This is the road up the mountain.
Just past this curve are three of the best places in this beautiful town:
-the cancha (basketball/volleyball court) where everyone hangs out,
-the school where we got to teach for a few days,
and,
-the house of my favorite Dominican family.
I mentioned them in my last post, but this house quickly became my favorite hangout spot- one could equate it to my favorite coffee shop in the cities I live in- where I go for escape, a delicious hot drink, and a good atmosphere.
The mother, Diemi, my friend, sells tea, coffee, breads, and tortas (cakes) from her porch. The tortas are amazing; sometimes they’re made from yuca, potato, sweet corn, or coconut. However, it’s the tea that makes me come again and again. I have asked for the recipe countless times and even attempted to write down the ingredients that I dont know the English word for, but I still cant tell you what the magic is…. some mix of ginger, anise, cardamom, and cinnamon….
Even better than the tea is the company of Diemi and her family. She has four rambuntious boys and two sweet girls, who always welcome me with a smile and a kiss (and sometimes a high five if the boys aren’t too shy.). Diemi seems to always be cooking or cleaning, but she never fails to offer me a seat and a conversation. When I stayed home from ministry one day because of an upset stomach, and went for some tea to help, she insisted that I stay, and fed me a (huge) wonderful meal of rice, beans, and sauteed pork, as well as coffee, tea, and her “salt” (a shocker because sugar is in EVERYTHING here) maiz torta.
For weeks, I have been thinking about asking about her faith and her relationship with Jesus, but I have never committed to doing it. Monday night, during our squad prayer time, God reminded me of that and encouraged me to go to her. So yesterday, I gathered a Spanish bible and my lovely teammate, Mantha *who speaks amazing Spanish* to go to Diemi’s house.
When we got there, she had many visitors and customers, so instantly I began worrying that I wouldn’t be able to keep her attention long enough for this conversation. But soon after we sat down, everyone left and there was quiet. God provided us with a great conversation starter: her shirt, which was a Christmas cartoon!! We began discussing Christmas traditions, which led to me asking if they go to church on Christmas; and we continued to talk about when the family goes to church, what she thinks of church, if she believes in God (she does), if she belives Jesus is her personal Savior (she does!), and what her family belives.
Together, we read John 10- about how the sheep know their shepherd’s voice- and Psalm 139 -“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me…” We also read the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18&19) and shared with her the app GodTools to help her share her relationship with God with other people.
Coming out of that conversation, I am so glad to know that Diemi believes in God as Creator and Father, and Jesus as Savior. I also desire for her to be pursuing God fully and for her dream [to be fully satisfied with the Lord] to come true. I only have three days left in the DR, but I am trusting that God will use my remaining encounters with her and her encounters with our hosts will bring her closer and closer to Him.
I know that God is Jehovah Jireh, my Provider, her Provider, your Provider, and that He will be faithful to call out to Diemi, the sheep of His pasture. I pray that she will hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27-30).
