I am amazed that 26 days ago when I left home and my family – the thought of spending 11 months without seeing them everyday was overwhelming and felt unbearable at the time. Now – with only 2 days left in the Dominican Republic, I cannot believe all that has changed in my heart. Yesterday was our last day in Guachupita and it was really bittersweet. My team shed many many tears over the fact that we had to leave these people that we have really grown to love deeply. We had a beautiful day with them, just spending time with one another and trying to pour out as much love as we possibly could. We usually spend about 3-4 hours at Guachupita at a time … yesterday was over 6, with 2 hours of goodbyes. When it was time to head back home, we wanted to pray with each family inside their home as our final farewell. We first prayed with Miligritos, Junior and a sleeping Orioles in their home.
Then, we went on the Carmen & Paniagua’s home – where Carmen began weeping as we hugged her and said goodbye.
On to Dulce’s house – praying with she and Emerelin and Erika and there was a lot of tears. Dulce, who I don’t think shows her emotions very often, cried a lot when she hugged us goodbye.
We then went to Ida & Clemente’s home to pray with them and Alex – and this was by far the saddest goodbye we had. We prayed over them, told them how much we loved and adored them, that we would miss them terribly and had Clemente read a scripture. Clemente told us that we were “nailed to his heart” and that he would always keep his door opened for us to come back and visit him. He started sobbing and although only Anna was able to understand what he was saying – our whole team broke out into the “ugly cry” … you know the ugly cry. We were so torn up about leaving this family! It was pretty heartbreaking seeing an old man crying so hard-knowing that it was because God has mended our hearts together and it is painful that we have to part now.
I have spent a lot of time recently in 1 John and here are some verses that have really stuck out to me regarding this ministry and especially this year of my life.
3:16-18 “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear…”
This last set of verses sums this whole month and year up for me personally. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”
