quest

This trip to the Dominican Republic was amazing and eye-opening. There is so much that I have learned and it will definitely be a challenge to take it home and apply it. What I am really going to take back is being joyful. On this trip, I realized how joyful the people were. I really tried to be joyful during the trip and sometimes I succeeded, but sometimes I failed miserably. Also, I was thinking about the fruit of the Spirit and one of them is joy. But the joy comes from God. As I go back home, I will take back that same joy that I had on the trip so tat I can glorify God and set a good example because joy, comes a positive attitude.

Alison...

This trip has truly been an amazing experience. This was my first time out of the country and I am really glad that I was able to go to the Dominican Republic. I had heard a lot of things about this trip from all of my friends that went on it in the past, but it was still like nothing I could have imagined. One thing that I had heard a lot about was the community known as the Hole. It had always been made out to be so horrible, while it looked that way on the outside, the people we met were some of the happiest people I've ever seen.

That was how it was where ever we were. Our first day of ministry we went to a small village called Guya Canal. The church there had no walls, but when we had our service there, it was one of the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Everyone was worshiping whole heartedly and the sunset was visible over the hills. It really reminded me how amazing God is. And one thing I'll never forget is the woman sitting in the front row. To anyone that just saw her on the street she would have just looked like a poor woman with no shoes and not very clean. But when I saw her worshiping God with all of her heart, I realized that she is one of the most beautiful people in the entire world. It really made me think and challenge myself to be as childlike and as hungry for God as everyone I saw in the DR. I feel so blessed because I was given the opportunity to go.

Elysia...

The part of the trip that made the most impact on me was realizing that God is the same God in every country all the time. Sometimes I get so caught up in who God is at my church in America that I forget that he's the same God all over the world. This really struck me when we were singing "Alore , mis ojos." God doesn't care what language we worship Him in. He always understands our hearts. God is such a huge God and he is doing incredible work all over the world. I am so grateful that God chose me to be his messenger. It is an incredible experience to work alongside God.

Rebecca....

This was an amazing experience, filled with many memories that I will never forget. Besides from simply being a lot of fun, God also showed me some things.

Over the past few months I had been desiring to see God work in me. Through my life and the lives of those around me. Though I had been spending time in His word and in prayer, I still was not as close to Him as I had been. This week though, I saw amazing things that only God could do. And know that he was fulfilling his promise from James 4:8 that says, "Come near to God and He will come near to you."

Then on one of the last days when we were sharing our testimonies sitting in Chana's house in Rio San Juan, I realized that looking back on my life so far, the times where God and I were closest was when I was focused on sharing the Gospel with others, such as this week.

Over the past few months, this hasn't been something I'm focused on. Coming out of this trip, my goal is to continue to be salt and light for God, but now around the people I am with on a day to day basis. And to glorify Him in all I do, knowing that He said, "I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Thank you everyone who supported me on this trip through financial support,  encouraging words, and most of all praying for me and the rest of the Quest team.