Catalina's Adventure: Constanza, Dominican Republic Mission Trip

ARK Constanza Children's Home

The Care Center started out in a small rented building. In 2004 property was purchased by Kids Alive to build a new Care Center and Children's Home. In 2005 the Summit Church had several Mission Trips to Constanza to help build the Home and Center. This was my first Mission Trip and my first trip to Constanza!

The children’s home shares the same property as the Constanza Care Center, providing residential care to more than 25 children in three homes. This program will grow to care for 40 children once the fourth home is completed which is now under construction.

I have been praying that our church will have a mission trip back to the Dominican Republic next year. Our team last year enjoyed it so much being with the orphans. We were excited when a few of the kids recognized us from our last trip there. It was exciting watching their eyes light up when they recognized us.

Our mission this week was to help construct the outside stairs to the second floor of the Care Center (The second floor is still under construction), build a parking pad for the scooters and bikes, paint the seats and frame of the back of the truck. We did this work during the day. My prayers to the Lord were well answered. I really didn't think I would do good at mixing cement but the Lord said "yes you can"!

We would get up early in the morning and work until around noon, go back to the Team House and have lunch, rest a bit, (siesta time in Constanza is noon until 2:00. Of course, our siesta was much shorter than that) pray, and back to Kids Alive.

In the afternoon we would spend time with the house mothers and then do differnet projects with the kids, do Bible stories (we acted the stories out), and play outside. I translated the bible stories but sometimes when I would come to a word that I could not pronounce, the kids would help me. What was really funny, they would finish the verse that I was translating!!! They know the Lord's word quite well.
We would go back to our Team House to a nice warm dinner. Then review our day, pray and praise the Lord. We even played dominoes.

The song that is with this video is "Follow You" by Leeland. Below are the lyrics. I love this song and it is my praise to God - my song. Each time I watch this video, it brings tears to my eyes. Tears of joy as I loved being with the children in Constanza and remembering all that we did within that time. Memories just sweet loving memories.

THIS IS A VIDEO, CLICK ON IT TO VIEW.

Lyrics to "Follow You"

You lived among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.

All my needs you have supplied.
When I was dead you gave me life.
How could I not give it away so freely?

And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.

Use my hands, use my feet
To make your kingdom come
Through the corners of the earth
Until your work is done
'Cause Faith without works is dead
And on the cross your blood was she'd
So how could I not give it away so freely?

And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.

I give all myself.
I give all myself
I give all myself... to you.

And I give all myself.
Yes, I give all myself.
And I give all myself... to you.

And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.

Garage Sale for our Mission Trip

Just Sitting Back

Our Mission Trip Begins

Susan Burkhead, Me, Dinah and George Platt, Jake Kirkendoll, Jason Evans
We call ourselves the "DR6"
D.R. Mission Trip June, 2010
L.R. Airport Morning of Departure