April 07

Hey everyone! I know many of you have been emailing me wondering what has happened... where is a new post? Well, I have been sick- really sick. Let's just say I have not experienced this kind of sick... It was incredibly imperitive for me to be near a bathroom 24 hours a day!!

I am starting to finally feel better today (day #7 of the sickness) and hope to drink some chicken noodle soup broth!

So- here's the update!

The beginning of April started off rather smooth- I had been finishing up the promotional piece I had been telling you guys about for the Exponential Conference (aka- the largest church planting conference in the country) at the end of April. That was fun and really challenged me and helped me grow as a designer. Graphic design is something I have dabbled with in the past, but not on this level, so I really enjoyed being stretched in this area.
But before the conference we had to make a little stop in the DOMINICAN REPUBLIC!!

We had a blast in the DR for a week at our Celebration of Partnership Conference. The week began with just the staff and our partners from Mongolia, Belize, and Colombia joined us for a staff retreat. John Kohler, who works with alcoholics and prostitutes in Mongolia challenged us during our devotional times to be real about where we are, who we are. He reminded us that Jesus did not just command us to come and drink once and our thirst will be forever quenched... no- Jesus says drink as often and as much as you need... and we need it all the time- we're fooling ourselves if we think we don't and soon we'll be or probably already are running on empty. I was thankful for John's message, as I think back to how many times I try to run on my own strength and might. It just doesn't work.

After the retreat, we took a tour around Santiago and visited 4 of our big projects. Hato del Yaque, Los Guandules, Santa Lucia (aka La Mosca), and Hoya del Bartola. In each of these places a church here in the States partners with a Pastor and the community to provide much need resources to bring hope and healing to these communities.

In Hoya del Bartola:

You remember my friend Jason? Well here he is eating at the Nutrition Center. The church and nutrition center are located here at the bottom of a garbage dump where over 600 families live, and a stream of raw sewage runs through it.

In Hato del Yaque:

This is the view from the top of the church. This is the future site of a new G.O. Hub. Each Hub will have a church, nutrition center, dormitory, medical clinic, and school.

In Santa Lucia:

These are just a few of the kids hanging out at the Nutrition Center/ Medical Clinic. This place is also known as La Mosca, which means "the fly," because there are so many flys swarming everywhere. La Mosca, like Hoya del Bartola, is also located at a lanfill, the difference is that the one here is a burning lanfill. The burn it all day and tractors drive over it to compact the trash. Many kids are hurt and even killed because they play here. The smoke that seeps down into the valley where families live brings many sicknesses including asthma.

In Los Guandules:

In this community there was a bar where prostitution and gambling were rampant. G.O. was able to to tear the bar down and erect a brand new two story church in it's place with a nutrition center on the first floor!

It was awesome to see the transformation in the kids at these places because of the work that is being done here on the Island. God is so faithful and he is continually providing G.O. with resources and partners to bring the Good News to those in need.

After the tour- we went to La Vega for our Celebration of Partnership. I stayed in a dormitory with Dominican women we work with from the kitchen to Hoya del Bartola and Guandules. In the morning the Nationals had training while us Americans had training of our own. In the afternoon we spent time hanging out together, learning about eachothers lives, and in the evening we had worship services in Spanish. It was so amazing to see all the different cultures represented as the body, coming together to worship and seek Jesus.

I was sad to leave, but knew I would be back there soon! From La Vega I flew to Orlando, FL for the Exponential Conference. We had an opportunity to share with hundred's of church planters about G.O. Ministries, and why we were there. Many people didn't understand why a missions org. would be at a church planting conference. And that is where we were able to say that God's plan for the Kingdom is both locally and globally. We were offering an exploratory trip in September for those interested in coming to the D.R. and Haiti and see how God is working and we had over 150 people sign up for the trip!!! Seriously! Please pray for these new potential partnerships!

It was a great experience and I hope to go back next year! (Pic of Vicki and I in Orlando)

Derby is here and I am hoping to get enough energy back to be able to volunteer tomorrow- my good friend Laura Snell comes in tonight with her mom to volunteer- woohoo!! Please pray for my health to return!

I will be coming home to Las Vegas May 9th and I hope to see as many of you as possible- If you are interested in seeing me, please send me an email to jackie.douglas@go-ministries.org. My schedule is filling up FAST!!

Just a quick financial update: I need to raise $1000 more a month to reach my "c" budget. If you are interested in financially partnering with me, hosting a get-together, or know someone who might be interested please email me at jackie.douglas@go-ministries.org

As I am preparing to come home for my final goodbye's before heading to the field, I just want to say thank you so much to those of you who have through prayer and finances partnered with me. I have been blessed beyond anything I could imagine and I look forward to sharing even more of what God is doing with you!
Thank you so much for answering the call of God to partner with me.

Dios te Bendiga!
-Jackie