Constanza, Dominican Republic (May 2024) - Service Trip Recap
Dates: May 25 - June 2, 2024
Location: Constanza, Dominican Republic
Our team of 6 set out to serve our partners Kids Alive DR in Constanza, Dominican Republic! Since this specific team traveled to our partner site while school is still in session - they had the privilege of serving at the school on site for most of the week. Our team prepared a special series of art & music activities and Bible verse reflections which they facilitated with the students. They had a great week working with the kids but also developing a strong team connection!
Read more about the daily happenings below! ⬇️
Day 1
The team made it safely to our partner site in Constanza, Dominican Republic! We are praising God for safe flights that got our team members safely to their destination. 🙌✈️🇩🇴
Our team met up and toured a monument. Then the team captains arrived and they all traveled together to Constanza to the host home, where they ate yummy chicken, beans, rice, and plantains. They bonded over jokes and get to know you questions. 🍲🏠☺️
The team’s highlight of the day was riding in the van on their journey from the airport to Constanza. Gorgeous mountain views, good conversations, and full hearts. 🚐🌄💚
Day 2
The team traveled to a waterfall (the whole team jumped in!), had lunch at the team house, and then toured the Kids Alive school and children’s home. 🌊🍽️🇩🇴🏠
The team went to church together and since it was the Dominican Mother’s Day, they witnessed a special blessing that was given to all the mothers! ⛪️💐
After church, they went to a local store to buy supplies for a craft they would be doing with the kids on Tuesday. They went to a women’s softball game, and returned to the team house for dinner and evening reflection. 🥎🙏
The team’s highlight for the day was attending church! They shared it was powerful to worship alongside other believers in another language. They were moved to see the children worshipping and engaged as well. Another highlight was the team pushing themselves out of their comfort zones and jumping in the waterfall! Becca jumped three times!🙌💚
Day 3
Monday was the first day at the Kids Alive DR school! In the morning, the team served as teacher aids, teaching English, playing with kindergarteners, and leading kickball. 🏫👩🏫
After lunch, they led an activity about loving God, teaching kids the importance of daily quiet times as they studied the Bible verse Mark 10:13-16. Tre ( a team participant) also shared his testimony with the kids. 🙏💚
After a quick debrief, the team sorted donations, and had a yummy supper of pollo a la plancha with black bean rice. Team time in the evening was walking the Dominican Republic streets to the local ice cream shop, Splash, for a tasty treat. 🍦🇩🇴
The team’s highlight for the day was doing the activities with the kids. It was awesome to build connections with the kids and share God’s love. They also had some fun time together freestyle rapping and singing at lunch. 💙✨
Day 4
The team served as teacher’s assistants at the Kids Alive DR school: Tre helped with French class, Diego and Becca taught math class, Yoenny and Tracy taught English, and Zoie helped with the kindergarteners. 🏫👩🏫
They had lunch back at the team house, and returned to school for the art activities with the kids! They all made Kintsugi bowls, demonstrating the power of the gospel. They learned that we are all broken in need of Jesus’ healing. We are His masterpiece! 🥣🙏
Later in the day, the team played volleyball with some of the kids from the children’s home and then went back to the team house for dinner. At night, they debriefed the events from the day. 🏐🍽
The team’s highlight of the day was the morning’s prayer and worship before the start of school. The staff started singing a worship song in Spanish, that the team knew in English. Even though there was a language barrier, it was a beautiful moment where all were worshipping together. It unified them and reminded them that we serve the same God! 🙌💚
Day 5
Our team started out the day in a morning of worship with the kids. They had the opportunity to pray over them before spending the afternoon as teacher aids in English, PE, recess, and kindergarten. 🙌👩🏫🏫
After a delicious lunch with kids at the Ark care homes (including con con and fresh squeezed juices), the team put on Day 3 of activities with the children. The theme of the day was “The Purpose of Prayer”. Becca also shared her testimony with the group. 🥤🍚🙏
In the evening, the team went to Punto de Nieve for churros and Dominican juices, where they learned more about Kids Alive and the local baseball ministry. After a yummy supper of pasta, passion fruit juice, and plantains, the team enjoyed games and planning the next day's activities for the kids. 🇩🇴🍝⚾️
The team’s highlight of the day was getting to use their individual gifts with the kids. Diego and Yoenny are wonderful interpreters, Becca and Tracy taught line dancing, Tre raps and beatboxes with the kids, and Zoie excels at keeping up with the energy of a whole class of kindergarteners. The whole team has been enjoying playing sports, especially volleyball, with the kids.
Day 6
The morning started with breakfast before visiting the baby Jesus statue/look out with some of the Ark kids. The team visited a local grandmother’s house. Her granddaughter goes to the Kids Alive DR school.This home visit was an opportunity for her to share her home with our team, and for the team to encourage her and pray over her. 🌄🙏
After lunch at the team house, the team played bingo with the kids and they continued with the programmed activities where the kids studied Romans 12 and acted out Bible stories. They later played volleyball with the kids, and then had dinner at the team house. The rest of the night was spent bonding, debriefing, and prepping for the last day with the kids! 🎲🏐
The team’s highlight of the day was the activities with the kids. The kids had the day off, but they still chose to come participate in the activities with our team. They were super engaged, and eager to answer questions. The team was very encouraged!💙✨
Day 7
The power went out the night before, so the team team ended the night by candlelight to prepare for today (Friday). After breakfast, they sent Diego off for the States and then went on to be teacher aids at the Kids Alive DR school. 🕯✈️👨🏫
The team created a musical way for kids to learn English and then had lunch with them at the school. They had the last day of the programming with the kids where Becca, Tracy, and Zoie led worship for the kids in Spanish and Yoenny gave his testimony and preached. They had a pizza party where they sadly said their goodbyes to the kids. 🙏🍕🥲
Later that evening, they had a surprise visit when missionaries stopped by the team house and stayed for dinner. 🍽💚
The team’s highlight of the day was the song they made with the English classes. It was a fun way to get the students engaged in learning! 💙🙌
Day 8
On Saturday, the team left Constanza and spent the day in Sosua at the beach! They were able to rest and debrief after the week with Kids Alive DR. The team also got to explore the area while looking for souvenirs. 🌊🏖
They ended the night learning salsa, bachata, and merengue from Yoenny, our local Dominican trip participant. The team felt many mixed emotions as they prepared to leave the next day, but they were so grateful to have this time to process together. 💃🏻🇩🇴✈️
The team’s highlight of the day was Yoenny teaching everyone to dance!✨
Day 9
Our team enjoyed breakfast together by the ocean as they talked about how they would carry this trip experience into their futures. 🙏💚🇩🇴
They made "I Will" statements and shared affirmations on the car ride to the airports. They said their final goodbyes and prayed over each other. ✈️🥲
Tre, a trip participant, shares about his trip experience in this short testimonial video!
We are so thankful for this team’s amazing hearts for service and the sharing of their personal gifts as they interacted with the many students this week. We hope you enjoyed the daily recaps from this wonderful week in the Dominican Republic!
