On my way home!

Hey everyone! Been flying all day, no wifi to post any photos on my laptop so you'll have to wait for another week synopsis later. I'm in the airport about to leave on my last flight. Two flights later and we're about to get back home.

Update will be posted soon! About to board my last flight so will post something when I get home.

Week Five!

My internship is almost over! It is such a bitter-sweet feeling to be leaving the DR and coming back to the Estados Unidos (United States). This past week, I was able to connect with a church from Louisville, KY. Such a coincidence right??? Sanctuary Church's pastor has been such an influence on me with advice he had given me and making me laugh every day.  He found out how to say "The spirit of God is upon you," in Spanish and told that to almost everyone he came in contact with throughout the week. Pastor Robert has made this week of never-ending construction (well, three days worth) fun.

There were so many people in this group that have made this week enjoyable. The team found that it was funny to scare me with large insects, such as cockroaches and centipedes and see the rise in emotion they could get out of me. The pastor, Pastor Robert threw a LIVE cockroach at me, apologizing to me later on. Pictured, he pretended to throw an insect at me where seconds before there was a baby centipede where he was standing.

Jeremy, one of the other guys on this trip, made me laugh a lot this week. He was not exactly the prankster, but he was more of a sarcastic guy, so I was able to get along and have fun with him. Pictured below is a photo of us with what I can only describe as the kind of ashes that is on wood after it was burned for a little bit smeared on our faces. You can only imagine how two sarcastic people got along. I miss him and his wife Pamela already.

The intern/younger staff group this week was so awesome. I was able to work with a couple adventurous, outgoing young adults and have a great time. Harold is a local teenager who is a student at the seminary that is a part of G.O.'s outreach. He is such a sweet kid who can make you laugh, but can be sincere and knows when you are not okay. His smile is just as contagious; I will miss him ever so much. He and I matched in shoes, so I made him pose for this picture (we were shoe twinsies!).

 

This is the group picture I was able to get with almost all of the intern/young staff team. Harold is pictured on the left; Katie is the next person pictured; lastly, the guy on the right is Kendrix, one of the translators/ bus drivers/ local leaders who works for G.O. in what they need him for. He and I were able to talk about religion and some different topics that may come off as controversial to some people; he was able to give me advice on a few situations or ideas that I had questions about.

I had a media intern shadow this week named Savannah; I was blessed to have her around and get to know her. She is a sassy, sweet chica who also goes to my college. She is pictured helping with a VBS in a place called Padres de las Casas. She will be staying for six weeks as well and will not be back until the middle of August. We will have to connect more when she gets back for sure!

 

The team was able to get a tour of La Mosca which is one of the poorer communities close to the outer border of Santiago. Pictured, I am with some of the kids that are part of a nutrition program where they get one hot meal a day and a vitamin supplement to get the vitamins and other nutritional benefits that they are not otherwise given. Not many teams come to this area, so when they see a group of "gringos," they want all the love and attention they can get.

This weekend, I was able to go to the Gran Ventana Beach Resort. For this being my first time staying at a resort, it was AWESOME!!! I had a room to myself; I was able to take a hot shower with an unlimited supply of water; I had unlimited supply of Banana Mama's, Pina Colada's and Strawberry Daiquiris (all non-alcoholic). The small things we take for granted, the things I have been without for these past couple of weeks were at the resort. I stayed up until 2:30 am talking with my team, taking a midnight walk on the beach, writing in my journal for a little bit as well. Pictured is one of the views I had at the resort. (There is a swim-up bar in the pool under the hut in the picture; I thought it was so cool too.)

The most important, awesome part of this trip was when one of the guys on the trip, who was a pronounced atheist, told his story of how he was searching/gathering information about God over the span of a year to see if it was something he wanted to commit to. He decided it was something that he wanted to commit to and asked Pastor Robert and Kendrix to baptize him in the ocean while we were at the resort. It was so cool to hear his story and see how he had come along from what kind of person he was before he decided to follow God. It was also interesting to hear that a year ago, on the same trip, in the same place/area, Austin's dad and ten year old brother got baptized. So, please keep Austin in your prayers as he is a new believer and will be going through a lot now that Satan will be working against him. Pictured below is of his ocean baptism.



This has been the second best week I have had down here and I can only hope week six will be just as good! Update will be up soon enough. Have a wonderful week and don't work too hard. Happy late Fourth of July as well. I posted on Facebook my celebrations in the DR.

ALSO, I heard my flight will be late next Tuesday night if anyone would like to see me when I get to the airport. I would love to see all of your lovely faces if I can. Any more details on that can be received from my parents who will be planning all of that.

Until next week, God Bless.



Week Four!

This past week was spent working with a team that came down here from North Carolina specifically for a volleyball camp in The Brisas. As usual, I was given the chance to be the media intern again this past week. I was able to get some significantly clear, action photos of the team interacting with the girls. I was able to connect with the team, especially my fellow intern friends. This photo is a group photo of all the girls who participated in the volleyball camp with the team members. The leader, named Kenny, pictured in the front row with the sky blue, Adidas shirt, has brought down at least two groups to the Dominican Republic, but God has blessed him enough to go on 25 different trips to places around the world to participate in children's ministry through sports camps, such as volleyball or baseball including Jamaica.

These girls did not know how to play volleyball at the beginning of the week, but through perseverance, patience and determination, these girls were able to capture the concept of volleyball in a couple of days and be able to participate in a game of their own, with the help of the team in coaching. The team scrimmaged a couple practice games with the girls, showed them some drills, including teaching them how to play leap frog and them put teams together to teach them the different volleyball positions, which two of the three were of setting and passing.

I was able to get some great photos of fellow interns and continue in my practice in photography. Pictured below, I was able to capture a bonding moment between Abby, talked about in my previous post, with an outgoing, big brother-like, staff member, named Enyor (or in English, "Angel.") This was taken on the first day while we were at VBS in The Brisas, which is about a 10-15 minute drive from Santiago. They had a running joke that they were brother and sister since they look so similar. But I was able to catch this moment and treasure how well it looks, not including the feeling of knowing that neither Abby nor Enyor will ever forget their time spent together.

This photo was a complete candid moment that I am so happy to have caught. Enyor was throwing the volleyball at the net, playing around in joking that he was going to hit me with the ball, but instead, I snapped a couple pictures of him. This photo could not have been any better. What was supposed to be funny became a moment of awe at how well a camera can capture a moment.

I was able to put the camera down a couple times this week and got the chance to help out with a couple drill, passing the volleyball to the girls and them having to hit it in a circle maybe five feet in diameter about 6-8 feet away from them. Pictured is both a staged photo of me, but also a candid photo of one of the local, professional superstars, now one of the G.O. coaches, passing a volleyball to me seconds before I passed the ball back to Enyor, who is not pictured.

                                    
In one of the evening sessions of volleyball camp, Enyor grabbed the camera to take a couple selfies. I decided to photo-bomb the picture, but it shows how close we were able to connect in a matter of a couple of days. His personality is pictured perfectly in this photo as well: always smiling, encouraging others and making your day. He has been such an awesome friend this week and I only hope we can stay just as good friends when I get back to the States.

This last photo is of all the G.O. interns of 2015. The second wave of interns got here last Thursday and the intern leader, for lack of a better title, took us to 27 Waterfalls, since we were not able to go the first time we tried to go as a group. We were all able to connect, laugh, have fun and make memories even though we barely knew each other. I found out that two of the new interns actually go to college at the same college I go to, so I only hope we will be able to get together and connect on campus just as much as we will these last two weeks I am here.

Well, everyone, this is the end of week 4 and the beginning of week 5 for me. I only have two more weeks here in the DR, so I hope to make an impact down here and be able to continue to be an example of Christ for not only the groups coming down, but for the locals and staff members so they will get a sense of regeneration and be able to keep going in their race to share the gospel. Until the next appointed time!

God Bless
Leilani

Week Three

My internship in the Dominican Republic is half way through! Isn't this a crazy thought? However, as everyone can imagine, I am not able to blog but once a week because of limited times I am around Wifi. This week's group was stationed in Hato del Yaque which is around 30-45 minutes from Santiago, the home station city of GO Ministries in the DR. I was blessed to work with a group of high school students who were ready to jump into action on what was planned for the week. These kids did not complain nor stop playing with the kids when most people would have. I give kudos to these teenagers for spending a week of their limited summer to volunteer manual labor in helping share the gospel. These kids participated in two field days and two VBS'. It was such an awesome view to see these kids practice and take the time to share God and His word.

Because I have been given the job of being the media intern these past couple weeks, I am not in as many photos as I would have liked. This photo a friend of mine took for me is of me and two kids at a local church in a suburb of Santiago called El Cambronal. The kids pictured are a set of siblings that were beside me for a while; I even held the girl for a little bit while I was taking photos. Hanging out with these chill kids gave me something to think about: Why do we always make life so complicated? In America, we make our lives busy with "having" to do this or that, but just being given or choosing to take a second, sit down and just enjoy the view is just something that I think more people should do. It was a moment that I enjoyed and need to do more often.

 

This photo is of a girl who has been there since the beginning. Abigail "Abby" King is one of the kids of a family of interns that came. She is one of the sweetest kids I have ever met. She is always happy and is such a ball of laughter, making every time I hang out with her more and more awesome. The day we went to have a field day and VBS at the church I previously talked about, she asked if she could take a few photos. This is one of the moments I was able to capture. She is such a sweet girl; I am going to be so sad when her and her family leave at the end of this week back to Illinois.

I am so sorry this post is a couple days late (5 days late to be exact.) I hope you will be able to enjoy your weekend; mine does not start until Sunday, but I will enjoy each day as it comes; whatever comes my way, I will (try to) face it with a smile on my face. God bless you all!

P.S. I have been here in the DR 30 days today!!! Two weeks and a couple days left everyone! I will try and post another post Sunday, so keep checking for a new post! 

Week Two

Hello my fellow friends and family!

This week I have been with a small group that is so chill and laid back, I love it. We have worked on a local leader's house, painting walls and helping put up concrete. In this picture, the team I had the privilege to work with this week, my team leader and his wife and the local leader, Felix, and his daughter. We put concrete on all of the walls shown in this video and another few walls to the right of the house that is not pictured.

In the photo below, the team and I was able to go to this famous attraction called 27 Waterfalls, which is so much fun. Because the main goal for the team to come down here was to work on Felix's house, we only jumped/ slid 12 waterfalls. This was an experience in and of itself. I jumped off a 25-30 foot cliff beside one of the waterfalls into the water. It was such a thrill! Of course I screamed while going down, but it was completely worth it and I hope to be able to go again with my dad, who would enjoy this just as much as I did, if not more.

 

 

This pastor below is another local leader, ironically also named Felix. He works in a place called The Hole where there are more than 500 families who live in a bowl, for lack of better words (I talk more about The Hole in my previous post). He gave us his testimony after the team fed lunch to the couple dozen children that come there every day to get a hot meal. We prayed for him and this is the photo below.

 

So this picture was an unexpected stop on the way to a soccer game that the team played in. This tree that everyone climbed on for this photo is the second oldest tree on the island. This thing is so big, we were not able to get it all in the photo. I cannot remember what the name of this tree is called or how long it has been there, but as you can see, just the size of the tree can take your breath away!

 

So... I am going to most likely regret posting this part, but I hope this makes your day. After we had jumped all the waterfalls, we were walking back to the car. One of the guides decided to hide from my other intern friend and I and scare us really badly. We both screamed as you can see... I laugh at it now, but we were so confused because of what was going through my mind. I was thinking: what is that? that cant be a bear because there aren't any bears here... So when the guide jumped out, it clicked and we weren't able to stop laughing. Please enjoy this just as much as it does me.

 

 

Anyway, this is what I have been doing this past week. I hope you all have a wonderful day and God Bless you all!



Photo Update

Hello all! My mother insists that I post some photos that I have taken so far, so that is what I'm doing. The photos below are of the first couple days while I have been down here. The first photo is while my entourage and I were waiting for our next flight at Miami, which was a 9-hour layover.

 

The second photo is of a girl and I in a place called "The Hole," which is essentially a home for over 500 families that live in a bowl, for lack of better words, that catches a lot of local trash and debris, causing it to be swept away by the river that forms in the middle when rain does come, so homes are constantly being either flooded or deconstructed. The first church that was built here was swept away because of the overflowing river. The third is of a boy at this church not too far from Santiago who wanted me to put him on my back, which is something that all the kids down here enjoy.

 

So my first team arrived last Tuesday and their scheduled goals were to work on VBS for different churches around Santiago and to work on the Women's ministry as well. The fourth photo is from one of the VBS' that they had done. They did four VBS sessions and two women's bible study. They will be leaving early, tomorrow morning.

The last photo is of my room mate and I at our apartment, which will most likely be my temporary home for the remaining time I will be down here, since the interns are not sure of where they will be next due to the amount of teams that will be arriving and locations we will be working. It is only a few hundred feet, but I feel like it is something I could live in for a long time. So, this is what I have been doing the past couple days: VBS and women's bible study, loving on children whose parents work all the time, and living in this cute apartment.

 

There will be updates soon on what my upcoming week will consist of, since teams depart and arrive on Tuesdays.
God Bless!

Week One

Hey guys! I know it has been a while since I've posted anything, but it has been busy.
My first couple days here were spent getting to know my fellow interns before our first groups arrived this past Tuesday.
My first group arrived at the airport early evening on Tuesday and I was able to meet them when they got off the plane.
The group, all ladies I might add, are very funny and are into children's ministry and women's ministry specifically.
They have asked my group leader how they can partner with G.O. Ministries in the future and see all the needs that are here in the Dominican Republic, noticing where they could maybe help make a difference.
We will have hosted four VBS services and two women's ministry services while they are here for the week.

Anyway! I love the scenery and the people here. It is such a blessing to me to be able to see these kids and know that I can make a difference, even if it is just spending the evening and hanging out with them for a little while.
I will post an update soon, but Hasta Luego friends! ("See you later" in Spanish)

God Bless

The journey has begun!

Hello all!
I am blogging from the Miami airport while I wait for my next flight. Unfortunately, I am typing this from my phone since the WiFi is not letting me connect to the Internet on my laptop.
So far, God has blessed our trip in letting us have a straight flight to Miami instead of a flight to DC and then another to Miami.
I have met some other interns and we are all sitting together as a group in the airport fellowshipping.
Updates will be posted as often as possible.
Prayers are needed! Love you all!

3 days to go!

Guys, there are only three days until I leave! I am almost done with everything. Packing the last couple things I need and figuring what all I still need to buy. Dad is going to be helping me in figuring out if I had forgotten anything later today while we are all off.

Yesterday at church, my congregation anointed safety for my trip and that I would be used by God and receive the Holy Spirit. With many tears shed and many hugs received, I know I have the love of God with me and the support of a couple hundred behind me, not including the hedge of protection from God's angels around me.

Thank you all for your prayers and support these last few months as I have prepared for this adventure. I am not sure how I would have been able to do it without my family standing behind me. How often I will be able to blog while I am down in the DR is uncertain, but I will try my hardest to blog as often as I can and add pictures when it is possible.

I hope all of you are blessed tenfold as much as you have blessed me through your encouraging words, prayers and donations. Please keep me in your prayers as I will be leaving my family and friends for six weeks, or another way to look at it is A MONTH AND A HALF. I know my parents and sister will need it the most. I love you all and have a blessed day!

2 weeks!

There are ONLY 14 DAYS until I leave. I can't believe it! It feels like it was last month that I was given word that I would be going on this internship. I thank the Lord that He has given me this opportunity. The last minute things have begun and I have met two friends to help in getting everything situated before we leave. Adaline & Rachel, my traveling companions, and I have begun the process of getting the few things done, including what would be better to pack or what not to pack.


Updates will be posted soon! BTW, finals went well and I passed all of my classes. Have a great day everyone!

Less than a Month!

Hey guys!
Just an update for you all. I have my passport and all my shots accounted for! I am pretty excited for all this! AND... I am leaving in 24 DAYS!!!! I can't believe that the time has really flown by. I have been busy with school the past month because of finals, but I am doing alright. I have one last essay to write that is due tomorrow, but I will get it done! Anyway, please pray for me and for the preparation of this trip! I am almost physically ready for this trip; now comes getting ready spiritually for this trip. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Also, I am still raising up the money I need for my trip so if anyone wants to still help me out, I would be greatly appreciate it! Directions are below.

Please mark "internship" as the program.
Include my name "Candace Hatfield" in the recipient's name box.
The church it is going to is "Tabernacle of Worship".

https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=gomi&id=1

Update!

Hello all! I just wanted to thank everyone who has donated and all of those who are donating for my trip. One post below shows those who still want to donate where to donate and how. I love you all and really appreciate what all you have done for me so that I am able to go on this trip. Have a great day you all!

Donate

To help me raise the money I need for my trip, please follow the directions below. Thank you all in advance!

Please mark "internship" as the program.
Include my name "Candace Hatfield" in the recipient's name box.
The church it is going to is "Tabernacle of Worship".

https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=gomi&id=1

 

Thank you all for helping me go do God's work!

Update!

Okay, hey guys! So today was a productive day! I had pamphlets printed out and I'm going to be passing them out in the next week or so to help raise money for my trip. I went and drove 40 minutes to get a Typhoid shot and let me tell you they sting! It is still sore after eight hours! Anyway, I'm still waiting for my passport to be coming in so it's the waiting game for that! Please keep praying for my trip you all!

Also, if you all want to donate online, here is the link for those who would like to save postage costs on sending money to my church.

Please mark internship and include my name "Candace Hatfield" in the indicated boxes.

https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=gomi&id=1

Thank you all for your support and love you all!

God Bless!

Dominican Republic

Hello my loves, my first trip, like I said is to the Dominican Republic. I just wanted to give you all on an update on how everything is going. I have applied for my passport and I got confirmation from my bank account that the money that is sent with the application has been taken from my account to pay for it. I should be getting it between the last week of April and the first week of May.


The count down is 57 days until I leave! It is crazy how much yet so little time that is... Gosh!


I will update this blog when I get updates on the process and my trip.


Enjoy! And thank you for following me and my journey!

Traveling With Leilani

Thank you for traveling with me on my journeys that God has blessed me in being able to take. I am currently in the process of preparing for my first trip, to the Dominican Republic, that I will be leaving for in about two months. An update on what is happening for that trip will be uploaded soon. Please keep me in your prayers through it all. Pray that God's will be done in all circumstances and during every step of the way. Thank you for your support and love.


God Bless,
Leilani