Compassion Blogging the Dominican Republic - Travel Day

This is a strange way to begin a new blogging endeavor, I'm sure. As I begin blogging at this new site (I've been blogging at www.challies.com for many years now), I am embarking on a journey to the Dominican Republic. Early this morning (really early this morning), my son Nicholas and I are heading to Pearson International Airport and, from there, to Santo Domingo (after layovers in Chicago and Miami). We will be traveling with Compassion International, a child sponsorship organization that ministers to over 40,000 Dominican children. Along with a few other bloggers, we have been invited to see how Compassion serves these children; we’re allowed to open any file cabinet and look behind any door (metaphorically speaking, of course).

Here are just a few applicable facts about the nation:

• One-third of Dominican children never complete their elementary school education.
• About 42 percent of Dominicans are considered poor, and 16 percent of those live in extreme poverty.
• Ravaged by several recent hurricanes, the damage is severely hurting the country’s many poor families.

I will be blogging about all we see, do and experience; I’m hoping to share the journey in Web 2.0 fashion—via text, pictures and maybe even some video. Nick will be blogging from an 8-year old’s perspective at ChalliesJr.com. I’d encourage you to let kids know about his blog so they can experience it vicariously through him.

Here is the motley collection of bloggers that will be traveling with us:

Melanie from TheBigMamaBlog.com.

Mary from OwlHaven.net.

Marlboro Man (and his two daughters) from ThePioneerWoman.com.

Jennifer from 5MinutesForMom.com.

Brian Seay and Shaun Groves will co-lead the trip on behalf of Compassion International.

And here is what Compassion says about this trip: “Known for its resort-speckled beaches, there’s another side to this Caribbean nation unknown to most vacationers. Our bloggers will visit a city dump where families scavenge for food and clothing. They’ll tour a neighborhood where drugs are trafficked and children live beside open sewers. And bloggers will also see firsthand how Compassion International and child sponsors are bringing hope to children living in these places by releasing them from poverty in Jesus’ name.”

While we make our way 1800 miles south to Santo Domingo, I’d ask you to do two things. First, pray for us (all of us!). Pray for health and safety for both us and for our families and pray that this experience would be used by God to change us in whatever way he sees fit. And then I’d ask that you keep visiting and that you tell others about this trip (which, if you’re a blogger, may involve dropping a link to our sites). I’ll be in touch as soon as I get settled and find an internet connection.