York Maranatha CRC

Our final team of the year was from a church very near our home in Canada. In fact…some of the team members attended school with our boys, and one young lady was a student on my school bus route.
Their excitement, wonder and enthusiasm were contagious as they not only worked on the construction site building a home, but also as they embarked on the ministry outreaches. We would like to thank them for blessing the people through their actions and deeds. One day they saw the poverty and tin shacks in Poncho Mateo then headed off to Ascension village to help feed the kids a delicious bowl of Gleaners soup. Afterwards, some of the kids literally scrape the pot clean. That afternoon they distributed hygiene packs, prayed and ministered to the patients in the public hospital with the help of Dennis and Isachar. Three people accepted Jesus as their Saviour. What an emotional day this was!
The team kept a blog so it was awesome to read how each day had impacted them. http://www.maranathamissionteam2011.wordpress.com/
They finished their house and after the dedication moved Josle and family’s belongings into their new home. Wow...the tears keep coming. Tearing down the 2 room tin shack took maybe 15 minutes in total but the significance of what they accomplished will last a lifetime. This may have been their first mission trip but we doubt it will be their last.

Nutrition + Learning = Success

The students in Juan Calvino School in villa Esperanza have just received an additional blessing in conjunction with their education. It has always been a dream to have a cafeteria built and nutritional program added to the school program. When the team arrived, the kitchen addition was taking shape but was a long way from being finished. Each day they directed their energy into pouring the concrete floors, building the cabinets, varnishing the benches, and painting a large portion of the school while loving the children. To the delight of all, their dream was realized as the team assisted in serving the first meal of Gleaner’s soup to the students with the satisfaction of a job well done. Handwashing is important aspect of health and nutrition. Two cooks have been hired to manage the kitchen & cafeteria. The students stand while praying for a blessing on their meal. A cup of cold water in the name of love.The students & staff of Juan Calvino School were grateful for the blessings they have been given during the dedication ceremony and enjoyed a delicious meal afterwards. Nuitrition + learning = success. Shelley Stone, manager of the Ontario Christian Gleaners was in the Dominican Republic and visited the cafeteria on their opening day to witness another ministry being blessed by the distribution of their dried soup mix. A young boy head to class with a full stomach and is eager to learn. Thank you all for making this dream come true. May God bless you all.