Welcome to 4th Quarter! I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that spring break is behind us already. During the break, 29 of us traveled to the Dominican Republic and built a church from the foundation up to the roof. When we arrived, the foundation was poured, and the first layer of cinder blocks were in place. We began work on the church Monday morning around 9 AM and by late Friday morning, the roof was in place! The students and parents worked so hard alongside the Maranatha team. After our week of building, we were able to enjoy the DR’s Catalina Island, some local waterfalls, caves, and the city of Santo Domingo. During the week, we were also able to visit a public school close by the job site and interact with the students. On Friday, we delivered some sports equipment to the students and our students want to continue to raise money to upgrade the kindergarten playground now.
The entire trip was a fantastic experience for our all of us. The opportunity to see life outside of the Conejo Valley and to serve others was invaluable for me personally and I think for everyone on the trip. This trip gave me a new perspective on priorities and what really matters. It is so easy to get caught up in the small details of daily life and stress about the little things. I was also amazed at how each participant had a role in this experience that was specific to that person. I can’t adequately articulate all the ways this trip has shifted my mindset but I’m confident this will be the first of many mission trips in the future at Conejo so more students and parents will be able to serve others outside of our community.
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10 NLT