5 Miracles of Service from the Brown Horse Projects Dominican Republic Mission Trip

We're a month+ back from our week-long medical and water mission trip to Barahona, Dominican Republic. We are grateful for the partnership with the HydroBlu team for helping us get water filters.

The Grace & Peace Missionary Fellowship mission house and medical clinic were beautiful and clean. Our hosts were kind and our trip was productive, inspiring and memorable.

We had beds to sleep on, restrooms in our rooms and enjoyed wonderful island food prepared by a gracious kitchen crew. Our team was treated to the best interpreters with whom I've ever worked and we enjoyed evening moments where we shared intimate devotions and stories of the day, about life, about love and hard times, about stars and galaxies.

There were miracles upon miracles that God had prepared for us, here are a few:

1.) Generous Sponsors Provide More than We Expected

The Home Depot generously gave us the grant to cover the cost of the buckets we shipped down for the water project. We were able to purchase medicine from the local government for the first time at a much lower cost than anticipated.

With the partnership of HydroBlu, Versa Flow Water Filters were purchased, removed from packaging, and prepared for our trip. These filters were placed inside the carry on bags of our team members to protect them and avoid theft or confiscation. Our fundraising covered expenses almost to the penny.

2.) Protection to Our Entire Team

Our team members coming in from Montreal were the only two on their flight not to get stopped at customs and have their bags x-rayed.

3.) 700 Patients Received REAL Medical Care.

We were able to see 700 patients in four days of clinic, two days at the Grace & Peace clinic, two days mobile in the Haitian refugee village. Each person received personal, quality, look-you-in-the-eye, smile, and make-you-laugh, JOYous medical care. Here are some tender moments:

• Dr. V saw a woman in clinic who was, as he said, "knocking at death's door." Her blood pressure was just 30. He relayed her condition to the others. So Steve, Tony and Karen rushed her to the local hospital. She came back to see us 2 days later and say thanks to Dr. V. He saved her life.
• Roshni rehydrated a 3-day-old baby with a syringe who was brought into the mobile clinic by a distraught-looking, very young father. You know that baby got more than just water! She bathed her in prayer (and probably tears).

4.) 800 People Received Clean Water Resources

Our water team distributed water filters to ensure more than 800 people have access to clean water!! We brought along a teacher, our dear friend Sam who we met last year on a deserted island in Haiti. His presence was a huge blessing.

5.) Personal Growth Abounded

Steve, Heaton, a local Dominican and myself were baptized. We stood in cold water surrounded by some of the most amazing people I am honored to call friends and proclaimed a death to self and a resurrection with Christ into a new life.

Angelo played baseball with the local boys, led a meeting with the leaders the local church encouraging them to build up young leaders among them. He taught our team "Magnified" in Spanish. We sang it (well we tried) during service at the local church.

We saw people different from ourselves. We touched them and hugged them. We gave them medicine. We brought filters and buckets, laughter and tears. We loved as best we could. We now yearn more for the Kingdom come and are celebrating the fire reignited in us to pursue an exemplary life {with J•O•Y} for His glory. And pray the same for you.

Follow our journey at www.brownhorseprojects.com

Get to Know Katie:
Katie is a senior partner in the hospitality industry. Realizing that there is more to life than work her and a friend created Brown Horse Projects whose mission is the spread the Gospel through water, art, music, and medicine. If you'd like to support the work of Brown Horse Project's next water trip mail a tax deductible donation to Brown Horse Projects, PO Box 9241, Youngstown, Ohio 44513 or email brownhorseprojects@gmail.com or call 330.406.9020 for other ways to help.