Students Giving Back

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Last week, students from STCH Ministries Homes for Children traveled to the Dominican Republic on a mission trip with STCH Ministries International. The week started with them building bookshelves to deliver to an orphanage. They took turns cutting, drilling and sanding the pieces until five bookshelves were completed and ready to be delivered the following day. They enjoyed seeing their finished pieces installed at the orphanage when they went for a visit which also included activities with the kids at the orphanage and a tea party for the house moms. The rest of the week they spent digging a trench for the foundation of a new house. The house belongs to the family of two Samuel’s Fund students and other mission teams will work to complete the house throughout the summer. Through the heat, the students pushed to finish the trench before they left. Dominican ministry partners commented on how impressed they were by the work ethic of the students. The students also hosted a VBS for a local church and loved getting to interact with the kids despite the language barrier. Throughout the week the students talked about the impact the week had on their lives, from gaining an appreciation for the opportunities they have to learning how to find joy and thank God even for the small things or hard times. All of them were excited to come back home and share how God moved through them and in them. STCH Ministries is thankful for the opportunity for these two ministries to work together to change lives. 

Unforgettable Moments

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The Comical and the Inspirational

On a mission trip, God speaks individually to each person—through laughter, in singing or in a child’s eyes, during painting, playing, devotions on the rooftop, or a food delivery.  In early June, Hunters Glen Baptist from Plano joined First Baptist from Kenedy to serve together in the Dominican Republic.
Sunday morning at IBQ church was “a picture of heaven,” reported Marcia.

The Spanish and English words of hymns sung at full volume,
gave new meaning to the ancient words,
“This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long!”
One afternoon the group gathered groceries and visited the humble zinc-roofed home of Meisy Mercedes, a sponsored child living with her grandmother. “How can we pray for you?”  Her response? Not toys, or clothes, or an Iphone. “Pray that my family will be complete in Christ, that my grandmother will accept Jesus.”

Ladies took turns sewing curtains for Raquel’s school.  Some would measure, others would cut, and others would sew.  But no matter how diligently they worked, the curtains weren’t coming out the same size. Frustration turned to laughter when they compared their measuring tapes—tapes marked 60 inches were different lengths!

Meeting their sponsored child in person provided special memories.  Celine Alvarez cried with joy and disbelief when she was told that her sponsors wanted to meet her.  She had been sponsored for 7 years by the children’s ministry of Hunter’s Glen.

On the opposite end of those emotions was Enmanuel.  Tina’s family have been sponsoring for 2 years, and they knew that Enmanuel was misbehaving and failing in school.  Imagine his surprise and embarrassment when his sponsor showed up, speaking Spanish, and talked with him about his behaviors. “I’ll be back next year to check on you!”

The group traveled to the Higuey boys home, and spent two days with them.  Building a porch, painting, sharing devotional time along with a mountain of pizzas—but their most precious memories were loving and playing with 25 boys.
“I was reminded that God is always good, always faithful.”  “I was blessed to see love in action.” “ I was nudged to invest in our youth at home.” “I met a child that needs a sponsor.”  God spoke personally, and willing hearts responded to His call.