We are so excited to send a team of chaperones and senior students to the Dominican Republic for a week of serving, sharing the Gospel, and connecting as a group. Check back for team updates and photos!

Please note that the team members will do their best to share daily updates, as schedules allow. They will also be working to upload photos from the day at the Google Photos link below. We appreciate your understanding as they are navigating schedules and unpredictable internet access.

For daily photo uploads, check out the Google Photos site.

Student Testimony

This is Aubrey and I wanted to tell you about my day. We started off with devotions on James chapter 5. Then we ate some delicious breakfast which was eggs and bread. While the chaperones were planning the day, I played with the dog Goldie and played some volleyball. Then it was work time. For my first task I went with a group of a few students, a YWAM staff member, and Coach Flom to two houses. We brought two families some food to bless them and pray for them. The walk to those houses was so pretty. We could see the hills and nature. It was so beautiful! After that I cleaned and organized some furniture. Then, it was lunch time. Lunch was rice, beef and coleslaw and it was delicious! After lunch we took a big picture of everyone together. While the chaperones planned our next jobs I played cards with a few classmates. For my next task I painted the gazebos by the playground. Then we went to the store to buy suckers to hand out to everyone working to lift their spirits. Now it is dinner time and we will have worship tonight. My favorite part of the day was translating when we went to deliver food to people! It has been such a fun trip!

Student Testimony

Hi, I’m Lucy. This is how my last workday in the Dominican Republic went! Just like every other morning this trip, we started out delving into Scripture directly preceding our breakfast the YWAM staff so graciously provided. Afterwards, we all sang in worship together. As someone who is passionate about music, I especially love how the language barrier doesn’t stop us from joining in our love for the Lord and praising Him. It has been so wonderful to set aside so much time for us to really take advantage of the Christian community we have, both at SWCHS and with YWAM. Once my group was all set to start working, I and a few of my fellow students were sent offsite to retrieve more nails so we could begin hammering. I have yet to get used to the beautiful scenery within and surrounding the YWAM base. After this, I spent a lot of time waiting for further direction, as many of the work projects are incredibly dependent on resources available, certain people being around, etc. Eventually, Dr. Benson guided my group through using an electric saw as well as a handsaw. Not too long later, we had a break for an amazing lunch of rice and beef. Then, it was back into the workday. Dr. Benson provided some tips on how to hammer most efficiently and we had the privilege of working on building the walls up for the remainder of the workday. I have enjoyed working with my classmates so much, especially after the vulnerability that occurred in many people’s testimonies. It has been so wonderful to grow as a class as well as watching each other grow in our faith. This has easily been my favorite part of this trip.

Student Testimonies - Monday

This is Melvin and I wanted to tell you about my day. I started my day off with devotions and really getting into James chapter 4 and that was a great time for me. For work, I started off my day working on a crate for the balls to get put into. After that I started working on painting the dry wall for the house we are building. Tonight at chapel I was blessed with the opportunity to share my testimony and hear other’s testimonies and that was an amazing time for me to really appreciate God’s work. I can’t wait to get back and get going with the baseball season this year, see you soon!

This is Andrew Davis day four for Team Torgerson. Today we started the construction for the exterior drywall. The process went up very smoothly. We had a lot of great teamwork and built more than just a house. We were able to build memories, different experiences and relationship with others beyond that through serving the community, we’re able to get a lot done. We put up the trusses for the roof and began construction for further development of the roof due to a lack of supplies. We were unable to complete it unfortunately because we missed one piece of wood, but we are excited to be able to complete it tomorrow this was the best day of work so far in my opinion, it really shows the teamwork and the different amounts of community we have in our class.

Hello, this is Sophie E from team LA today. We started off doing tasks around the base by cleaning and fixing the playground. After lunch, my team and another team along with the basketball boys went into town, Jarabacoa, and bought groceries for 24 families. After buying groceries, we came back to the base and assembled them into multiple piles.

Hello, this is Andrew from Team Torgerson. Today we have started construction on a wall. We have been learning how to be patient in the midst of different ways of constructing things. We have been able to create new memories and grow closer to each other and towards Christ. There has been a filter house has been completely demolished and is soon to be rebuilt, which will be a huge blessing so that clean water may be able to be used by the YWAM staff. The house has been under construction and is doing great. We’re excited to complete it.

Hi, this is Elisha. I am a part of Abbie Johnson’s Travel Group . Today we spent time on building the house for a friend of YWHM. We worked on putting up two of the four walls. As well as painting and putting up a few trusses for the roof. One of the best parts of the day was worshiping and singing with the Wham! musicians. It was really amazing singing together, worshiping one God, but two languages. I think in America when we say the global church, we don’t really realize how special and cool it is, but during worship today, I just felt like we were all connecting as classmates and as brothers and sisters in Christ. The best part of it was that I felt like God was saying that the devil and hell lost. All of the songs we signed today were saying how strong God is, and I just felt like God was speaking and see this hell and the devil have lost even here the hell and double don’t stand a chance against me no matter where you go.

Student Testimonies from Sunday

Hola, this is Chloe. For day three, I started off with Mr. D’s group and we took down the rest of the frame of the filter center then cut some wood and placed the new frame up. After that I joined Dr. E’s group in the basement where we cleared out moldy wood and threw that in a fire. Oh, yeah, I also found two wolf spiders today which was a lot of fun. Next, we went into town and we bought a ton of groceries and we packed them for 24 families in the community. That was special. We experienced a great time of worship. My favorite thing so far has the food specifically the fried chicken farewell.

Hello everyone, this is Sydney Foss. It is day three of our DR trip. I still can’t find my hat really big bummer with a UV of 11. Oh well. We got to go to Jaco‘s house who is the person we are building a house for him and his wife and his children. Today we finished priming the base in the bricks and using the cement to seal all the gaps. We also ended up putting up most of the main frames in the roof and now we just have to finish the interior and the rest of the exterior. I was covered in sawdust and paint anything you can imagine but I met this little girl named Fernanda who is five and her favorite color is pink hello Kitty so I think we could be best friends. I think one of my favorite parts of this trip has just been seeing all the prayers just really the Holy Spirit moving a lot of people and just connecting people and reconnecting people it just kind of breaking out some of the walls in our grade. It’s just been a super amazing trip overall and I think God certainly not done with DR but I think I’ll just continue to work these next few months.

Sunday in Jarabacoa

SWCHS and YWAM started the morning with a worship service with amazing music and worship time led by our YWAM brothers and sisters. Our reflection was on James, chapter 3. We then had a very busy day as we broke up into five different groups for service and work.

1. One of the groups cleaned up the entire campus, including picking weeds, cleaning, sidewalks, cleaning bathrooms and so much more.

2. One group deconstructed an entire basement and gutted it in preparation for creating an additional space for beds.

3. Another group started to construct an addition to one of the existing buildings so that YWAM can host up to 30 more students on campus

4. A different group continued to build a home for a family that lives very close to campus.

5. Finally, a group went into town to purchase groceries for families that will feed them for the next month. Those groceries were bagged at the YWAM camp and will be distributed on Monday.

The night ended with another time of worship and testimonies.

The BB boys are in the DR!

After a slight delay at the MSP airport, and a quick turnaround at JFK, our 6 BB players and Coach Flom have made it to the DR ... and now on the shuttle to the YWAM base. Thank you, Lord!

Friday and Saturday

Friday, 3:14: Connection and Bonding kick off the week.

"Delivery delays prompted the team to pivot and make our day the bonding and fun day for everyone. We enjoyed time on campus hanging out with groups and playing games. We then went to the waterfall and went swimming. After that, we went into town for ice cream. The day closed with a time of a cappella worship and some circle sharing as the materials arrived and some of the men unloaded all of the wood at the house site."

Saturday, 3/15: all groups have been assigned work and project sites. At the time of this writing, (9:42 am MN time), it is snowing in Chaska but sunny and 78 degrees in Jarabacoa - and the students are serving and working.

Remember, there are more pictures at the Google Photo site linked above.

The beauty of the YWAM camp in Jarabacoa

This view is from the front entry into the property. At the center of the picture is the main building, meeting space and dining area on the ground level. On the left is a BB court and two story bunkhouse. The building on the right is for staff lodging and storage. There are additional buildings not pictured (although you can see one of the rooflines in the background.)

Morning Worship

Ready to start the day...

yes, YWAM has great coffee, too!

SW students and chaperones are ready for day 1!

All students and chaperones made it to the DR yesterday in good fashion, even though Dr. Ehresmann had a unique, long day. The AA flight from Miami to Santo Domingo was overbooked by one passenger and Dr. E had to stay back. After spending some time in the Miami airport, taking a later flight and then waiting for his luggage, he was picked up by a special YWAM driver and was brought to the Jarabacoa base. Thanks, Dr. E. Thank you, Lord, for protecting and guiding our team.

1st group landed in the DR!

Mr. Goldie and Mrs. Lindsay Johnson's groups have landed in the DR!

Team Ehresmann

Team Lindsay Johnson

Team Torgerson

Team Tupy

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