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Team Update!
G.O. Ministries will host the following short-term teams this month:
South Hills Church
Lincoln Christian College
Cross Point Community Church
Discovery Church
Eastview Medical
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Want to bring your own team? It's Easy!
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2. Email Me At:
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 Hi Friends!
It's me, Brian Berman...and I want to thank you for taking time to read my monthly newsletter. I'm a missionary working in the Dominican Republic to help bring food, water, shelter and education to the local people.
Please visit my website for more information: www.b2missions.com |
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 Berman Update
It's the start of my third month here in the Dominican Republic and each day just keeps getting better. Here is a brief update of some areas I've been working in:
Construction
With the summer rapidly approaching, the G.O. Ministries team has been working hard on several construction projects. People from the project communities have also joined with us to help. Two major construction projects are: 1) Hato de Yaque and 2) Hoya del Bartola ("The Hole").
I've had the amazing opportunity to work at both of these locations. A typical day consists of moving heavy block (usually to the second floor), mixing cement (by hand!), moving dirt, painting, or just helping where needed. By the end of the day, we're covered in sweat, cement, and dirt...ahhh...how awesome!
Read the complete article! Please visit my blog at:
 Children's Ministry & Feeding
G.O. Ministries is dedicated to providing nutritious meals to starving children. Through our strategically-placed feeding centers, we offer a warm meal to more than 250 children, six days per week.
It's with great honor and excitement that I get to participate at a couple of our feeding centers. A typical day starts with me watching the children enter the building. They're laughing, excited, and usually try to bring a friend. I sit and reflect on what an honor it is to know that because of faithful people like you, these children won't go hungry. THANK YOU!
Once the kids are patiently sitting at their table, I make my rounds and play with them. They love this! You see, most of the children don't have someone to give them a hug, talk to them, or just smile at them. So, I make it a point to be YOUR ambassador and do these simple things.
The kids know me as the "painted man" because of my tattoos. I guess the bright side is that something helpful came out of getting tattooed. When the kids see me, they love to pull up my sleeves and talk about the picture. I've created a "find the object" game that they LOVE to play. I say, 'find the red flower"...and they search my arm for it. Once we play in Spanish, we switch to English. This helps them practice their English skills!
Read the complete article! Please visit my blog at:
 Youth Ministry My favorite subject. For many years, I've had a passion to work with young adults. High school and college are some of the most exciting and challenging times in a person's life. Dominican youth is no exception.
Each week I co-host a bible study with a Dominican national, Isaias Gabriel. We spend time reading the bible and discussing the topic at hand. The youth really enjoy this and get very passionate with the discussions. On Saturday evenings, we have a youth worship service. This gives us the opportunity to invite other youth from the community. Currently, our group has about 30 people, and each week, we see new faces.
Sundays are one of my favorite days here. After church, we load up youth from surrounding communities and head to a field to play flag football. We usually squeeze 20-25 people in a 12-passenger van and fill the bed of a pick-up truck with another 15 people.
To Dominicans, American football is new and unknown. Throwing, catching, and playing are quite amusing. After playing for several weeks, some of the guys are getting pretty good!
Read the complete article! Please visit my blog at:
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Project Update
Many projects are moving at a rapid pace (thanks to all the hard work by American teams) and this month I'll highlight two of our main construction sites.
 Hoya del Bartola ("The Hole")
After four years of heavy rain, the terrain in The Hole has changed since we started this project. The building is located on the bank of the river and more and more of the ground has been washed way. During hurricane Noel and Olga, many homes (and lives) were lost. But, there is good news! The progress on this building is moving right along. Built on reinforced 14' hard-rock footers, this SOLID structure should withstand even the hardest storms.
Currently, the first floor is 80% complete. Concrete floors and textured walls are done. A steel door has been installed on the front of the building and the office is now useable with a lockable door and window. We're in the process of purchasing tile and will soon have the finishing touches on the first floor.
Like Hato de Yaque, the second floor is now under construction. Cement block walls have been installed and are waiting for texture. The top floor is starting to take shape and will soon need a tin roof.
Hato de Yaque 
Construction is underway at a rapid pace in the community of Hato de Yaque. With this project being the largest, extra resources and time are needed. We've put out requests to the community and all available "able-body" workers. Many have accepted the request.
Currently, the first floor is 90% complete. Walls have been textured, paint has been applied, and cement floors have been poured. Last week we went shopping for tile and some finishing items. We hope to install these within the next week.
With the first floor almost complete, construction on the second floor has begun. The G.O. Ministries team spent a few days helping to move heavy block to the second floor and bring in other supplies. Two American teams have also worked on the second floor. Currently, we are working on the walls. Stacking block and adding cement. From there, a tin roof will be installed and tile will be put on the floor. ).
  Click Here To See Pictures And Video Of Hato de Yaque
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| In The Spotlight - Jessica Rodriguez
This month I'd like to highlight a woman that bares a story that is all too common in the Dominican Republic. However, this story is not a story of sadness, but of hope. Jessica is truly an amazing woman.
 For the past four years, Jessica has worked in the kitchen of G.O. Ministries' main dorm located in Hoya del Caimito. Faithfully, each day, she arrives at 6:00 AM or early to prepare breakfast and will work the entire day (preparing lunch, dinner, and cleaning the kitchen) until 9:00 PM or later. Many times, Jessica works seven days a week to ensure the American teams have an excellent experience while visiting her country. She truly enjoys her job!
When Jessica goes home, she always makes time for her two young boys (ages 7 and 9). As a single mom, she is responsible to not only provide financially for her family, but offer education, domestic duties, and to just be a mommy. I can only imagine how tough this must be.
Jessica's story doesn't end with her hard work. That's just the beginning. . .
Read the complete article! Please visit my blog at:
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