Gateway Field Service: Completed

As I sit here thinking about my experience in the D.R. and my overall experience of the entire Gateway program, I am finding it difficult to put into words.
Its been amazing, to say the least.
I have learned so much, to say the least.
The people in my team and our leaders (Gateway staff) were encouraging and loving, to say the least.
Prior to Gateway, I was terrified of serving on the AFM in Africa. I knew no one. I can't even begin to describe how prepared and ready I am now to serve on the ship, and whats more, I am even excited about my service!

Here are some opportunities my team and I had while serving in the D.R.:

1. construction of expanding foundation at the Kids Alive Care Center in Ascension
2. painting a classrooom
3. our nurses caring for several people in surrounding villages (burns, infections, pregnancies, etc)
4. organizing and cleaning closets full of donated clothes and toys at the care center
5. talking to and loving villagers of Ascension (Magdalena, Anna Sylvia, Tanya)
6. construction of house in Aguas Negras
7. performing Bible skits to kids at the school (Kids Alive care center)
8. visiting and praying for Sosua (tourist beach where prostitution is a huge business)
   
9. playing a couple games of soccer against the team in Ascension
10. partnering with Sandra (community leader in Aguas Negras) to spend time with the shoe shine boys and girl's club

My highlight of the field service in the D.R. would have to be my team mates. They were so loving and so encouraging. On many occasions they would pray for me, even though I never asked for it. Thats never really happened to me before. My team mates were such a blessing to me. Unity is the word I would use to describe our team and how it functioned. The friendships we made in Gateway will last through our service on the ship and beyond.

I had the opportunity to get to know one family in Ascension pretty well. I knew Juan, Medina, Natinal, and Cindy, who were all the kids of Yani. She wasn't a particularly loving mother, but I think she worked pretty hard to feed and clothe them all. I never met or saw the father. Medina and I became good buddies, and Juan really liked me. He was the sweetest little boy I have ever met. I miss them.