So, I’m very saddened to say that this is my last week at Hope Mountain in the Dominican Republic. This place has been so kind to me and my squad. First off, our host have treated us above and beyond what we could have expected. Great hearts, great ministry, and great food. This month has been full of ups and downs. From balling on the courts with kids of all ages to having to hide in the dorms for three days because of hurricane Maria, I have loved every second of this beautiful place. I’ve learned how to love and to serve in so many new ways. I have learned serval interesting ways to talk with a language barrier. I have learned that not all ministry is limited to just playing with children and getting to teach VBS. This month we learned the meaning of true serving. We served by helping our host with serval things that needed to be done around the property and presentations to potentially grow the ministry. At times it became frustrating not being able to get out in the community everyday, but seeing all the things we have accomplished is incredible. This ministry is not only a big part on the mountain, but they also have branches in 4 different cities and I am so thankful that I had the chance to work behind the scenes this month to work on the property,which is a safe haven for the community.
Here is an insight of a few things we have been up to this month to bless our host…
•Chopped down and moved a dozen dead fruit trees ?
•Used machetes to cut and dig fence posts for the perimeter of the property with barb wire?•Re-did the piping for the pool
?•Graveled two trails around the property
•Helped Elva in the kitchen (dishes, cooking, cutting fruit and vegetables)
?•Boarding up a house for a hurricane ?
•Created a hillside out of tires
•Creates lesson plans for English teacher ?
•Updated wait training (sex education) lesson planS
•Broke up old sharia to help set new concrete for two other sets of stairs
•Moved over 500 cinder blocks so the expansion of this was possible
•Dug a 40 yard trench a foot and a half by a foot and a half re-routing water and filling old trenches 
•Cleared a field and built a fire pit
•Collected sets of sheets, pillow cases, and towels to take to Moca for hurricane relief
Blessing the host host is a huge thing. They are the ones who will still be carrying on everything when we leave and that can not be possible if the property is not kept up and things aren’t finished. I’m so thankful we were able to help them this month and can’t wait to see all the affects it has on the ministry after we leave.
