Missions Update: A Journey to the Dominican Republic

Happy Spring!

I’m sorry I didn’t connect last month! Wow, did March zoom by!
You should have received our 2024 Year In Review early last month. If you haven’t received one, I’d love to ensure you do! It’s a great piece! Please drop us a note at info@scotthumston.com, and we’ll snail mail one.

In March, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic to share the hope of Christ through the art of magic, storytelling, and wonder. I want to take a moment to share a glimpse into what God did — and to thank you for making it possible through your prayers and support.

My Journey with New Missions: How It All Began

I first connected with New Missions when I took my two youngest, Nate & Rachel, to a local church to experience their Laugh All Night event. New Missions raises awareness about the needs of children on the island of Hispaniola through this event.

After the show, I met Tim DeTellis, the president and son of the founders, George & Jeanne DeTellis. Rachel, about ten at the time, asked if we would sponsor a child that evening. (My oldest, Hannah, had sponsored a child years earlier with another organization.) Of course, I told Rachel yes—but she would need to be responsible for earning money each month to send, which she did faithfully for several years until that child dropped from the program, as sometimes happens.

After the event, Tim and I connected in the church’s foyer. I shared what I do, and we made time to connect since we live about 15 minutes apart. We became fast friends. Soon after, I started sharing the stage with Tim and others at the Laugh All Night events.

I perform about a dozen Laugh All Night Comedy Concerts a year with New Missions. I love connecting people with the opportunity to change a child’s life. I treasure using something funny (a comedy magic show!) to address something serious—a child needing food, clothing, and education.

In February of this year, I popped up to Crossroads Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, with Tim, and we hosted a Laugh All Night for the first time there—we had a great crowd, and ten children were sponsored! I love that!

A New Chapter: Dominican Republic

New Missions has been on the island of Hispaniola for over forty years. The country of Haiti is on one end, and the Dominican Republic is on the other, separated by a beautiful mountain range.

Although their work continues in Haiti, due to the ongoing violence in the capital, New Missions currently cannot safely get mission teams from America in and out of the country. However, they can host mission teams in the Dominican Republic.

Tim invited me last year to come to the Dominican Republic in the last week of March this year to see the mission work taking place and to share my talents with the kids and teachers in their schools.

On March 24th, my youngest daughter Rachel and I flew from Miami to Puerto Plata. From the airport, it was just a fifteen-minute drive to the town of Sosua. Located directly on the coast, Sosua is a small town overwhelmed with traffic—mostly motorcycles. Like many places in the Caribbean, it has beautiful people and fantastic ocean views, yet also chaos, confusion, and pollution in its streets.

Rachel and I spent four days doing events at five New Missions-sponsored schools. We joined a group from First Baptist Bentonville, Arkansas, as they led VBS-style events at three of the schools.

We performed at five schools where children filled every seat—and some stood around the edges just to catch a glimpse. Through laughter and wonder, we shared the love of Christ with students who may have never before heard the Good News presented in such an engaging way.

It was terrific yet sobering, as most mission trips to a “third world” country are.

With the help of outstanding interpreters, the children and teachers laughed, clapped, and engaged in the performances. It’s a reminder that children are children, no matter where they may live—they love to have fun and laugh.

Thanks to donors, the children in the New Missions schools are well-fed, clothed in school uniforms, and experience the love of Christ daily.

The Dominican Republic reminded me again that the language of wonder crosses every barrier. The heart understands joy, hope, and love—whether in Spanish or English.

God is at work — and I am grateful to be a small part of it.

You can listen to my interview with New Missions about the trip on their podcast here.

You can read about it here.

In my next Kneemail, I will share about meeting our sponsored child! What a great moment!

Until then,