HUMANS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
**Humans of the World Race is going to be a place where I can share with you what I am learning (about life, love, God, hope, etc.) from different people throughout each month. ENJOY! (:
Carlitos, 15 (left). Carlito celebrated his 15th birthday while we were there! We threw him a surprise party and had a dance party afterwards. Carlitos is a kid who lives in the neighborhood who helps missionaries Vicki and Ruben around the property with day-to-day work and chores. He obviously loved the attention from a bunch of 20-something year old girls for his birthday. Carlitos and I played volleyball together several times throughout the month or I spent many evenings listening to him and Jason tell stories dramatic enough to be in a Telanovela Soap Opera… Carlitos has a big smile and an even bigger personality. He also probably sings “I Like to Move it Move it” 3 times a day, but if you turn on Enrique Iglesias you may be in the presence of Michael Jackson (moon walk/hip thrusts and all) instantly. Carlitos taught me about genuine joy.
Jason, 19 (right). Jason is also someone who helps Vicki and Ruben with the property or whatever the need may be. I’ve seen him scale a balcony to chase away dogs trying to eat the chickens, fix a motorcycle, clean the pool, take care of the guard dog, and even climb a tree to get us some sweet limes. He’s really is a Jack-of-All-Trades and is respected by people both young and old. One of the first nights we were here, Jason went down to the river to pull a crab out of its den so we could boil and eat it. The crab might have taken pieces of skin off his fingers, but there was no way he was giving up on getting it. He also taught me how to drive a motorcycle. In return I showed him the consequences of chewing tobacco. We looked at pictures of lip and mouth cancer online. SINCE THAT DAY (January 17th) JASON HAS BEEN TOBACCO FREE!! Jason taught me a lot about respect and hardwork.
Dejanira, 30’s. Dejanira is a mother of two girls. Due to birthing trouble during the first pregnancy, the doctors told her to wait 10 years to have another one. Pictured is her with the youngest, Evelca. Dejanira was definitely the most inspiring Dominican I met all month. Even though Evelca almost never sleeps (maybe an hour or two a night), Dejanira still manages to cook, clean and chase around her other daughter with high spirits and hard work. She was the BEST hostess and wanted to make sure we were comfortable and taken care of. My best ministry memory is spending 5 hours at her house learning how to cook Fried Plantains and pasta, (attempting) the latest Dominican dance moves, and taught her how to play Phase 10. Jesus was definitely using this time as a teaching moment for me. If we are being honest…because “I Want to Be a Proverbs 31 Woman” was such a popular phrase in the States, I never really gave the chapter a chance to really teach me anything. But I feel like when we were with Dejanira the Lord really used it as an opportunity to see that phrase come to life. After my teammate KP had shared this chapter with Dejanira, I went back that night and picked out what characteristics I saw in Dejanira. This is what I felt she embodied:
v. 13 She works with eager hands
v.15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family.
v.17 She sets about her work vigorously
v.25 She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
Dejanira also taught me a lot about hard work, but she also taught me that when you love something so much, even through the rough days, it doesn’t feel like work because you’re pouring into something that means the world to you. She takes on these “tasks” with a joyful spirit and a heart full of laughter.
