Early this morning (really early this morning), my son Nicholas and I are heading to Pearson International Airport and, from there, to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic (after layovers in Chicago and Miami). We will be traveling with Compassion International, a child sponsorship organization that ministers to over 40,000 Dominican children. Along with a few other bloggers, we have been invited to see how Compassion serves these children; we’re allowed to open any file cabinet and look behind any door (metaphorically speaking, of course).
Here are just a few applicable facts about the nation:
- One-third of Dominican children never complete their elementary school education.
- About 42 percent of Dominicans are considered poor, and 16 percent of those live in extreme poverty.
- Ravaged by several recent hurricanes, the damage is severely hurting the country’s many poor families.
I will be blogging about all we see, do and experience; I’m hoping to share the journey in Web 2.0 fashion—via text, pictures and maybe even some video. Nick will be blogging from an 8-year old’s perspective at ChalliesJr.com. I’d encourage you to let kids know about his blog so they can experience it vicariously through him.
Here is the motley collection of bloggers that will be traveling with us:
Melanie from TheBigMamaBlog.com.
Mary from OwlHaven.net.
Marlboro Man (and his two daughters) from ThePioneerWoman.com.
Jennifer from 5MinutesForMom.com.
Brian Seay and Shaun Groves will co-lead the trip on behalf of Compassion International.
And here is what Compassion says about this trip: “Known for its resort-speckled beaches, there’s another side to this Caribbean nation unknown to most vacationers. Our bloggers will visit a city dump where families scavenge for food and clothing. They’ll tour a neighborhood where drugs are trafficked and children live beside open sewers. And bloggers will also see firsthand how Compassion International and child sponsors are bringing hope to children living in these places by releasing them from poverty in Jesus’ name.”
While we make our way 1800 miles south to Santo Domingo, I’d ask you to do two things. First, pray for us (all of us!). Pray for health and safety for both us and for our families and pray that this experience would be used by God to change us in whatever way he sees fit. And then I’d ask that you keep visiting and that you tell others about this trip (which, if you’re a blogger, may involve dropping a link to our sites). I’ll be in touch as soon as I get settled and find an internet connection.
Comments (16) »
1. Boaly
November 2, 2008
8:27 AM
Will certianly remember you as we pray today!
2. David Porter
November 2, 2008
9:37 AM
Tim,
Have a wonderful time with your son. What an incredible opportunity for him. I just wrote a blog piece about your son, and his live-blogging the trip.
He just upstaged you! I pray that this trip will become a sign post in Nick’s young life.
3. Rhea
November 2, 2008
10:55 AM
I can’t wait to hear more about this trip. I found you through Pioneer Woman. I’m so interested in what Compassion is doing and what’s going on in the DR. Good luck.
4. FringeGirl
November 2, 2008
11:53 AM
Hi! I’m visiting from the Pioneer Woman and can’t wait to read all about your trip.
5. glenn
November 2, 2008
11:54 AM
Will follow your journey closely, Tim, as my daughter is there for the next couple of months with a family that we have grown close to in the last several years as our church sends short term missionaries to work with those same Dominican children. The DR outside of the resorts is indeed a needy people; and I pray that your visit will help to highlight our poorer neighbor’s condition & cause many others to rise to meet their many needs.
6. Chuck
November 2, 2008
1:33 PM
God bless you, Tim. Will certainly pray for you!
7. Anna
November 2, 2008
3:24 PM
What a great opportunity. I will look forward to reading your posts and seeing some of Compassion’s ministry behind the scenes. Godspeed!
8. Rita Martinez
November 2, 2008
4:29 PM
Aww great!! I’ll continue praying for all of you. The weather has been nice for the past week and probably all of next week as well so Compassion chose a good month for this trip. Do watch out for those mosquitoes and I read on your son’s blog that they’ve told you not to drink tap water, I can not stress it enough DO NOT drink tap water ever! not even at the hotel!
God bless!
9. Lauren
November 2, 2008
4:54 PM
Godspeed!
10. Nathan W. Bingham
November 2, 2008
5:29 PM
Praying for you & jr. and looking forward to the blog updates!
11. Grace
November 2, 2008
6:27 PM
Be praying for your safety!!!! Love you both and can’t wait to read all about Nick’s experiences!
Love your sister/Nick’s aunt :)
12. Beatrice81
November 2, 2008
8:46 PM
Today Tim writes: “About 42 percent of Dominicans are considered poor, and 16 percent of those live in extreme poverty.”
But, as Tim told us yesterday, this inequality shan’t trouble us too much — after all “Inequalities in abilities and opportunities and possessions will be part of our life in heaven forever, and they are in themselves good and pleasing to God, and provide many opportunities for glorifying him.”
Right?
13. Rita Martinez
November 2, 2008
9:18 PM
Well Beatrice the poverty in this country(DR) is not resolved by taking from the rich and giving it to the poor. I once firmly believed in that it was fair to do that, but you see the problem is, like abortion, it’s just a quick fix to a huge problem. In this country corruption reigns and IF the rich people’s money would be taken from them in form of higher taxes for example, I assure you it would never get to the poor or perhaps it might in very indirect ways and probably a very low percentage of the real amount. So in this world we shouldn’t be concerned about inequalities, we should be attacking the roots of the different problems. In the next, in heaven for us who’ve been saved, inequalities will not be a problem. And in both situations God will get all the glory.
Now the US thats a different story, with all the benefits poor people get from the government coupons, well-fare, etc (whether its enough or not is a different issue), It does seem kind of unfair to take a hard-worked and well earned money and “spread it around”. That should be left as an option for those willing to do so. Which a LOT of Churches and Christians as individuals do, I can only assume.
14. Humberto Perez
November 3, 2008
7:46 AM
I have been in D.R. preaching the gospel. It’s a nice people and very receptive to the good news. They are different from Latinos here in Miami. No secularism, not emergent church, no infections of the modernization. That is for sure you will have a marvelous experience. Ah, follow the advice and drink bottle’s water only and avoid any desert (cocktails, sodas, etc) containing not pure water.
Blessings and pray.
15. Jan Fincher
November 4, 2008
12:25 AM
Oh how I love the people in the DR! Their warmth, laughter and quick offer of friendship does an American soul good! After you return home, you’ll find yourself longing to go back…soon and often.
16. Julia C
November 6, 2008
8:59 PM
HEY NICK HOPE YOUR HAVING A GREAT VACATION . I WISH I WAS THERE FROM YOUR FRIEND JULIA.C.