Adelante Youth Mission 2011 - Misión Joven Dominicana
In March of 2011 a team of 19 US volunteers along with our partners Misión Joven's 60 youth and adult volunteers from the Dominican Republic, worked tirelessly and accomplished so many life changing things!
During our mission week we …
During our mission week we …
- Built 7 homes
- Repaired 15 homes
- Installed 93 water filters
- Built 1 school
- Donated 7 beds and mattresses
- Taught in several public schools giving out hundreds of pounds of school supplies
- Donated shoes, clothes, food, etc.
- Had talks on preventative medicine
- Worked with many kids in playground activities
Missionary Reflections
"God had different plans for me that day..."
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Hungry for more transformation, I returned to the Dominican Republic for a second mission trip. This time I had anticipated the same epiphanies and some reminder of what the prior mission had shown me. To my surprise, it was this and much more... I was exposed to the freedom and beauty of letting go and letting God take control. One day I had dressed and prepared to do construction. When we arrived in the neighborhood we would be working in that day, we only had so many shovels and hammers at the construction site. Feeling discouraged, I turned to what was left of our supplies... 150 assorted balloons and a hand pump. Within 5 minutes there was a line of 20 children eagerly |
waiting for their own balloon animal. I was humbled by this- that God had different plans for me that day and it didn't involve a hammer. As I let go of my expectations and my personal agenda, I could feel the anxiety and stress leave my mind, and found comfort in my choice to focus on only the present moments. – Bridget Maguire
March 2011 brought around a chance for me to attend my second mission trip to Puerta Plata Dominican Republic. I had such an amazing experience my first year that I knew I needed to be a part of the mission again. I along with several students from Grand Valley State all decided to join Fr. Joe. This time around we had 19 missionaries from the United States and 60 volunteers from the Dominican Republic. This mission trip in the Dominican Republic is truly a life changing experience. It opened my eyes to a new culture and a new way of life very different from my own. The kindness, generosity, and hospitality that the Dominican people showed were overwhelming. When I went, I had the expectation of giving to the people of the Dominican Republic, but in reality they ended up giving me so much and I am forever grateful. I have made lifelong connections on these missions that I will cherish forever. Thank you to Fr. Joe for giving me this amazing opportunity. .- Kristen Hayes
