Haitian Education & Leadership Effort

Greetings,

This past year has been full of opportunities to partner with education outreach in several barrios in the La Vega province of the Dominican Republic. Nelson Mandela has stated “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”  Education is an investment, and one of the most critical investments we can make.  Missions Beyond is partnering with local Dominican Haitian schools to make a difference in a child’s world. 

A mother who can read is better equipped to protect her children from chronic illnesses, from AIDS, and from dying young.  A child born to a mother who can read is 50 percent more likely to live past the age of 5.  Education is a key to eliminating gender inequality, to reducing poverty, to teaching sustainability, to preventing needless deaths and illness, to fostering hope and peace.

In the past year, Missions Beyond has gained 501c3 status and this has opened doors to work with the government and private humanitarian efforts in the Dominican Republic.  During the fall of 2016, a heavy rainy season caused the Camu River to swell and flood many areas in the northern parts of the Dominican Republic.  Because of generous donations, thirteen families received new mattress sets after their homes were flooded out by the river as it overflowed its banks several times in the barrio of Los Rieles.  Food items and other necessary supplies were purchased and made readily available after the flooding. Babies had milk to drink.  Those who were ill received needed medication or medical attention.  Propane and charcoal was purchased so mothers could prepare meals for their children.  School shoes, uniforms and much needed school supplies were given out to students affected by the flooding.

Several people have stepped up to partner with the Haitian Scholarship Program and have gifted monthly scholarships to a child who might not be able to attend school otherwise.  Haitian children face three main barriers to attending a public school in the DR.  One, the children are often undocumented legally and cannot attend without proper documentation.  Two, there is a difficult language and cultural barrier to cross.  Three, often the costs for a public school uniform, shoes, or school supplies are not within economic reach for these families.  There are not government programs in place to help these families as can be found in the States.

We thank you for partnering with us to make a difference this past year.  We invite you to consider continuing or beginning a partnership in the year 2017.  For $25 a month, you will provide funding to pay teachers and staff for a Haitian day school.  Any residual funds will go to provide a morning/afternoon snack or meal for the school children.  Financial help for families is another need.  From time to time various needs are seen that need addressing.  Urgent medical needs, homes destroyed by fire or flooding.  A community in need of a water pump/well.  A parent who has been ill and unable to work, needing food to feed the family.  It is amazing how a little can go far in helping someone here. 

Donations can be sent via postal mail, via PayPal, via automatic deduction.  For your convenience, we have included information on how to forward a one time or monthly donation. 

Postal mail:  Missions Beyond,  PO Box 1029, Moberly, MO 65270

Automatic Deduction: A form can be forwarded to you via postal mail or email.  Please request form.

Paypal:  missionsbeyond@gmail.com

Website: http://www.missionsbeyondthebeyond.com/donate.html

Sincerely,

John Sommer – President

Missions Beyond the Beyond

But I was just getting comfy!

Change. Change can be hard. Some change can be easy, but tossing out, ripping up, moving out, leaving behind ... that is difficult. The ease of change depends on our perspective when we are presented with an opportunity to either embrace it, adapt to it, or fight it kicking and fussing. We can learn from change. We can grow because of change. We must decide whether we are willing throw out the old and make room for the new that Christ is bringing and God has stored up for our future.

I do know that change will happen. I've moved many times - more times than my current age even! I have cleaned up more spaces and made the way for new so often that I get weary from thinking of all involved in preparation for the new. Yet, kicking and fussing won't get me moving forward. I must adapt, embrace and begin to focus on what the new can mean. Fresh coats of paint, clean floors, new decor, new relationships lie ahead. I must toss out the old comfy "sofa in my life", change my attitude, open myself and ask, "God, what do you want me to do here? Show me. Tell me. I am ready and listening. You did this for my good."

In the end, all we can do when change comes is trust the Lord and allow His moving and leading because we know that God always has a plan. He doesn't want us holding on to the old beat up, broken down past that is comfy. He wants us to lay it down and follow. That is what followers of Christ do ... lay down the old comfy zone we know and follow His Son.

We are absolutely thrilled to have your support again this year. 

Because of your gifts thirteen families received new mattress sets after their homes were flooded out by the Camu River in Los Rieles, Dominican Republic. 

Food items and other necessary supplies were purchased and made readily available after the flooding. Babies had milk to drink. Those who were ill received needed medication or medical attention. 

Propane and charcoal was purchased so mothers could prepare meals for their children. School shoes, uniforms and much needed school supplies were given out to students affected by the flooding. 

Your financial gifts are helping to improve the lives of the Dominican Haitian immigrant children and their families.

We could not do all this without you partnering with us. Our hope as this year closes out and we look towards the coming year is that you will be blessed as you have blessed. 

 

 

Visit our website to see more about what we do and how lives are being changed in the Dominican Republic - http://missionsbeyondthebeyond.com/ 

Missions Beyond is a charity option via Amazon Smile. Remember, if you want Amazon to donate, you will need to start each shopping session at the URL http://smile.amazon.com, choose Missions Beyond the Beyond as your charity, and AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases.

THERE IS MUCH MORE TO THE TITLED POSITION.

The Bible is a wealth of leadership wisdom. There are scripture verses that encourage leaders. There are Bible verses that should scare leaders. These scary Bible verses are rarely talked about. They’re kept under wraps and ignored by most. This is a mistake. The Bible has clear warnings for leaders. If we ignore these challenging Bible verses, we are in deep trouble.

Acts 20:28 - Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

Our flock may not be a church congregation but it may be a team of hard workers on the shop floor or a group of volunteers. These people are our responsibility. God has tasked us with being overseers of those we lead. We’re leading some pretty valuable people. Don’t neglect this post you’ve been given. 

John 3:30 - He must increase, but I must decrease.

Why is John 3:30 a scary Bible verse for leaders? Because it’s telling us that leadership and our lives aren’t all about ourselves. There’s a higher purpose to life and that’s to the ONE we should be modeling our lives after.

Proverbs 4:23 - Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it springs all life.

 At first glance, this Bible verse is benign. There’s nothing scary about it. That is until you begin to study the bible verse. We discover our heart is the wellspring of life. Now, whether that life is good or bad, that depends on what you put into your heart. Are you putting good things into your heart or are you filling it with bad things? The choice is yours.

Matthew 18:16 - But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

As leaders, you are responsible for those you lead. These people are looking to you for guidance, like little children. We have a responsibility to lead and to lead well. We can’t take our leadership lightly. Realize your position as a leader isn’t for the faint of heart. You’ve got a great responsibility to lead rightly.

The Bible lays down the law when it comes to leading. We have a responsibility and we’ve got to be aware of that responsibility. GOD WILL HOLD YOU TO A HIGHER STANDARD THAN THE PEOPLE TO WHOM YOU PREACH.  Yes, we leaders are human, but we are also called and the people aren’t. God expects more from us leaders/ministers/pastors/shepherds.

James 1:3 -Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

 - This thought is a borrowed thought on leadership.

IF YOU ONLY HAD AN HOUR ...

On Wednesday of this week, I had the privilege to be an assistant during a third grade class period. 

On Thursday, one of these third graders visited with me for about half an hour before school. When he heard that I had to wait until I was 37 years old for my first visit to Disney World, he was shocked. He said, "If I had known you before then, I would have taken you to Disney World." We chatted for a bit longer and as I walked with him to flag ceremony he said, "You know what, you are my new bestest friend."

Here's the thing. It was on this same morning, I talked to God and questioned whether I was making any kind of a difference. I asked Him to show me if it was good enough for Him. I have been here a month and felt as though I hadn't enough tick marks on the schedule for God. I needed this visit and to hear this young student's words. God answered and my heart melted even more for the children here in La Vega.

This morning as I walked down the hallways of La Vega Christian School, several of those third graders saw me, stopped and came up to greet me with hugs and these precious words, "Hello Ms. Sommer, how are you?" in perfect English. We had less than an hour together on Wednesday. I am looking forward to next Wednesday with these students.

You never know what kind of impact a few minutes will have on someone. I know how my heart was impacted. It is my continued hope that I will be a good ambassador of Christ to those around me, to the students and faculty of the schools where I volunteer, that a few minutes will make a positive difference.

BACK TO SCHOOL

So good to be back in fabulous La Vega, Dominican Republic.  The school year had started before I arrived.  Students are settled into their daily routine and teachers are looking forward to seeing the accomplishments of the students.  

This semester has a few changes for me.  I will be volunteering two days a week at the La Vega Christian School campus.  I have the privilege of assisting with the English art program and assisting in the English Learning Center.  Additionally, I will be traveling two days a week to teach Conversational English in two schools for Haitian children.  My hope is that I will continue to be able to visit and check in with the other 8 schools for Haitian children.

This week I experienced something of a first for me.  School classes cancelled due to hurricane and tropical storm conditions.  We had so much rain, that for a time, I lived as royalty because of a water filled moat outside the home hindering foot traffic from entering or exiting. Many people have been affected by the damage left from the path of the hurricane and tropical storm conditions.

John will soon be here for a short visit.  He is eager to be here and reconnect with the students and our new friends. 

When God fights your battles.

The enemy is good at being bad. Knowing our weaknesses, he camps out with bated breath just waiting for his chance to launch his missiles. And he does it with extreme accuracy.   He knows what hurts us the most.  

In a book called Boundaries, Townsend and Cloud tell a story about a man who continually goes down a street and falls into a hole. The story paraphrased goes like this:

A man would go down the street, see a hole, and fall in. The next day the man walked down the street and saw the hole and fell in again. The third day the man partially changed his route but eventually still fell in the hole. The fourth day he altered his route a little but then looked back and fell in the stubborn hole. Finally when the man became tired of his failure, he decided to walk on the other side of the street. Enough was enough. He stopped thinking he could do it. Many of us still think we can. When we keep trying to get different results by doing the same thing, others recognize it as insanity; we think we are persevering.

It's helpful in our battles to remember God's track record. He has proven himself in each of our lives. I need to remember what he did in my life because that's the life I'm living. When I am tempted to feel unwanted and unloved, I must choose to focus on how God cares enough to know my name.  He not only cares enough, He has given me a name that only He calls me by.  He has given you a special name, one that only He call you by.  That is how much you are loved and wanted by God.  God goes before you and fights the battles.  He claims you are His child.  When we feel anxious, discouraged, hopeless or overwhelmed He is going before us and fighting for us.  When bad things happens, He is preparing a powerful life change.  

God is in control, but that does not mean we followers of Christ get to avoid the battles - in fact, the Bible states the opposite.  "Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope." (Romans 5:3-4).  In order for a believer to live a life of endurance, character, and hope, we must put on our armor and trust the Deliverer.  We can not put our confidence in ourselves, or others.  Our confidence must be in God, who will fight our battles.  Be still, He goes before you and He always wins.