Just about time to pack the bags!

After having just received our Flight Confirmations to and from Dominican Republic from Keith at Mission of Mercy, it's just about all set but packing the bags; with the exception of obtaining a few current shots and/or meds and a few travel things.

For more invaluable reasons than I can list right now - we (the ones going on the trip) have been encouraged to journal our thoughts and experiences along the way to "DomRep" (easier to type than Dominican Republic every time; it might even come to only "DR" - so, just know that from this point on, please & thanks)... Anyway, I digress... The whole gang going to DomRep - including 39 travelers from 9 states, 3 radio stations and Mitch and Keith from MoM (easier to type than Mission of Mercy every time - yeh yeh yeh)... So, we all Video/Tele/Compu-Conferenced this past Saturday and I was able to scribble a few notes regarding our basic daily itinerary while in DomRep - thought some of you might be interested:

We(The Fayetteville NC group with WCLN) will fly out of RDU Int'l Airport in Raleigh Wednesday 23rd June midday - meet the rest of the other 39 members of the group in Miami FLA and arrive into Santiago's airport in DomRep around 7:30p or so Wednesday evening... then, a quick briefing at the hotel - then bed.

Thursday 24th - We'll go to a fairly new baseball field that MoM previously built on other mission trips, similar to the one we're about to go on. While there, we'll do some light construction and painting. We're encouraged to also play baseball or soccer - interact - with any kids around whether we paint or not. The relationships and interaction with the kids is our primary focus - while getting as much site projects completed as possible.

Friday 25th - We'll be doing 'home-visits' - This being my first missions trip, I'm not exactly sure what a 'home-visit' is - but I think it's to homes that have been given assistance in some way or other from MoM previously... or who are in need at the time we're there. We'll be playing with kids too as much as possible.

Saturday 26th - American Style Vacation Bible School led by Kayla and Heather (You'll get to know some, if not all our team members along the way as our trip unfolds) I'm sure we'll be helping them prepare for VBS in some of the 'free' time, if any, on the previous days leading up to this day.

Sunday 27th - We'll be having Sunday Worship with the kids 'Dominican Republic' style (? More fun facts to come on that later I'm sure!)... That afternoon - we'll make a trip to a specific 'poverty' site called the "Moving Ocean of Garbage" - because it appears to be 'moving' when you look at it... This is a result from all the people (most are children) who literally live in this massive heap of garbage...so many, that as they move about, it gives the illusion of a floating sea of garbage. This part of the trip, no doubt, will draw each of us to compare our previous 'knowledge' of poverty to what we'll be witnessing there - no doubt making a significant impact on us all...

THEN, Sunday evening - we're off to Dajabon (Da-Ha-Bone) - which is a couple hours or so away into the mountains of DomRep on the border of Haiti. Arrive there, check in to the hotel and sleep.

Monday 28th - Construction on a similar set-up as in Santiago - with light construction and painting. Interact with the local kids around the project site(s).

Tuesday 29th - VBS again, in Dajabon with the kids. Everyday while in DomRep, when possible - we're encouraged to interact with the kids. After VBS - it's back to Santiago - to hotel, sleep.

Wednesday 30th - Pack in the early a.m. to catch our flights back to our respective homes.

That's about all I know for now. Now that we've met and basically gone over the details of the trip - it, for me, has gotten even 'more real' - if you know what I'm saying. Thanks for reading... more - ALOT MORE - to come. (MG)