Sitting in
the airport for our long layover gives me some time to reflect on this
incredible week and all of the amazing experiences that we’ve had. So many moments throughout the week left an
impact on me, but probably the thing that affected me the most was Tuesday when
we went to the Hole. The Hole is an
inactive landfill that has become the home of many Dominicans who can’t afford
to live in typical neighborhoods (which still don’t even begin to compare to
those in America). When we went, we
walked through the streets, got a small tour of the church, and fed the
children of the community. It was
incredible to see the impoverished people being content with what they had. Upon our arrival at the Hole, children
started coming out from everywhere yelling “Americanos! Americanos!” They would claim us as their own and hold up
their arms to be embraced and held by us.
They were aching and searching for any love and affection they could
get. What really hit me hard was hearing
that girls there usually started prostituting themselves by age 11-12. At that age, they would be responsible for
taking care of their younger siblings while their parents went to work for the
day, along with all the responsibilities that come along with being a mother. One of the things that the church was focused
on was teaching them practical skills so that they would realize that
prostitution wasn’t their only choice.
There are
so many more things about the life-changing trip that we experienced that I
cannot wait to share when I get home! God has been so good throughout this trip
and has kept us safe with little to no problems. Thank you so much to everyone who has prayed
and supported the team on this trip! Please continue to keep us in your prayers
as we embark on our final flight! Most importantly, remember to pray for the
people of the Dominican Republic and the efforts of GO Ministries to spread the
love of God.
Emily Allen
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