Just wanted to let all of you read an article that one of my students wrote about her trip with me to the Dominican Republic. Her name is Dani Abinion and she is a Freshman at Wheaton Academy. Enjoy!
"Over Winterim at Wheaton Academy I had the most amazing opportunity to spend two weeks in the Dominican Republic, doing mission work. At the beginning, I didn’t exactly know how I felt about going to a third world country and leaving everything I knew to go to a place where I didn’t even speak the same language. I have to admit I was scared and I was definitely
carrying an immense amount of fear with me, but I toughened up and was ready to do what God was sending me there to accomplish. By the time we arrived in the Dominican Republic, several challenges were already thrown in our path. As a team we worked through it together. Over the next two weeks the team got a ton accomplished by working together and relying on each other. The two aspects that I think our team grew drastically in were compassion and trust. Many of the girls, including myself, had our hard times, but no matter what argument was going on, five minutes later we were there for each other. It’s a really great feeling knowing there are thirteen of your peers that you can trust and go to if you have a problem.
I’ve been a Christian all my life. I grew up in a Christian home and went to church every week, but going on this trip really changed every prospective I had on life, the way I was living and the relationship I had with God. I remember the start of the second week when we moved into the orphanage and we met all of the kids. I remember that night hearing about their own personal stories and why they ended up in the orphanage, and I was blown away. I couldn’t believe what most of those kids went through and even though they had horrible past experiences they never showed it. It really made me think about how people at home, including myself, make a big deal and fear the things we do, but compared to these kids’ lives, it’s nothing.. At that moment I did an overlook on how I was living and decided I wanted to make a lot of changes. I wanted the changes to reach past the trip and affect how I was living at home.
This trip really made a huge impact on my life and I have twelve other Wheaton Academy girls, three LeaderTreks leaders, and twenty Dominican orphans to thank. Over the two weeks I was there I grew as a leader, as a friend, and as a person. I think that God sent me on this trip for two reasons: to help change and to be changed. He sent me to help change the lives of those that are less fortunate than I am and to help provide them with a better, safer place to live. He also sent me to be changed, by sending those kids into my life to help me realize how great of a life that I have and how grateful I should be. I also believe that he sent three amazing leaders (Dan, Matt, and Lauren) to encourage me and to help build my confidence and faith to become a better leader. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to express how grateful I am for the people that God sent into my life while I was on this trip and for being given this amazing opportunity.
David says to Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28:20, “Be strong & Be courageous and do the work, do no be afraid or discouraged for the lord God, my God is with you, he will not fail nor forsake you, until the work in temple of the lord is complete.”
When ever I get discouraged, I refer back to this verse in the Bible and it reassures me that God is with me and that the things I do, I do for him and to glorify him."
