The sunshine made the houses glow like the sunset with their pink, yellow, and orange paint. The dirt road leading us farther upward over rocks and around holes. The sound of motorcycles growled in the distance, and it was in that moment that I knew I was home. The Dominican Republic has had a special place in my heart over the last 6 years. The DR was the first stamp in my passport, and began a stirring in my heart that has lead to many more stamps from around the world in the years since.
When I set out to pick a route for the World Race I hemmed and hawed over which one to choose, but after seeing that I could come back to the DR, I knew which route I had to choose. When I came 6 years ago I was working in Jarabacoa for 2 weeks with a group of students from Bethel. It was eye-opening and life-changing. God lit a fire in my heart to see more of him in the world around me. He also began growing a passion in my soul for missions.
In those quite moments on the hillside in Jarabacoa I had no idea the plan that God had for me, or that it would include calling me back to this beautiful, lush country. I knew in those moments that God was allowing me to fall in love with the beauty of the people and the landscape for a greater purpose, but the Race wasn’t even a thought in my mind. Now here I am again. Jesus called me to step out on this adventure with him, and the first stop is back to where it all began. How crazy is that? God loves me so much that he is calling me back to the actual country where it all began to ready me for the next 11 months.
God has led me back to the place where I found him in new ways. He is leading me back home to his heart. I get to take a month and remember why I love missions, and how big God is. It’s been a hard first week, but when I walked into the village on the mountainside I remembered why I said yes to this adventure. I saw the palms trees, banana trees, and dirt give way to homes and a community full of people created in the image of God. I said yes because I serve a God who loves and reigns in even in the dust covered, sun scorched corners of the world. I said yes because my home is wherever God reigns; my home is among the orphans, the broken, and the beautiful.
UPDATE: I AM FULLY FUNDED FOR MY RACE!! Thank you to everyone who gave and has blessed me financially. Please be keeping my teammates in your prayers because we have several who are still raising funds.
