Captains Log: Stardate 22 January, 2010 (just kidding!)
To assist you in identifying who is who on our team in the reports:
C. David Kennedy a pastor, friend, and our team leader/recruiter
Judy Kennedy – the better half of C. David Kennedy (CDK in my journal notes)The Kennedys are from Buffalo New York.
Tim DeSchiffart (the dad), Joanna (the mom) Carolyn and Abi (their daughters)This family is from our church.
Dave Denbow (diary author) and his wife, Gail.
Friday
Gail and I had all our stuff packed and loaded into the van so that we just had to get in and drive on Friday morning at 5:00.
Drove to Bangor where we met the DeSchiffart's - Tim, Joanna, Carolyn, and Abi at Concord Trailways bus station. Bus left at about 7:30 to Portland, where we had to change busses to go to Logan Int. Airport.
Bus dropped us off at the American Airlines gate and we went in and got real tickets from our e-tickets, checked our baggage, and passed thru customs, (my metal knee set off the metal detector and causes a ‘special’ search of my person, even with my doctor’s documentation).
After about 45 minutes we boarded American Airlines (AA) and flew to Miami, Fla. (a 2.5 to 3 hour flight).
Had lunch at the Miami Airport and soon afterward were on the AA flight to the Dominican Republic. (about 1hr. and 45 minutes)
On arrival at Santo Domingo at approximately 11:00 pm we were pleasantly surprised at how easily we were passed thru customs, immigrations etc.
As we went down the last ramp before the street we saw C. David and wife Judy Kennedy waiting for us. For those who are not familiar – he is the one who recruited the 6 of us back in August to go on this mission trip. He and Judy had already been in the DR for about 2 weeks before we arrived. Dave is a preacher.
They had a driver with a van and we loaded right up and headed to Juan Dolio where the Score International Complex is located. Score is the missions agency through which we went. I remember going about 75 mph and watching as the driver went right thru a red traffic light! I tapped CDK on the shoulder and asked if that was a normal thing to do in this country. He said something like, “You haven’t seen anything yet!”
In years gone by the Score Complex, where we were to stay had been a motel/resort and was pretty comfortable.
FINALLY in bed by about 2am!!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The Score kitchen crew held breakfast late (till 8:30) to give us a bit of time to sleep.
After breakfast we had an orientation to the Score facility and operations here at Juan Dolio.
After that we took a day trip into the city of Santo Domingo, which is like the capital city.
In the city we saw a fort-type stone and brick structures with some really old rusty cannons still sitting on them overlooking the bay on which the city sits. They told us that it was built and/or owned by the son of Christopher Columbus.
We left the bus behind and walked up a busy street seeing lots of people, mostly black, and almost all speaking Spanish. We saw many new and different things during the tour including horse-drawn 2-wheeled carts; 3-wheeled bicycles loaded with produce or other wares; and hundreds of motorbikes (mostly 100cc size). A lot of vehicles which would not pass any safety inspection were running the streets, and plant and tree life were all new to me. Coconut trees, palm trees, and a host of other unidentifiable types of plants and trees could be seen.
I met a local man who was very good with the English language. We exchanged greetings and I asked what he did here. He replied that he was a tour guide. The Lord moved me to a big smile as I explained that I was a tour guide also - that I guided people to Jesus Christ and to heaven. I gave him a Gospel tract, explaining that the tract was the map to follow. (Thank you Holy Spirit for helping me see the open door which You provided with this precious soul.)
Then we came to a place we had been hearing much about – the ‘Straw Market.’ It was a large, indoor center where people came and rented space to set up their wares and trade-goods to sell. We were told to NEVER pay what the ask but ALWAYS argue the price.
I looked around a bit but then waited on the front steps for Gail and just watched life happen in front of me. She bought gifts for our grandchildren.
I saw a nearly-new van park across the street – really shiny and nice. From what I had seen of all other vehicles that condition was rare, and said so to CDK. Not 2 minutes later another van parked ahead of the ‘nice’ van and, in doing so, scraped the side of it. It wasn’t mint condition any more!
Leaving the city on our bus we stopped at Casa De Luz, an orphanage for handicapped children. As we visited each child and interacted with them our hearts were both touched and challenged as God’s love ran through us toward these children.
I watched the team members all interact with them in personal ways. Most of the children are not just physically handicapped but with mental handicaps too. I realize my positive prejudice here at this point, but my dear wife gave all her attention to one young boy and it was soul-touching as one could see the progress in their relationship in our short time there. Soon she was holding him and he was giving obvious positive and happy responses to her attentions.
They are expecting about 50 more of the same caliber in the next few weeks from Haiti. Another group like ours had recently been at the orphanage and delivered about 50 new cribs to accommodate the incoming Haitian children. God is so good!
We left some of the supplies we brought along on the trip here.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
We attended worship services on the outskirts of San Pedro de Marcos in a church built just this past August. Score simply built a church believing that God would bring the people - and He did! There were about 50-60 in attendance that day, out of which at least 8 of them greeted us at the door with a very warm welcome.
I have to mention that these are beautiful people. Clearly the handiwork of God. Their singing was beautiful as well.
Manny, a local, brought a devotion about the holiness of God and that we each must be holy as God is holy. He also cautioned us to use the armor which God has provided for us.
This evening we made our plans for the work of evangelism the next day, had devotions and prayer as a team (just the 8 of us). We rehearsed a skit and learned to sing some songs in Spanish.
We had a briefing of all teams and groups by Dr. Bob this evening. ¾ of the volunteers were sent to the Haitian border to the town of Jimani the next day. There is a Good Samaritan Hospital there which agreed to take on help from Score’s medical volunteers.
During devotions we each shared what God had said to us that day and how we had been affected, followed by a short message from CDK and prayer.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Breakfast at 0630. On busses with medical and dental teams to the city/town of Consuelo, about 35-40 miles away. Many homes in the neighborhood were plywood scraps and tin roofs.
We set up operations in a church which had another building at the rear for Sunday school and maybe a Christian school.
We all carried suitcases full of materials and equipment into the building and helped set up the medical, dental, and the pharmacy stations.
About 54 people came in from the neighborhood and a local man preached this day, after which numbered tickets were given out for the order which the people would be treated in.
With that done CDK and I handed out tracts to every person in the facility.
Judy, Gail, Joanna, and Abi did children’s ministry and evangelism. Carolyn became ill and was taken out of action till about lunch time, after which she bounced right back and was soon out playing soccer with the local children. They played with the children with bubbles and other items after completing a few scripture lessons with objects to demonstrate Biblical truths.
The healthcare people treated an amazing number of people today. All in all I suspect there were about 250. What a dedicated lot of hard-working volunteer Christians.
Thru the day many of the local people tried hard to communicate with me. All I knew was “Hola” (hello) - “Me nombre es david” (my name is david) - and most importantly, “Jesucristo dijo sigame” (Jesus Christ said “Follow me.”)
Later in the day my implanted knee got tired (I suppose from carrying heavy cases) and I had to sit for a while. The Lord even used those times of my limitations in a useful way thru the week. Today a young man of approximately 12 sat beside me. He said, “Me nombre es Christopher” and I introduced myself. During our “talk” I asked him if he could read and he took the gospel tract we had given him and read the entire thing to me, in Spanish of course. I asked if he had done what it said and he indicated that he had Jesus in his heart. We hugged.
He sat there for about a half hour and whenever a team member passed by I introduced him to them. He felt cared for and important, I could tell.
When passing out tracts I met an older woman who spoke a little English. She told me that she already had Jesus in her heart and was a member of this church where we were working. She also asked me if I would pray for her. Her name is Daisy Dobbs and if you are reading this, please give up a prayer for Daisy for whatever her unnamed need is. I would appreciate it.
The afternoon saw another bunch of patients come and receive a gospel message and tracts and more child evangelization as in the morning hours. Some decisions were made for Christ this day but I do not recall hearing an exact number.
We finished up, packed up and returned to the Score complex. I was really tired so went to rest.
When I went to supper I began to hear wild stories about Gail being beaten about like clothes in an agitating washing machine when she went swimming with the DeSchiffart family in the Caribbean. The bathroom in our accommodations bore the evidence that she must have been quite sand-scrubbed as I saw a huge pile of sand on the floor which she said came out of her clothing and from her body.
She said that as she was in the ‘tumble cycle’ she saw Tim go past riding a wave, stick his head up, and say “Hi Gail!”
Supper was fine and then evening devotions and sharing of how God impacted our lives today. CDK delivered a short message from Matthew teaching us and praying for us to see people as Jesus sees them. (praise God, He did just that during the time we were here.)
We rehearsed our skit for performance the next day.
During this day’s work, Gail’s heels both became totally blistered at the back of her sneakers. They looked bad and she was in pain. We treated them as best we could. (*see tomorrow’s report for a special grace report)
Tonight I wrote the update for the Score web site report.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
We created some soft pads from a facecloth and taped them on. She still hurt.
Again, breakfast at 6:30am. Bus ride at 7:30 followed by a truck with supplies for the day. We went approximately 50 miles to a town/village called Los Fuentes.
Small med team this day of mostly RN’s. During the trip out we went down a number of side roads and dirt roads seeing what appeared to be thousands of acres of sugar-cane fields. Plants were 5-7 feet tall.
Most homes we saw were cement or cement and plywood with tin roofs. An occasional thatched roof would appear as well.
We saw some cows, bulls, chickens, and goats along the way.
It seem that the last dirt road would never end when we finally came to our base of operations for the day. It was a school. Beside it was a new church – still under construction.
We all unloaded and set up the work stations. The restroom facilities for this day were 2 outhouses at the rear of the building. Some of the lady workers refused to use it until someone cleaned all the spiders out of it. One of the men took a broom out and swept them all out.
It was a bit hot and humid this day – about 80 degrees.
God was thoughtful about Gail’s hurt feet and she was asked to sit at a desk and do eye exams and distribute eye-glasses. She was given an interpreter and they had quite a day together.
School was let out for the day and the first group of patients arrived, about 55 in all.
A message was given by CDK with help from an interpreter from Costa-Rica. Then Tim, Joanna, Carolyn, Abi, Gail, and I did our skit to a beautiful Spanish song.
An invitation was given afterward and an older lady wanted to get saved. She insisted on getting saved in the new church so over she went with the pastor’s wife.
By the time they arrived at the church I was busy with 2 other men doing some carpentry work in the new church. What a sight . . . . a brand new church, still under construction with people getting saved even while the nails are being driven. Praise be to God!
We reinforced benches and built 3 tables – 2 smaller tables and one larger for communion and multi-purpose.
That’s when I saw the spider – from toe to toe he was at least 8 inches! No small wonder the ladies didn’t want to use the bathroom! The pastor reassured me that he was harmless but while it wasn’t poisonous, it surely was large enough to give a good bite.
After lunch CDK delivered another gospel message on Acts 16 and reminders of the earthquake then and now in Haiti and the need for each of us to make a decision today since we cannot know how many days we have left.
We performed the skit again also. CDK gave an invitation and a lady nearly leapt from the front row chair and went forward to receive Christ as her Savior. Turns out she was the daughter of the lady who was saved this morning. God is so faithful.
This morning Judy Kennedy gave her testimony. Tim D gave his this afternoon. An RN gave hers also.
There were approximately 40-45 people seen this afternoon. All received a gospel tract – some got 2 types.
I am certain that some of the people who came to the clinic walked for miles to get there.
It was a busy day and I fell asleep on the bus on the way back to the Score complex. When we arrived I had a drink, showered up and slept till supper at 6:30.
Gail just keeps on keeping on. I don’t know why she doesn’t run out of steam. The excitement, I think.
Devotions tonight were with the whole complex and focused on the young missionary, Hugo, who just recently died of a brain aneurism. His father-in-law spoke and this week his widow and baby were at the complex with us. We had a time of prayer, praise, singing and a message.
I retired to our room to write in my journal – fold another 100 tracts for the next day – and listen to Gail snore. Usually ending all my activities by 10:30-11:00pm.
The Jimani team just called and they are working 12 hour shifts there – 7 to 7. Lord help them to endure.
They reported another after-shock there today.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Yesterday was Tim Di’s birthday. He was 44, but thought he was 45 because Joanna teased him so often about his age that he forgot his actual age. We sung happy birthday to him after evening devotions.
This evening our group of 8 will walk to a nearby restaurant to celebrate Tim’s b-day together.
This morning we started with breakfast at 6:30 am and bussed at 7:45 to San Pedros, a city about 35 miles away.
Our operations center was a church in mid-city named the Iglesia Bautista Christiana Inc. It appeared to be a very poor church as it had no windows, just holes where the windows would be. No running water in the toilet and power supplied from a generator.
The med crews did a wonderful job today treating over 200 people. Another group joined us today with some children with a puppet show for evangelism. They performed today. CDK gave a gospel message to both the morning group and the afternoon group after lunch.
This day the entire team was extremely busy. It was a hot day too. Often I delivered bags of iced water to each worker reminding them to keep up their intake of fluids.
Today, as with all other days, we sung the alleluia chorus a number of times.
The morning group of patients were treated, evangelized, and supplied with gospel tracts and left.
We closed the gate and had lunch.
After lunch we opened the gate and let more in – approximately another 125. We kept one man on the gate all day to control access. I think we would have had 500 if we didn’t do that.
About mid-afternoon I had a quite moment and saw numbers of people outside the gate looking in. Many more were passing on the sidewalk. The Spirit of the Lord moved me to go “outside the gate” to the people. It was as if I was in heaven and those people were not allowed in.
I loaded my pockets with more tracts and the gatekeeper let me out. On the sidewalk I greeted folks, shook hands, spoke the only greeting I knew (‘hola’ – meaning ‘hello’) and my “special line” (‘Jesucristo diho segame’ – meaning ‘Jesus Christ said, “Follow me.”’), as I gave them each a tract.
A motorcycle with 3 wheels and a basked of produce stopped and looked. I did my thing. He took out his wallet and showed me an id card saying he was a member of this very church. Between my few words and some crude sign language we determined that he had Jesus in his heart. We embraced joyfully.
These Christians are a truly joyful sort of folk.
I think we increased tract distribution that day by at least 100 and those “outside the gate” received an invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Many, many more blessings this day in interaction with these beautiful people. Also very blessed in watching the hard work and dedication of the medical teams as they treated everything as well as sharing Christ with their patients.
More blessings as I watched our young team members interact with the children.
Some Spanish Bibles were given away during these days too.
I must point out that all-in-all I gave out around 225-275 gospel tracts and booklets today and NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON REFUSED ONE! Many said gracias and gave warm smiles and a ‘bueno’.
I met more believers today and each time it was sweet with an embrace and joy.
It was a long day because of the numbers of people we had.
Back at the complex I showered while Gail soaked her feet, now extremely sore and bloody.
Then at about 6:45 our FBCH group with the Kennedys walked to a local restraint and ate dinner beside the Caribbean Ocean. It was good food, a relaxing time, and good company.
Afterward we went back to the complex. Folded more tracts for tomorrow, wrote my journal entry, had personal devotion, and crawled into bed and died (until morning).
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Again, breakfast at 0630 and on the road at 7:30. Today we went to a sugar cane village where Score had not done any previous work named Bronce. It was about 40 miles away and again over some long dirt roads.
Our base of operations was a school building with 3 rooms. Inside toilets today! No doors though. Had to use a medical screen.
This was the hottest day yet with a brief rain about mid-day.
CDK preached this morning and I gave my testimony. Later on one of the med staff thanked me for the testimony – apparently touched a nerve. Thank you Lord.
We performed our skit again with some very positive results.
The other kids team performed their puppet show.
While CDK preached the gospel message I went into the empty classroom and prayed for God’s Holy Spirit to do a work in the hearts of these people. As I saw them and heard CDK preach and the translator, it brought tears to my eyes as I prayed. It was truly the Lord’s burden for their souls I was experiencing today. I said, “Oh Lord, give them a hunger for your word – for You.”
When the message was over I stepped outside the school room only to be mobbed by 99% of the 50-60 people who were there. Every one of them had a hand out … reaching for what I had. I had adult and children’s Gospel tracts in my hand and couldn’t give them out fast enough. They were like seagulls around an pile of fish!
Erica came over and asked me to wait on the tracts until they had given ticket numbers to the people, so I stopped. They said the people were under the impression that I had the tickets and that was why they mobbed me. I say let them think as they will. Whatever those people thought at that moment was enough for me to get a tract with the Gospel message in it to a LOT of people. My wife was so amazed she grabbed the camera and took photos of it. I praised God for His answer to my prayer.
After tickets were issued I resumed giving tracts to the few people I had missed and they all were grateful to receive them. One child had torn hers and sadly came looking for another one. She got it.
We ran out of children’s tracts that day. Had only about a dozen adult ones left, so I brought out some I had brought from home, “The Day The King’s Son Died.” They were gone very quickly when the afternoon crowd came.
Decisions were made for Christ this day.
We worked here until nearly 4pm, loaded up and returned to Score. I knew it was a blessed day in my life. All these days had been, but I sensed that this first work in this new village was to be productive on behalf of the kingdom of God, maybe more than any other we had done this week.
6:30 we were served an Argentine Barbecue cooked by a pastor and served by the Score Disciples after they gave their testimony. It was a wonderful meal with great fellowship.
Then we had devotions of all workers – wrap-up – testimony of how God had touched us this week, and an overview of all Score operations and functions.
Then FBCH, CDK and Judy had our own devotional time which was sweet.
Back to our rooms to prep for our departure at 4:30 am the next morning.
Not much to say about the return trip home except that we were all tired from the week we had put in and there were no travel problems.
Again we found ourselves with a mixture of joy, sadness, burden, and excitement over these beautiful people we had just served among.
Praise God for His enduring faithfulness and love. He has blessed us beyond measure by allowing us to be a part of what He is doing there and by letting us see His hand at work in this country.
My prayer –
Father, I am SO blessed by You. The excitement of being involved in Your work here has been wonderful. Seeing souls saved and lives helped. Giving away about 700 Gospel tracts with NOT ONE refusal from a single person. Speaking Christ to so many of them. Their joy in hearing His name.
Now, Lord, I fear that the courage You gave me to speak Your name and give the Gospel will wither and dry up when we return home. I beg You, Lord, don’t let that happen. Make me brave for Christ in the speaking and the giving of Gospel tracts and materials.
It was SO easy to love those people down there. Give me that very same kind of love and appreciation for our people right here in Downeast Maine, the US and Canada.
And Lord, I pray that You will infect all the other believers here with the same fever you gave me down there among the ‘Beautiful People.’
To God be all the glory.
In the Precious name of His blessed Son Jesus Christ (Jesucristo)
dave denbow