I have the privilege of working not only with the pastor here but also have the benefit that her husband works in the government. Last night I sat down to figure out exactly what the government provides and does not provide. After spending a year studying the history of the United States aid to the poor as well as England, it interests me to find out what the DR does for their poor. Especially since so many are poor in this country.
I would like to start by apologizing to everyone for this morning. I’m pretty sure God was so present in our worship service this morning and therefore could not have been anywhere else. I think Sundays are one of my favorite days. One because I get to see so many of my friends and hermanos in worship. Two because I know God will reveal Himself. It excites me every Sunday. The music is so powerful, even if you do not even understand the smallest bit of Spanish. For those that do understand Spanish, it is so personal and intimate. There is dancing and praising like you have never seen before.
Christian. It is a term used over and over again, with many never knowing the meaning. As a youth minister I constantly asked my students the true meaning of the term Christian. They would always answer “to be Christ-like.” We daily refer to ourselves as Christians but how often can we say that we are being Christ-like? This is what I constantly challenged by students. To not just be Christian, with all the stereotypes of the world surrounding the term, but to be Christ-like.
This past week I rode the public transportation in Santiago. There are buses that take passengers from one city to the next and then there are the routes. Each route has a letter signifying their route. The cost is 20 pesos (38 pesos is $1). You ride until you get off. Luis rode with me to the church. We walked to the plaza and jumped in an old 1980s Toyota Camry that already had 4 people and the driver. Along the way we picked up more and dropped some off. We then got out just after Calle del Sol and walked the rest of the way to the church. It was so easy and so cheap.
Now that the family has moved we have begun to settle into the new place. I am reminded how much of Sairy’s and therefore my work is daily and continuous. As Sairy runs around town from errand to errand between her family and the church, I have spent much of my time with her or the boys. I have begun to ask questions about the lives of “mis hermanos” (my brothers). The more I learn, the more I pray.
This week I helped Sairy and the family move into their new house! It is so nice to have the extra space and being higher up the breeze is huge. It is the first time that I have needed a blanket in July. I’m also told that a tropical storm is bringing us the lovely rain that is cooling everything off. I anticipate that the cool weather won’t last long but I am sure that the breeze and coolness of the new place will remain.
The second group has left and I am back with the family. Sairy’s trip to London was canceled due to confusion over new visa rules. In her words “Dios sabe” (God knows). The first groups did VBS in Los Cocos and in Cien Fuegos. They were greatly received and greatly appreciated. The second group did VBS in Cuesta Arena and construction. The group completed the stucco and began digging the 6,000 gallon cistern and used the dirt to fill the house. The next group is a choral group that will complete the cistern and perform a concert to help the church raise money for instruments.
One of the most meaningful times for me is our team morning and evening devotions. Each morning before breakfast we gather to think about the day ahead and direct our attention toward a theme to look for during the day. Then at night before we retire, we reflect back on our day and answer the question “Where did you see God at work today?” Whether in the Dominican Republic or in the USA we need to look for ways and places where we encounter God. Today the presence of the Lord was with us as we worshipped and worked. Pam
Today we spent a wonderful morning at the church in Santiago. The service was inspiring and filled with joy. In the afternoon we went to Cuesta Arena and continued work on the mission house and also did vacation bible school with the neighborhood children. They are so thankful with so little. Dios es amor. Mara
Today was the second day we were in Cuesta Arena. We are doing VBS and working finishing the plastering of the mission house. Today when we arrived, Guillermo and his crew were already working. When I took a closer looks at his crew I noticed that Joan was one of the workers. Joan is the gentleman that we helped receive a prosthetic leg after a motor car accident. It was amazing to see God working in his life and him coming full circle and back to his life in construction.
