by Markie-Rae Dean, Madeline Perrigo and Angela Robson
¡Hola, Amigos!
We are just wrapping up our third day here in the República Dominicana! It was full of smiling faces and joyful spirits! We started our day in the sugar cane village of Olivares. As soon as our team was off the bus, we were greeted by the children who lived in the village. Some were hesitant at first, and others immediately jumped into our arms.
Before long we were all fully engaged in various activities like baseball, basketball, piggy-back rides, and eating from the mango trees. After playing, we joined the village in the church where we were able to introduce ourselves, as well as have the amazing opportunity for two of our seniors, Markie- Rae Dean and Abby Bertram, to share their testimonies.
Following their testimonies, we individually distributed family meal packages allowing us the opportunity to pray over the food and the family. This was a very meaningful time for both our team and the families of the village.
In the last hour of our time in Olivares, the children wanted to take us to their homes. In our eyes, it was simply four concrete walls with a tin roof, but the children were proud of what they had. It was very moving and hard to say goodbye. We cherished the time we had, and we know God will continue to work through the village of Olivares.
After lunch, we packed our bags and loaded the bus to compete against the Dominican Republic's national team! The drive alone was an experience. It was the worst traffic ever. There were seemingly no rules to the road. Motor bikes were weaving in and out, cars moved through intersections at their own risks, and civilians were dashing across the street.
Once we finally arrived, we were excited to start the game. The game was competitive, and we fought hard. It was such an honor to compete against the national team in an Olympic stadium. After the game, sophomore, Camryn Grant, shared her testimony with the Dominican team. The team then loaded the bus to return to the SCORE facility for dinner.
To end the night, we joined the other teams for worship and an encouraging message in the book of Joshua. We look forward to continuing our journey here in the Dominican!
Thank you for your prayers and support!
Signing off,
MD, Maddy P., and A. Rob
