| M i s s i o n T r i p s |
| As a Cross-cultural Missions minor and someone who strongly supports evangelical outreach, I've obviously become one interested in overseas missions. I've been on three short-term mission trips since I've been at college. As far as doing this as a full-time ministry someday goes - I don't really know that for sure yet. I do know, however, that I have a heart for missions and plan to serve God wherever he takes me. It is quite possible that I will be doing an internship in Ireland in the summer of 2006. Below is just some information on the three trips that I've been on. |
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| Dominican Republic Much of our time while in the DR was spent in the city of Santiago, one of the largest cities on the island (shared with Haiti). We also spent a few days in Batey Nueve, a small sugar cane farming village, primarily comprised of poor Haitian immigrants. Most everyone in the Dominican speaks Spanish, except in the Haitian villages where Creole is most prominent. The main religion of the DR is Roman Catholicism, though some Voodoo has seeped through the border shared with Haiti. Our trip was organized through G.O. Ministries under the guidance of full-time missionary, Tim Krauss. Our main work while down there was helping to build a church, lots of hole-digging, and adding a second story to a feed supply building. Links: My Dominican Pictures My Mission Journal |
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| Kenya The majority of our time in Kenya was spent in the capital city of Nairobi, though we traveled to Kasarani, Mioro, and other places around Kenya. The Kenyan people are all separated into tribes, and a common question to ask of a Kenyan is to inquire to what tribe he/she belongs. Our primary ministry was with the Masai people, though we also interacted with the Kikuyu and the Kamba. The primary language spoken throughout Kenya other than English is Swahili, though each tribe has their own language. Kenya was once a British colony, so most everything is written in English in the cities. This trip was a first effort for a Great Lakes group. Peter Chege, a GLCC graduate and native Kenyan, started a church for the Masai people shortly after returning to Kenya. He, with the help of our own President Carter (or, as we affectionately call him, "Lar-Dog") and his daughter and son-in-law, a trip was organized. We stayed in a very nice hotel in Nairobi because we were the trip guinea pigs. While there, we helped establish Peter's land with barbed wire fencing and dug holes for planting trees. I pray for the opportunity to go back someday. Links: My Kenya Pictures My Mission Journal |
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| Ireland This was unlike any mission trip I had ever been on in that Ireland is an already established and civilized country so there wasn't a building project. We started the week at a junior and senior high kids weekend retreat in an old manor in Drewstown. We put on a CIY conference-esque atmostphere with classes, sermons, and corporate worship. After we left Drewstown, we headed into Dublin and ministered with the Dublin Christian Fellowship church. We had the same conference type feel, only this time geared toward adults. God is working in amazing ways in Ireland. Many people have gone overseas to fill the vast need for youth programs. The people of DCF were very hungry to hear the word. They're very open to learning from a perspective outside that of Roman Catholicism, and God is feeding them by sending people and raising people up within Ireland to teach and preach the good news of Christ. Links: My Ireland Pictures My Mission Journal |