Epilogue 2019

Monday, March 4

The team is home and back to their families, work, and school. Hopefully they were able to rest on Sunday to make up for the lack of sleep the past week. This is the time, while things are still relatively fresh in the mind, to take stock of the week and make one last report.

There were many firsts with this team; largest team (14), first mother/daughter pairing (2), largest number of 1st time members (7), most women (8), and the first family. While not necessarily a first (we have to check the archives), we did something unusual this year in that we did not personally help with any construction. The planned construction of the AMI basketball court was put off as not being ready and the team was plenty busy with other ministry so they left it to the Dominicans to complete after they went home.

This group has never been about a single church or denomination. We adhere to the tenants of scripture alone. This year's group was widely diverse in that the 14 members call 10 separate churches home.

While the team was diverse in age, gender and gifts they blended extremely well. This team functioned very well together with a lot of laughs and encouragement even though some had met for the first time when arriving in Santo Domingo. The first devotion about many members, one body held true. One purpose: serving Christ. That focus wasn't diminished.

We ask that you inquire with the team member(s) you know about the trip. Everyone would have had a slightly different experience as not everyone was always in the same place at the same time and met different people or was in involved in a different part of the ministry. They will gladly share their stories.

We thank you for your prayers and financial contributions. Everything we collect is given directly to those we minister to in the DR. We ask for your continued prayers to those who we partner with in the DR and all those who we came in contact with that our work was not in vain and served Jesus in a way that gave Him the glory.

The list of major expenditures for 2019 included:
4 Church building projects (not complete churches but floors, walls, or roofs)
Basketball court at AMI
1500 Children's Bible Story Books
200 Adult Bibles
1500 Gospel Tracks
250# Beans
625# Rice
275 bottles Cooking Oil
Soap to the prison
$9000 to fund 3 feeding programs throughout the year
5 used wheelchairs
50 plastic chairs
25 audio Bibles to the blind
Writing slates to the blind
Refrigerator for a pastor

Various love offerings to our DR helpers and miscellaneous items purchased through the week are not included as are the many suitcases of clothes and shoes that our individual members collected and took down.

US Team:
Paul Flunker: Appleton, WI - 15 yrs.
Dan Natzke: Greenleaf, WI - 14 yrs.
Shawn Eckstein: Reedsville, WI - 12 yrs.
Christina Robokoff: Green Bay, WI - 8 yrs.
Duane Popp: Green Bay, WI - 6 yrs.
Crystal Schenian: Reedsville, WI - 2 yrs.
Sheila Olson: Reno, NV - 2 yrs.
Mallory Schenian: Kellnersville, WI - 1 yr.
Eleni Hein: Student; Reedsville, WI - 1 yr.
John Christian; Freedom, WI - 1 yr.
Jane Woosencraft: Green Bay, WI - 1 yr.
John Fickau:  Neenah, WI - 1yr.
Ann Fickau: Neenah, WI - 1 yr.
Grace Fickau: Neenah, WI - 1 yr.

DR Team:
Pablo (Ruth): Cooks from Puerto Rico, missionaries to Haiti
Natanael (Iris): Clothing shop owner; interpreter, main DR liaison, preacher
Genesis: Bus driver; driver, preacher
Wilfrido (Miguelina): Dentist; pastor, community leader at Haitian village in Estebania
Anderson: (Julian Joaquin) Pastor
Daniel: English teacher; translator
Nelson's: Husband and Wife (Nelson and Areceli Concepcion) Pastors at Project Four
Daimler: helper
Willi: helper
Benni: Pastor at AMI
Joel: School Superintendent; translator, preacher

God's blessings until 2020.

Saturday

Saturday, March 2

The team was packed and left the hotel for their last Pablo/Ruth breakfast at 7:30 at the Casa. After last-minute packing, good-bye's, and the obligatory team photo the team headed for the Capital. In Santo Domingo they made a quick stop at the International Market to barter for gifts and then 30 minutes in an area of the Colonial District marveling at the history (1511) and architecture.

Always a bit chaotic, but traveling home was otherwise thankfully uneventful where the team had a final prayer and hugs prior to meeting family in the Appleton airport.

A final report will be upcoming in the next few days. This epilogue will give an overview of the entire week's activity to include a review of our expenditures and donations.

Until then, a few notes regarding this blog. Due primarily to limited time availability, the writer has scaled down the daily blogs. I have also left out many details that while they may give a more expanded view of our day, would possibly appear to sensationalize. We see and do things that are difficult to detail in perspective and I suggest asking a team member for their individual experiences.

Individual actions have also been limited in the blog this year. We did have some illness (to include a 1 day hospitalization) and spiritual attacks so we asked for general prayer instead for privacy reasons. Not mentioning names involved with our daily endeavors was reduced from years past as every member of the team is of equal value and so as not to appear to elevate anyone above another; all have spiritual gifts and all used them for God's glory.

Visit our Facebook page (Azua Mission Team) for pictures

Friday

Friday, March 1

Breakfast started at 7:15 and the team was on the road by 7:45 to get to YWAM by 8:00. This has been the usual last morning location for our devotions. It's a large home overlooking the ocean with the most incredible views. The team is able to relax in the shade of the veranda praising Him in song and scripture verse led by the Haitian/Dominican staff. 

The girls were given scooter rides back to the Casa where preparations were made to go to the Nelson's at Project Four. A predominantly Haitian area, Project Four is one of the feeding programs the team sponsors throughout the year. The Nelson's are very close with the team and do a wonderful job ministering to their community. The kids just love the team members as it's an annual stop and they don't always get the attention they need at home. Crafts, games, feeding, and just loving on the kids for a couple of hours was a blessing for all involved.

Back to town the team stopped at the center for the blind. They blessed them with audio Bibles, food and tablets for creating Braille paper. Messages and blessings were given along with hand/arm massages from the girls.  Some of the blind sang praises and the team was very moved.

Preparations for the pizza party and for leaving took up the next hour or so. Around 7:30 people started showing up for the pizza/going away party at the Casa. About 60-70 of the team's DR friends and their families enjoyed pizza, soda, cheese puffs and cake (yes, cheese puffs). Introductions were made, messages were given, and prayers were said.  It's always a special night; everyone is dressed in their best, the Dominicans are sad to see the team leave, and the team is both sad to leave but ready to get back home. After the guests left and a final debrief the team was back to the hotel by 12:30.

Thursday

Thursday, February 28

After breakfast the team enjoyed a devotion of using our individual talents for God's purpose followed by songs of praise. 

La Veredas is a common stop for this team and the morning was spent at this especially poor community about 45 minutes north of town. After dropping off clothes, shoes, Bibles, children's story books, and food in the village the team walked with the kids down the road to the school. While poor in terms of possessions this community is very strong in spirit. The team enjoys a close relationship with the village as a whole and many individuals personally. Games, crafts, and the Noah skit were included during their visit. 

In the afternoon the ladies visited the women's prison in Bani to share messages. It's a different experience than at the men's prison but the situation is the same; image-bearers who have sinned and need the forgiving grace of Christ. Before leaving Bani they stopped at the second-hand store where they found some great deals on used equipment for the disabled (wheelchairs, walkers).

While the girls were gone the men went shopping in Azua. They had a fairly long list of needs and had a great time collecting them going store to store as they did not have a translator. Much fun, many laughs.

The film was shown in an area not previously touched by the team. Messages were give by the team and local Pastor. The main message from the team began with what the audience felt when the Roman soldiers pounded the spikes into the hands of Jesus. It concluded with the best response of the week; very emotional hugs, praise, and worship. Some of the team also went to a church service in Paster Anderson's where more messages were given.

With more debriefing needed than typical, the team made it back to the hotel just prior to midnight.