Being a Spanish-speaking male might sound like a prerequisite for traveling to the Dominican Republic to work on a construction project. But Michelle Stiles discovered otherwise last November when she traveled to Conseulo to lay cement floors in tin huts.
The huts, which have no running water or bathrooms, contain gravel and rock. The result is uneven, rough surfaces that turn to mud when it rains. Rodents scatter across these rough floors depositing feces that cause illness. As one man told the team, “over and over” he chased them out, but the rats would find their way back in through a new opening. The man shouted, "Gloria a Dios" (Glory to God) every time the construction team walked by, because it meant a new concrete floor and an end to his battle with the rats.
“Cement provides a smoother, cleaner, and safer floor,” says Michelle. “But it is not simply a matter of safety and health: people in the Dominican Republic are not able to obtain title to their hut and their land unless they possess a cement floor. Laying the concrete floors brought significance and hope because families could title their huts and land. Amazingly, Michelle’s team mixed, carried, poured, and laid cement in seven huts in five days. An electrician on the team rewired all of the huts with proper wiring, pvc piping, light switches, sockets and outlets. Because the team was ahead of schedule, they were even able to build an addition onto a one-room hut for a family of seven.
Gifts from Short-Term Mission Trips
Michelle, a staff member at the Willow Creek Association, has participated in three short-term mission trips, and each one has its own rewards. "When you give you also receive so much in return," she says. Despite the language barrier, Michelle was able to communicate with one woman who was determined to help rewire her hut, patch holes in her tin roof, and lay the cement floor. Grinning from ear to ear, the woman told the team that she slipped and fell the next day because she was not used to such a smooth floor under her bare feet.
Michelle’s experience with the way the women prayed was life-changing. “Lying prostrate in the local church, women with so little cried out to God in praise, thanksgiving, and suffering,” says Michelle. Such authentic worship runs counter to the way most Americans worship. "It was incredibly moving to watch these women pour their hearts out to God."
The team asked the pastor how he could preach day after day on joy, hope and heaven when the people lived in such despair. “There are those who suffer and those who suffer with hope,” he said. His message to the people was that this life, with its pain and suffering, is only temporary, while life in heaven is for eternity. "What amazing people with an amazing love for God."
Upcoming Short-Term Mission Trips
In 2011, there are more opportunities to serve on short-term mission trips than ever before. Currently, 14 trips to Latin America and Africa remain open, with more to be scheduled. Mission trips encompass a wide range of projects, including construction, education, orphan care, and business planning. Stop by the Compassion and Justice kiosk in Dr. B’s to view team schedules or visit willowcreek.org/shorttermteams for more information.
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