~The Mission Foundation~: The Dominican Republic - Please see article in blog below

Lyle Hitt (#65, 300 pound right guard at LSU) and Mason Hitt (#90, 270 pound defensive tackle at LA Tech) -- Some of you might know that they do go head-to-head when the two teams meet. But you might be surprised to know that I have carried both of them on my back at the same time -- actually, one of them on my shoulders and the other one on my back. However, I should add that I did that about 15 years ago! What a great joy it has been to see these young men and their brother Tucker grow up, not just phyically but also spiritually.

Jake and Momma

Three young girls gather to Jake at the orphanage

Jake and Lyle

Looking into the clinic with searching little eyes

This lady's leg was broken when an automobile hit her while she was riding a motorbike (There are many, many motorbikes in D. R.) about two months ago. She has received no treatment because she could not afford the hardware needed to make the very extensive repairs to her leg. While Jake was attending to her, contact was made with the CURE Hospital in hope that she might have the greatly needed surgery. Because of the long delay and the extent of the damage to her leg, it is questionable as to whether she will ever walk again. Please consider taking a moment right now to pray for her.

Dr. Freddy Michaelson

Jake with Alex, a Dominican medical student who worked alongside Jake all week. Jake taught him medicine, and Alex helped Jake in his learning of Spanish. They greatly enjoyed working together.

The people waiting for admittance outside one of the churches

Dr. Freddy and a sweet young boy

This little boy was so badly dehydrated that he passed out while in clinic. After replenishing his fluids, Jake and the other medics recommended that he be taken to the hospital. The cause of the dehydration was uncertain, and he needed further evaluation. This was the only situation we faced in which someone's life was in immediate peril.

Rachel Lee, a pre-med student at LA Tech who shadows Jake at his clinic in Ruston, gives her testimony publicly. Rachel is a cheerleader for the Bulldogs at Tech, but she is unaccustomed to public speaking, and this was her first time to give her testimony before a group. Her gentle words and countenance were very well received by the Dominicans who listened intently. I was given the responsibility for organizing the evangelism, and it was a tremendous joy to see the team members, from the youngest to the oldest, one after another, giving brief words of testimony -- some of them for the first time!

One of the four churches in which we served

Bec greatly enjoyed organizing and working in the pharmacy.

This is a kind of service that she loves.

Lyle Hitt of LSU in Triage

These ladies were laughing and enjoying themselves greatly while doing one another's hair. Their spirits seemed to be so undampened by the material poverty in which they lived.

Matt Slate and Bob Nilsen (SCORE missionary) praying with a patient

Mason Hitt (defensive tackle at LA Tech) and one of the many friends he made as he admitted the people to the clinic.

Jake giving attention to a lady
and her children

Trevor Torres is in Jake's Sunday night ECD (Excellentia Coram Deo -- Excellence Before the Face of God) group that meets every week in his home in Ruston. Trace Kaiser and Mason Hitt are also in that group.

Mason and Trace happily and helpfully greeted hundreds of people through the course of the week. As you see in the picture, Trace kept his Spanish dictionary in hand as he and Mason served the people, calling out their numbers for admittance and relating warmly to them as they waited.

Reading the Gospel Tract given to him by Tucker Hitt

A brief pause in loading -- or possibly unloading

Organizing meds

One of the girls at an orphanage where we spent part of an afternoon.

Happy children in the clinic

Dr. Will Sanders will soon be joining Jake in practice at Green Clinic in Ruston, LA. What a blessing it was to have Will on this mission.

Jimmy Kaiser giving his testimony and passionately sharing the Gospel

Rachel Lee and Merrick Nunn, pre-med students at LA Tech,

and Lyle Hitt of LSU in Triage

The people listened very sweetly as I spoke with them about Christ. They were very kind and helpful to me as I sought to communicate the Gospel for my first time in Spanish.

Tucker Hitt shares a Gospel tract with a young man who is waiting to see one of the doctors. Throughout the week, Tucker's job was to assist the patients in getting from triage to one of our doctors.