7:04 pm local time: After getting through security with some minor delays, we took off on time and have now landed in Punta Cana. 8:09 pm: We have all our bags and are on the Lighthouse bus. Plus pizza as we travel! 11:09 pm We arrived safely at the Lighthouse compound. It's been quite the travel day. With some great food waiting for us, the Dominican hospitality
This is the first time our entire team was able to gather together as we prepare for this Compassion Experience. After some heartfelt good-byes with parents, we centred on why we're in this, had a Spanish primer lesson led by Karla Campbell and began working through the logistics of our final preparations (including shuttling between our office and our hotel).
We are excited to be sending a team of 15 students and leaders from Kingsway Baptist Church and Mimico Baptist Church on this compassion experience to the Dominican Republic on March 9-16. They will be joining the Lighthouse Project which CBOQ Youth has supported for 20+ years. Starting on March 9, we'll have a daily update from our team so you can see what God is doing through our team.
Partnering with International Teams, CBOQ Youth is returning to the Lighthouse Project in Los Alcarrizos, Dominican Republic. This community school has been a great testimony of God’s work in the area. CBOQ Youth will be sending a team of up to 30 students and leaders as they further develop the ministry. Registration information is now available. Team applications are due September 28. Fill out my online form.
In a few hours, our CE-DR 2018 team will depart for the Dominican Republic where they will join other churches under International Teams (ITeams) to serve the Lighthouse Project. We are grateful for the partnership with ITeams and Lighthouse, and the willingness of this 10-person team to serve and learn with the nationals there. Earlier this evening, I briefly shared four points with them: We call these "compassion experiences" because
Cultural Day Before we left our hosts wanted us to soak in some more of the Dominican culture and explore what the city of Santo Domingo has to offer. We visited the Market, bartering for souvenirs and gifts for those back home. We toured the old city, the oldest European settlement in the New World. We also visited the Three Eyes, or Tres Ojos if you're from the Dominican Republic,
Walls and community Work Today was a great day! It started off with singing worship songs on the roof overlooking the city, which I always love. It is such an intimate time with everyone and this morning God's presence was definitely eveident. I had the song 'Always', which we sang , stuck in my head the entire time we worked. A highlight for me today at the work site was
Back to work I was so happy to be a part of our team today. In the afternoon, we took a break from working and walked around the community of Villa Altagracia. We are the first people ever from the Lighthouse to work and walk around in that community. The people were so warm and welcoming to us. I can't wait to go back again and work tomorrow! -Brianna Today was a
THIS WEEK FOR MARCH BREAK... This week thousands of students are off school for March Break, which is a prime opportunity for learning! Here are some examples of what some students are involved in this week: Compassion Experience, Dominican Republic: We have 23 students and leaders from three churches representing CBOQ Youth and International Teams in Los Alcarizzos. They'll be serving at the Lighthouse Project and the surrounding community. You
First Day of Work at Villa Altagracia We have been anticipating this day for years. A new property. A new challenge. A new opportunity to start duplicating what has been done in Los Alcarrizos. Words cannot express how amazing this moment was as we started bending re-bar, and mixing/pouring cement. The three church team hummed along like seasoned veterans as small members tried lifting cement bags as heavy as themselves,
