serving in santiago
march 7th - 14th 2026
The idea of a “mission trip” always scared me much more than I was willing to admit. I didn’t see how a short-term stay in a foreign country could make any sort of impact. Luckily, I was proved very wrong.
On March 6th, 2026, I travelled with a team of 10 other Butler University Young Life students to serve in the Dominican Republic. I was terrified. All anyone had told me was, “Don’t drink the water,” or “Watch out for infectious mosquitoes.” Suddenly, forgoing a comfortable spring break with my family in Savannah, GA, sounded rather dim-witted.
I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting when I stepped out of the Santiago airport, but it certainly wasn’t the scene I stumbled across. It felt more like a homecoming than an arrival. Crowds of people welcomed us to their country, many carrying bundles of balloons as they anxiously awaited the return of loved ones. At that moment, nerves were masked with joy, and I couldn’t wait to see what the week had in store.
Our team called the Calle 2 dorm home for the week. The building provided a comfortable setup with dedicated, separate areas for the boys, girls, and leaders. We loved the open-air upstairs area—a perfect place for sharing meals and being in community together. In Santiago, it is unsafe to drink the water, even for locals. We were fortunate enough to have access to clean, filtered water, which we used to fill our bottles, hydrate, and brush our teeth.
The city frequently experiences water and electricity outages - we experienced both in our stay. Thankfully, these were short hiccups. It was a humbling reminder not to take these things for granted.
The food in the DR was absolutely amazing! I typically don’t eat meat which was the main part of most meals (chicken, lamb, etc.) However, my friends claimed it was the “best meat they’d ever had.” I enjoyed a plethora of rice dishes, including Arroz con Fideos and Arroz con Maíz. I also tried yuca, a root vegetable with a flavor very similar to a potato. Our chef fried it, and it tasted exactly like a French fry! It would be remiss not to mention the sweet treats as well. During our two ice cream outings, I decided to try a flavor I’d never heard of before—Don Alfonso. A blend of cocoa, macadamia nuts, and coffee sauce. Each neighborhood also had a convenient Colmado - a small grocery store. These were fun to stop by and grab a Coke! I left the Dominican Republic with a souvenir of Embaiador hot chocolate.
GO Ministries
All week, we had the privilege of partnering with GO Ministries. It was such a blessing to be led by members of the GO staff - Rae, Carly, Isa, and Emily. Along with a GO student and athlete, Said. On the first day, we were told, “Even if all the Americans left GO, the ministry would still be fully functioning.” How amazing is that? Our job was to empower the local leaders so that they felt equipped and inspired to lead, even after we left. We worked directly with local pastors, coaches, and teachers - it was evident that our being there was incredibly meaningful to them. Currently, the Santiago branch of GO is building a brand new Leadership Development Complex. The facility is gorgeous and includes dorms, recreation spaces, and academic centers. If you are interested in sponsoring GO, visit https://gomin.org/sponsorship/.