Stories

Oakland Christian has made the AP School Honor Roll Platinum Level, the highest level of distinction for 2024.

The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximizing college readiness.

The AP School Honor Roll offers four levels of distinction: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. 

UNDIVIDED

Both professionally and personally, words have always spoken deeply to me. When I saw how impactful “S.H.IN.E (Seeing Him in Everything)” became during and after last year’s mission trip, I knew that I needed to pay attention to what God laid on my heart for this year. Very quickly after our return in 2023, I sensed that “Undivided” was what He wanted me to focus on in preparation for a new mission. This word encourages a “vertical focus” (our relationship with God), as well as a “horizontal focus” (our relationships within the team and with the Dominicans themselves). From these focal points, each day’s morning devotional then centered around God’s invitation through the book of James to live as “whole” rather than “double-minded” or, in the Greek, “two-souled.” Going into this trip, none of us truly knew how this theme would play out-- in either aspect of the word-- but by the end, we clearly saw how God drew us closer to each other, to the Dominican community, and to Himself. As a result, we have each been impacted in such a way that has caused us to see the world differently than we did before we left, and so now we long to bring a measure of what we experienced there back to our lives here. 

Cards, Kids, & Community

On the day we arrived, those who had traveled to the Dominican in the past were met with a familiar initiation: card games with any number of people, ball games at all hours, and kid-carrying that seemed constant. And yet, this is why our journey always starts so early (with a 6am flight!) -- because it allows us to get to the DR in the afternoon and start building relationships as soon as we step foot on campus. This is therefore the third year in a row where we have seen how the way we start has so much impact upon our focus for the rest of our time there. This mission is not primarily about the work we do but, more importantly, about the relationships that we form along the way.
 

Painting, Painting, & More Painting!

This year there were a lot of “little needs” that we were able to meet: laying baseboards in the church, fixing fences & gutters, clearing out rock, cleaning out sheds & other “cluttered areas”, disassembling school desks for repair, etc. However, the bulk of our work time was spent painting. We painted four houses in the village, a wall in the church, the wall at the street leading into the church area, as well as the wall at the street outside of the founder’s house and of the school, the walls surrounding the basketball court, around the 3rd & 4th grade rooms, around the dining hall, and all of the benches in the main playfield. It was gratifying to see how this brightened up the campus in time for their high school graduation on June 21st, but more importantly, some of our best memories and greatest connections were formed while holding a brush or a roller.

Pintando Corazones (Painting Hearts)

This year, the local church allowed us to take a ministry that they usually plan for outside of their village and bring it home. Pintando Corazones / Painting Hearts is a ministry whose goal is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through painting projects, provision of food, VBS, worship, and assistance to those in need. Thanks to the donations of Liberty General Baptist (Mr. Frantz’s church) towards this ministry, we were able to deliver 5 huge grocery bags to houses in the village-- and then pray over those houses and their inhabitants. How huge were these bags? It took two guys to carry each one, and still, the task was tiring. It was a blessing to be able to serve the community in such a way, and according to the motto of this ministry: UNA NACIÓN. UNA MISIÓN. UN CORAZÓN. ONE NATION. ONE MISSION. ONE HEART. 

Sharing Languages

On four separate occasions, one on the last day of school in two different high school English classes, and then for three distinct “extracurricular” English classes offered on campus after school was already out for the summer, several of us had the opportunity to help students practice their skills in both large and small group settings. It ended up being a lot of fun overall, as we continued to “build bridges” and share laughs together.

Sharing Celebrations

Because of when OCS let out this year, and how that coincided with Manantial de Vida’s year end, this is the first time that we were on campus for the students’ last day of school. While it was sad to wake up on our last two days in Juan Tomás and walk to the dining hall in silence-- without the “hustle and bustle” of school children, hearing their joyful greetings, seeing their smiling faces, and receiving their heartfelt hugs-- none of us will forget being able to celebrate the last day of school with the lower elementary students. They were constantly dancing, singing, and asking for piggy-back rides. And while everyone was extremely hot and tired, we just couldn’t say “no” to these precious kids. Pictures do not do this day justice, but when all was said and done, it was so satisfying to know that we gave our all on the last day that we would see our little friends.

Worshiping Together

Latin American cultures are always very open to having visitors use their talents during church services. While we didn’t bring music this year, like we have in the past two years, we did bring a pastor-- Mr. Frantz! I had asked him months ago if he would like to preach while we are down there (if you know Mr. Frantz, there was no real need to ask!)-- and not only did he get to preach for the Wednesday night service, but once we were there, he was asked to also preach for the youth service on Saturday night. Speaking of which, students had already learned to coin the phrase “Dominican Time”, which came in handy when the 7pm youth service didn’t start until 8pm. However, neither the waiting nor the later night affected the energy of the worship that book-ended Mr. Frantz’s message. I still have “Somos el pueblo de Dios” running through my head, as well as “Dios ha sido bueno” from the elementary kids, which seems appropriate because, no matter the color of our skin or the language that we speak, “We are [all] God’s people”, and “God has been good” -- so so good -- to all of us.

Sharing God’s Faithfulness

Our last night together is always a “night of reflection”-- a time to celebrate how we have seen God work… not so much through us physically as much as in us spiritually and around us relationally. While we didn’t necessarily understand during our monthly meetings and social gatherings throughout the year how this team would function together once we were in the Dominican, by that last night, we clearly knew that God put this team together just as He wanted it. Some of us didn’t know each other at all-- or very little-- before we left, but the ways in which we were able to see God in each other were one of the best parts of this journey. Not only that, but the trust that some of the Dominicans honored us with by sharing their life’s stories-- and even a highly festive birthday party!-- only further cemented the reality that although we always seek to make a difference in the lives of others while we are on mission, it’s really our lives that seem the most impacted and blessed for having cross paths with those that don’t look like or sound like us. For that reason, we are confident that all we have experienced will continue to shape us in the weeks, months, and years ahead. To God be the glory!

S.H.IN.E  “Seeing Him IN Everything”                                                           

S.H.IN.E was Oakland Christian’s theme for the 2014-15 school year, and through my 10 years of teaching at this school, it is one of the themes that most stick out in my mind. This message was weighing heavily on my heart and mind after we returned from our last trip to the Dominican, and so I began to consider that this might be the theme for the 2023 trip. Last year our team discussed together what we wanted the theme to be, and so therefore I was slightly uneasy about simply telling them when we came back to school that “S.H.IN.E” would be our new theme. However, because I felt that God must have laid it on my heart for a reason, I wanted to obediently embrace this message. The team agreed that it was a great focus for the Dominican Trip in 2023, and so I proceeded with this motivation in mind. Slowly but surely, in combination with other things that God had been already laying on my heart this past year, it began to make more sense.

But little did I know when 11 students and 2 teachers embarked on this journey just how much the challenge to S.H.IN.E would impact us-- both as a team and individually.

Laying Sidewalks & Floors

On our first day of work, those who had traveled to the Dominican last year were met with a familiar task: developing a pit to mix cement and then laying it down through what felt like very primitive tactics. However, practicing the technique in a “low-stakes” situation (rebuilding part of a sidewalk) was great preparation for what we would experience several days later-- the grueling process of laying the foundation for the entire floor of a house. And yet it is that “familiarity” that would continue to fuel the team-- both in our work and in our relationships throughout the week.

Building a Garden

The next days were spent creating a community garden-- literally from the ground up. The seeds had already been purchased by the Dominicans, and some of them were planted in order to start the germination process, but then our goal was to cut wood and sheet metal, haul it to the garden site, build boxes to create “raised beds”, gather large rocks to line the beds with, and then fill those beds with a mixture of dirt and goat dung.  Yes, there was a small group of men from our team who gathered the waste from the goat farm located next to the school and sat in the truck that transported it to the site. Those are memories that none of them will soon forget! Our goal was to fully make 6 boxes; however, due to torrential downpours during a crucial day to finish the work on the garden, we only made 2. Gratefully, the materials are already cut for the other 4.
 

Creating Community

The most important aspect of our trip was being able to continue to develop relationships with the Dominican people. From the very beginning when we first stepped foot onto the campus-- and a group of “familiar girls” met me, called me by name, and welcomed me back to “my family”-- the phrase that kept going through my mind was “how beautiful it is to know and to be known.” Since last year was the first annual Dominican Mission Trip, it was full of unknowns and uncertainties. To then approach this year with familiarity instead of apprehension-- and to be able to know people by face and call them by name-- was a true blessing. As with last year, we arrived in the DR early enough to start building/rebuilding those relationships right away: playing games, talking, singing, and laughing.  Two of our girls then chose to teach English for a couple of days in the 1st - 3rd-grade classrooms, we all had the opportunity to interact with MANY children, and a group of us were invited to visit the home of one of the girls that OCS sponsors. Per usual, there was “never nothing going on” while we were there, which provided the perfect opportunity to continue to live in community and to do life together.

Worshiping Together

Being part of the community meant that we were able to participate in a special communion service the first night that we were there, as well as a unique prayer service the following Wednesday.  Latin American cultures are also very open to having visitors use their talents during church services, so right away one of our members was accompanying worship on the keyboard. Then for the Sunday morning worship, the service opened with us singing two songs-- in a mixture of Spanish and English-- with accompaniment on the keys, the cajón, and the guitar. It was truly rewarding to be able to offer a sacrifice of praise in another country-- and in their language.
 

Working As One

Sometimes while on a mission trip, there is a temptation to complain that there are “too many workers and not enough work.” However, Richard, our leader in the Dominican, said it perfectly the last night we were there: “You have learned what this mission is all about.  It is not about completing projects; it’s about forming relationships.”  Whatever project we embarked upon, we were always silently asking ourselves, “Who is that person? How is that person related? Do they live in the village? Who are these kids’ parents? WHERE are these kids’ parents?!?” Indeed, we have seen over and over again that when you endeavor to do something-- in work or in play-- you do it together. It was, therefore, a great last day of work when we went back to the village, to the house where we had laid the cement floor, and with a great conglomeration of people were able to paint the inside and outside of that house-- and also level out the front yard. The lady who lives in the house was in such desperate need-- as evidenced by the closet of a bathroom, guarded only by a makeshift curtain-- that she reached out to Richard’s church… and “God’s church”, indeed, came together as one. We also became one this year in a less expected situation… practicing the “Latin American Way” of seeing how many people you can cram into one vehicle. It may have been uncomfortable-- and scary for some-- but these, too, are unforgettable memories.

Working As Needed                                                            

Along with “too many workers”, sometimes we are tempted to question the effectiveness of our mission. Again, it’s not about “checking boxes” or “accomplishing monumental tasks.” Sometimes it’s about seeing Him in the little things… in more isolated moments. These include the times when we emptied out and reorganized a huge (mess of a) tool shed, helped with folding laundry, ministered to those on the ball field before playing with them and fixed and cleaned gutters. This last task is particularly notable, considering that three of our team members got stuck on the roof during one particular torrential downpour. The work was desperately needed, but it was interrupted in a rather stark way. We praise God for our safety!

Embracing Interruptions                                                        

At first, the interruption by the continual downpours was frustrating, especially when it seemed like that could be the story for the rest of our trip-- days and days of continual rain. However, when the work was called off for that day, and only that day, what transpired ended up being a memory that no one will ever forget: Embracing the Rain. The Dominicans had not seen rain in a while, and so they were actually very happy to watch it shower down… which also provided the opportunity for another Latin American Tradition: the Environmental Slip-n-Slide. Team members, even the more serious ones among us, had the opportunity to become kids again for the afternoon--and the joy was undeniable.
 

Seeing Him IN Everything

Much like the orchestration of each day on the trip, we know that God put this team together just as He wanted it. Some of us didn’t know each other at all-- or very little-- before we left, but the ways in which we were able to see God in each other were one of the best parts of this journey. Little did we know a year ago how it would all unfold, nor just how much reminding ourselves and each other to “See Him in Everything” would impact us personally and corporately. For that reason, we are confident that all we have experienced will continue to shape us in the weeks, months, and years ahead. To God be the glory!

How YOU Can Continue to Support This Mission

Not only did we donate nearly $1,500 in supplies to the school Manantial de Vida, but we also brought a countless amount of used sporting equipment: 16 bats, 9 gloves, 7 volleyballs, 3 basketballs, 2 footballs, 1 baseball helmet, 2 baseball/softball bags, and 2 ball pumps. If you donated money or equipment this year, please know that we are so grateful. Before next year’s trip, we will start promoting such needs again; however, in the meantime, would you consider sponsoring a child’s education at Manantial de Vida?

To date, Oakland Christian School is sponsoring two girls (an incoming 2nd grader and a 7th grader), allowing them to enjoy a Christian education for a full year. Between last year’s team and this year’s, there are also five additional children being supported through ongoing sponsorships.  It is our hope and prayer that in the future, we will sponsor even more children through the support of our OCS community.  For only $32 a month, you can help to offset the cost of a Christian education for a child in Juan Tomás. https://partnersnchrist.reachapp.co/

Bringing Community Home                                              

Finally, not only did we see our love of the Dominicans and their culture flourish, but we also saw our care for and appreciation of one another grow. It is now our prayer that we will take all that we experienced—in particular, the sense of community—and use it to bring unity to Oakland Christian School in the fall. We deeply desire for our school to be a genuinely safe place for all students and staff to unabashedly walk out their unique, God-given purpose for God’s glory.

View our event photo album HERE

Pictured here, Theresa Doan, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Genisys Credit Union, smiles for the camera with the Oakland Christian School Robotics team, their VEX robots, and team leader Mr. Greg Favaro. Genisys, which sponsors 12 robotics teams, recently paid a visit to learn more about robotics at OCS because they recognize the importance of forming community ties.

“We are excited to expand our commitment to include the OCS robotics team. I was so impressed with their presentation. Our sponsorship will continue to promote key skills of leadership, communication, and team collaboration,” says Theresa.

The team is also sponsored by Gestamp, an international group dedicated to the design, development, and manufacturing of metal automotive components. 

Robotics Program Details

OCS Robotics, now in its sixth year, has achieved an impressive 12 tournament champion titles. During the past three years, the team participated at the state level, and for the last 2 years—world! They practice year-round with 20 students in grades 7 – 12.

Staying competitive requires funding to attend tournaments, and purchase design elements, VEX metals, and robot controllers in order to adapt to new games every year.

“Robotics encourages students to find solutions and develop critical thinking skills. STEM principles prepare students to become innovators,” says high school senior Avery Almy, during the team’s recent presentation. 

Team Qualifies for State Championship

In other recent news, the OCS Robotics team composed of seniors received an Excellence Award at a tournament held at Kettering University. There they competed against 25 teams representing six different schools. This award qualifies OCS to compete at the State Championship at Kettering on February 26, 2023. Additionally, the team was ranked at the top for their engineering notebook rubric, exhibited a high-quality team interview, and displayed positive team conduct, good sportsmanship, and professionalism. 

Baker College Education Advocate Nomination

Celebrations continue with the recent news that Oakland Christian School was just nominated, thanks to Robotics, for the Baker College Education Advocate Award in the Gold and Silver Awards hosted by the Auburn Hills Chamber. This award will be presented to the company with the most progressive education initiatives. 

Thank you to Rochester Media and Walker News of Rochester Hills for sharing our story! 

Learn more about Oakland Christian School Robotics HERE. 

Based on Colossians 3:16-17, the spiritual theme at Oakland Christian for the 22/23 school year is, “Dwell Richly.” The apostle Paul wrote this letter around A.D. 60 to the church at Colossae while serving his first prison sentence in Rome. Here is the text from the ESV translation (emphasis ours):

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Colossians 3:16-17

"Dwell" in the Greek language is best translated as, “to live in,” “to be at home,” or “to inhabit.”

Paul then is admonishing those in Colossae to emphasize that the Word of God is to live in them, to have a home in their hearts, and to inhabit their minds.

At first glance, these verses from Colossians 3:16-17 seem quite simple to understand, but upon closer examination, we can see their true challenge come to light. We find this Greek translation of “dwell” ἐνοικείτω (ENOI-KEE-TOE) in a few additional places in the New Testament. 

First, Romans 8 uses it to describe the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that dwelled in Jesus, that raised him from the dead, dwells in the believer.  

Second, 2 Corinthians 6:16 also uses "dwell". It references an Old Testament scripture from Exodus 29 stating that The Lord God will dwell among His people.

We can’t wait to explore this theme together as a school community!

“This mission trip to the Dominican Republic can be described in so many different ways it’s hard to think of where to begin. God worked in so many incredible ways this trip and changed my heart to understand the importance of community. Right off the bat, we saw how much we take for granted at home in America, yet despite having little, the people of the Dominican had such joy, hospitality, and community. These sweet kids showed nothing but love despite us being complete strangers. The teens we lived with immediately became our friends. And within our own group, I was able to see how important it is to have community with others and to support and encourage one another in all that we do—no matter how hot it got or how hard the work became. This trip certainly had its highs and lows, but God remained faithful through it all. I am beyond grateful for this experience, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Serving God and loving on others is so incredibly important and being a part of this trip has been a blessing!” -Abby Meyer, 12th Grade

Sometimes God allows one door to close so that another may be opened... and such is the story of how we were able to embark upon our very first mission trip to the Dominican Republic. When the Europe trip was canceled in March of 2020, it gave me the opportunity to pivot and follow my passion—coming alongside God’s people in Latin America. What an absolute blessing it was to then see students understand firsthand what impacted my life in profound ways for the first time some 28 years ago—a depth of joy, passion, hospitality, and community that is the essence of the Latin American people.

Helping to Build a Home 

On our first day of work, we formed a long assembly line and passed endless buckets of concrete in order to start building a home, a “primitive act” that seemed to both set the tone for the week and symbolically represent the nature of this team.

Working with the Children

After day one, we interacted with and received hugs from more kids than most on our team have probably encountered in a lifetime. We employed more paint strokes than even Daniel LaRusso (“I’m going to be painting in my sleep—I just know it!” -Aaron Frasa). Working with children both inside and outside of the classroom—we tore down and built walls in deteriorating classrooms, sanded more walls and iron bars than one thought humanly possible, connected with “new children” in a refuge home for girls, and played endless games of soccer, volleyball, and cards every day with the locals (who never seemed to know where “Uno” wandered off to).

A Bonding Experience

Through it all, we sensed that we were all part of one family instead of two cultures maintaining their distinctiveness. From the moment we arrived and were met with smiles and help to put up our mosquito nets—we bonded. Spanish students bridged the gap by practicing the language they have acquired, but even non-Spanish students made precious heart connections through other means... but none more rambunctious than Mr. McCarty frequently yelling, “¡Dios es bueno!” Yes, there are many stories to share, and quite a few inside jokes to keep to ourselves, but these are all part of creating memories that we will forever carry with us.

Ridiculous Faith

We know that God went before us, paving the way and allowing us to all stay healthy and safe the entire time. We also need to give credit to Walkiri, Lucenis, and Lina—three wonderful ladies that served us with incredible food, timely cleaning, and labor-intensive laundry services all week. We are also confident that our daily small group devotionals, focusing on “ridiculous faith”, helped us to keep our eyes focused on our team’s personal mission—Hearts on Fire: For God and For Others.

Ongoing Support Through Sponsorship

Not only did we donate over $500 in supplies to the school Manantial de Vida, but we also still had $1500 left to determine how God wanted us to use it while we were there. As the week progressed, so did our love for the Dominicans and their culture grow, and therefore after hearing only a couple of testimonies, we knew what we wanted to do with the money. To date, Oakland Christian School is sponsoring two girls (an elementary student and a high schooler), allowing them to enjoy a Christian education for a full year. Three students and one staff member also felt led to sponsor children, and so they and/or their families are able to provide these with a Christian education as well. These five children will be ongoing sponsorships… and in the future, we hope to sponsor even more children through the support of our OCS community.

A Sense of Community

Finally, not only did we see our love of the Dominicans grow, but we also saw our care for and support of one another flourish. It is now our prayer that we will take all that we experienced—in particular, the sense of community—and use it to bring unity to Oakland Christian School in the fall in the name of Jesus and for His glory. After all, what happened in the Dominican can’t stay there! 

View our event photo album HERE. 

Laura Frasa 

Secondary Spanish Teacher, and lead teacher for the Dominican Republic missions trip
 

Armed with a powerhouse voice and mountain-moving faith, Anne Wilson burst onto the Christian music scene with her No.1 debut smash, “My Jesus”. As the first female debut artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard AC chart, Wilson’s “My Jesus” was the longest-running No. 1 for 2021. Wilson was also Billboard’s Chartbreaker Artist in the 21 Under 21 issue (Oct. ‘21).

My Jesus

On April 22, 2022, Oakland Christian School had the privilege of hosting Anne Wilson for an exclusive visit! In celebration of the release of her new album, “My Jesus”, Anne sang songs and shared her testimony as well as the story behind the inspiration for the album. After her performance, students gathered outside with Anne to celebrate with confetti poppers, and a few lucky students were able to get an autograph!

A special thanks to Anne for visiting our school and blessing us with her music! View more photos in our event photo album HERE.