“Some of us may think that ministry is a grand adventure. Ministry, however is simply loving the person in front of you. It’s about stopping for the one, and being the very fragrance of Jesus to the lost and dying world.”
-Heidi Baker
My team and I will be the first to tell you that the world race is nothing like the videos we watched. All along we have been watching the highlight reels of the experiences of others, expecting our world race to look similar to theirs. Nobody told us that there was a behind the scenes, nobody told us that this was real life. Not everything is playing with cute children, not everyone speaks English, and our walk with the Lord does not automatically become perfect. Within our team of seven we have experienced numerous amounts of laughter, tears, honest hard truth, and dance parties so we don’t lose our minds; and this was just in the first week!
Coming into this second week in the Dominican Republic we are beginning to be more familiar of our surroundings, we are confident when it comes to walking to the frozen yogurt shop to get WiFi and a very refreshing smoothie(which we can now order in Spanish). We have also grown to feel comfortable at the church we are partnering with; greeting have gone from timid handshakes to warm embraces with a kiss on the cheek. We are no longer hesitant to communicate now because we know that somehow and someway we will be able to get across the point we are trying to make; because His love knows no language.
Our ministry in the Dominican Republic looks absolutely nothing like we could have imagined. We are not sweating because we are doing construction, but instead the sweat is from doing a house visit for an hour and a half, in a house with no air condition, in the best clothes we could scramble together. This month our ministry is to look at the person in front of us, to aid to the spiritual need as much as the physical. We have been blessed to stay in the house of Pastor Juan and his wife Alba, and oh man what a big blessing it has been. We are not just to ministry with them a few hours a day, we are living life with them, we are together every day, nearly every hour of the day. For us ministry looks like praying, worshiping, and doing life with those near to us. We have done house visits nearly every night last week, and despite the language difference Holy Spirit spoke in a mighty way. Those nights have been highlights of mine thus far, as well as hanging out with and learning about Kamile, the daughter of Pastor Juan.
I want to thank you all for your prayers and support of my team and my squad, the Lord is doing some amazing work here in the Dominican Republic. I do ask that you say a special pray for the Church and the Body of Christ here in Villa Mella. Iglesia Cristiano Benidicion is the name of the church we have been honored to partner with; the members are in the process of raising two million pesos to buy the land that the church is currently on. Pray that the Lord continues to bless His people in this place, that they can feel His love in a strong and mighty way. Pray for us as we continue to do life with these beautiful people, that we are able to be the hands and feet of Christ and love like He has so graciously loved us.
Señor eres fiel, Y tu misericordia es eterna
