Santiago, DR

Last weekend my team, 7 Vida Estudiantil students, and Prospero and Leyla (the national staff couple) ventured up to Santiago. It was so nice to get out of the city of Santo Domingo and see another part of this beautiful country. I heard there were mountains so I got really excited about the chance of it being slightly cooler than the capital. I was right! I'm not sure if it was because it was cloudy the entire weekend or what, but it sure felt nice to me! 

The scenery on the drive up. Absolutely stunning. 

On the bus! 

The purpose of this mission trip was to launch a Vida Estudiantil movement on the private campus of UTESA (Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago or Santiago University of Santiago). This campus is a lot smaller than what we are used to in Santo Domingo. It also has a lot more Haitian students since it's closer to the border. 

When we arrived on Thursday evening, we got settled in our "camp-like" rooms and had orientation and training. Friday we hit campus. We divided into small groups, prayed together, and went out to meet students. 

Students love the image survey Soularium. It's an easy, fun tool to use to get into spiritual conversations. It takes the awkwardness out of initiative evangelism. And students love it! If you spread the 50 images on the ground, chances are in 5 minutes you will be surrounded by 10 students who want to "play." 

Sharing Soularium 

Vida students sharing their faith

 Saturday we hit the campus again. You'd be surprised at how many students have classes on Saturday. We only shared our faith for about an hour and half before we had to get ready for the first Vida meeting at UTESA. 

We ate lunch (the normal rice, beans, chicken, and salad) and then called the students we met on Friday and invited more people to come to the meeting at 2:00 in the amphitheater. We hoped that students we met the day before would be able to come, but only a few were able. There were about 30 students that showed up. Some we had just met and asked and some who just stopped as they were heading to class. 

Milquiades sharing his testimony

Playing a silly game "Princess, Bear, Hunter"

After the meeting was over we spent time getting to know the students that came and ate some snacks. When we left campus we headed back to our "camp" and got ready. Before our final ministry opportunity of the weekend (teaching young people at a church how to use Soularium and share their faith), the students (and my team and I) wanted to see the famous Monument to the Heroes of Restoration ("in remembrance of the Independence Restoration War of 1863, in which the Dominican Republic regained its independence from Spain." thanks Wikipedia) It's located on the top of a hill so you can see the entire city of Santiago and it's beautiful mountains. 

Monument to the Heroes of Restoration

View from the top

Another view

STINT team

Starliner, me and Roberto

Stats for the weekend:

Spiritual conversations with 196 students

Soularium with 185 students

Shared the Gospel 92 times

62 students prayed to receive Christ! 

Yes, 62 students asked Jesus to come into their lives. I was a little skeptical at first, but then the Lord reminded me that anything is impossible with Him and to not doubt. My faith is so small. God is the only one who knows these students' hearts and knows if their decisions were genuine. I was so encouraged by the Vida students' enthusiasm and boldness in sharing the gospel. We were all blown away by what the Lord did that weekend. 

Pray with me that the students we met would be followed up with by the 2-3 new student leaders at UTESA and the local church.  Thanks for your continued prayers! 

¡Dios te bendiga!