Dear Friends and Family:

I am very excited to be serving on a short-term mission trip to the Dominican Republic this January! Lord willing, I will be with the DR Mission Team in the area surrounding La Romana, DR from January 7-14, 2023. This team began over 30 years ago as a ministry of a church in Connecticut and now sends volunteers several times a year to work in medical clinics, build new homes, and support education in local schools.

The Dominican people are in particular need this year after Hurricane Fiona hit them directly in September and then Hurricane Ian added to the disaster in October. Our team will primarily serve in the rural communities of sugarcane workers surrounding La Romana, especially Batey 50 and Batey La Papita. You can read more about the DR Mission Team and its efforts here: www.drmissionteam.org.

I'm incredibly excited about this chance to practice my Spanish skills while helping others. I started studying Spanish two years ago in order to serve more effectively in my church's local ministries. Since then, God has answered my prayers for continued opportunities to learn and serve in Spanish at home and in Princeton. It seems that this trip to the DR is another answered prayer, only this time to serve abroad!

I would sincerely appreciate your prayers for my trip: that my team would be effective in our service, that God would work through us to share His love and His Word, and that I would grow in faith, love, and wisdom as I interact with the people, language, and culture of the Dominican Republic.

I am also seeking financial support for the trip. The total cost of the trip is $1500 (for transportation, food, housing, etc.). If you would like to donate, you can do so through this GoFundMe page or make a direct, tax-deductible donation to the DR Mission Team by visiting drmissionteam.org/donate. N.B. If you choose the latter option (to donate directly to the organization), there is unfortunately no way to specify online that the funds are for my trip. As a result, you will have to let me know much you donated so I can "claim" the donation from the collective fund.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments! Thank you so much for your love, prayers, and support. I wish you all a great end to the year!

In Christ,

Noelle McDowell