Mission Emanuel

The most important guiding principle of going on a mission trip is building relationships with God, each other, and our Dominican friends. We believe that God calls us to serve Him and each other by working together sharing the burdens and joys of life. Approximately 4 times a year, teams from the US travel to the Dominican Republic to work in and around the Nazaret community. Emphasis for the project teams is placed on time spent in fellowship rather than on physical work. Days are spent within the community working and being with the people, and evenings are spent sharing stories of the day. The physical labor that needs to be done always seems to get done but hearts are restored in the process.

The first time you go on one of these mission trips, you have an agenda. Before the week is out you will realize that we are there for God’s agenda, not ours, and that everything He wants us to accomplish, will be. His agenda includes more than building homes, churches, clinics, and schools. His agenda builds lives – Dominican and American. Missionaries always feel as though they received much more than they gave and their lives are changed forever. If you have the heart, come join us.

The Schedule

Our mission trips are typically one week – Saturday to Saturday. Our week begins on Sunday with a brief visit to the Haitian church and then to another church service in Cielo. Afterward, there are lots of hugs as American and Dominican friends greet each other. Then we experience the beauty a true Dominican meal, usually prepared by Rosario de la Cruz and her friends.

Our work week begins Monday (see daily schedule below) followed with another visit to church on Wednesday night, a visit to a leprosarium (see below) on Thursday morning, and a concluding celebration of God’s work on Friday.

A typical day’s schedule is:

	7:00am	Breakfast
	7:30	Morning group devotional
	8:00	To the buses for the 20-minute ride to Cielo
	8:30	Go to assigned work projects and work until lunch
	12:30pm	Lunch
	1:30	Visit Dominicans in their homes or rejoin work project
	3:30	Return to hotel
	4:00	Free time
	6:30	Dinner
	8:30	Get together for “God Sightings,” singing, praise and worship.
	10:00	Rest well

Dominican and Haitian Churches

Sundays and Wednesdays offer unique opportunities into the worship life of the followers of Christ in the communities we serve.  We have a strong relationship with both churches and are always greeted and welcomed by both churches.  Dominican services include singing, a sermon by a team member or one of the Elders, and a memory verse. A translator is provided for the sermons, however the rest of the service is pure Spanish.  Sunday morning blends traditional (hymns) and contemporary elements while Wednesday night is a bit more contemporary.  Many of these songs are familiar to American visitors as they are Spanish versions of American praise songs.

The Haitian service is full of energy and a call-and-response atmosphere than invites non-Haitian-Creole speakers to experience the powerfully rich culture of people who gather almost daily to praise God.  Once again, a translator will explain and communicate with visitors as well as multi-language songsheets.

Visiting a Leprosarium

Most groups will participate in a special visit to a “leprosarium” located in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic. Over the years Mission Emanuel has developed a special relationship with the inhabitants of this long-term care facility (Leprocomío de Nigua), which provides housing and medical care to over 30 patients suffering from Hansen’s Disease (commonly called “leprosy”, but differs from the biblical term). In fact all patients at this facility are “cured” from the initial infection but carry many side-effects from the terror of the disease. They have been cast out from society, and for the most part, forgotten by friends and family.

“I was sick and you visited me” (Mt 25:36) – Our visits on one hand are in direct obedience to Christ’s command of love, but on the other, the patients have become friends as they remember our names and faces each time we return. We bring songs and gifts, but most of all we embrace them and pray with them.

Learn more:

• World Health Organization
• Hansen’s Disease in the United States