Students DR Trip Day 4

    This morning, our team split up and spent some quiet time alone with God to settle our hearts before a busy day at our sites. My group has had the joy of loving on preschool students in Mata Gorda. Today the kids learned about David and Goliath and how God gives us courage and strength. After the Bible story, Shelby Kate and I got to lead small activities and teach the kids how to write the letter "L". Even though it has been difficult with the language barrier, Shelby Kate, Gabrielle, and I have tried out best to take risks in both speaking the language and attempting to read to the children in Spanish. We have made many sweet connections with the children despite the language barrier and we pray that God continues to work through us as we do our best to love the children the way Jesus does. We also got to dance with the students and do PE; this was muy divertido because dance is a language that all people can speak! After the children went home, my team and I met up with the social work site group and ate lunch together. After lunch, my team and I went and made cards with some women from the community. Our site leader Marlyn (Marlene) did a wonderful job leading this activity and pushed us to go outside of our comfort zone and interact with the women the best we could. Although this was a little scary for all of us, it was a wonderful experience laughing with the women because laughter is another language all people can speak! After sites, we ate hay stacks (taco salad) for dinner and are now about to watch a movie together as a team. Today was an amazing day full of joy, dancing, risk-taking , and laughter. I cannot wait to see what else God does through us and through the beautiful people of the Dominican Republic on this trip!

- Chloe Wright