Brandie’s Story | Dominican Republic 2022

At Freedom Church, we believe in the power of the local church; not just here in Boone County, but all over the world.

We’ve been building a partnership with OneChild in the Dominican Republic over the past six years - a partnership not built on projects or programs, but on relationships and the unstoppable light of Jesus breaking through the hardest places.

Each summer, we send a team to step into that story, and each year, we come back forever changed. One powerful story from a past visit reminds us just how much these connections matter.

In the summer of 2022, Brandie Taylor traveled with us to the Dominican Republic. She had been faithfully sponsoring Juan, a 13-year old boy at the OneChild Hope Center that she met on her first trip there in 2021, but this year would bring her sponsorship to life in a way she never expected.

While there, our team hosted a vacation Bible school, met the incredible leaders of the local church, and had the opportunity to meet our sponsored children face-to-face.

On one of the final days, we walked through the village and visited the homes of the children we sponsor - an experience that gave us a glimpse into their daily lives and allowed us to pray with them and their families.

When we arrived at Juan’s home, his entire family welcomed Brandie and the rest of us with open arms - hugging, laughing, and inviting our team inside without hesitation.

Once we stepped inside, we were blown away at what we saw. There, in the center of their kitchen table, like a centerpiece of love, was a framed photo of Brandie and her family that she had given to Juan the year prior.

It wasn’t dusty or forgotten. It wasn’t tucked away on a shelf. It was proudly displayed as daily reminder to that child that they were seen and loved by someone thousands of miles away.

In that instant, the distance between their worlds collapsed.

This was no longer just sponsorship, this was family. This was answered prayers. This was the Kingdom of God breaking through the ordinary.

Miles apart, yet deeply connected by love, prayer, and the faithfulness of God.