Could I be free?

Let me tell you about the Bateys. There are approximately 14 Bateys, located in the Southwestern part of the Dominican Republic. This is where they harvest sugar cane. Most of these Bateys and sugarcane fields are owned by companies outside of the D.R. They have machines to harvest the sugarcane, but they refuse to bring them to the bateys because the cost of paying a Haitian to harvest the cane is far less.

Haitians are told that they could come to the Dominican and make up to $25 US a week. In Haiti the average Haitian makes $250 US a year. You can imagine how any Haitian would jump at the chance to make up to 4 times as much as they could living in Haiti. Once they arrive in the D.R. the guards tear up there papers, and many simply no longer "exist" to the world. With out any sort of birth certificate or official papers, they are nothing. They cannot leave. They make about $10 a week, and they suffer from extremely harsh conditions in the sugar cane fields. They cut the cane with machetes, and injuries are common. Boys may begin harvesting cane with their parents at early ages as well. They settled in these camps and many generations live here together. While the conditions here are better than that in Haiti, they are some of the worst in the Dominican Republic.

On this particular visit, we brought down a team of 18, which included 1 doctor, and two nurses. The team would provide medical care over the course of 2 days in Batey Cuchillo (pronounced coo-chee-yo). Many here have never seen a Doctor. We brought thousands and thousands of dollars in medications. Many of the people were patient and waited, understanding we were here to help. One woman, came in who believed she was pregnant, but she had bled for two months, and now here belly was no longer growing. Family is very important here, their kids are all they have. They were desperate to recieve care, knowing this may be there only chance to recieve help for their kids and family.













I met one man in his early twenties. He asked me for a Bible. I spoke to the Pastor, and it turns out he was a believer but did not have a Bible. I brought one to him and he was truly grateful. I continued on the day working alongside the team to meet the physical needs of our patients.

As the week drew to a close we had seen and treated almost 900 patients, held two VBS's, evangelized to Batey nueve and cuchillo, led 8 people to Christ, broke ground on the foundation of Pastor William's new church, and participated in the daily feeding of over 100 kids in the nutrition center.

So many things were accomplished that week for the LORD, and on the final night- we had a despidida (good bye party) for the Americans to say goodbye to the nationals they had worked alongside of all week long. There were over 100 people there, many had walked from Batey cuchillo, 30 minutes away, by foot. There are no street lights, just fields. Many stood up and thanked eachother, prayed for one another, and we worshipped as one body. Standing outside after the despidida, I caught sight of the boy who had asked me for a Bible. When he saw me, a huge smile came over his face, I saw a joy in him that was from our LORD. I walked up to him and said "Tu tienes la Biblia? Translated: do you have the Bible?" "Si, si" he replied and as he pulled out the Bible, he opened it to the back cover of the book, where the words had been written after I gave him the Bible "Dios te Bendiga" (God bless you) and his name! As I looked at his name poorly scribbled in his Bible, I thought how much the LORD knows each one of us by name, and I am reminded of this verse:

"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Luke 12:7.



The LORD not only loves me & you, but each of our precious brothers and sisters in the Bateys, and all over the world, those who believe in the LORD, and those who do not yet, the LORD, has not forgotten one single person. He knew that that boy was to recieve a Bible from me that day in Batey Cuchillo. Please pray for him.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5: 3-10

Thank you all so much for going before the LORD on my behalf, and on the behalf of the many more who do not yet know Christ and those who need strength to keep fighting the fight. I am so grateful for you guys! You can take a few minutes to watch this video from the Batey's, I created:

Basketball Camp

It has been a great week working with the team from Louisville, KY at our annual Basketball camp. We have been doing Basketball Camp for over 10 years now. What once started with 50 kids on one court has expanded to over 200 campers and 5 courts all bringing glory to God through a unique bond of sports.

Not being much of a sports player myself, I was assigned the job of team photographer. I traveled to all of the courts, visited many of the groups during "huddle time" and I was so blessed by what I saw.

The G.O. basketball team was composed of 25 individuals, men and women with a love of the game of basketball, and an even stronger love for the LORD. Some played the sport and others coached. Each day we began at the main court and met at the club house for chapel time. One of the basketball players or coaches would give a short testimony/ teaching and then kids would be dismissed into one of 13 different groups depending upon their division: NBA, Dominicana, College, Womens, and Little Man League for "huddle time."


During H.T. the leaders would share with their kids about Christ on a more personal level, and the kids would share where they are and what they struggle with, and recieve prayer. After H.T., the kids would warm up, and then it was off to the courts for drills and games.


Each night the professional league would play for a chance to play in the championship game at the end of the camp. The men on the trip were Team USA & they would also play for the title. Team USA had a winning streak of 4 years! The women would also play the professional women's team as well. Men's and Women's USA teams won!!!


On the final day of the camp the best two teams in each division would play in a championship game, and then we held an awards ceremony where we gave over MVP, Most Christ-like, and other awards as well. Each kid got a T-shirt, Nike Basketball, G.O. Min. Sports bag, and a ribbon for playing. The MVP from each team will play in an All-Star game next week!

I was blessed to be a part of this great week!!!

Thanks to the G.O. Sports Team for all their hard work!

Espwa (Hope) for Haiti

It has taken me a few weeks to update on my adventures in Haiti. It was, well, interesting. It has taken me since my return to process all that I saw, and I am unsure that I could ever process it all to be honest. I left Haiti a changed person...

I will backup some and start from the beginning.
This summer we will be hosting 20 teams and the first three arrived on June 12th. I had learned at our staff meeting that I would be traveling with the team that would be going to Haiti. I felt a mixture of emotions ranging from excitement to nervous anticipation for what may lie ahead in the following days.


We arrived in Dajabon, the border town on the D.R. side and walked with Arcenio Jimenez across the border into Haiti where we piled in the back of trucks to get to our final destination about 10 minutes away. As we drove through the streets of Haiti, or rather, the dirt roads of Haiti, my heart was pierced with sadness. Naked children everyone, women and men who looked twice their age, standing on their front porches as the truckload of "blans" drove through the village of Ounamenthe, swollen bellies, hungry eyes, the evidence of destruction surrounded us.


We arrived at the dormitory and the team began preparing their first VBS for the kids at "Le Orphellinat," the orphange. 38 kids live here, and recieve meals, schooling, and some are even learning a trade like sewing. There is quite a lengthy process for a child to live at the orphanage. The kids, undoubtably, were thrilled to see us.

At the orpahange

The team leader was fluent in Creole, so she was able to communicate with the kids in a way that us "blans" were unable to do thus far. We also had Romano, a Haitian who works with G.O., and several other translators with us, but their was something magical and spiritual about hearing the leader speak to the little ones in their native tongue. The team sang songs, played games, and told the story of God creating the world, and how he created each one of them very very special. That evening the clouds turned black and it poured down rain, turning the little dirt road that seperated the orphange from the dormitory and church into a river, that was untravelable. I sat there wondering how many houses were flooded... how much more damage did the rain bring?

In Haiti no one has electricity. Imagine when the dark falls, your day ends. People go to bed very early, and something we were not prepared for was just how early they get up. 5am is the usual time. The light is a precious and valuable commodity to the Haitians.

The second day we awoke we saw the effects of the rain, the orphanage was flooded and the water was up to our ankles. The kids in the orphanage made trip after trip walking to the dormitory/church grounds with buckets and trays and piled them high with dirt and walked with them on their heads back to the orphanage to fill up the water. Many others were busy that morning bucketing the water out of their houses.

bringing sand to the orphanage

Over the course of three days the team prepared for VBS in the morning at the church, and then in the afternoon they held a soccer camp. Kids lined the fence just waiting for us each day.

Soccer camp

One afternoon I was working on a project at the dorms and I heard this group of children shouting from down below "jackleen, jackleen, jackleen." As the time in Haiti was dwindling every day, my heart grew more and more sad. One of our last days in Haiti we spent doing a VBS at Elonce Bernandin's church. Elonce is a Haitian pastor with 6 kids. He and his wife have recently adopted a child. She had malaria, and now she is having other problems with a tumor/ cyst that if it does not go away with treatment, they will have to operate. This man of God is supported by my home church in Las Vegas. I had only been to his church once before and a picture of it hangs on my wall. It was about a 25 minute walk to his church and kids came out from everywhere. Many naked. we piled over 200 kids into the church to tell them about Jesus. We gave out dolls, candy, and toys to each child. When we left the kids followed us, hand in hand, to the other side of town.

At Elonce's church

The team was such a blessing to our Haitian brothers and sisters. We attended church with them, led worship, we sang songs in Creole, and a pastor on the team preached 2 nights in a row.
One evening the women from the church walked up to the Dormitory, and stood there in a line. We wondered what they could possibly be doing until they opened their mouths, and the most beautiful song came forth. I imagined in heaven it would sound as beautiful as it did that night.
We spent time with the kids in the orphanage one last morning before it was time to pack up and head out. We left Sunday morning after tearful goodbyes, and promised returns at the church.

I was a broken person. I sat in church each night and Sunday morning, unable to stop from crying as I looked around, as I heard the sounds of my Haitian brothers and sisters worshipping God in a way that I could not. With nothing they had everything. I had so much, and yet, so little.

I am so thankful to CCC for their hard work and sacrafices made to share Christ in this community. There is so much yet to be done. So many more lives to be saved, churches to be built, mouths to be fed, and G.O. has just barely touched the tip of the iceberg in Haiti.
God is so good, amidst all the tragedy and suffering in Haiti, he is still the LORD, who will one day, redeem his people and all in the world will know they are a people that the LORD has blessed.

I long to return and hope to soon.
I would ask you to please continue to pray for our brother and sisters in Haiti, and ask how God might want to use you to meet the needs of his people. If you are interested in partnering with me and the ministry in Haiti, please email me at jackie.douglas@go-ministries.org, and I will get you more information.
I have created a video of the team's adventures in Haiti, please watch it. The link in in the Ministry video section or you can scroll down to my past blog and there is a link there as well.
There is still much espwa for Haiti.
God bless you all.
Jackie

My favorite picture from Haiti:

Hey everyone! I am back in the D.R.
A full Haiti update is soon coming!
In the meantime please enjoy this video I made for the team that served in Haiti. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Hey everybody! It is 5:45am in the D.R. and I am finishing up packing to go to Haiti for a week. I found out yesterday that I will be leaving with the team (which I kind of knew, unofficially) today to Ouanaminthe, Haiti to do children's ministry and soccer ministry. I will be returning to the D.R. Monday.
Please please pray for this time that we will be there with Community Christian Church. Pray for the team to be united spiritually and mentally. Pray for the team that is leading the trip (John, Romano, Brent, and me) pray for the Haitians hearts to be open, that the Lord Jesus might penetrate them and they would come to know Christ in an intimate way as their Lord and Savior.
I want to write so much more, but I am on a limited amount of time. We leave in an hour. Thank you guys so much for your support. I will update when I return!
Peace.
Jackie

¡Bienvenido!

I am here!! I arrived at the airport in Santiago on Friday night at 7pm! Jen who is a staff member and Hannah, the first intern to arrive this summer greeted me as I stepped outside the airport into the warm sticky air. I knew I was home. We drove about 15 minutes to the dormitory. This is where the teams stay when they are here. The conference center and office are also located here.

I am living on the bottom floor of the dormitory in an apartment with Jen, Catherine (another staff member), Hannah, and may more female interns who will be joining us this summer. On Saturday morning we had our first assignment. We needed to go to Hoya Del Bartola (the hole) to get some footage and pics. for a video we are putting together for the church who support G.O.'s work there. Tonight we will be filming part of the church service at the Hole.

Last night we had dinner at Tim and Samira's house (minus Tim!)

It is great here, and I am looking forward to putting some personal touches here that will make it feel more like my space. I am going to get a small bookshelf which we make out of lumber and cinder blocks and also some sort of table/ night stand thingy, as well as painting the room.

My prayer this summer is that as I adjust, and try to figure out what is going on that he would open my eyes everyday for someone that I can serve. I came here to serve the people and share the love of Christ with them. That is the end goal. Whether that is in kids ministry, construction, sports, or cooking with the ladies in the kitchen. I came here to serve, and I pray that I would not forget that or take my eyes off of the LORD and his desire for me to be a light in these communities. And of course that I would continue to study the language.

The single most important thing I would ask of you is to please join me in prayer. Pray for the unbelievers in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, pray for the Dominican and Haitian Christians and Pastors to be strong in the LORD and that they would be a good witness to those who don't believe, pray for the G.O. staff to be empowering to those Nationals we work with and to always looking for ways to serve the people on the Island, pray for the may teams who will be arriving to work and serve Jesus this summer that their lives would be changed and that their work would become a testimony of the LORD and that it would touch the many lives of the people here, pray for Brook, the President of G.O. Ministries for discernment and wisdom as he leads the organization.

Thank you so much for your support and prayers. Without your support- I would not be here.

¡Dios te Bendiga!

Jackie

Here are a few pics from the apartment where I am staying (I know there are no pics. of me yet... they are coming!!)

Just wanted to let everyone know of a few things!

I am leaving for the D.R. Friday morning at 6am- I am incredibly excited. Finishing up packing, and of course I have a million errands to run tomorrow- literally a million!! I am sorry I could not see everyone while I was in Las Vegas- who would have thought 17 days wasn't enough time!! (not me!) I will do better next time!

To those of you who financially support me: I want to thank you and thank you. You have no idea what this means to me and to the children, families, Followers of Christ, and non-believers that your sacraficial gifts will be used to help spread hope on the Island.

To those of you who do NOT financially support me: Please pray and consider how God might use you through your support. For $30 a month you could support a child through our Nutrition Center that will provide a child a hot meal 6 days a week, vitamins, spiritual encouragement, birthday, Christmas present. $30 a month- that's like 5 Starbucks drinks!! Check out this link: www.go-kids.blogspot.com

I started a financial update blog- you will find a link on the sidebar of my blog or you can visit it here: www.jackiesfunds.blogspot.com I hope this will keep everyone updated on where I stand monthly!

Please continue to pray for God's glory to spread through the D.R. and Haiti!! I can't wait until I write again from Dominican soil.
Bendiciones-
JD

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

Haiti Awaits

"Everyone was running, trying to find a place to hide. One man was shot in the outside courtyard, with his Bible in his hand. Bullets were zinging left and right. I saw a pregnant woman screaming for help and holding onto her stomach. A man had just speared her there, and she was bathed in red blood. Another priest was trying to organize people to give her first aid. I saw an American journalist running up and down the aisle with torn clothes; the men with red armbands had torn the clothing, trying to hurt the journalist. A group of young women were in the front courtyard and were attempting to resist, with our own kind of arms, the heavy weapons that the men were using against us from the street- this was a prohetic, historic resistance that we will never forget."
Excerpted from "The Uses of Haiti," by Dr. Paul Farmer.

I write this blog with heaviness in my heart. In lieu of being in Haiti, I am finding quite a bit of material on the country's history. I am reading tons of material and also trying to practice some Creole (a mixture of African and French) What I am finding is that the story above is not one of extrodinary circumstance. It is not a rareity to read. In Haiti, it is everyday life. And I ask myself how can this be? How can there be any hope for this country who, since it's birth as Saint Domingue in 1492 has battled the nations for it's own indipendence and freedom, only to be repressed, used, and drained for hundreds of years, of it's resources, it's pride it's dignity. How can there be hope? 80% of children will die by the age of 5. Many are orphaned simply because their parents can't afford them anymore- they can barely afford themselves, but you don't have to tell that to the starving bellies of the Haitians... It is survival of the fitness.

There is a man in Haiti, who believes in God's plan to redeem the people of Haiti. That one day Jesus Christ will clothe them in righteousness, who will set them at His feet, and call them His own. Arcenio Jimenez is a Pastor who is supported by G.O. Ministries in Haiti, and has a dream of God's fame and glory to be made know on this island. Currently G.O. supports his school, feeding center, and church, and we are finshing the dormotories where teams will be able to come down on short term trips and spend a week there (this will hopefully be my new home as well).


As I spent only a day there last year, I am reminded of the simplicity of hope. Jesus is not complicated- and his hope is freely offered to anyone who will accept it. In Haiti, G.O. offers hope in many ways- through a church, where 1500 can meet to hear the Word of God preached, through a Christian School, where kids will recieve a Christian education, through the Nutrition Center, meeting the most basic needs of the kids in the community by feeding them a hot meal 6 days a week while recieving spiritual encouragement. And the orphanage, filled with kids who are handicapped, starving for human touch, and love, who were once abandoned by their parents are now cared for by their heavenly father who loves us so unconditionally.

God has been doing a work in me as well. As I spent time in Haiti, the Lord bore a deep anguish within me. One that was unshakeable. It is not a "feeling" and it is more that "passion." Out of the anguish, he bore my purpose... To bring good news to the poor, to bind up the broken-hearted, the LORD has come to redeem the people of Haiti through his son, Jesus Christ.

I read these verses tonight and I know there is hope in Haiti:
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.^[a]
2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,^[b]
and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
3 To all who mourn in Israel,^[c]
he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
repairing cities destroyed long ago.
They will revive them,
though they have been deserted for many generations.
5 Foreigners will be your servants.
They will feed your flocks
and plow your fields
and tend your vineyards.
6 You will be called priests of the Lord,
ministers of our God.
You will feed on the treasures of the nations
and boast in their riches.
7 Instead of shame and dishonor,
you will enjoy a double share of honor.
You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land,
and everlasting joy will be yours.

8 “For I, the Lord, love justice.
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be recognized
and honored among the nations.
Everyone will realize that they are a people
the Lord has blessed.”

Isaiah 61: 1-9

...Everyone will realize that they are a people the LORD has blessed...

Proverbs 3:27 "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act."

I urge you to please pray about how you can play a role in bringing hope to Haiti. How you can change a life.
1. Pray- pray for people to rise up to follow the LORD to Haiti and preach the good news to the poor- pray for the Haitians to be freed from the bondage of Voodoo and oppression.
2. GO- Come to Haiti. Lead a trip with your small group, church, Bible study, school, work. Spend a week in Haiti, serving the LORD.
3. Give- G.O. seeks to create partnerships between Nationals and Americans. Pray about how you might be able to support someone in Haiti who, with your support, will answer God's call for their life. If you feel led to support the work that I will be doing, please email me at jackie.douglas@go-ministries.org or leave me a comment.

Con amor de JesuCristo,

Jackie