From Jean Pritchard-Nava

Jean has coordinated our DR Mission Trips since our first trip in 2007. Here are her thoughts upon the team’s return from their 2025 trip. Thank you, Jean, for the your wonderful leadership and dedication! Below Jean’s note please see the note of gratitude from our partner school in the DR.

Back at home… 

Saint Peter’s team of 20 are back at home, camp, work, and life in family and community with  many stories to share! I always have an adjustment period coming back to the comforts we  have grown to expect and in response to the “normal” pace of life. Returning, I am always  grateful for the blessings large and small I have been given, from potable water, working  plumbing, air conditioning, consistent electrical power, friends and family, and the Saint Peter’s  community. After the excitement of return, often after bags are unpacked and schedules no  longer include meet at the bus at 8:30 am for a day of work, laughter, and children’s smiling  faces, I begin to once again get swept up in all the “stuff” of life and have to remind myself to  be grateful each day for every little thing.  

Our team accomplished much during our short time, building bookcases for classrooms,  painting in the school and one of the parish churches, tree pruning and trimming, and  preparing crafts and music for VBS in the mornings. Afternoons saw up to 100 children  singing, playing, listening attentively to lessons, making crafts, and enjoying snacks before  returning to their homes.  

The deep faith of the Dominican people is inspiring. Listening to the children pray in Vacation  Bible School is such a lesson. Encouraged by the teacher, they pray to Father God in gratitude  for gifts received: a bed to sleep on, food to eat, and their family. If you ask how someone is  today, you are likely to hear “Bien, Gracias a Dios”, very well, thanks be to God. Departing the  bus each day, I would thank our driver Elison, and say I would see him the following day. His  response: if God wills it.  

We were able to worship with the parish of Christo Rey in Puerto Plata on Sunday, and were  served a wonderful lunch by the women of the church. Books of Common Prayer, with  inscriptions noting the gift from Saint Peters were used in the service, and the acolytes wore  the new vestments we brought to them. Even Padre Raúl wore one of the new robes!  

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve our brothers and sisters in the Dominican Republic,  and for the enthusiastic response to our efforts to raise funds for the community we have been in partnership with since 2007. This year we helped to restore a working system for water  delivery to Mozovi, replaced the roof on the church, will replace the roof on the school, assisted  in providing supplies and setting for English classes in the church, and much more. Thanks be  to God!