Welcome to Second Presbyterian Youth Ministry!

Welcome to the Blog that is entirely dedicated to the youth activities at Second Presbyterian Church! Here you will find the latest information on outings and gatherings, photos, and more. Enjoy!

Monday, July 11, 2016

DR 2016 - Monday, July 11

The 2016 second presbyterian representatives awoke this morning to a tremendously vibrant sunrise and an outstanding meal put forth by the members of Solid Rock International. The first day of vacation bible school and construction work had begun! As the wind blew through our hair during the truck ride to the community church, we looked with amazement and awe as we witnessed the locals going about their day. The loud noises in the street, the local people, the animals, and the vendors equally contribute to this unique Dominican Culture. Upon arrival at the church we were greeted by a massive swarm of local children ready to sing, dance, and worship with us. The interpreters began the presentation with a number of children's songs and dances, to which the local children were extremely bold and willing to dance and sing. The amount of love, joy, and appreciation these children have was absolutely contagious and extremely inspiring to us. As the vacation bible school came to an end at 11 o'clock, we said our good byes (until tomorrow) and headed back for a some lunch. Immediately following lunch, our group ventured into the barrios to meet and play with the children. Walking through these barrios is like walking through an entirely different world. It is amazing how little these people have, but it is astounding how much love and kindness they were willing to share with us. Later that evening, our new Youth Pastor, Rachel, challenged us with a question, which was: When was a time that a person showed you unexpected kindness? I think the entire group would agree that the Dominican people are the epitome of what it means to share kindness. The Dominicans, young and old, are willing to meet new people, who look different from them and can't even speak the same language, with welcoming smiles and warm hugs. Part of these reason that our church hosts this trip is to introduce and educate the dominican people about God. But, more importantly, we are hear to learn from the Dominican people about humility and true happiness. We will remember our experiences here for the rest of our lives and hopefully we will learn to cherish what we have, because many individuals have far less than we do. -Alex DeFelice

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