HLA Today - Issue 7 (10-11)

HLA

Hillcrest Lutheran Academy’s Bi-weekly News

Today

December 3, 2010 Volume 17, Issue 7 DR

Visit the HLA Website ffhillcrest.org Short video highlights of school activities are available.

HLA Today is produced bi-weekly by the Journalism class.

HLAToday Staff Annalise Boyum Wil Twedt Chris Christenson Frankie Sandnes

If you are interested in having the HLA Today mailed to your house, contact the front office, 218-739-3371.

The cost is $30 per year.

Hillcrest and Sante Fe students join together to sing praises to God, led by COI leader Elson Jones.

Outreach to the Dominican Republic

Seniors go to Santa Fe to spread the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

By Gregg Preston

Hillcrest began a ministry partnership with a Christian grade school in a barrio of San Padro named Santa Fe. Santa Fe is an impoverished area comprised of about 70% Haitian immigrants. The school has an enrollment of about 150 students which meets in two separate shifts.

Our Hillcrest students have been able to raise funds to help purchase the land for the school, build three classrooms, and buy desks for the students. Currently

the school will be making plans to build a house for orphans who attend the school.

The pastor who oversees the daily operations hopes to model the Santa Fe school after Hillcrest. When I asked him what that meant to him, he said it would become a place of learning in which students go to the ends of the earth in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

During the past seven years, Hillcrest has sent its senior class to Mexico or the Dominican Republic. Hillcrest has partcontinued on page 2

continued from page 1

nered with a Christian organization called Christian Outreach International or COI. COI has bases in the DR and Mexico which partner with local Christian churches for ministry.

Hillcrest students have had the privilege of working with Dominican churches to preach the message of the Gospel, help Christian schools, and worship with other Domini-

can believers in churches and youth groups. From what we have observed, senior classes at HLA have been eternally blessed by: 1. Practicing the Great Commission and obediently speaking the word of God. 2. Describing the message of the Gospel to those who have not heard.

3. Praising and worshipping the Lord with brothers and sisters of other cultures.

4. Serving with the local Dominican

churches and Christian schools.

5. Honoring and loving children of other cultures who have truly experience neglect, poverty, abuse, and abandonment.

The experience that our seniors have had on the Mexican and Dominican missions has been so profound, life-changing, and powerful, that many have cited the mission trips as their most influential experience of their Hillcrest years.

Itinerary

Friday, Nov. 19 ◊ Flights to Dallas, Miami, Dominican Republic Saturday, Nov. 20 ◊ Money Exchange ◊ Morning work at Sante Fe school(cleanup/painting in the morning) ◊ Afternoon program at Sante Fe (singing, testimonies, playing with children) ◊ City street “Outreach” in San Pedro (program by the Dominicans) Sunday, Nov. 21 ◊ Praise & Worship at a San Pedro Church ◊ Hillcrest team presents to Sunday School ◊ Park Evangelism - street witnessing - basketball ◊ Ordering from the Spanish menu at “safe” restaurant by the river Monday, Nov. 22 ◊ Morning visit to the Mephibosheth school (poorest area of San Pedro) singing, painting mural, playing with children ◊ Afternoon Christian school outreach - testimonies - drama ◊ Evening evangelistic service at San Pedro church - Vocalise sing Tuesday, Nov. 23 ◊ Morning bus trip north to central area of Dominican Republic ◊ Lunch at Hato Mayor church ◊ Nursing Home outreach - singing - interaction with residents ◊ Outreach to poverty area on outskirts of town - door to door ◊ Basketball outreach at the local outdoor basketball court near COI Wednesday, Nov. 24 ◊ Quick morning stop at Jumbo store to purchase lunch for beach ◊ Morning relaxation at Juan Dolio beach west of San Pedro ◊ Early afternoon visit to souvenir shops downtown San Pedro ◊ Sante Fe visit - donations presented to school head teacher ◊ OUTREACH to poorest area of San Pedro near Mephibosheth school Thursday, Nov. 25 ◊ All packed and loaded for departure from COI ◊ Pictures on Catholic church plaza in San Pedro ◊ Morning visit to the Compassion International School ◊ Departure to airport and flights to Miami and Minneapolis Page 2

Students wait outside entrance to the Sante Fe school compound.

Lauren Abel gets her hair done while painting desks with Chris Christenson. Angela Holmen supervises.

Baseball is very popular in the DR. Tory Brue joins one of their games in the Sante Fe school compound.

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.

Hillcrest “adopts” Santa Fe as sister school and gets opportunity to share Christ’s love.

By Taylor Brue

A large part of our Dominican Republic ministry took place in schools.

One school in particular, Santa Fe, was an especially important part of our trip.

Our school in the past two years has taken the opportunity to “adopt” Santa Fe as a sister school. We contribute to their ministry with the support of prayer and funds. Their school has

even blessed Hillcrest by including our school in their daily prayers. We are both grateful to each other and for our relationship as Christian schools.

As we entered the school property we saw an open, dirt yard surrounded by a fence made of metal. There were two classrooms that consisted of concrete walls and floors, openings in the walls overlooking the yard, chalkboards and old school desks.

During our time in the Dominican, we made three separate trips to the school. Our first time there we cleaned and repainted the desks and chalkboards.

What we were painting Taylor Brue holds one of the Sante Fe students. All the children were dressed wouldn’t have in their best clothes and the girls had beads in their hair. been worth painting in the places we live, but to them it was a way to make the best out of what they had.

Our second and third trips to Santa Fe were mainly spent taking time to play and bring some of the items we collected at home. These items were things such as school supplies, first As mission team prepares to leave, students and neighborhood children surround the busses. aid materials, clothes and other neces-

sities. Along with those things we also brought bubbles, balls, beads, coloring sheets and candy to give out and play with while we were with the kids. These simple toys brought joy to them which brought us joy as well. A popular activity for the kids was climbing up and getting a piggy-back or shoulder ride from us. This left us plenty tired and sore by the time we got back on the bus to leave. Along with playing we also sang songs with the students. “Dios es Bueno” was one of the songs of praise we sang.

One thing that we noticed as a team was the eagerness of the kids to come up to us. Despite the fact that they didn’t know us, many still came to us giving a hug or asking to be held.

I remember holding a little girl who squeezed tight and clung to me for a long time. The reality that we learned was that a number of the kids were not from the best family situation. They needed to be loved.

God showed us the greatest example of this when He died for us and He calls us to love others, no matter who they are or where they come from. 1 John 4:9-11 says, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might love through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also must love one another.”

Page 3

Basketball Outreach The Dominican Republic mission team shared theGospel through basketball.

By Danny Tungseth

One of my favorite things to do is play basketball. Not only is it very enjoyable to play, but it also has a high interaction level. A relationship gets built even between opposing teams. This relationship makes it easier to communicate with an opposing team. With this relationship established, it is more likely that they will be willing to accept what we have to say. This opens the door for the Gospel message.

While we were in the Dominican Republic, we had a

couple opportunities to do exactly that. On one occasion, we played a pick-up game in a park with a group of Christian guys, so instead of giving the Gospel to them, we encouraged one another in our faith by giving our testimonies.

We were also able to reach those who hadn’t heard of Christ before. On Tuesday night after a game in the streets, we gathered a bunch of people to share the hope that we have in Christ. We

were able to plant a seed in their hearts by playing a game that we all loved. I find it amazing that God can use such a simple game of basketball to do such a great work in the furtherance of His kingdom.

Our Stay in the DR Hillcrest group teams up with a great Christian Outreach International (COI) staff.

By Ahna Lacey

Gun shots, cold showers, scarce water, and no electricity. These were just some of the things that we experienced while staying at the mission house in San Pedro de Macoris. But none of these mattered to us because we were there to serve.

The mission house where we stayed was at one time an orphanage.

It was later turned into a mission

Page 4

house with an one-room school on the lower level. The kitchen and lunchroom are on the lower level.

Luis prepared two meals a day for us. Along with Luis, the COI staff had three translators: Clara, Brian, and Harolin. Each COI staff member brought their own strengths to the team. Clara had a very bubbly personality that was contagious.

We would always see her singing or dancing. Brian brought a sense of humor. Harolin brought compassion and kindness.

You could see each staff member’s love for the Lord in everything they did.

Efrain was one of the city’s youth leaders who was with us while we were in

the Dominican Republic and was very good at getting us excited about what we were doing.

And who could forget our bus drivers, Papito and Michal. They navigated the streets of San Pedro like NASCAR drivers, honking their horns at every intersection, and swerving around cars, busses and motorcycles left and right.

The COI leader who was in charge of the trip and who planned our outreach events was Elson Jones. Elson had an incredible passion for the Lord that was evident in everyt h i n g he did.

The Joy of Simple Things The Dominican team spends a day with the kids from Mephibosheth school.

By Chris Christenson

On the morning of day three the DR team set out for their second school, a Christian institution named Mephibosheth. This one was even smaller than the first and was located much farther away in a poorer community. As soon as the buses pulled in, the team got to work, by now they knew the drill. After a short singing time with the kids, the team broke up and assumed their different roles.

O n e group set to work painting a mural in one of the classrooms.

Somebody had suggested Noah’s Ark, so the painters themed their mural around the famous Bible story.

Others stayed outside and

An Incredible Monday

by Marisa Monacelli

In America, a smile on a little boy’s face is usually the result of a huge gift like a bike or remote control car. In the Dominican Republic, the smile on a little boy’s face was the result of a pair of old worn out shoes put on his feet.

On Monday in the DR we went to a small, extremely poor village. We brought a lot of things for the people there, ranging from clothes and shoes, to sporting equipment and school supplies. The kids were so needy, and when we gave them things, they were extremely happy.

I handed one small boy an old ball, and he hugged it so hard. I don’t think he ever put it down or ever stopped smiling.

Later that night we attended a Dominican church service that was unlike anything most of us have ever seen. The service consisted of people singing amazing worship songs on stage, including some Hillcrest students, and intense sermon preaching.

It was incredible how in love with God these people were. They gave all of themselves to Him at the service, and jumped and danced around the church to show it. It was definitely an experience to be able to listen and watch their culture praise God. We all learned something from that service; that no matter what, no matter how good or bad our lives are, or no matter what we have or don’t have, God is good and we should give Him all the glory.

played with the school kids, they had the day off so there was plenty of reason to celebrate.

There was singing, bubble blowing, hair-braiding, picture taking, and lots and lots of piggy-back riding.

Still others broke into the sports equipment and started a pickup soccer game with some of the neighborhood boys.

As the morning turned into afternoon things quieted down a bit, but not for long. As it came time for the team to head back into town, team members started passing out some gifts that they had brought. These were just simple things like t-shirts or matchbox cars, but the kids went wild.

“The best part was giving the kids baseballs and stuff, and seeing their reactions,” senior Josh Wolderich said with a grin.

When the buses pulled out that afternoon, it was hard to tell who was smiling bigger, the kids or the team.

Page 5

Shining and Smiling A brief guide to Dominican culture.

By Chris Christenson

Some may tell you that in the Dominican Republic the sun is always shining and the people are always smiling. While there is some truth to this, Dominican culture goes much deeper than just bright skies and grinning faces.

“I like how easy-going and friendly the people are,” commented senior Christina Hardie.

This is certainly true of the Dominicans, but don’t mistake ‘easy-going’ and ‘kind’ for ‘quiet’ and ‘passive,’ Dominican culture is quite the Page 6

opposite. Sunday worship gets loud, very loud and very lively.

But the atmosphere of these worship times is wholehearted joyful praise to their Creator.

When it comes to getting around, motorbikes are the vehicle of choice. Though traffic laws seem to be more like guidelines, most of those on the road seem to be very skilled and have had years of experience avoiding collisions.

In the evenings people are out, whether they’re walking along the street or just chilling on their porches, the Dominicans like to get their fresh air after dark.

The kids are always dressed nice, even at the smallest schools kids wear uniforms everyday.

Even though the global recession has left the DR with 15% unemployment, that doesn’t seem to keep people down, they find things to keep themselves busy.

The sun is still shining and the people are still smiling.

Dominican Tidbits Compiled by Andrew Stender

Nursing Home Outreach HLA students shared Jesus in a Dominican Nursing Home.

By Rachel Olson

I’m sitting in a big room full of happy people. The music is pumping, and everyone is laughing and dancing. A conga chair goes by. I don’t think anyone who heard this description would guess where I am: a nursing home.

When we think of nursing home visits here in America, a depressing image comes to mind; a quiet room full of sleeping people, puzzles, and awkward attempts at visiting.

The contrast between our homes and those in the Dominican got me thinking. ‘Are the elderly people here more grateful we came just because they express it more exuberantly?’

As we spent the day with these people; singing and dancing, talking and laughing, giving them lotion and taking them to eat, I decided they were not.

They were overjoyed that we had taken time to come visit them. Many saw the love of Jesus they had been

told of personified in the people of our team, and it was powerful. But it was very clear that we didn’t have to go all the way to the Dominican to express this love. There are people right here in Fergus that live in nursing homes. Although not as exuberant as their Dominican brothers and sisters, they are longing for someone to show the love of Jesus to them too.

As we left, a woman reached out her hand and grabbed mine. She took my hands and put them around her cheeks. She kissed my hands and thanked me for coming. There were tears in her eyes. She made me certain we had made a difference there, and I was so glad.

Kylee Haegeland ripped the bathroom sink off the wall.

Rachel Olson lost her luggage at the Dominican airport.

Dave Listor woke everyone up in the middle of the night because he thought he heard an intruder. Danny Tungseth forgot his carry-on at home.

Christina Hardie twisted her knee while playing basketball.

On the bus ride back to the mission house, the entire bus played ‘Dear Diary.” On the last day, all the toilets in the girls bathroom were plugged. On the first night everyone was awakened by gunshots outside. Zach Taylor raced an old man in a wheelchair race… and lost. All the Dominican girls were obsessed with Danny Tungseth’s hair.

Laura Basile fell on the sky train and a random man saved her from falling. Andy Stender had an allergic reaction to a lime. Heather Frustol walked into the mens bathroom in the Dominican Airport.

Kjersti Anderson’s suitcase traveled to the Dominican with us. Angela Holmen sang in her sleep. Two Dominican boys gave Marisa Monacelli and Jenna Barkey trick lollipops that stained their mouths red. Calli Thiel rammed her toe into a cement wall and ripped part of her toe nail off.

Page 7

DR Mission 2011 Juniors, get ready now for next years’ trip to the Dominican Republic!

By Wayne Stender their mission to offset their finanThe Bible is chock-full of cial commitment. Other students people who prepared for mission have halted their Applebees or trips. One of the most obvious is coffee habits to raise funds. Take John the Baptist. While you won’t a look at your summer plans and be called to eat wild locusts and ask a neighbor or two if you can honey, or to wear a burlap outfit to mow their lawn. Little things will school, there are some basic things add-up to pay for a large portion you can do as you look forward to of the trip. the mission trips at HLA. The most important preparation Understand the sacrifices you’ll will be what you do in the coming be making. In the Dominican, months and years spiritually. Daily Thanksgiving turkey and over-eat- devotion to God’s word and work ing won’t happen. Instead prepare within your church are good steps. for long days and longer nights From here, prepare a “word from where you’ll be tired, hungry and the Lord,” meaning something smelly. You’ll be joining hand- that God is teaching you, into a in-hand with a culture you’re not two or three minute conversation familiar with to share the Gospel. to teach others. Get in the habit of This is a great privilege and will sharing these messages with your be challenging in many ways that parents, friends, or classmates. might not be comfortable for you.

You will practice this spirit of self-sacrifice in the coming months or years as you look to this trip. The financial cost is substantial. We provide a quality, safe and cross-cultural mission for you. Some students have requested Christmas or birthday gifts to be a donation to

This is an amazing opportunity for you. You’ll understand how the Great Commission should direct your future. Take advantage of the time you have now to begin

Who Went?

Adults: Gregg Preston, Wayne Stender, Carol Aase, Greg Barkey, Charlie Brue, Kaitlyn Cornell, Andy Lacey, Brenda Lace,y David Listor, Bobbi Monacelli, Doug Stender, Lyn Stoltenow.

Students: Lauren Abel, Jenna Barkey, Laura Basile, Taylor Brue, Tory Brue, Andrea Christenson, Chris Christenson, Heather Frustol, Heather Furuseth, Kylee Haegeland, Christina Hardie, Angela Holmen, Cat Jacoby, Cody Joy, Ahna Lacey, Marisa Monacelli, Rachel Olson, Talia Pearson, Andy Stender, Zach Taylor, Calli Thiel, Danny Tungseth, Josh Wolderich.