Day 3 - On-site @ Jim Smith School @ El Rosario

Our day started with a team breakfast with our Dominican worker friends--Javiel and Ismael. It was heart warming for me to hug these men who remembered me from last year.

Our ministry of love began at the Jim Smith School at El Rosario @ around 8:30 AM (7:30 EST). We continued the work we had begun last year. We completed building another stretch of cement block wall with chain link fencing. Much work had been completed since we were here last year in January.

We worked through the warmest weather I have ever experienced down here in the D.R. It was 90°+ but it's much warmer than our 90° in Michigan. Our work team worked very well together on this day. But, boy, was I tired when I returned to the Guesthouse at 6:00 PM (5:00 PM EST).

Day 2 - Ground travel to San Juan de la Maguana

Domingo 19 De Febrero - We woke up to sunny skies and 80°. We ate a Dominican-style buffet breakfast in the hotel dining room @ 8:30 AM. We left the hotel on our bus and traveled about 15 minutes to the the Spanish-speaking Iglesia Principe De Paz (Prince of Peace Church) where we worshipped with our Dominican brothers and sisters . Our worship service lasted for almost 2 hours. The music and drama were quire lively and the pastor preached with great passion. Although I could not understand much of what the pastor was saying I felt the presence of my God as we were in His presence.

After the worship gathering concluded, we stood around and drank Coke and shook hands with our new brothers and sisters in Christ. We got back on our buses and headed out on our 3-1/2 hour journey, stopping for a baked chicken dinner with fried bananas at Pollo Rey (Chicken King). After dining, we got back onto our bus and continued for another 2-1/2 hours. Just so you can relate to the road conditions, this 3-1/2 hour drive is only 120 miles.

After arriving at the Solid Rock Missions Guesthouse, we put our belongings away and gathered for a short orientation. Shortly after the orientation, most of our luggage arrived. The remaining pieces, including the two wheel barrel handles on Monday afternoon--nothing was lost! Praise God!

We gathered again after dinner for a short devotional and I retired for bed early since I am still trying to recover from a slight flu bug.

Day 1 - Travel to the Dominican Republic

We left Lansing at 5:45 AM this morning from Jim Goble's home in Okemos. I drove one of our team member's (Judy Hoeve) Dodge Ram to the airport for her so that we'd have our return ride next Saturday evening. I had already been up since 3:00 AM since I had just a busy day on Friday, trying to tie up all the loose ends at home and church. As I I looked up at the LED temperature display in Judy's truck I had to rub my eyes twice to make sure that what I was seeing was really true--1° F. Little did I know that upon arrival in Santo Domingo, my body would be experiencing an 89° F shift in temperature. Not that I was arguing about the warm temperature mind you!

Our Delta Airlines flight left Detroit about 30 minutes late, causing us to arrive 20 minutes prior to our connecting flight in Atlanta. Although we raced through the airport from Terminal B to Terminal E barely making our flight, our luggage was not as fortunate. So when we arrived safely @ 3:00 PM in Santo Domingo we had no luggage until Sunday evening. Only to find out later that our luggage arrived later that same day on an American Airlines flight. Oh, well!! We stayed at the Barceló Lina on Saturday night. I couldn't wait to retire for the evening since I got up at 3:00 am since I still needed to pack.

The intent of my blog is to journal my daily thoughts and post photos during my mission trip to the San Juan De La Maguana in the Dominican Republic from February 18-25, 2006.

Solid Rock Missions came into being officially in 1992 as a 501(c3) organization to support two Dominican-run minsitries--medical clinics and schools. They are a non-denominational group of individuals and organizations that have partnered to help meet the needs spiritually, physically, socially, and educationally, in the name of Jesus Christ. Their volunteer board comes from the U.S. and Canada. They also have a small North American staff which is headquartered in Wauseon, Ohio. In addition to the two schools and medical clinics, they operate a Guest House which is used to provide lodging and meals for the teams which come from all over North American to serve the Dominican people, like us. Currently, Rod and Sandy Nofziger are the Guest House hosts. They are awesome servants. What a blessing they have been to us!

Rod and Sandy Nofziger have been on staff at the guesthouse since January 1, 2004. They had lived in Pettisville, OH all of their married life, and had been on many short term missions trips themselves. During the two years prior to their decision to serve with Solid Rock Missions, they had an interesting chain of events that made it clear that God was asking them to make a life change. After processing their decision with their family and close friend in their church, they sold their businesses and their home and made their way to San Juan de la Maguana. They very much enjoy their role as guesthouse hosts, welcoming all the people who come to serve the Lord in the Dominican Republic. During their trips back to the U.S they share time with their four married children and eight grandchildren, Rod's mother as well as extended family and friends. Rod and Sandy are thankful for the support and prayers of the many persons who have made it possible for them to carry out this ministry. You can e-mail the Nofzigers at rsnof@solidrockmissions.org.

Our team consists of three men from my men's small group from Trinity Church--Jim Goble, Christopher Thompson, and me--Michael Goble (the pastor from The Church of the Good Shepherd in Adrian, Michigan), Dr. Monica Goble (Jim's wife), Jamie & Graham Goble (Jim's two sons), Judy Hoeve (Jim's co-worker), and Rose Aguilere (friend from Judy's small group).

Our mission to continue a construction project at the Jim Smith School in El Rosario, Dominican Republic which we began last year. Some of our team left a week earlier than the rest of us. The purpose of this project was to provide the necessary security for the school grounds. This security is in the form of high walls consisting of cement block and chain link fence. The reason behind the chain link fencing became more apparent to me this year than last. Surrounding the school is a beautiful countryside that our Dominican friends want their children to gaze upon, seeing God's glorious creation. As last year, we will work alongside paid Dominican workers who have become our friends.