Wow… It’s MONTH ELEVEN, Y’ALL! This is SO surreal!
… But we’re not done yet!
To catch you up, X-Squad and I are here in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and this month looks a little different from all the others up to now. This month there is no organized ministry. No local host, no prearranged church or orphanage or Bible School; nothing. This month, WE find the ministry we want to be a part of, or we can create our own.
So apart from a few guidelines, we’re on our own!
This is something new that AIM is trying in the final month of each route to help Racers adjust to life back home. Because back home there is no host that picks you up at 8am to go evangelize in the village, or to round you and your friends up to visit the elderly home, or take you to the soup kitchen to feed the homeless and give a message from the Word. Back home, the ball is in our court, whether we choose to seek and build healthy church community or continue in the status quo; whether we step out in the boldness of what we have come to learn on this journey or continue to be yet another passive person making their way in their church and their world; whether ministry happens once in a while or if it has truly become a lifestyle.
It is also a time for us to begin processing… well, EVERYTHING. A year brings a lot, and when you’ve hit up 14 or so countries in the course of 10 months, there’s little time for much of hat you experienced to actually digest. And admittedly, as an internal processor that doesn’t quite have an idea how to tackle that yet, it’s been a little daunting. In fact, as I have begun to think about it, I’ve begun to talk about it as well. Who knows, I might become an external processor before the end of this!
So right now, I’m trying to find the balance of doing these two things. And meanwhile, while I want to talk to God about it, He is telling me to listen instead. And THAT’S a whole other wonderful if not rather messy story. So with that being said, I want to share about the other side of the coin: ministry.
So far we’ve had people going to elderly and special needs homes to spend time with the residents there, while others have become involved with a local English speaking church to evangelize and get involved with their youth group, some have been involved in local Young Life activities, while others have been using their ministry time preparing for their ministry back home, or beyond (shameless plug coming: ask me about my teammates Bethany and Derek Dameron who are preparing for long term missions in Serbia!).
As for me? I’ve been exploring that love of God and His people by using some of my time to go out and do some evangelism!
One of the ways God has challenged me lately in growing deeper in my relationship with Him is… well, to just have FUN with Him! Like I would with any loved one. To just enjoy His company, to press a little more into the uncomfortable and awkward, and let Him shine out. And one day while my SQL, Davante, and I were out that took quite a literal turn.
Now, to give some visual aid to the situation, this month we’re residing in a rather up and coming part of Santo Domingo. There are nice houses and nice apartment complexes all around, with more in construction around us.
But if you walk just outside our apartment, there is one building that defies these characteristics. Old, dilapidated, uncompleted this building stands next to us. The house had no windows or real furnishings, there’s no door, the yard is littered with shattered tiles, glass, and rubble– there is no grass. The fence is a few scrounged up pieces of weathered wood wrapped about with barbed wire, and the gate a random zinc panel lying on the ground. It’s very out of place with the $200,000+ home across the street from it. Not the most inviting-looking place; and honestly the kind of place where it looks like sketchy things go down.
Well, we walked out of the apartment on our way for whatever and whoever the Lord planned for us to meet. Davante said he felt the Lord say that for this time He (God) was encouraging him to just be still. And as Davante and I round the corner and come upon this house on our evangelism walk we see them- the residents. A group of 5 young men, shirtless, pants hanging rather low, and when we come upon the scene they are, most peculiarly, found … digging at the ground?
Wh- Why?
To be honest, this did not help avert my suspicions of suspect activity going on. And in that moment I found myself thinking, “Oh man, they’re on something.”
I immediately brushed the thought from my mind, not wanting to close myself off from them, but there was still hesitancy in my heart, admittedly. I’ve taken up that 1 John 4:18 lifestyle, but there are still times I when I let my head get in the way of my heart.
And then—
“Do you want to go talk to them?”
Davante asked after we had nearly walked by the house completely. It was the reminder I needed to snap out of it; to move away from my head, my perception, and let God move my heart. (Just because we know better doesn’t mean we don’t trip up sometimes– have grace for yourself! 🙂 )
“Yeah, let’s do it.” I said in reply.
And as we approached things came into focus. They were not “digging at the ground”, nor were they on anything, but rather playing a game; a somewhat modified game of marbles.
And it hit me (not the marble)! In an instant I could see where this was leading.
With some trepidation (because my Spanish is pretty rusty these days) I leaned in and asked the nearest man (his name is Alexandre), “¿Podemos a jugar?” (Can we play?)
A few moments pass…
“Si.” he replied.
YES!
And for the next three hours we got to play their favorite game (as it turns out, the oldest one among them was only 15 years old) and talk with them about who they were and who we are, learn more about their lives, and share Jesus with them. We came to find that they all knew of salvation by Jesus and had accepted Jesus into their hearts! And as we sat there, neighbors and friends filtered in and out which gave us opportunities to meet even more people! I had a conversation about faith in Spanish with a man named Cenou that lasted more than 2 hours! AND he invited me to his church on Sunday, which I got to go to. THAT’S another incredible, beautiful story of its own.
And the time flew by. Before we knew it it was time to leave. We said parting to our new friends and fellow brothers and sisters, and as we walked back we reflected on our time. Davante really felt God showed him much in that truly all he needed to do was be willing to be present and still, and the time flew by and he made a meaningful impact and relationship with them. In a sense it was also a word for me and was also answered by God. If I hadn’t had that moment of pause I may have let my mind rule out interaction with these beautiful, incredible people.
And for myself, I looked back and realized God has shown up in a way I needed, too. I not only did evangelism, but I did it with love, and played a game while doing it– and I had FUN with God! And I truly did! And to think, it was only a small taste! Experiences like this with the Lord continually have me hungering for more and more, greater and more awesome experiences with Him, because His love is so perfectly endless and deep: I want to know it and experience it to the best of my ability!
But to think, none of this would have happened if I had continued on as I was, and didn’t let God open my heart. If I had said, “no.” to my neighbor.
So, with that, I want to challenge you all with a little something. I want to encourage you to reach out to someone this week; someone you DON’T know. Maybe that’s an actual neighbor, or maybe it’s a coworker. And perhaps it’s someone completely random sitting by themselves out at restaurant or coffee shop. But take some time, even only a minute. Say hello, ask them how they are (and don’t accept “I’m fine” for an answer). I’ve learned complete strangers, though frightening to open up to at first, have a peculiar tendency to really open up if you press them a little bit. But as I said earlier, the one thing that made Jesus so effective in reaching people wasn’t just His words or miracles or being the Son of God (although, they were, you know, huge qualifiers), but that he knew His people and cared about them deeply– the deepest!
So let someone see a little Jesus through you this week; get to know them. If they permit, spend some more time with them and learn more, and all the while be asking Jesus how you can pour into their lives. Do they need healing, physical or spiritual? Are they going through a tough time? Do they need to hear truth about the Lord or what the Lord says about them? Be attentive– listen to the Lord, and let Him do wonders with you and through you! Let HIM be your confidence!
“If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect…There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear… Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. This is the greatest commandment. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
+ Matthew 5:46-48, 1 John 4:18, & Mark 12:30-31
But I have one condition: do it because you want to, not because you feel you have to. The Lord wants us to do all out of the abundance, the willingness of our hearts. If you struggle with fear- don’t worry! The fact that you are even contemplating reaching out in love shows a willingness– let Him guide you through it, and bring out the truth!
I can’t wait to hear some stories! Feel free to write what you experienced in the comments or message me!
