Feb 2016: The Christ School

The following story comes from Dr. Jason Powell, the Head of School from The Christ School in Orlando, Florida. In this letter to parents Jason shares several powerful moments from his team’s trip in February 2016. Thank you, Dr. Powell and The Christ School, for sharing and for being faithful friends and partners!

Dear TCS Parents,

Last week, I had the privilege of traveling with our 8th grade students, parents and teachers for their class trip to the Dominican Republic. This is the capstone experience for our 8th grade students on their K-8 journey at The Christ School. I want to share some reflections so that our entire school community has a glimpse of this powerful trip. Two envisioned outcomes for graduates of The Christ School are that they will be committed to being others-oriented and are devoted to glorifying God, and last week, this is exactly what occurred!

Our group met at the airport at 5:00 a.m. for an early flight to Santo Domingo, the capital city of the Dominican Republic. For many of our students, this was their first international travel experience and they were excited to visit a place where the citizens speak another language, use a different currency and for which they were required to have a U.S. Passport to visit.

Upon arriving in the Dominican Republic, our team quickly learned that driving is quite different as well! I was once told while in the DR that driving there is like a dance. Stoplights are often “suggestions.” We were taken by bus to Mission Emanuel, our service destination for the week. We enjoyed an authentic Dominican Lunch prepared for us by the mission staff, learned about their water purification facility and then our students began what was a highlight of their week – visiting the families in the village of Cielo. While our students were surprised to see the impoverished living conditions within the village, they adjusted well and made fast friends with the children. They enjoyed playing games and communicating with one another across the language differences.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were work days and our team worked hard! We helped complete the bond beam along the top wall of a home under construction. This involved working together to mix concrete, fill, pass and lift full buckets and return empty buckets. We also mixed and moved concrete to build a footer for a storage building and completed the mundane work of passing bucket after bucket of dirt to level the floor of another home under construction. Whenever we would become tired or hot or both, we rallied together through humor and encouragement. I also enjoyed taking a group around the village and showing them the finished projects that previous TCS groups have completed in past years. After 7 trips, we can see many tangible fruits of our labor.

In addition to the work projects, we visited the mission’s school and our students gave each 8th grade student at the mission school a new Bible. While initially shy, both groups of 8th grade students quickly became engaged in conversation and games. We attended a worship service in a village church that was built by the mission and enjoyed a historic tour of Colonial Santo Domingo.[/av_one_full]

We learned that Christopher Columbus landed in Santo Domingo in 1492, that the DR flag includes the Holy Bible opened to John 8:32 and that the Dominican Republic was celebrating its 173rd anniversary of gaining its independence from Haiti on their Independence Day, February 27 – yes there are independence days other than July 4! Another special treat was to learn that we share an anniversary with our friends at Mission Emanuel, who are also celebrating their 20th year.

Another highlight of our trip was visiting a leprosorium on Friday. Unlike the young children in the village, the residents of the leprosorium are more reserved. However, just like the young children and, indeed, all of us, they are in great need of human interaction. I was so proud of our students as they courageously entered an unfamiliar environment and tremendously brightened the 15 residents’ day by talking, singing and praying with them. The joy experienced by our students during the visit provided them with a tangible example of the Biblical truth (Matthew 25:31-46) of how stepping into fellow humans in need is stepping into an encounter with Jesus Christ. On Friday, we also said our tearful goodbyes to new friends in the community and at the mission and began our return trip home. We arrived home just before midnight and have now begun to reflect upon and share about the wonderful experience.

It was my honor to be a firsthand witness to our students fulfilling The Christ School vision by serving others and glorifying God. Our students will be reflecting on their trip as they lead chapel this Thursday morning, March 3. You are encouraged to join us and hear firsthand about their experiences.

Sincerely,

Jason W. Powell, Ed.D.
Head of School