Summer Group #6- Austin Stone Community Church

Austin Stone brought a team of 18 who swept in just at the perfect time to bat “clean up!”  After a full summer of soccer camp, summer school, recess, taking Makarios kids to the beach, working on projects around the school…this group came in and worked like crazy to get the school ready for the new school year.  

Walking in Pancho Mateo- one of the
villages that Makarios serves

Playing in Chichigua- one of the
villages that Makarios serves

After overcoming many of the “normal” obstacles that we face on a daily basis (no power, no water, etc) they were flexible and persevered through challenges and their accomplishments were a testimony to their hard work. They built a trash cage, organized the office after a remodeling project, moved the library to a new location, helped teachers prepare their classrooms, painted desks, and completed some of the other unfinished projects from the summer.  They were led well by Wes and Kyle and were a hard working team who served with joy.

Here are some pictures that capture the joy of our village visits!  We play soccer, basketball, paint nails, give piggyback rides (known here as caballito rides), let the kids braid our hair, and just have some good old fashioned fun...loving on kids!

Trash Cage in Progress

Trash Cage Complete

On the last night of the trip, the leaders of the group asked if we could take communion and invite all Makarios staff.    As we sat on the roof under a star-lit sky, surrounded by group members and fellow staff members- Americans, Dominicans and Haitians-I couldn’t help but think that this was a perfect ending to a perfect year.  We were breaking bread together as we celebrated what the Lord had done among us in this place.  Such a powerful moment.

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Each team that came this summer was such a blessing to us personally and to the ministry.  We are humbled and grateful for the amazing teams that the Lord assembled this summer to come and serve alongside us.  We feel like we have made some lifelong friends- literally from coast to coast- from Texas to Canada, Florida to Washington.  We are blessed.

Love from the DR,

Margaret and Doug