So we made it to the Dominican Republic. We arrived late on Thursday night, received a short orientation, unpacked and went to bed.
Part of our team at the airport waiting on our ride.
A little about living in the DR:
- there are no rules for driving here, even if there are lines, no one stays in them, it is MASS CHAOS!!
- you can NOT flush toilette paper in the toilet bowl, it has to go in the trash! Nice huh!
- we have two rottweilers that live on our base, otherwise known as guard dogs, that are not so friendly if you are wandering around outside by yourself or so we've been told.
- we are confined to the based, which is a large house that is gated!
- we have limited computer and internet access to help enhance community life, this means internet/computer only every other day or two for about an hour!
- only 1 or 2 people are allowed to take cameras to ministry everyday so we can focus on building relationships. Since we are not allowed off base or to take our cameras the times we do go out, we haven't been able to capture much of the culture.
- there's a swimming pool that's not clean so we can't use it!
- es muy caliente a qui - it's HOT here!
- there are no windows, just bars!
- I'm getting to speak Spanish, which I haven't done in MANY, MANY years and can comprehend and communicate quite a bit!
- there is NO hot water which means ice cold showers, which takes my breath away.
- the food is excellent!
- the people are beautiful and hospitable!
- we saw goats being slaughtered and hanging on the side of the road today when we stopped for directions (eyeballs staring at you and tongue sticking out)
Day 1:
Today we went to a ministry that feeds the homeless everyday. We were able to hang out and talk with people, two people helped prepare and serve food and then a couple people helped clean up. The people were so friendly and kind! Some of the kids were shining shoes. Steven got his Converse shines, well the white rubber part, and it definitely made a difference. On our way there we passed a photographer standing on the side of the road, so a couple of students from our team and a translator went to see if they could find him. It turns out that Emanuel, our translator, knew one of the guys. They are Christian photographers and music artist and they came back to the base and did an interview for us. We are hoping to work with them when we come back to the DR. They do photo shoots and videos for well know Christian artists and currently don't use their lens to do any evangelism. We were able to share with them some ways to do that and pray with them. We all felt like it was a divine appointment and are looking forward to working with Gary and Martin in the future. In the evening we spent time preparing testimonies, worship and a message for the next day.
This is a picture of our interview in our common room at the YWAM base in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Day 2:
Today we went to a Leprosy Colony. We went out and invited the residents to come to the dining hall, where we did two worship songs, shared two testimonies and I gave message on Hearing the Word of God. During team time last night, Hilary, said she would teach but after our intercession time, she said she got a word that I was supposed to teach and gave me a passage to teach on! I felt so unworthy of the task! I went to find a quiet place to study, which there was none. I wasn't able to use my computer for notes or research! I fell on the stairs trying to go back up to ask a question and banged up my knew and ankle! I wasn't connecting with the passage! I hadn't had dinner because it all had dairy in it, which I am allergic to! BUT God was my strength! I got up early this morning to complete my teaching before breakfast at 7:30am, of which there was nothing I could eat either! I felt miserable on the way to the Colony from an allergic reaction, but I was NOT giving up! Someone had even said something slightly mean which hurt my feelings before we left! When we got there we went and met the residents and invited them to the dining room! I met this sweet 78 year old man named Renalto, he had taught himself some English and we were able to communicate quite well. After we shared testimonies and I taught on lesson on Hearing the Voice of God, we had 30 minutes to interact with the residents. I spent the whole time talking to Renalto. He was SO sweet and encouraging! He loved my message. He is a believer and was sharing how he didn't have any family in the area and the family he did have was ill and his health was not good and how he felt lonely, but he remembered that He had the Lord and that was the ONLY thing he needed. Praise God! He had such hope, it was AMAZING! He loved that we came to visit and the best gift he said we could give was sharing the word of God, which we did! On the way home, our translator, Emanuel, shared that several people had recently died there and so everyone was a little down and didn't want to come to our service. After hearing that and looking back at the joy they had in their faces it was such a blessing to be a part of God working in the Leprosy Colony!
THANK YOU JESUS for such an AMAZING day!
Tonight we are going to the home of the base Director's house for a bible study and tomorrow we are going to Santiago all day!
Please pray for our ministry here, unity in our team, rest, health and food that I can eat (there's been 3 meals in which there was nothing I could eat because of my food allergies)!
Thank you all for your love and support!
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