As you all read this, I want everyone to know that in order for me to get this to you, I had to set the computer on top of my head in order to get a good enough internet connection to get this blog sent out. Just so you’re aware of the things we do sometimes to keep everyone posted. (I wish I could post up some pictures, but the internet is just too slow right now. I promise some though soon!) Please enjoy the video at the bottom though my team made during our Launch in Florida!
Hola mi familia y mi amigos! See what I did there? Spanish. 8 years after my last Spanish class, that’s about all I remember. I’m wondering what will happen when we end up in countries for the last 10 months with languages that I haven’t studied. Language is an adventure. This first week has been an adventure.
Our translator for the month? His name is Manual and I absolutely love him! He’s a man of God who is passionate about the Lord and truly cares about bringing people into a personal relationship with Him. He sings in the praise band of one local church, is the new Pastor of another, helps lead a local basketball program, and so much else. On top of that he’s got a quirky sense of humor and pretty much every single conversation with him is an adventure whether its making a list of food for lunch or Candice trying to describe "hill billies" because we have no idea what he’s likely to say next. Language is a challenge, but I know that he's really trying.
This week has been pretty stretching thus far to say the least. Most of what we do in these villages we are traveling to is go door to door and just talk with people. Get to know them a bit and share with them why we are here in the DR. Pretty much everyone has welcomed us with open arms and coffee, which is shocking. Because this is the sort of thing that causes people in homes back in the US to turn off the lights and hide under the table when someone shows up. The hospitality is incredible though, and no matter where we go, they always have enough plastic chairs for everyone hidden somewhere in their house. The chairs thing is almost magical.
We've had the chance to speak with many families, pray for lots and lots of folks, and have spent all of it up in the mountains which I think rank second only to Switzerland. Earlier in the week we had a 3 hour hike into the mountains to some hot springs where we had lunch with 6 Dominican men roughly my age. We waded across one river a total of 34 times to get there and back, but it was worth it. Adventure. They prepared lunch for us and are just a group of great guys. The next day we had a chance to sit down with them for a few hours and speak with them about being men of God, using their talents (which they have many of) for Him, and lifting each other up and keeping each other accountable. We've had many other conversations like this with others too throughout the week!
We don't know what many of the conversations we have lead to, but we do trust that God knows their hearts and we realize that as a Team, we are here more to cultivate the soil for even something more special down the road for these villages. So results may not be immediate or even visible, but we trust that God knows what he's doing.
Some last minute tidbits.
I've had more coffee in one week here than in my entire life. I seriously mean that too.
I've also spent more time riding in the back of trucks in one week than my entire life too.
We've got a black little dog that follows us around in Padre Las Casas everyone on my team calls Pepto or Plattypus or something like that. The dog and I are not really on good terms after he tried to take off with my retainer.
I was clotheslined by barbed wire the other day. Why people would put that stuff at head height I will never know.
Only one mouse killed so far by Jesse.
To wrap everything up, I have some wonderful news! I’ve hit third base and am rumbling full steam ahead to home plate. After my first week of ministry here in the Dominican Republic, I checked my support account to discover that I’ve now got over $12,000 raised out of a needed $15,500! This means I’ve surpassed the April 1st deadline! I’m continually blown away by God’s grace and the answering of my prayers. That final number seemed like a ridiculous reach when I first started out, but I’m almost there. As always, many thanks to everyone who has been supporting this endeavor!
This week I ask that you all please pray for
The Health of Team Monarch
Continued Safety and Protection
Language Barriers Overcome
Boldness
Open Doors and Hearts
