The Amazingly Beautiful Dominican Republic
If you have had the opportunity to view my photos, you would see how amazingly beautiful the DR truly is! But the beauty I have seen, the beauty that has opened my eyes to the DR, may be slightly different than you think!
The simplicity of doing yard work and trimming hedges at a school where God opened so many doors for me to witness to young adults and teenagers that just want to know why the “Americana's” are there. When we tell them “to serve you” they are amazed! Or speaking to classes at this same school about everything from God, our culture, their lives, all the way to teen pregnancy prevention. These children were so eager to learn how to better there lives! It makes me wish I would have taken advantage of my childhood education and appreciated what I had a little more!
We may have to walk miles a day just to walk through a small village to talk to a single mother trying to feed her child because her husband or children’s father is no longer around for multiple reasons. For her to ask us “how can I do better for my family” is so humbling! I mean, I don’t have kids, yet this woman wants advise from me about her children… Or the man in a wheel chair that has nothing (to american standards) yet gives us a coconut from his tree and offers us milk! How about the woman with 4 children that gives us each a bottle of soda, yet her husband makes much less in one full HARD day’s work than we spend on a fast food meal for lunch! Or the blind man that I approach in a village walkway that offers us a coffee! These people believe that with God anything is possible. When we visit, our answers to their questions and/or concerns are to give them hope through Jesus! We give them hope that their faith will carry them through. That Jesus Loves them no matter their situation! And you know what…. THEY BELIEVE WHOLE HEARTEDLY! This is the Amazing Beauty of the DR!
How about the class full of students that have only been learning to speak English for 8 months that throw a “Fiesta” for us! Great DR music, and amazing authentic food! They taught us a few dance moves, enjoyed our company, we all sang some worship music and they thanked us just for the willingness to spend our time with them! We have been so blessed to meet so many amazing people here! That is the Beauty of the DR!
We’ve spoke at church services, learned music in spanish for them, built long lasting memories in the minds and hearts of so many Dominicans. That means so much more than trying to come in and change their culture. They just want acceptance and love! We played basket ball with a group of young men that lets just say… Had their own rules for the most part, Yet, left them knowing that we were there all in the name of Jesus! Even though I almost blew out a knee… All is good. We built gutters on a church roof and loved on every kid we could along the way! This is the Amazingly Beautiful DR!
Today… We went to a place called ”No bodies land”. And yes, thats what they call it. It’s a small area between the Dominican and Haitian border that is un-owned by the government. In fact, when we walked across the border, the guard said “you’r on your own if you go over there”,But, we had God, what else did we need? I spoke with many men and most mentioned the glory of how great God was! Only one Haitian man didn’t know God that I spoke with, so I left him assured that Jesus loved him!
So we all know that the mountains here are gorgeous, the rivers, the streams, and the valleys are so cumbersome, but the true Amazingly Beautiful Dominican Republic lie in its Truly beautiful people!
