Want the Upstream delivered straight to your inbox every month? Subscribe Now!
You may or may not have noticed, but over the last month, the majority of our team has been out of the office, and for us, being in the field is where we find our greatest success and joy. During the month of September, our team was able to travel to the Dominican Republic, Belize and Zimbabwe! Here is an update from each of our team members who took a trip.
Chris Marlow | Dominican Republic
This year, we’re celebrating 15 years as an organization and we’ve hit a pretty cool milestone. For the first time in 15 years, our board spent four days with Rod Davis and his team in La Vega, Dominican Republic. We also had Jean Alix join us from Haiti and Aschalew from Ethiopia.
Our hope for this trip was to take a step back from strategy and planning to lean in, listen, and be present with our friends on the ground who are doing such fabulous work.
This was so life-giving and effective that now, as we dream big, we are feeling deeply connected to the core story and our brilliant local leaders on the ground. I’m thankful to our board for making the tremendous sacrifice to be there, and I look forward to seeing the fruit of their labor.
Brennon Bloemendaal | Haiti (Virtually) and the Dominican Republic
I was on my way to Haiti to visit Ferrier Village, but was unable to pass the border due to rising tensions in the country. I was deeply saddened not to see all my Haiti friends, but I was grateful we could still hold our live stream with Jean Alix, Rosena, and the Ferrier kiddos. If you missed that virtual experience, you can watch it here.
I also got to lead an incredible team to the D.R. from one of our church partners, Homewood Community Church. It was a beautiful time of introducing them to the community and seeing the beauty of the Dominican together!
Bailey Marlow | Belize
This month, I traveled to Belize to visit our local partner and friend, Julie Migel. It was amazing to be back and spend some quality time with Julie and the community in Belize City. We spent time at the Water Walkers Community Center, where I was able to see the dance team’s performance, band practice, the feeding program in action, and the basketball team’s first win of the season! We also had some kids in the program out for an overnight camp. It was wonderful to see how these students are growing because of the incredible work Julie is doing in Belize City.
Aschalew Abebe | Dominican Republic
I greatly enjoyed spending quality time with our partners in the Dominican Republic. One highlight for me was getting to connect with our Dominican Family Business Program Manager, Ydekel, to see how the program is progressing in their community. Ydekel has been doing a wonderful job of mentoring the program participants, and it was great to share our victories and challenges within the program in both Ethiopia and the Dominican Republic.
It was also incredibly encouraging to meet Cesar, one of the men who was empowered through the Family Business Program. Cesar has been very successful in the jerseys manufacturing business and he is now one of our model entrepreneurs. Throughout the trip, it was wonderful to see how the Family Business Program really is improving lives, empowering families, and transforming communities.
Lamar Stockton | Dominican Republic Pastors’ Trip
I had the great joy of bringing nine pastors from around the States to meet our Dominican and Haitian local leaders, Rod Davis and Jean Alix Paul. We got to connect with pastors and community members on the ground in La Vega, see and understand the empowering work of our Dominican partners, experience the beauty of the Dominican Republic, and get to know one another in the process. I was honored to spend time and share life with this remarkable group of humble leaders and new friends.
Ashley Aucker | Zimbabwe
I had the absolute joy of traveling to Zimbabwe with one of our long-time church partners, The Crossing in St. Louis, which also happens to be my home church!
During our time with John and Orpah, we were introduced to several women from the Family Business Program and we even got to do a little shopping and support their businesses. We also got to visit Musha WeVana (which means “Home for Children”) and this was quite the highlight for me. It was so fun to spend time with the precious kiddos, meeting the house moms, and seeing how each home operates as a family.
My favorite part of our time in Marondera, though, was getting to worship with Pastor John and his team at their church, Family Praise Fellowship. We were able to slow down and be grateful. We were also honored to have a time of prayer for John and Orpah. We prayed for their health and strength as they continue to serve and empower families in their community.
What an unbelievable honor it was to introduce my friends to the incredible, John and Orpah couple who have partnered with Help One Now since the beginning!
What might happen if you said yes to a trip with Help One Now? We’ve seen the impact these trips have had on our partners, but what’s more, we’ve seen that these trips offer a powerful experience and transformation for people just like you!
