Mission trip to Dominican Republic;

Ducote, Shuck spread kindness

Andy Miller, Reporter

Senior Grace Ducote and sophomore Sarah Shuck are willing to travel across the globe to help others. The students are planning a mission trip with Mountain Christian Church to the Dominican Republic from June 29 to July 8. There is going to be 20 other students going and 8 leaders of the church.
The group is going to be staying in a remote part of the country called Monti Cristi, located along the coast in the northwest. They will be working with the local missionary and church family of Cuerpo de Cristo de Monte Cristi (Body of Christ Church of Monte Cristi).
During the week the group is staying there. they will host a Vacation Bible School for the children in Monti Cristi. The church group will also be going on hikes along the beaches as well as completing construction work. “We’re gonna be hanging out with the kids a lot; Doing different bible studies with them, worshiping with them, leading them in songs and everything,” Decote explains.
Decote believes that everyone should on a mission trip. She says that as Americans we don’t get to see a third world country like that. “I feel like it’s a total different perspective of how we live compared to them. I feel like whether we’re religious or not it can definitely change your view on life and realize how much we take for granted.”
In order to pay for this trip, each person has to raise a certain amount of money. Decote started a gofundme page in order to raise funds and Shuck sent out letters asking for donations. “Some people do their own individual fundraiser, like they make something and sell it.” Shuck explained.
Both Decote and Schuck have interesting reason for going on the trip. Schuck is going because she thinks it will be a really good experience and would like to make a difference and, “experience the church in a different part of the world.” Decote hopes to spread the word of Jesus and be missionaries doing service work.
Both Decote and Schuck, as well as the church, must do certain planning for a trip like this. The church has team meetings every couple of weeks where they divide into groups and they plan their task, “I’m on the prayer team so we’re planning what we’re going to do down there,” Schuck said. Her team also raises money for the trip in addition to deciding on which supplies will be necessary and purchasing them before the trip.