ACTIVATE youth ministry

Hey everybody! In case you hadn’t noticed, Lilia, myself, and 14 of our AYM youth went to the Dominican Republic for a week long mission trip. Our team consisted of 7 teens going for their 1st year, and 7 teens going for their 2nd year. Operation Domincan Republic 2010 was from June 27 – July 4th.  Our AYM missions team has returned from ODR 2010 safe and sound, and what a trip it was!

AYM ODR 2010 team

I think it’s fair to say that none of us will ever be the same again after being available to be used by, and hear from God throughout our week long stay in the Dominican Republic. The trip was an enormous success! So much happened, that me trying to sum it all up in a blog entry would be foolish. Instead, here’s what we did each day, and I would encourage each of you to talk to one of our team members ASAP and give them an opportunity to share with you what God was able to show them, and do through them during their mission in the Dominican Republic!

Sunday – Our travel day started at 4am, and we arrived at our Dominican mission’s villa at 4 pm. We had dinner, and settled in for a busy week

Monday – VBS (story of Esther, two crafts, snack, games, and quality time) from 9am – 12pm with over 90 village children ages 5-12.

Tuesday – VBS (stoy of David, two crafts, snack, games, and quality time) from 9am – 12pm with over 140 village children ages 5-12. Teen Soccer tournament from 1pm – 4pm with 4 teams of 10 village teens ages 13-19, dramas, testimonies from the teens, and a message from yours truly, with over 65 people in attendance.

Wednesday – VBS (stoy of Moses, two crafts, snack, games, and quality time) from 9am – 12pm with over 140 village children ages 5-12. Teen Soccer tournament (3rd place game, and champonship) from 1pm – 4pm with 4 teams of 10 village teens ages 13-19, dramas, testimonies from the teens, and a message from yours truly, with over 85 people in attendance.

Thursday – Painted school for the children of prostitutes in one of the poorest areas of Puerto Plata, from 9am – 12pm. Walked through the Barrio (ghetto) from 1pm – 3pm handing out tracts, and 200 freeze pops to children in the village, dramas and testimonies from 3pm – 4pm on the boardwalk where we were then able to pray with people.

Friday – Team time consisting of a Jeep safari, lunch in the mountains, swimming through, and jumping off of natural waterfalls, some beach time, then out to dinner at Chris and Maddy’s.

Saturday – Painted the outer wall of MWCM’s school campus from 9am – 12pm. Then we got to spend some QT with the village children, visiting their homes and saying our “good – byes” from 1pm – 3pm. We were able to  do 4 dramas, testimonies, and I got to speak to and our team was able to pray with people at El Buen church’s youth/singles service in Puerto Plata. Over 300 people were in attendance.

Sunday – We traveled home…

Jason & LiliaODR 2010

This team was pheonominal!

Lilia and I couldn’t be prouder of them if they were our own biological kids, and know that God is smiling on them too! We’re already excited about next year’s trip, and the possibility that we may have to lead two seperate trips (a 9-12 grade trip, and a college aged trip) due to the growth of AYM! What a great season to be serving God, and Lilia and I wouldn’t want to do it with any other generation! They’re world changers when they’re in God’s hands, we’ve seen it firsthand, and look forward to what’s to come in the future… 

-J-