Our first full day of ministry here in the Dominican Republic is officially in the books, and what an incredible start it was! From the very beginning, there was excitement and eagerness among the group to serve and share the love of Jesus.

Many of our students jumped right into Vacation Bible School, and it was amazing to watch them lead with confidence. They taught Bible verses, brought stories to life through drama skits featuring different characters from Scripture, and helped create a fun and gospel-centered program for the kids! One of the highlights was seeing our puppets, Carmen and Manuel, retell the parable of the lost sheep—something that brought lots of laughter while also clearly communicating the heart of the Gospel. It was so encouraging to see our students not just participate, but truly take ownership of sharing truth in a meaningful way.

Beyond VBS, our group spread out into several other ministries. Some students helped with food distribution, serving families and offering both physical nourishment and kind conversation. Others participated in sports ministry, building relationships through baseball, soccer, and volleyball. One really cool God story: we had a student of ours who was extremely nervous to share his testimony. He practiced with the translators, overcame his fear, and shared boldly what God had done in his life. It lead to gospel conversations at his sport site with a few conversations leading to kids wanting to trust in Christ! Our leader noticed and told his family group leader that he was so impressed how confident this student was. Won’t God work — even despite our weaknesses?! No matter where they served, our students approached each opportunity with humility and compassion.

We ended the night with worship and a Word from Pastor Dylan. He reminded us about the story of Peter and how Jesus is worthy of our trust. We finished off the night with family group time to debrief the day and ask ourselves — do we really trust Jesus?

What stood out most today was your student’s boldness. Many of them stepped outside their comfort zones to share their personal testimonies and clearly communicate the Gospel. They were not afraid to speak about what Jesus has done in their lives, and it was powerful to witness. We are incredibly proud of each one of them—not just for what they did, but for how they did it, with hearts fully surrendered and willing to be used by the Lord. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the week holds!