Guachupita.
We’ve discovered our ministry site! Our ministry contacts are two Americans, Miguel and Emily, whose last names I don’t know. Miguel and his wife Kristen will have their second child any day now, and their family is committed to the Dominican Republic for life. Emily is a college student who is here for four months this summer and is like one of the locals.
The area we’re working in is a slum district called Guachupita. We only just started working there, so I’ll have stories to tell later, but I still want to give you the briefing that we got!
Guachupita was described as the poorest, darkest part of San Juan. Some of it’s reputation is valid, but as always there is also a lot of hype. It may be a spiritual or physical battle for us, but we can stand firm in Christ!
Miguel’s vision for Guachupita is that it become the most peaceful and respectable community in San Juan, because, after all, God likes to redeem the poor, broken things of the world (1 Corinthians 1:27-29); that’s why we’re here! Long term, he wants a house church in every village, town, city and community in San Juan, and for the DR to send more missionaries per capital than any other nation.
Guachupita is technically a green zone: no one has any claim to land and if the government tells them to get out, then they must leave.
We’re digging a canal and doing some VBS. We’re praying for the Lord to give us two kids to really pour into, and you can pray for this with us. We’re encouraged to find kids that lack education and help them out. We’ll be doing house visits too. The people love being touched and we’re told be to be super extraverted! They also like being prayed over, and since we can only do so much work, prayer is really the most influential thing we can do.
Strongholds: violence, abuse, drinking, idolatry. There is also a spirit of sickness and uncleanliness there. We’re encouraged to shower twice a day and maintain high hygiene! Everyone there, even if they don’t look like it, has some disease. Trash is everywhere. Even as we were clearing and area we found trash even several inches under the ground.
The children there are so excited around us! I’ve always heard the stories of impoverished children pulling on the heart strings, now I know it! I’m really looking forward to doing some VBS with them. I’m also looking forward to working on the canals so that these people have adequate drainage from their streets, as standing water and wet spots are the most problematic and infectious parts of Guachupita.
So we’re going for a holistic approach: working to build infrastructure to facilitate good public physical health, ministering to the people to encourage healthy community interactions amongst themselves, and spreading the good news that they can have a hope of eternal life in Christ Jesus.
Due to cultural sensitivities, we’ve been asked to delay using our cameras for a few days until we’ve established a relationship with some of the people.
I still have $8,300 left to raise in order to be fully supported, so if you wish to support this ministry please donate by clicking the “Support James!” link in left navigation column! Thank you!
