Day 2: Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Distribution

Today was such an incredible experience—almost hard to describe. After breakfast, we loaded up the bus and headed into the rather terrifying traffic to our first distribution site, a local Church of God of Prophecy.

With the little Spanish I know, it’s amazing how you instantly connect with the children. Because of the language barrier, I realized how powerful non-verbal communication is—smiling, laughing, clapping your hands, dancing. I was also blessed to share my testimony with the children with the help of a translator.

An older Dominican woman pastors the church and has such a love for the Lord and faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. We actually spoke with her and her daughter, Nancy. They tell their story in the video below.

After a taste of local cuisine at…McDonalds :), we reloaded for the second distribution at another local church. Almost 300 children were there to hear the gospel and receive their shoe boxes and the Greatest Gift of All book. I made eye contact with a little boy, Matito, who motioned me to come sit with him and his friends. We all bonded through some thumb wrestling and Spanish lessons. They told me they were Christians and pointed in the direction of their church and their homes. It was difficult to see the mothers and children outside the church who weren’t able to come in to receive shoe boxes, reason to collect more boxes next year with your help!

Tonight at dinner, the National Leadership Team who do ministry year-round here in the DR, reported that to date 1,400,000 shoe boxes have been given to children in the Dominican Republic and 49,000 children have graduated from the 10 week discipleship program that follows up with the children after they receive the gifts. One school teacher even used the discipleship material with her 82 students, 27 of whom accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior!

I am completely energized for tomorrow and can’t wait to see what God is going to do!