they benefit our growth in faith, endurance, and hope in Christ. When things are going well, we tend to slack in our walk with God and fix our eyes on other things, thinking, "I am doing well," but it is not I but Christ within me who is working. 

It rained during our time in the Colonial Zone, a first for all of us. 

We traveled from the Solid Rock Guest House in San Juan de la Manguana to Santo Domingo on Friday. The ride was longer than usual due to more traffic and an extra stop. After an hour in the Colonial Zone, we arrived at the Dominican Fiesta Hotel and Casino, where many of us enjoyed a cappuccino while we waited for our rooms to be ready. Some ordered room service for dinner, while others walked to a grill house. 

Psalm 32:10-11

"Many are the sorrows of the wicked, But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart." 

Saturday was our travel day home.  While it was a long day, God blessed us with smooth flights and entry through customs. We enjoyed dinner at TGIF at the Atlanta airport and had time to rest before catching our flight. Our team from Portage reached Grace Bible Church at 5 am Sunday. 

This year's team, God blessed us with an amazing week of fellowship, praise, serving, prayer, and loving others. 

This is a reminder that Roxanne will give a ministry update on February 9, highlighting some of our wins, praises, and prayer requests. We will have a team debrief and potluck after the worship service. 

The Final Days of Construction and Barrio Teams

John 3:30

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

This was the key verse of our morning devotion. It reminds us that it is not "I" but Jesus who works all things for God's glory. I get messed up when I focus on what I can do. 

The barrio team was in Barranca, a small community about 20 minutes from the guest house. We saw 77 patients at a slow, steady pace. During the morning home visits, one family chose to place their family in Jesus, and they needed a house call by a provider later in the afternoon, which both Linda and Roxanne were able to go to minister to them.

The barrio team unloaded the trailer to set up for the day.

CCED hosted us for dinner, and the HS youth worship band led us through worship songs in English and Spanish.

Jeremiah 33:3 

"Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know." 

This was the key verse in our morning devotion today; Roxanne shared her testimony and how this verse has impacted her life. 

Today, the construction team finished painting the inside and outside of Pastor Enol's church. It was a huge task as they had to clean and scrap first. 

The barrio team was at Mijo barrio, in a church at KM 13 marker. It was a slow start (only 6 patients in the first 45 minutes), but we saw over 120 patients.  

The view from the church the clinic was in today. 

It is hard to believe it is our last night at the guest house. It feels like we have just got here. The team leaders have debriefed with the SRI staff and received instructions on preparing to return to Santo Domingo tomorrow.  

This is just a brief update; we will share more details in a few days. 

Update from San Juan de la Manguana

God blessed us with travel mercies, smooth entry through customs, and time to catch up on sleep. Being reunited with friends and meeting new team members has been nice. The fellowship of sharing how God has been working in our lives has been so encouraging and a blessing.

The route we take from Santo Domingo to San Juan de la Manguana

The view from the restaurant balcony at our hotel.

We arrived at the Solid Rock Guest House on Sunday. It was awesome to be greeted by Hector with a huge hug. After a few hours of orientation, we emptied suitcases, sorted donations and medicine, and counted medications. One exciting thing is the emphasis placed on prayer, being respectful, thinking about why we want to take a picture, and ensuring we take time to build relationships with our Ministry Assistants and those we contact. They have started a prayer journal at the guest house for us to pray for entries, write prayer requests and/or praises, or our prayers. This is only a couple of months old,, and they shared that the staff also prays through it. 

On Monday, we had our barrio clinic in Carpinten (Saboneto), which had a beautiful view of the dam (pictured below). We saw 101 patients, but most importantly, two people placed their faith in Jesus: one during a home visit in the morning and another during a house call in the afternoon!

This photo is of the San Juan Valley from the dam. The government opened this dam without warning following Hurricane George in 1996. Many, many people died, and this valley was destroyed, creating a new, higher flood zone. 

Today, Tuesday, we visited the local market and hosted our barrio clinic in Magueyal, about 15 minutes away. We saw 123 patients. Before we started our day, Michael and Pastor Enol beautifully presented the gospel. In the morning, we made some home visits and shared the gospel. The home visit team visited at family that Pastor Enol has shared the gospel with the last nine years, this year the entire family decided to place their faith in Jesus and we are praying for others to come alongside them and love them to life in Christ. This barrio had a lot of Haitians, and it was explained that the Dominicans went into the city for high-income jobs, and the Haitians did the farming. 

The view from behind the school we were at today. 

Our construction team has been busy painting the interior and exterior of Pastor Enol's church. This church began with home visits. A few years ago, when some of the people he had visited placed their faith in Jesus, he asked if he could come back to follow up and conduct Bible study. More people came, and it grew from a home visit to a small group Bible study to a house church to a church. How amazing our God is that we can witness those seeds planted and grow. 

1 Corinthians 12:12-14: "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many."

We are so thankful for the Spirit, who has united us as one and made us sensitive to the needs of others above our own. Please pray for continued unity, protection, and boldness to share what God has placed in our hearts. 

STM Details

 We are eight days from our trip to Santo Domingo, and prayer is our most important preparation tool. As we finish the final details as individuals, families, and teams, it is vital that we remember that we are all united as one through Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

Colossians 4:12-17 "So, at those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloed, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom of teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." NASB

A few last-minute details:

• Our team commissioning is this Sunday, January 12, at the end of the service. Please be at Grace Bible Church by 9:50 am. The link for the livestream can be found at https://youtube.com@gbcportagewi/streams
• Following our worship service, we will have a potluck lunch and our last packing party. Roxanne is bringing chili and Lynn brownies. Please bring a dish to pass and the two suitcases you are planning on using for our travels so we can pack and weigh them. Please reah out to Deb if you would like to join us via Facetime.
• Friday, January 17, those leaving from Portage will meet at Grace Bible Church at 10 am for prayer. Our bus will leave at 11 and head to Janesville. 
• Saturday, January 18, we will need to be at O'Hare airport by 5 am with an arrival time to Santo Domingo of 6:40 pm their time.
• While we are at the guesthouse, the best emergency contact number to be reached at is 419.956.4043. Please ensure your family has this information as well as a copy of your passport and flight information.

Blessings, 

Deb