Hello friends!
I sent an update email to many of you, and I realized it left a big gap in my blogging! Following women’s ministry in the DR, we were involved with “door-to-door evangelism.” Here is the rest of the story to our ministry in the Dominican:
After working with women the previous week, we ventured out and walked up and down the rural streets of Lajas to begin door to door evangelism. Most people in the community come from a Catholic background. We were never introducing the name of Jesus Christ for the first time, but we entered these homes with our translator ready to meet new people and to pray for them. We heard many stories and prayed healing and continued blessings over families and homes. Most of our conversations were surface level, but I have a special story to share with you:
There was a house high up on a hill. From the road, one could barely see the corner of the roof. We saw a tall, rocky path, and decided to see where it led. A beautiful little blue shack stood before us and a very happy man, named Andres, greeted us and invited us inside. He said he knew God. He prayed to Him all the time, but he avoided church because all he could see was the hypocritical gossip that took place there.
Honestly, I cannot tell you how the conversation progressed, but he told us about a dream he had when he was 14 years old. He had gone to heaven and he mentioned their was a cauldron of fire that he walked through without a scratch. Immediately my teammate and I brought up the story of Shadrach, Meeshac and Abendigo (please excuse my spelling). We all read it together, and discussed how the 4th person in the fire was Jesus who was saving them. Jesus has the same gift of salvation for Andres and he was ready to receive it that day. “I always pray to God, and I try to be a good person, but I never really knew who Jesus was until today,” he said. I was blown away!
I have never been in a conversation about salvation. It really stretched me and opened a door of urgency to share about it with others. People may know of Jesus, but do they KNOW Him and what He did for them? Do they know He wants a relationship with them? I can tell you that was an amazing afternoon. We almost didn’t go up that rocky hill, and I am thankful the Holy Spirit prompted us and we listened.
We encouraged him to speak with the local pastor about discipleship and I pray this man can be a light in the church. He sees the sin in it, and I expect God to use Andres to help restore the local church.
Debrief
On Wednesday, we left Lajas, and the whole squad (around 40 people) came together from different locations and began what we call “debrief.” This happens about 4 times in the year. We all get together to take a a few days to process the month of ministry. After pouring out all month, this is the time for A.I.M. staff members to fly out to meet us and for a season of being poured into through discipleship/one-on-ones, sermons, and time alone with the Lord.
I have grown so much through this time, and I have been able to see where the Lord wants to grow in intimacy with me and areas where I am receiving some emotional healing from events in my life.
This journey has been a movement of 2 legs: one is growing the Kingdom, and the other is personal intimacy with the Father. They happen together and provide opportunity for the other to move forward.
Story Time!
We were walking along the beach during debrief, and we had many vendors call out to us trying to sell us products. Little did they know, we have virtually no money. We tried to nicely tell them we did not want anything. We were getting to the end of the street, and a gentleman standing at the corner shop called out to us one more time. “No thank you,” we continued. “No, no, I don’t want you to buy anything, I want to talk to you from my heart,” he said. I was very skeptical. We had many men yell cat calls toward us, and I expected this to be a “you’re beautiful, so I will give you a special price” kind of statement.
He asked where we were from. My teammate took the lead and explained we were from America. He asked if we were students, and she took the jump and said we were missionaries. He had a huge sigh of relief and said, “can you please pray for me? I am ready for a new life. I have 5 women and I only want to be with one and I also have trouble with alcohol.” His vulnerability shook me to the core and I knew the Lord had this divine appointment set up. I immediately felt the Holy Spirit’s presence and each person from my team spoke words that I know where not from us.
We prayed for Him on the street. We talked about grace and God’s power in moments of temptation. I remembered 1 Corinthians 10:13 and shared the verse with him. It was truly unexpected. Not only did this experience grow the Kingdom, but it opened the door for me to see God fulfill a promise for me. In Lajas, I did not see much fruit from my experience their and I began to doubt the authority I have been given through the Holy Spirit. During this experience, God told me He has plans to use me and it will be in His timing and with people I won’t expect. I am still shocked. He keeps His promises!
Wily prayed for a new life and I just ask that you keep him and Andres in your prayers 🙂
Update: Ministry in Haiti is awesome! Stay tuned 🙂
