Yesterday marked one week since we arrived in the Domincan Republic. Last Saturday we threw all our backpacks, and ourselves, in the back of a truck and ventured to the mountain town of Las Lagunas. Here we've been working with our ministry host Carlos (and his wife Veronica) who is the pastor of the local Mennonite, evangelical church in town. We've spent the last week mostly getting settled and walking around visiting with others; just getting to know people in the area.
Our team has been doing a huge range of ministry activities already from playing sports with the kids, teaching English classes, praying for the sick and preaching/leading worship during church services (of which there are at least 3 per week). I pray that as we spend more time here we can discern which ministries God is calling us to focus on and where we can be most effective in impacting the community in a sustainable way.
This week has actually been filled with activity for me; including a health challenge…already. Day 2 in the Dominican I was eaten alive by bugs (of all types) and got 32 bites below my knees. Luckily the rest of my team stayed safe from complications but over the next few days my bites got infected, probably since bugs are such a huge carrier of bacteria and disease. Things are under control now and praise God that there is a clinic here for me to get medical attention/antibiotics but please pray for continued healing.
Because of this situation I've struggled with some anxiety the last week. When you're in a rural and remote town, without the access to information and care we might have in Canada/North America, the only thing you can really rely on is God. Although I can do my best, I don't have complete control over how my body reacts, the bacteria and bugs I encounter, how fast I heal, the medicine I have access to and what I will encounter over the next 11 months.
“So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body.” — Ecclesiastes 11: 10
I really discovered that the only peace I found was in God's Word which speaks truth over my life and how much God will care for His children and protect us. As it says in the book of Matthew, if you have faith and truly do not doubt in the power of God then you will receive what you ask for in prayer.
So then…. “do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:6-7
