Semana Santa, Dominican Republic (April 2022) - Service Trip Recap
Trip: Semana Santa 2022
Dates: April 9-17, 2022
Location: Jarabacoa, Monte Plata, & Constanza (Dominican Republic)
After over two years, our HFK teams finally made it back out to the Dominican Republic to serve our partners Kids Alive International! Our team of 8 served at Monte Plata and Constanza for the week of Semana Santa (Holy Week). Semana Santa is a unique time for the DR sites as all of the sites come together for a Tiempo de Familia (Family Time) camp filled with sports, worship, and relationship building. 💚🇩🇴💙
Here’s a brief summary of what the Semana Santa service week looked like! 📆⬇️
Day 1
Team Constanza and Team Monte Plata meet at the Miami airport before heading to their respective sites. Our team participants had 2-3 flights on this long cross country journey, but it was all worth it as they touched down in the DR and prepared for an eventful week with the kids. ✈️🇩🇴
Days 2-4
Our teams headed to a Young Life campsite in Jarabacoa, DR for the annual Tiempo de Familia camp. Upon arrival, team members got to gather with children, house parents, and missionaries from all three DR sites! What a joy being able to laugh, play, and catch up on what life has been like for the past couple of years. With support from several donors, our teams provided many fun items for camp activities! 🌄🎨🧳
During the day, our teams were on “pool duty” as they hosted different age groups of children at the pool for swimming, water sports, and just some good ol’ fun in the sun. ☀️😎
Evenings were dedicated to community building. Our participants gathered with everyone for worship, testimonies, and even a talent show. All the different sites showcased their worship song performances. It was so special to see the dances they had been rehearsing for weeks. Before bed, our teams would debrief their day through team devotionals. 🙏🎶🎤
Days 4-7
As they prepared to say their goodbyes, our teams hosted a trivia activity where each child and adult at camp got to select a prize to take home with them. After camp, teams headed back to their individual sites to work more closely with the communities there. 🎁🎉
In Monte Plata some of the highlights included: making dinner for one of the homes, exploring a second camp location, playing sports and water games, large group devotionals, and ending the week with a celebratory pizza dinner. 🌭🙏🍕
In Constanza some of the highlights were: getting to visit with their sponsor children, teaching the kids how to play flag football, watching a local baseball league game, and becoming “unofficial assistant coaches” for one of the missionary’s Little League baseball team. 🏈⚾️
Days 8-9
After a great week of service, our teams reunited in Sosua, DR for some reflection and relaxation! Typical to most service weeks, teams get to stay at a hotel for a night where they get a chance to buy some souvenirs, eat some local food, and explore more of the island. Our teams spent some time at the beach, dressed up for their last dinner together, and enjoyed some devotional time reflecting on their service experience while preparing for their journey back home. 🌊🍽👗👔✈️
Serving our partners in the Dominican Republic after a two year break was a huge blessing to all of us! We are excited for the future of our International Service Trips.
Thank you for your support and your prayers! 🙏
