Saint Ambrose Catholic Church - "Jesus Christ is Everything for Us!"

This evening we spent time at Mont Santa Maria (the retreat center on top of the mountain) and we prayed to our Heavenly Father asking God to bless all of our dads, grandfathers, and godfathers. We hope and pray today was a wonderful day for your and your family.

The mission trip is going very well. We faced some more rain today but that did not stop our efforts and progress.

…The Medical Center did wonderful things. They saw 23 families thus far totaling about 125 people. Of the group, most of the children have parasites (worms). We ran out of medicine and were able to purchase more medicine anticipating that this will continue with the other children and families. Thanks to lots of hard work and efforts on the part of so many, the medical center has come a long way in a short time offering great compassion and healing care to those without health care.

…The new community center, school office and permanent clinic is set for cement tomorrow. The team has done a great job of doing the rough in plumbing and gravelling (about 45 tons of gravel to level the ground). We are hoping to start cement tomorrow. Pray for dry weather. We hope to hit a primer coat of paint on the walls also.

…We are making great progress on the unplanned fence project. We have the excavation done and hope to put the cement foundation in tomorrow. Once this is in place we will throw four course of block and then put seven feet of fence above it.

…We are also ready to welcome the Margiotta and LoPresti families tomorrow. They are going to help us carry the seminary project over the top. Since they are rested, they have about 40 ton of gravel ready to put in place tomorrow.

…Jake and I have learned a lot this trip. We have gotten a bull riled up….we took on the role of exterminator and wiped out thousands of ants and bugs that overwhelmed the seminary buildings….and I am now officially driving (myself) on the streets of Higuey. God save us all!!!

….The group is doing incredible well. There is a good spirit among the group and an eagerness to serve. All are well and healthy.

…Today’s Gospel echoes the theme of this trip…Lose your Life. All of us are called to follow the pattern of Jesus – to lose our life in service to the Lord. Tonight in the homily at Mass, I suggested that this trip is so important because Jesus had a special love for the poor. In losing one’s life in service to the poor, one finds the Lord because the Lord loves the poor.

Keep in your prayers. We are praying for you and asking God’s blessing on our fathers and families and you.

Be at peace and know that we are well.

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Day 4

Greetings from rain drenched Higuey. Lots and lots and lots of rain fell today. It didn't stop us...it may have slowed us down....it also taught us a greater appreciation for civil engineering and storm sewers.

We made great progress on many, many fronts:

...today we welcome ten more missionaries. They arrive safe and sound.

...the new building received a primer coat of paint, is gravelled, and ready for cement in the morning.

...We had a great meeting today with the director of the school and were able to come up with some compromises. They will allow us to put up the fence around the parameter (rear and sides, not front) of the building and complete the fencing project after the completion of the new building. This will allow us to create a commons area...a plaza...for the community.

...The Clinic staff did a phenomenal job in responding to the health needs of this community. What progress in the way we offer care. More importantly, each person has been treated with the greatest of dignity and respect.

...we also took a step forward on the seminary project and are working to poor floors and prime three units that can house about 20 people.

There is a great spirit among the group. They are working hard together and doing great things in service to the poor. One great story, among so many that you will hear from your family, comes for the Clinic Team compromised of mostly adults. Rachel Bullock was assigned to assist in the Clinic on day one. From the feedback of the adults -- she didn't think she had much to offer the Clinic team. Today, her second day, she was viritually unstoppable in her desire to care for the poor. She was the passionate one who jumped right in -- reached out -- offered assistance and care -- in the spirit of Jesus Christ. She is a living example of the theme for our mission "Lose your life" -- the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to others, especially the poor. This is just one story from today and exemplies the spirit of the team and the power of God at work.

Tomorrow is a most ambitious day:

...cement for the building floor

...fence walls.

...forty ton of gravel to move

....sidewalks to pour.

....care to offer

....opportunities to grow

...fun to be had

The water from the rain today made it clear to me why we have been fighting such a mold problems on the house exteriors. Today in the rain, there were houses that had fourteen inches of water on the exterior walls of the house. The block becomes saturated....and this leads to respirtory problems and the cycle goes on and on. Tomorrow's gravel is designed to get water away from the houses.

God bless you for your prayers and support. All are healthy...all are well. Pray for good weather. Pray that each of us may give our hearts and lose our lives in service to the Lord.

Peace and God's blessings.

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Day 5

Let it rain!!! Rain is the theme of this mission. We have encountered more water than I would like to admit. We are expecting more rain. God is making the mission a creative challenge. Even with the ‘rain factor’ we continue to push forward.

…the Clinic has done outstanding work…..simply outstanding. Tonight I had to go and purchase more supplies and medicine. The system is very different in the DR where you can buy basic medicines (like Z packs) very easily. The purchasing of more medicine is a testament to the work that the team is doing in caring for hundreds of those who have little to no access to care. The need for more supplies is a haunting reminder of the great needs we are dealing with.

…We poured the floor in the new building….and then it rained…and we went back to finish the floor…and it rained….and we covered the floor…and it rained some more….but at the end of the day….we have a floor…it looks good….and if it stays reasonably dry will set well.

…We painted the exterior of the new building…looks great.

…We have half the base of the school fencing done and are on target to complete the project before we leave. This project puts us about $5,000 in the hole but it had to be done.

…We continue work on the seminary project….the team moved gravel into the dorms today in 99 percent humidity….God bless them for their perseverance.

…Our biggest step forward of the day was laying gravel that stopped the flood of water hitting the houses (see yesterday’s update). The residents were grateful beyond words.

…Grateful is the right theme as we end the day. I am grateful for the team who is working so hard and giving so much of themselves. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve those most in need. The community is overwhelmingly appreciative of all we are doing for them. And mostly, we are blessed with the opportunity that God has given us to serve.

Today’s Gospel is a challenging one. Jesus reminds us that the way to heaven is through the narrow gate. It requires a daily dying to self to rise to something new and full of life. I see this happening in the mission team. Lose your life….so you may be alive in Christ.

Tomorrow is the big push as we begin to conclude the trip. Pray for dry weather. Pray for the health and well-being of all. Pray that God may give each of us the wisdom to walk through the narrow gate to fullness of life in Christ.

God be with you.

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Day 6

Well….

We didn’t get hit with a hurricane and unlike home, we didn’t experience at earthquake where the buildings were shaking. We did however experience more rain. The word of this mission trip is SOGGY!!!

We really got bogged down in the mud (so to speak) today.

…We are almost done with the fencing for the school. Tom Weyenberg was using his blackberry last night to get all the details of “how to build a chain link fence.” We should have this project complete.

…Despite heavy rains we were able to get the floor in the new building done and finished. Looks GREAT.

…We spent a good amount of time (and money) correcting some major water flow issues. We have a good rain water drainage plan in place and hope this will help keep some of the homes dry and free from mold/flooding.

…We did make major progress on the seminary project and look forward to pouring floors in two of the units tomorrow morning.

…We are far behind on some other concrete work that we were hoping to accomplish (school and new building). I guess this is good in that it will give us some work to do when we return in December.

…We took the mission team on the tour of Tin City. It’s amazing to hear teens share that this is the ‘most important part’ of the trip. We were able to see in the most vivid ways the challenges that the poorest of the poor face on a daily basis. With the heavy rains we saw all the garbage streaming down the river. We witnessed the damp and soggy conditions that fill their homes and lives. The tour is soul stirring to the great blessings that we have of food, water, Church, sanitation, and stop signs. It all makes a huge difference.

…We have a great team of men from the community that are working with us. They have such great talent just little opportunity to develop their skills and become professional tradesmen.

…We took the group for pizza tonight. This was a huge hit and buoyed the soggy spirits of many days of rain. After dinner we spent some good time in discussion and reflection on the theme “Lose Your Life.” Some of the reflections included:

…Lose your Life in service to others.

…Lose your life means to be more aware of your present reality.

…Lose your life means to serve God with all your talents and strengths.

…Lose your life means to focus on what really matters

…Lose your life means to let go of your plans to do God’s plan for your life.

…On Thursday we hope to complete as many projects as possible and get our materials and supplies in good order to leave on Friday.

…Please pray for dry weather and for the well-being of the team. Everyone is holding up really well…safe and sound and happy with pizza!!!

Have a great evening.

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Day 7

Rounding third and heading home!!!

God saw fit to give us six hours of sun (or at least no rain) today. This allowed us to do great things and accomplish the majority of the projects that we set out to do.

…We poured three trucks of cement trucks and laid the floors in six houses that will eventually become homes for seminarians and for our retreat team. Given all the reality of weather….we got all the conduit and plumbing in the ground and the cement down. Praise God.

…The school fence project is done. The unexpected reality of needing to build a wall around the parameter of the school and install fencing was a surprise (and a big budget buster) but it is done…which means that school can open in September.

…With the additional rain this afternoon we were able to witness that our 40 tons of gravel that we spread actually will properly chanel water away from houses and common areas. Praise God.

…The playground received a coat of stain and freshening up.

…This is in addition to distributing 170 school supply packets and countless other little projects.

…The Clinic visited another 80 people today bringing the total for the week to 435 people. They saw a new patient very four minutes!!! Kudos to the Medical support team who did a wonderful job of caring for those who do not have any form of health care. They did great things.

…In addition to all the things….what I cannot write is the impact our mission has had on the hearts of our mission team. They have grown in their love for God and neighbor as they have served the poorest of the poor in the world. Jesus had a preferential love for the poor. Serving the poor is so helpful to us because when we serve the poor….we love those who Jesus loved….and in so doing….find ourselves and find Jesus in our lives.

…What cannot be adequately written is the impact on the community of Saint John the Evangelist. They are growing. They are coming to better understandings of what we are doing to help them. We are building friendships that will change hearts and lives forever.

…Another key victory for this mission was the planning and visioning conversations that took place with the Bishop and the Religious Sisters as well as Save the Children. We are ready to move forward on many fronts to care for those most in need. More details to follow.

…we will have some land to start building houses for Haitian refugees. Hopefully we can raise additional funds to buy enough land to build 100 homes (about $30000).

…if we can raise about $6000….we can hire four teachers (yes they make $1500 per year)…which will allow us to make sure that the school moves to two sessions per day and ALL of our children will be in the school next year.

…We have secured funds to have a full time community development person in the community to help the community move to self sufficiency.

…Today is the Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. John was the herald of the Lord. Our first reading from the Prophet Isaiah teaches us a powerful lesson. It is not enough to simply serve the Lord. We are called to give our whole lives to God. In so doing God promises to make us a light to all the nations. This week, as our mission team has given their hearts and lives to God, the promise has been again fulfilled and we have been a light to the nations and the poorest of the poor in the Dominican Republic.

…Since we have a later flight home, we will make a quick visit tomorrow to say good bye to our friends…the community….our sisters and brothers in the Lord.

Pray for our safe journey home. All are well. All are have done a great job in service to the Lord. Every day I have been humbled by the teams commitment and service and honored to help lead our mission efforts.

God bless you. May you allow God you to be light to the nations and bring hope to all who are in need.

Thanks for your prayers, generosity and support. God has blessed our efforts. God has bless our team.

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